From: Not on the menu: OHRC inquiry report on sexualized and gender-based dress codes in restaurants
On July 8, 2016, the OHRC initiated a human rights inquiry into dress codes in the restaurant sector and identified restaurant companies based on the following criteria:
I am writing to reinforce the Toronto Youth Cabinet’s call on the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to support all Ontario colleges and universities in providing free access to menstrual hygiene products to students.
From: Policy on competing human rights
1. What are the claims about?
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Matt’s Claim Matt is a gay 17-year-old student attending a publicly funded Catholic high school. He wishes to go to the prom with a same-sex date. The prom is being held at a rental hall off school property. He is considering seeking a court injunction because the prom is only weeks away. |
From: Human rights and the family in Ontario
Protection against discrimination on the basis of family status was added to the Code in 1982, following the recommendations made in the 1977 report on the Code’s mandate, Life Together.[40] Initially, the Code contained an exception permitting residential buildings or parts of residential buildings to be designated as adult only.
From: Not on the menu: OHRC inquiry report on sexualized and gender-based dress codes in restaurants
Under the Code, the OHRC works to identify, prevent and eliminate discrimination, and promote and advance human rights across the province. Our goal is to create an inclusive society where everyone is valued, treated with equal dignity and respect, and takes responsibility and action, so human rights are a lived reality.
Although Muslims have been living for decades in Canada, they became highly visible in the public eye after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Over the past decade, they have experienced increased scrutiny, negative stereotyping and discrimination as a result of pre-existing perceptions of Muslims as “different” from the rest of Canadian society, along with negative associations of their communities with violence and terrorism. Based on preliminary analysis of the data from a community research study, this paper discusses Islamophobia in Ontario society as part of the everyday experiences of Muslims living in Toronto and the GTA.
From: Policy on preventing discrimination because of pregnancy and breastfeeding
Organizations have a legal duty and ultimate responsibility to maintain an environment free from discrimination and harassment because of sex. They must take steps to prevent and respond to violations of the Code or they may be held liable and face monetary penalties or other orders from a tribunal or court.
It is unacceptable to choose to remain unaware, ignore or fail to address potential or actual human rights violations, whether or not a complaint is made.[164]
From: Policy on preventing sexual and gender-based harassment
While unequal power relationships exist in many sectors of society, they tend to appear the most in the workplace, where hierarchies are common. Both women and men may experience sexual harassment in employment, but women tend to be more vulnerable to harassment by men, because relative to men, more women hold lower-paying, lower-authority and lower-status jobs. At the same time, even women in positions of authority are not free from sexual harassment or inappropriate gender-related behaviour.[100]
From: Not on the menu: OHRC inquiry report on sexualized and gender-based dress codes in restaurants
Overall, the response from the companies contacted was positive. Most were aware of concerns relating to sexualized and gender-specific dress codes, and several said they had already changed dress codes, or were making amendments when they received the OHRC’s letter. Over several months, the OHRC provided updates and feedback to all of the restaurants contacted, and engaged in dialogue to help organizations identify and address issues of concern.
In general, companies expressed positive views about addressing dress code, sexual harassment and gender-related issues, mentioning:
The OHRC welcomes today’s announcement by Facebook Canada that aims to ensure advertisements cannot discriminate based on factors such as age, gender, or postal code.
