CMHA Ontario joins individuals and organizations worldwide to celebrate the history, courage and diversity of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) individuals for Pride Month in June.
While Pride festivals across the province recognize Ontario’s vibrant and creative 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, it’s important to note that these individuals continue to face specific mental health issues and barriers for accessing supports.
2SLGBTQIA+ people are as diverse as the general Canadian population in their experiences of mental health and well-being, but they face higher risks for some mental health issues. A recent poll by Mental Health Research Canada indicated that individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ are more likely to indicate high levels of anxiety and depression. This is in part due to the effects of discrimination and the social determinants of health, such as finding safe, secure housing, appropriate health care, or a supportive work environment, particularly for transgender individuals and with people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and have other intersectionalities.
Additional factors that may impact mental health and well-being for 2SLGBTQIA+ people include the process of “coming out” (sharing one’s sexual or gender identity with others), gender transition, internalized oppression, isolation and alienation and loss of family or social supports. 2SLGBTQIA+ people may also experience other forms of marginalization – such as racism, sexism, poverty or other factors – alongside homophobia or transphobia that negatively impact on mental health.
In recognition of these barriers, CMHA has signed on to support a campaign from Momentum, which works to advance social and gender justice for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. The #Act4QueerSafety Campaign seeks to compel the federal government to redouble its efforts to advance the safety and inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Alongside partners, Momentum is launching this campaign to galvanize action from the federal government through a petition and other advocacy efforts. More information about the campaign can be found at at www.act4queersafety.ca
The Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health (CICMH) has developed a toolkit which addresses the ways in which students may be faced with challenges and barriers on campus due to their queer identity, how those challenges may be invisible to those in positions of support and provides recommendations to address those barriers. Invisible Intersections: A Toolkit on Supporting 2SLGBTQ+ Students on Campus can be found on the CICMH website.
For more on 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and mental health, visit the Rainbow Health Ontario website.