Canadian lawyer barbara findlay is a longtime

LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , ...

activist. She is the subject of the documentary ''in particular, barbara findlay''.

Early life

Findlay has a BA from Queen's University. She later studied at the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...

, obtaining both a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. ...

in sociology and an

LLB Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...

. In the 1960s, findlay was admitted to a psychiatric ward against her will during her first year of university for admitting she was attracted to women.

Career

Findlay was called to the bar in 1977. She began practicing law soon after Canada's decriminalization of homosexuality. Findlay is a founding member of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference (SOGIC), a queer lawyer group that is part of the

Canadian Bar Association The Canadian Bar Association (CBA), or Association du barreau canadien (ABC) in French, represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers and law students from across Canada. History The Association's first Annual Meeting was he ...

, and the December 9 Coalition. She is also a member of Alliance of Women Against Racism Etc. (AWARE). Findlay has a law practice in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...

specializing in family law for LGBT and child custody cases. She has been involved in many cases centring around trans rights, including Kimberley Nixon v. Vancouver Rape Relief Society. Findlay's life and career are chronicled in the documentary ''in particular, barbara findlay.'' The film was directed by Becca Pluce. Findlay has also led workshops at Room Magazine's literary festival, Growing Room. She is featured in ''Making Room: Forty Years of Room Magazine'' in the photo essay "The Cancer Year" (with Dorothy Elias).

Personal life

Findlay lives with her partner, Sheila Gilhooly, in British Columbia. She describes herself as "a white, cisgender, lesbian, activist lawyer with physical disabilities".

Awards

In 2001, findlay was appointed to the

Queen's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or ...

. In 2005, she was given an award of merit from the Sexual Diversity Studies Department at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institu ...

. In 2013, findlay was awarded a

Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (french: Médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II) or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ...

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:findlay, barbara 21st-century Canadian lawyers 20th-century Canadian lawyers Lawyers in British Columbia Canadian women lawyers Canadian King's Counsel Queen's University at Kingston alumni Peter A. Allard School of Law alumni Living people Date of birth missing (living people) Lesbian feminists Canadian LGBT people Canadian people with disabilities 20th-century women lawyers 21st-century women lawyers Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century Canadian women 21st-century LGBT people