by Cossette

Combating Transphobia with “The Butterfly Effect”

2/20/2026

Work

As transphobia continues to rise, we're joining forces with The Société de développement commercial (SDC) du Village and Aide aux Trans du Québec (ATQ) to shift how trans, non-binary and gender-expansive individuals present ID—through a small but powerful symbol: a butterfly.

Butterfly Effect

“For many trans and gender-diverse people, showing ID can be a source of anxiety. When their gender presentation doesn’t match the gender on their documents, every ID check can become a moment of doubt—or even a risk. Transitioning, whether socially, medically or legally, is often a long and complex journey riddled with delays and bureaucracy. And while people wait, transphobia doesn’t—it spreads. This initiative is about offering a simple, empowering tool designed for those in transition.”

Chris Bergeron, VP, Brand Content and Special Advisor, Diversity, Trends & Culture at Cossette.

With The Butterfly Effect, individuals are encouraged to place their ID in a clear sleeve adorned with a butterfly sticker—currently available in French only—indicating their chosen pronouns: “she,” “he” or “they.” For many, this small sticker could make a big difference in how they navigate daily life.

See project

Butterfly Effect

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“This project matters because it’s a tangible solution. The butterfly encourages staff to check ID based on appearance, and the pronoun helps prevent misgendering”

Victoria Legault, General Manager at ATQ.

Forty Village businesses are now distributing the butterfly stickers free of charge. All have received training to ensure staff verify ID based on facial features—not gender markers. The project reflects the Village’s mission to be a safe and inclusive space for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Developed in partnership with ATQ, a leader in trans advocacy and support in Quebec for over 40 years, the initiative was built both for and with the community.

"In the Village, inclusion isn’t just a value—it’s something we act on. This butterfly is small but powerful: it protects, affirms, and educates. If it can inspire other communities to follow suit, we’ll have done our job,”

Gabrielle Rondy, General Manager of the SDC du Village

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Join The Butterfly Effect—head to the Village to pick up your sticker.

Credits

Clients :

Société de développement commercial du Village, in collaboration with Aide aux Trans du Québec (ATQ)

Agency: Cossette

Creative: Safia Lukawecki, Eve Chenette, Annik Meunier-Tremblay, Jean-Philippe Dugal, Chris Bergeron, Anne-Claude Chénier Account Services: Élyane Jourdenais-Lemaire, Mélodie Desrochers Ndlela

Production :

Production House: Septième Production: Laurence Houle Direction: Eva Martinez Production, Client Experience & Special Projects: Olympe Ramonatxo Print & Digital Production: Martin Lemay, Marie-José Legault, JG Production Photography Direction: Nicholas Tadros Editing: Delphine Legault Motion Design: Louis Dunnigan Raymond Translation & Linguistics: Marc Grandmont Sound Mix: Studio Bulldog