A principal forbids same-sex prom dates. A community group tries to prohibit gender-neutral bathrooms. Despite growing acceptance of 2SLGBTQ+ rights, Canadian schools regularly become battlegrounds in clashes between students wishing to express their sexuality or gender identity and those who perceive this as a threat to their values.

Making the Case clearly shows how Canadian law responds to “competing” human rights claims, when there is a clash between people asserting sexual minority rights and those asserting religious rights. The authors call on related court cases to explain the position of Canadian law. They demonstrate that Canadians have rights to religion and rights to gender expression or sexual orientation; and that supporting sexual minority rights does not undermine other people’s rights to religious freedom.

This accessible book is an important tool for anyone working to create an inclusive school environment, or needing to respond to a rights-based conflict within their school.

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Bruce Macdougall is Associate Professor with the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia.

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The authors do an excellent job of defining terminology and making the legal content accessible for lay readers. This book could serve as a practical guide for Canadian schools.

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