Lawyers for a transgender girl fighting the Ontario government’s repeal of a modernized sex-ed curriculum say the move has put their 11-year-old client in harm’s way because her classmates will not learn about gender identity.

In opening arguments at Ontario human-rights tribunal, they say the Progressive Conservative government’s decision to roll back a version of the curriculum developed in 2015 in favour of one that does not include the word “transgender” suggests to the girl that her body is wrong.

They say the girl, identified only as AB, is subject to unequal treatment because those who are not transgender will learn about their sexual orientation.

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The government’s repeal of the curriculum brought in by the previous Liberal regime is also subject to a court challenge.

The case before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario is different from the court challenge because it focuses on the impact on LGBTQ students.

Schools are currently using a curriculum based on a version from 1998 while the government develops and tests a new document.