IN Community: Help Improve The Lives Of LGBTQ2 People In Canada
Complete an online survey and be a part of Canada’s LGBTQ2 Action Plan…
By Jumol Royes
The Government of Canada is putting out a call for participants to take a survey in the hope of learning more about the lives of LGBTQ2 Canadians.
The LGBTQ2 Survey is open to anyone in Canada aged 16 or older who self-identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, Transgender, intersex, Queer and/or Two-Spirit, as well as anyone who identifies as a member of the community, but uses different terms or concepts to refer to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression.
As a follow up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2017 apology to the LGBTQ2 community and the government’s commitment to building a more inclusive country, and on the heels of the recent announcement of a design competition for the LGBTQ2 National Monument in Ottawa, survey results will allow for a better understanding of the challenges LGBTQ2 people face in areas such as healthcare, housing and homelessness, employment and safety.
Participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous.
“I am pleased to announce the first step of the first-ever federal LGBTQ2 Action Plan,” says the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth. “I am looking forward to hearing from diverse LGBTQ2 communities as we write a new page of history by advancing equity and improving the lives of LGBTQ2 Canadians in a way that is based on their lived experiences.”
The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete online and is open until February 28, 2021.
In addition to the national survey, the LGBTQ2 Secretariat plans to host a series of virtual roundtable discussions this spring with diverse LGBTQ2 communities, including Two-Spirit, Black, racialized, people with disabilities, Transgender and non-binary folks. Priorities identified during these discussions will also be used to support the community during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
“COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact on certain communities in Canada, including LGBTQ2 Canadians. The LGBTQ2 Survey is an important first step that will inform further engagement activities as we build together to ensure everyone has the necessary resources and access to deal with the health, social, and economic impacts of the pandemic,” adds Adam Van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth.
Fill out the online survey at: canada.ca/lgbtq2-action-plan
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JUMOL ROYES is a Toronto-area storyteller, communications strategist and glass-half-full kinda guy. He writes about compassion, community, identity and belonging. His guilty please is watching the Real Housewives. Follow him on Twitter @Jumol and on Instagram @jumolroyes.