A Montréal woman who won legal recognition for same-sex parents in Quebec is one of seven remarkable Canadians featured in a new exhibition that opened this week at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR).
Mona Greenbaum helped reform the Quebec Civil Code in 2002 to allow same-sex couples to adopt children born or living in Quebec or to start their families through assisted procreation. It meant that she and her same-sex partner could be recognized as equal parents of their children. As executive director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Family Coalition in Quebec, one of her current projects is focused on tackling homophobia and transphobia in schools.
“The Pride parade is about showing that we’re here, that we exist, so that people can see us and know that our families are just regular families,” Greenbaum says in the video story presented by the CMHR. “We know there are all kinds of families, yet there are still gaps in legal protections.” Download 30-second clip.
The new exhibition Our Canada, My Story consists of uplifting stories of contemporary Canadians working to overcome human rights challenges. It is one of four exhibitions developed for Canada’s 150th anniversary being presented this year by the CMHR, a national museum located in Winnipeg.
The exhibition uses video vignettes as windows into the lives of seven people who are working to overcome diverse human rights challenges (see below). Visitors are invited to make a connection that challenges perceptions and celebrates diversity – sparking reflection about how we are different, how we are the same, and what links us all as Canadians.
“The Government of Canada is proud to support the new exhibition by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Our Canada, My Story,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage. “The remarkable Canadians who shared their uplifting stories are helping build a welcoming Canada where everyone can grow and reach their full potential.”
Our Canada, My Story features circular viewing stations arranged beneath a pathway of glowing ceiling lights, with in-gallery activities that invite visitors to share their own images and stories. It was developed by the CMHR’s in-house team of research, curation and exhibition design experts, working with Humainologie, a multimedia production company supported by the Calgary Centre for Global Community.
“Canada is full of ordinary people who do extraordinary things to make this country and our world a better place,” said CMHR president and CEO John Young. “As role models, they can help build education and awareness about how we can all work to promote human rights.”
The seven videos that comprise the exhibition will also be available for viewing online on a rotating schedule. More information can be found on the CMHR website.
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