2SLGBTQIA+ Community
2SLGBTQIA+ stands for Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, plus other identities. Resources include support in mental health, educational sources, social spaces, and more.
Using this website or dialling 2-1-1, you can directly input your Postal Code location or access resources that will be directly relevant to shelters near your surroundings and offer you helpful information.
This is list of LGBTQ2S specific resources and referrals (Edmonton-Based).
2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations
2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations provides prevention education and support for 2-Spirit, including First Nations, Metis and Inuit people living with or at risk for HIV and related co-infections in the Greater Toronto Area. Their work is based on indigenous philosophies of holistic health and wellness.
A Brief History of Gay & Transgender Rights in Canada | McLean Clinic
This article highlights milestones in the history of transgender rights in Canada to show that there have been several key events that helped transgender rights, but demonstrates the need for further progress.
Advance is a community-led partnership to increase access and the use of priority health services among gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (cis and trans), and Two-Spirit people (GBT2Q) in Canada.
The CHEW Project’s vision is to provide frontline support, opportunities for health and wellness, and to help find hope for 2SLGBTQ+ youth and emerging adults facing barriers. This site includes a number of resources.
Community One Foundation has grants and awards to provide funding for foster leadership in the 2SLGBTTIQ+ communities of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), and help cultivate new services and programs in the areas of health and social sciences, arts and culture, and research, education and advocacy.
This list represents personal, social, psychological, economic, and legal privileges that accrue to heterosexuals. The goal of reading and thinking about the list is to raise awareness about heterosexual privilege.
YWCA Canada is a leading voice for women, girls, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse people. For 150 years, they have been at the forefront of a movement: to fight gender-based violence, build affordable housing and advocate for workplace equity.
If countries had equal rights for their LGBTQ+ citizens this visualization would not exist. The rainbow flag i sused to portray to what extent different dimensions of queer life are disregarded by state regulations.
Fred Victor is dedicated to helping change the lives of homeless people in Toronto, & their shelters and housing are open to all genders and has a Women's hostel specifically for women, including cis gender and transgender women.
Gender Affirming Care in Nova Scotia
Members of the transgender, gender diverse, and intersex community (the Community) have been failed by our current system of gender-affirming care. (GAC) in Nova Scotia. This site is creating what will be the most progressive GAC policy in Canada.
Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services
The Institute for Sexual Minority Studies & Services (iSMSS) provides educational programs and services to support the 2SLGBTQ+ community and its allies. They direct services from mental health support to 2SLGBTQ+ education to the community.
Lulu's Lodge is an 5-bedroom supportive transitional home that is available for youth aged 16-21. Self referrals here are accepted.
Northern Mosaic Network As an organization, the Northern Mosaic Network strives to make communities in the Northwest Territories a safer, more open, more knowledgeable place for all 2SLGBTQIPA+ people and their allies.
Nova Scotia Emergency Shelters
There are two emergency shelters Shelter Nova Scotia offers. Barry House, a 17 bed for gender diverse individuals or individuals who identify as female. Then, there is Metro Turning Point, a 30-bed for individuals who are gender diverse or are male.
The OK2BME program is a set of supportive, confidential services for 2SLGBTQIA+ kids, teens, and adults, as well as those wondering about their sexuality or gender identity. OK2BME’s services include counselling (individual, partnered, family), youth groups, education, and more.
To uplift 2SLGBTQ people by leading, serving, and supporting in a dynamic community, OUTSaskatoon fosters physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health through intentional services and meaningful engagement.
Pflag Canada is a national charitable organization, founded by parents who wished to help themselves and their family members understand and accept their LGBTQ2S children.
Anti-oppressive, Intersectional, Transformational.: They’re on a mission to reshape the political landscape to advance the priorities of young Black, Indigenous, and racialized women and gender-diverse youth. By centring the lived experiences of marginalized young women and gender-diverse youth in our work, they created a platform to amplify issues and solutions that are often dismissed within civic and political institutions.
Pride guide 2022: Youth strategies for tackling gender-based violence in our schools
The purpose of this guide is to present a collection of by-youth strategies that address some of the most common challenges in navigating the physical, psychological, and emotional spaces within high schools.
Project 10 works to promote the personal, social, sexual and mental well being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, intersex and questioning (2LGBTQ+) youth and adults 14-25.
Provincial Resources for 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth
The PDF that is presented relates to the different types of housing models that are present, and can help provide further info on which type of housing models will be more appropriate for individual needs/circumstances. As there are no specific LGBTQ2S+ housing programs in Canada, it can be difficult to track down & find specific non-profits that have clear housing programs laid out.
QMUNITY is a non-profit organization based in Vancouver, BC that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives. It provides a safer space for LGBTQ2SAI+ people and their allies to fully self-express while feeling welcome and included. Its building serves as a catalyst for community initiatives and collective strength.
This is a safe space to explore sexual orientation and gender identity alongside issues with oppression and trauma.
This is an ongoing online project to preserve pre-2010 online spaces. The QDHP lists documents relating to LGBTQ+ life. The resource includes personal essays, archival material, editorial columns, etc. It showcases key individuals who have made an impact in the development of digital platforms.
Rainbow Railroad is an organization that helps LGBTQI+ people escape state-sponsored violence.
Rainbow Resource Youth Program
RRC offers 2SLGBTQ+ youth a fun, positive space to learn new skills, create projects, and celebrate our identities. Programming focuses on fostering resilience, increasing self-esteem and self-confidence while building social networks, contacts, and peer support.
This site has safety planning resources for people experiencing abuse, materials on healing from trauma, and information on healthy relationships/sexuality. If you identify as trans or non-binary and you are currently in an abusive relationship or have experienced trauma in your past, this site can help.
Responding to Sexism, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Here are some tips for parents and educators of younger children when responding to sexism, homophobia, and transphobia.
Support And Education For Trans Youth Ottawa
SAEFTY Ottawa fosters spaces for trans and gender diverse children, youth, and adults, along with their families to connect with each other through youth-centred events outside of mainstream health and social services in the Ottawa region.
The Impact of Covid-19 on the LGBTQ+ Community
Article: This study evaluated how COVID has impacted health, social, and occupational areas of functioning of the LGBTQ+ community. Participants were asked how COVID has impacted their life circumstances (i.e., physical health, mental health, financial stability, meeting basic needs, and social connectedness). Compared to cisgender, heterosexual people, significantly more cisgender sexual minority people reported worsening physical health, and significantly more gender minority people reported worsening of all outcomes.
The QUILTBAG is an LGBTQ+ retail shop carrying queer & trans wares in Edmonton, Alberta and online.
Trans Lifeline provides trans peer support for their community that’s been divested from police since day one. It is run by and for trans people.
TrevorSpace is an affirming international community for LGBTQ young people ages 13-24.
What is Heterosexism and What Can I do About It?
This article discusses the term heterosexism and how male-female relationships are considered the norm. There is still much work to do to achieve equity for members of the LGBTQ community. There are ideas on what you can do to make a difference.
What Does the Word “Queer” Actually Mean? Experts Explain Its History _ Cosmopolitan 2022
Article: This article in Cosmopolitan magazine discussed what it means to be queer and the history of the word.
Their mission is to make Nova Scotia a safer, healthier, and happier place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and youth through support, education, resource expansion and community development.
Read, Watch, & Learn
How We Fight for Our Lives (Book by Saeed Jones)
How We Fight for Our Lives is a coming-of-age memoir about a young, gay, black man from the South as he fights to make a place for himself in the world he lives in. We are given insight into his relationships with his family, lovers, and friends that readers can relate to, as we all face the same fight to become ourselves.
Making Gay History (Podcast)
This nonprofit organization, Making Gay History, brings LGBTQ+ history to life through the voices of those who lived through it. Their podcast explores decades-old rare interviews from Eric Marcus to create intimate and personal portraits of dozens of champions, heroes, and witnesses to history. With 11 seasons and a different historical figure interviewed in each episode, there are many unique people to learn about in this podcast.
Milk (Movie directed by Gus Van Sant)
This biographical film is based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California.
The State of Healthcare for LGBTQIA+ Patients (Video)
In this TEDx talk, Cameron speaks on the need for bettering health care for rainbow communities. He discusses the difficulties that people in the LGBTQ+ community face trying to access good quality medical care from doctors that is unique to their needs. He also discusses the stigma around coming out to medical professionals, and what people, especially medical professionals, can do to help fix this problem.
Why LGBTQ+ Should be Taught in Schools (Video)
In this TEDx talk, Dakota speaks about why she feels it is important that students are educated on what it means to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community and their struggles. She opens up about her and her friend's experiences and how a more inclusive and representative education would improve their school experience. Dakota brings a unique perspective to the issue and encourages everyone to accept the people around them for who they are.
Power in Numbers
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