Culture and People
Protecting basic rights for gender diverse veterinary professionals: Inside Pride VMC’s Gender Identity Bill of Rights
PrideVMC’s Gender Identity Bill of Rights provides a blueprint for honoring the identities of LGBTQ+ veterinary professionals during Pride Month and beyond.
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In 2021, the Pride Veterinary Medical Community (Pride VMC) introduced a groundbreaking document: the Gender Identity Bill of Rights (GIBOR). Co-authored by Ewan D.S. Wolff, PhD, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) (they/them), a small animal internist at Mountainside Animal Emergency & Specialty in North Vancouver and Pride VMC’s Industry Liaison, the GIBOR outlines 12 fundamental rights for gender-diverse individuals in veterinary medicine—and beyond.
A blueprint for inclusion
“The GIBOR is a starting point, not the finish line,” said Wolff. “It provides initial steps in common decency, like honoring names, identity, pronouns, privacy, and correcting misinformation.”
The document also addresses workplace protections against discrimination and harassment, while advocating for safety and accountability. Rights and freedoms outlined in the GIBOR include the right to pronouns, privacy, advocacy, and more, as well as freedom of gender expression, and freedom from explanation and gender affirmation timelines.
How it started
Born from a 2021 working group discussion within Pride VMC, the GIBOR grew from a draft by Wolff, Erika Lin-Hendel, VMD, PhD, and Jenna Ward, DVM, all of whom are members of Pride VMC’s gender identity subgroup, into a fully vetted, lawyer-reviewed, board-approved call to action. But its impact didn’t stop at publication.
“It took thousands of volunteer hours—conversations, calls, testimony, speaking engagements—to engage the community,” said Wolff. Today, over 1,400 individuals, 300 organizations, and 13 veterinary schools have signed on.
Intersectional and intentional
The GIBOR also considers the myriad of ways that individual identities intersect and affect LGBTQ+ individuals’ lived experiences. The concept of intersectionality is central to the GIBOR’s vision.
“Gender-diverse individuals face compounded challenges when other parts of their identity come into play,” said Wolff. “Outwardly visible and invisible traits influence how these rights are received and implemented.”
This is especially true as DEI initiatives are being cut and reduced across industries. Originally created to help LGBTQ+ professionals be their full selves in the workplace, the GIBOR has taken on new urgency.
“We’re now facing a crisis of existence for gender-diverse people,” Wolff said. “The GIBOR offers a roadmap for organizations to support their queer employees, and the Gender Diversity Guide builds on that foundation with additional resources.”
Looking forward
And as DEI initiatives face backlash in many sectors, Wolff urges the profession not to lose ground.
“Years of investment have gone into creating a more inclusive profession,” they said. “Reversing course now won’t save veterinary medicine—it will drive away its future. Let’s start by protecting the people we know and strengthening our communities.”
For more information and resources, visit PrideVMC’s website.
Photo credit: © Hleb Usovich via Getty Images Plus
Disclaimer: Trends content is meant to inform, educate, and inspire by providing an array of diverse viewpoints. Any content published should not be viewed as an official stance, position, or endorsement by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) or its Board of Directors.
