MEDIA STATEMENT VANCOUVER, BC - November 12, 2026 – The Vancouver Lesbian Collective (VLC) is warning that a high-profile B.C. court case involving nurse Amy Hamm currently being heard in BC Supreme Court could have far-reaching consequences for women, lesbians, and feminists who advocate for sex-based rights.
VLC was denied intervenor status in the case but is this week leafleting daily in Robson Square to raise public awareness. In its view, the case raises fundamental questions about women’s ability to organize and advocate on the basis of biological sex.
"The central issue is whether advocating for women's sex-based rights will increasingly be treated as discriminatory conduct," said Kathleen Piovesan, a VLC spokeswoman. "If that becomes the standard, it will affect not only nurses, but women throughout workplaces, public institutions, and civil society.”
Amy Hamm, a registered nurse in British Columbia, was disciplined by BC College of Nurses and Midwives over public statements concerning sex and gender. Kathleen Piovesan noted that many more such instances of workplace discipline are happening under the radar, stating “I, myself, faced discipline at work simply because I’m a member of VLC, a group for and by lesbians. Because we view biological female sex as fundamental to lesbian identity and lives, and don't accept that biological sex can be conflated with gender identity, I was removed from a research project concerning lesbian experiences.”
Though VLC was denied intervenor status in the hearing, Egale Canada and West Coast LEAF were allowed to present evidence as intervenors. Their contributions to the hearing will argue that Canada should further blur the distinction between sex and gender identity in law and public policy. If the court accepts their arguments, this will weaken the legal and social protections created to address the sex-based inequality of women and girls.
"Biological sex is fundamental to the reality of women’s lives. We face sex-specific violence from men, sex-specific health conditions, sex-specific discrimination, and require sex-segregated spaces and associations to participate fully in public life," said Ms. Piovesan. "The ability to discuss biological sex, advocate for women's boundaries, and organize as women is essential to achieving equality. This goes double for lesbians, who are females exclusively attracted to other females. If we must include males with a gender identity in our groups, we can no longer have lesbian-only organizations and spaces."
VLC sought intervenor status because it believes the interests of lesbians and other women are directly engaged by the legal questions before the court. In its application to intervene, VLC submitted that when women face negative professional or institutional consequences for advocating on behalf of women and girls, meaningful participation in public life is diminished. Lesbians must be able to gather as same-sex attracted females. Women must be able to rely on single sex spaces and services when needed. Feminists must be able to address sex-based oppression. As Ms. Piovesan notes, “saying so is not exclusionary. It’s a recognition of women’s right to a full and equal place in our society.”
About the Vancouver Lesbian Collective
The Vancouver Lesbian Collective is a grassroots organization advocating for lesbian sexual and political boundaries and women’s freedom, including the preservation of sex-based rights and protections in Canadian law and public policy.
Media Contact:
Kathleen Piovesan
