2SLGBTQ+ Rights in Canada – Where We’ve Been, and What’s Next

Submitted by Krista Stephenson, Pride Committee member

The story of 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada began long before colonization. Many Indigenous peoples living on Turtle Island expressed beliefs about gender and sexual orientation that existed outside of the binary introduced by European settlers. While these beliefs and practices were as diverse as the communities themselves, the now-commonly used term Two-Spirit (2S) was coined in 1990 by Elder Myra Laramee as the English translation of the Anishinaabemowin term niizh manidoowag, meaning a person who embodies both a masculine and feminine spirit.

After colonization, Canadian society continued to restrict and condemn alternate views on gender and sexual expression, with same-sex sexual activity not decriminalized in Canada until 1969, and the right for same-sex couples to marry not granted until 2005.

Over the years, the tireless work led by advocates, community groups, organizations, and taskforces has allowed the 2SLGBTQ+ community to see great progress. And with the passing of Bill C-16 in 2017, prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression, it may feel like the journey to 2SLGBTQ+ rights is coming to a close. But that is far from the case, and there is still much work to be done. As we celebrate Pride month with colourful Love is Love banners and appreciate how far we’ve come, we must remember that the fight for 2SLGBTQ+ rights, protections, inclusion, and safety is still ongoing.

Hate towards 2SLGBTQ+ communities is consistently on the rise in Canada, concerning both advocacy groups and Canada’s intelligence agency, CSIS, who warned in February of this year that extremists could “inspire and encourage” serious violence against the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

And more pervasively, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia remain rampant in Canadian schools. According to Egale’s report Still In Every Class in Every School, in addition to the prevalent homo- and biphobia, school conditions are particularly troubling for trans and nonbinary students, who are most likely to report experiencing almost all forms of victimization, including verbal, physical, and sexual harassment.

According to the report:

1. 62% of 2SLGBTQ+ respondents feel unsafe at school, compared to 11% of cisgender heterosexual students
2. 77% of 2SLGBTQ Indigenous students report having been harassed at school, the highest percentage out of all their peers
3. 30% of 2SLGBTQ+ youth had been victims of cyberbullying, compared to 8% of cisgender heterosexual youth

2SLGBTQ+ people deserve safe spaces, especially in places of learning, but across Canada, they face high rates violence, hate and harassment. Here are some things you can do to help.

Take Action

1. Draw-The-Line Against Transphobic Violence in Schools (Workshops)
   Draw the Line Against Transphobic Violence (DTL-ATV) is an innovative two-part program created by Egale that equips participants to recognize and intervene in the harmful dynamics that perpetuate transphobia, and to build skills for fostering cultures of consent, gender inclusion, and healthier relationships overall.
   
   This program is designed for educators, administrators, and staff in both secondary and post-secondary schools. Learn more, access the modules, and find additional resources and information, on their website.
   
   
2. Pledge to Fight Gender-Based Violence Against 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth
   Safer Access for Everyone in the Rainbow Project (SAFER) is an initiative funded by the Women’s Program at Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to help address and prevent gender-based violence (GBV) against 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Learn more and take the pledge to help here.
   
   
3. Send a Letter to Your MP
   Lift up your voice for a more free and equal future for all Canadians. Organizations such as the Rainbow Week of Action make contacting your elected officials a breeze by providing a template. Click here to contact your MP, donate, or amplify their social media campaign.

Additional Learning Resources

• Affirming and Inclusive Language
• 2SLGBTQIA+ Affirming and Equitable Teaching and Learning Practices
• Putting Trans Inclusion into Practice
• 5 Ways to Create Safer Spaces for Queer and Trans Youth in Physical and Health Education Classrooms
• Unconscious Bias in the Canadian Workplace
• Raising the Bar for 2SLGBTQ+ Youth
• Guide to Translating Gender Inclusive Terms from English to French

Sources

• Our History Initiative: A Collection of Stories from Canada’s 2SLGBTQIA+ History (CCGSD)
• Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ Identities: Today and Centuries Ago (Human Rights Campaign)
• 2SLGTBTQ+ Black, Indigenous, People of Colour Voices in History (CCGSD)
• Still in Every Class in Every School (Egale, 2021)