Health care is a fundamental human right, and ensuring that every community has access to safe and affirming care is essential. Many groups, including the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, continue to face significant barriers such as discrimination, stigma, and inequitable access to care, leading to poorer health outcomes. By acknowledging and addressing these challenges, we can move towards creating a health care environment that truly respects and meets the diverse needs of all individuals. Understanding and addressing these disparities are crucial steps in building a system that fulfills everyone’s unique health care requirements.
The resources below offer a foundational understanding of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, along with practical tips on how to be an effective ally and provide culturally sensitive care.
Pronoun Usage Guide
Egale Canada
If you’ve ever wondered about why pronouns are important and how to use them respectfully, this comprehensive guide from Egale Canada covers commonly used pronouns, neopronouns, and shares allyship tips. You can find the guide here.
Components of Human Identity
Egale Canada
No matter what terms a person uses to describe their identities, we all possess the following four components of human identity: Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Attraction, and Assigned Sex. This includes people who do not identify as 2SLGBTQI. The Genderbread Person is a helpful visual tool for understanding these components. You can access the resource here.
How Do We Talk About It? Combatting Anti-2SLGBTQI Hate
A Guide For Having Difficult Conversations
Egale Canada
Anti-2SLGBTQI hate is on the rise in Canada. This guide is designed to provide you with the knowledge you need to have difficult conversations to address anti-2SLGBTQI hate, and spread awareness of the issues facing trans and gender-diverse people across Canada. You can view the guide here.
Tips on how to practice 2SLGBTQ+ allyship & Responding with Allyship
Egale Canada
Have you ever witnessed discriminatory behaviour towards member of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, but were unsure of what to do? These articles offer valuable insights on how to address discrimination, and act as an ally toward the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community.Both resources can be found here.
Minus 18
If you want to learn more about how to use pronouns and do so in a fun way, check out this interactive website.
Courses
2SLGBTQ Foundations
Rainbow Health Ontario
This self-directed virtual course consists of seven modules, designed to build your foundational knowledge for providing care to 2SLGBTQ+ people. Open to all, it’s a prerequisite for other RHO courses. available virtually in both English and French. This course, and others are available here.
Removing the Barriers—Making Your Organization 2SLGBTQ Friendly
Rainbow Health Ontario
This course is designed to help you learn to create inclusive, affirming services for 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Examine existing policies, materials, and culture using an intersectional and anti-oppressive framework. This course, and others are available here.
Intro to Gender-Diversity – Expanded
Trans Care BC
An introductory, non-clinical course is designed for anyone working or volunteering within health care and social services. It explores key concepts related to gender diversity, and provides simple strategies for creating affirming services for transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse individuals. This non-clinical course. For more information or to register, click here.
Videos
United with Pride: 2SLGBTQIA+ Intersectionality in Healthcare
Women’s College Hospital
In 2024, Women’s College Hospital hosted its first ever Pride panel, featuring esteemed panel members from the Office of Indigenous Health in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at U of T, Pride Toronto, and Family Practice Health Centre. This virtual panel explored the challenges and triumphs intersectional members of the Queer community experience within our localized health system. To view the panel, please use the link below:
The Indigenous Doctor Helping Trans Youth
Context
Alberta, Canada. Doctor James Makokis identifies as “two-spirit” – a term used by and for indigenous LGBT+ people in North America who identify with both masculinity and femininity, and which harks back to pre-colonial third gender roles. On the First Nations reservation of Kehewin Cree Nation, Dr Makokis spends much of his working life supporting other “two-spirit” people, particularly transgender teenagers, many of whom face persecution within their own communities.
One patient Alec, has been seeing the Doctor for a month now and is in the early stages of transitioning from female to male. In addition to hormone therapy the treatment sees Dr Makokis utilise traditional indigenous teachings, drawing Alec away from depressive feelings and towards self-acceptance. This sense of inclusivity and belonging is encapsulated by a two-spirit sweat and talking circle hosted by Dr Makokis. Two-Spirit attendees share their stories in the warmth of a teepee and a new community is formed.
To view the video, please use the link below
To learn more about Dr. James A. Makokis, please go to his website at: https://www.drjamesmakokis.com/
Podcasts
2SLGBTQ Health in Focus
Rainbow Health Ontario
Rainbow Health Ontario’s 2SLGBTQ Health in Focus podcast is a podcast features interviews with experts in the field, to share knowledge about health and health care systems and 2SLGBTQ folks. A list of their episodes can be found below, and all episodes can be accessed here.
- Episode 1: The Current State of 2SLGBTQ+ Medical Education
- Episode 2: Rural Health for 2SLGBTQ+ Patients and Providers
- Episodes 3 & 4: Countering Anti-Trans Hate for Healthcare Providers
- Episode 5: Cancer Screening for 2SLGBTQI+ Communities
- Episode 6: Intimate Partner Violence in 2SLGBTQ+ Relationships
In Dialogue
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
Episode 16 of the podcast, Transforming Health: Inclusive, Personalized Care, Features Dr. Jordan Goodridge, a family physician specializing in 2SLGBTQIA+ health and HIV care. Dr. Goodridge speaks about creating inclusive spaces; continuous learning to better support all patients; and individualizing care for better health outcomes.
Delia Sosa is an intersex, transgender, nonbinary, and gendfluid medical student, activist, and educator. Their work focuses on creating inclusive, accessible, intersectional spaces for trans and intersex people. You can view their content on Instagram @enbydelia