Lu's Womyn-Born-Womyn-Only Policy: The Ongoing Discussions

[Natasha]

Lu's Womyn-Born-Womyn-Only Policy: The Ongoing Discussions

http://www.bilerico.com/2009/08/lus_womyn-born-womyn-only_policy_the_ongoing_discu.php
Mercedes Allen
8/4/09

On July 6th, I noted the story of Lu's: A Pharmacy for Women, operated by the Vancouver Women's Health Collective (VWHC) , and noted how the Vancouver pharmacy's policy to serve only "women who were born as women and live as women" excluded anyone transsexual or of transsexual history. At that point, I'd recommended opening dialogue as a first step solution. After some initial protests and media attention, that dialogue has begun, involving several advocates. The outcome is still uncertain, but two things that are becoming apparent are that 1) both sides want to talk, and 2) no one wants to see a valuable resource for women close -- they only wish to see only the reassessment of a bad policy.

[CA_Medicine_Woman]

I've seen a couple of articles about the pharmacy, but a visit to their web site doesn't reveal any WBW policies or intent.  This is not to say they simply leave a defacto policy unstated, but I haven't heard any reports of actual discrimination yet from actual customers.

The problem is, however, that if Lu's does have a defacto WBW policy, legally there is nothing to be done.  Canada has already ruled that the WBW Only policies are legitimate, and that if those women wish to have separate businesses, services, and facilities privately for themselves, then they may.  That there is also a desperate need for this particular service (given cutbacks in women's health services in Canada by the largely male controlled government) doesn't help much to keep any actual or potential WBW policies from becoming extremist in nature.

Hopefully, this will be a non-issue and the various sides can work something out that will benefit all while addressing the concerns of everyone involved.