If you have been following recent coverage about gender-affirming health care, . From   to transgender , many have taken an interest in people who underwent a medical gender transition and chose to return to their former identity.

The  of gender transitioning and detransitioning has also come with a helping of sensationalization and . But a divided media landscape that presents detransitioners as either “” or victims of “” hurts all gender-diverse people, including those who are detransitioning.

We are  and   who study gender-affirming health care, and we are among a  who are  (detrans, for short — a label adopted by some with this lived experience). We also know many people who have detransitioned personally, whose first-hand perspectives have helped us to improve how we approach this topic.

Detransition is not new, but we are seeing new gender-diverse experiences

Detransition is not new. Providers of gender-affirming medicine have long been aware of adults who medically transitioned and later returned to live in their former “gender role” or showed signs of regret.

Dr. Harry Benjamin, the endocrinologist who was among the first to offer gender-affirming medical interventions in the United States, wrote about one such case in his 1966 book, .

In 1992, German clinicians Friedemann Pfäfflin and Astrid Junge published a  of followup studies published over the previous 30 years, reporting 25 cases of “role reversal” or regret among adults who had undergone surgery. Later, in 1998, Dutch clinicians Abraham Kuiper and Peggy Cohen-Kettenis published a  of 10 adults who returned to their original “gender role” or expressed feelings of regret after surgery.

Pioneers of gender medicine were interested in understanding these stories because regret, along with suicide, was considered an outcome  at all costs.

The logic of  was part of what inspired  practices and the requirement that : male-to-female or female-to-male. Using strict measurement criteria, they estimated that detransition was rare:  to .

But today, gender is no longer thought of as binary. And while there is evidence that  has  in , debates about numbers can distract from a more delicate conversation about the real need for LGBTQ+ communities, organizations and gender-affirming care providers to develop a .

Although detransition may not be new, what is new is a small but emerging gender-diverse population in our society who  and/or medically as  or  who are now  with their , or moving from a binary trans identity (trans man or woman) .

Understanding detransition can help us to enrich gender care

We have long known that  for some LGBTQ+ people. New  shows that it is not uncommon for trans and  young people to report  over time — dynamically moving between binary trans girls or trans boys, to non-binary, or to . In some cases, these identity-shift patterns can influence .

However, when a person’s gender identity or their desire for how they want to express their gender changes after already completing medical or surgical interventions, this may contribute to feelings of decisional regret. This poses  for providers of gender-affirming medical interventions.

Many people who detransition are . But because detransition and regret are being  about trans people and gender-affirming health care, organizations and care providers serving sexual minorities and gender-diverse communities may feel that offering outward support for detransitioners is politically risky.

But if organizations and care systems fail to offer formal recognition and support, where can detransitioners turn to for help?

Discussion of anything but positive outcomes from gender-affirming hormonal or  was long  in mainstream culture and in the trans community. As a result, regret went underground, to online social media networks and . Apart from a small number of therapists working privately with this population, there are few support services.

Detransitioners’ voices

Some detrans people have decided to go public and tell their , to  and to . As social scientists who study gender-affirming health care, we understand what motivates these pursuits: a desire to be understood, and to seek validation and justice.

Detransitioners’ voices, though, may be strategically positioned toward , rather than to improve research or to develop comprehensive detransition-related care services. This positioning may further contribute to stigma and division between trans and detrans people.

It is our view that detransition should be rigorously studied to build a more robust understanding of gender identity development, and to improve gender care — so that nobody’s needs or lived experiences are neglected.

We wrote about some of these ideas and recommendations in the medical journal , including what we know about detransition so far. We also developed an  to communicate the most up-to-date research and care guidance.

Identity evolution and detransition are LGBTQ+ experiences

In our own emerging research with detransitioning people, we have observed that these experiences  and the broader LGBTQ+ community. Indeed, some who understand themselves as detrans may also identify as , bisexual, queer, butch, gay, ; and many continue to experience .

Some might only  due to , external pressures and transphobia, and re-affirm a trans identity in the future.

Regardless, detransition can bring about , . &�Բ�����;—&�Բ�����; — detransitioners experience regret over past medical interventions. Other feelings may be present as well, including .

Identity shifts can be hard to predict. However, in hindsight, some detransitioners do feel that they were influenced by their cultural environment to  and behaviours through the  or to  without considering alternatives. At the same time, some detrans people recount that environments that suppressed or  only meant that later on, in detransition, it was hard to disclose to loved ones and care providers that their identity had changed.

In any case, gender fluidity does not negate the reality of detrans people’s authenticity in their own gender-diversity. While we understand that some of this information is new and may be uncomfortable to embrace, a gender-affirmative stance must hold space for the full breadth of gender diversity being reflected in our society today.

Rigorous, on-going research that is inclusive of these experiences is fundamental to being gender-affirming. Gender fluidity and detransition deserve further understanding and formal care services, not controversy.

Co-written by Assistant Professor , School of Social Work, 91��ɫ, Professor of Social Work , and Université de Montréal, Predoctoral researcher in Psychology , Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea.

This article is republished from .

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Toronto, ON, June 7, 2023 – Women who identify as bisexual were more than three times more likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual women, by a group of researchers at 91��ɫ and ICES published online today.

The research, which is the first to link population-based survey data with health records for over 123,000 individuals, also found that gay men and gay women/lesbians were twice as likely to attempt suicide, both fatal and non-fatal, which the team refers to as a suicide-related behaviour (SRB) event, compared to heterosexual individuals. The findings point to an urgent need for better mental health supports within the LGBTQ+ community.

“We wanted to better characterize the disparity in suicide-related behaviours across sexual orientations and gender,” says lead author , a Faculty of Health assistant professor and Canada Research Chair in Population Health Data Science at 91��ɫ and adjunct scientist at ICES. “Prior research on suicide attempts has mostly relied on self-reported data from surveys, which means we don’t have information on people who are too sick to participate or have died by suicide.”

Published in the , the study looked at Ontario participants from the Canadian Community Health Survey, which was linked to anonymous administrative health data such as emergency room visits or hospitalizations for non-fatal self-harm and fatal suicide events between 2002 and 2019.

The researchers, who include 91��ɫ postdoctoral fellows Gabriel John Dusing and Chungah Kim, found:

• Overall prevalence of one or more SRB events was around two per cent in heterosexual individuals, five per cent in gay/lesbian individuals, and eight per cent in bisexual individuals.
• Sexual minority individuals were at higher risk of SRB events, ranging from 2.10 to 4.23 times more likely when compared to heterosexual people.
• After adjusting for age and gender, the risk of a SRB event was more than three times greater among bisexual individuals, and this risk was most pronounced for bisexual women.

“The higher risk for bisexual women could be attributed to greater discrimination that bisexual people face within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as higher rates of violence, trauma, and caregiving burden that bisexual women may experience in opposite-sex relationships,” says Chum.

One limitation of the study is that data were not available for non-binary individuals and sexual orientations such as asexual and queer. Nevertheless, this was the first study to use a large representative sample linked with medical records, which improves the generalizability of the findings for other regions and populations.

“The study shows a clear need for better funding, policy and programming to address LGBTQ+ suicide risk,” says Chum. “We also need increased training for healthcare workers to address LGBTQ+ suicide risk. Further, we want to encourage hospitals and clinics to collect sexual orientation data as part of routine patient care.”

Chum also notes the increasing creep of healthcare privatization and that publicly funded mental health supports need to be increased not just for LGBTQ+ people, but across the board.

The findings align with the authors’ published in March in PLOS One, which found that both sexual minority status and residing in under-resourced neighbourhoods with poor access to healthcare, were independent risk factors for suicide-related behaviours. Future research needs to explore interventions that improve the mental health of LGBTQ+ people while addressing social determinants of health, such as neighbourhood-level disparities and barriers to healthcare.

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For Ukrainian LGBTQ+ rights activists, a Russian victory is an .

In his , President Vladimir Putin  as a justification for his military operation, arguing that the West sought to destroy Russian “traditional values” with their “false values.”

For some LGBTQ+ Ukrainians, the war is a  — both in  and in support of their rights. For others, the threat of persecution is prompting them to flee.

But because of powers conferred by martial law,����have been����while others are��.

According to Polish LGBTQ+ activists we spoke with in Warsaw in April 2022, one trans man was pushed back at the border by a Ukrainian border guard and told: “if you want to be a real man, prove it — stay and fight.”

The imperative for LGBTQ+ people to fight is also reflected in the advocacy of LGBTQ+ rights groups like��,�������Ի���. They have positioned LGBTQ+ participation in the military as��.

Posts on Instagram introduce audiences to the gay Ukrainian men fighting for their country, while photos show drag artists donning military attire with the caption “.”

But for LGBTQ+ Ukrainians who have fled, these posts and messaging can bring feelings of shame.

LGBTQ+ rights on the frontline

A narrative is emerging in western media that frames the war as a  against a . And it’s influencing the politics of the European Union.

The European Commission has . In April 2022, it launched  — which would cut off EU funding — because the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws were violating . There’s also growing .

These instances suggest the EU is becoming more robust in its defence of “European values” by standing up to member states that backslide on the democratic standards of the EU.

Similarly, LGBTQ+ activists we spoke with in Poland described how the war presents opportunities to change hearts and minds in the country. Poland’s President��

For LGBTQ+ activists, the parallels between Duda and Putin may be pivotal in their own advocacy efforts — especially if being pro-LGBTQ+ equals being anti-Russian. One LGBTQ+ activist we spoke with said there is now renewed hope:

“Poland is perceived as homophobic but there are lots of beautiful people working on this. Things can change.”

Militarizing the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights

The frequency with which LGBTQ+ rights are currently being positioned as a key battleground is problematic. While we are seeing transformation in the LGBTQ+ rights landscape in Europe, and some activists feel a renewed sense of hope, literature on LGBTQ+ rights, migration and conflict offer some stark warnings.

In , the authors draw attention to the increasing geopolitical polarization over LGBTQ+ rights. Political leaders, such as those in Russia, Hungary and Poland, have used anti-LGBTQ+ stances and policies to position themselves as defenders of traditional values against western degeneracy. For Russia, once again, this was used as a justification for the war in Ukraine.

But as international relations scholar  notes, linking LGBTQ+ rights with the rhetoric of war risks oversimplifying the stakes of queer liberation by replacing a complex view of specific, contextual struggles for rights with monolithic narratives of winners and losers.

For example, borrowing from philosopher and queer theorist ’s concept of “,” there is a risk that the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights is simplified into a straightforward narrative of European or western values versus the intolerance of the East or “the rest.”

In the years following the so-called , this rhetoric was used to , underscored by intense .

In 2017, German politician Jens Spahn argued that the moral values of refugees , citing homophobia and transphobia as examples. Similar rhetoric has been used by the politicians in the United States, .

In 2021, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, tweeted that the EU is an����in response to the introduction of “” in approximately 100 Polish municipalities. However, despite such a declaration, LGBTQ+ rights in Europe����and many are barred from entering��.

Implications for Ukraine

While the war in Ukraine appears to be  and transforming the advocacy efforts of groups in Ukraine, there are risks that LGBTQ+ rights and liberation could be swallowed by the rhetoric of war or homonationalist narratives.

Despite the promises of freedom and safety,  in accessing services and support — particularly if they are people of colour, or not Ukrainian passport holders.

While it is tempting to view the war in Ukraine as a metaphor for some larger struggle between a tolerant West and an intolerant East, the reality is inevitably far more complex. It is worth interrogating these narratives in order to understand the realities facing LGBTQ+ people.

Co-written by 91��ɫ equity studies Professor��Yvonne Su, UCL PhD Candidate Aydan Greatrick and UCL PhD student Tyler Valiquette and��republished from��, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing��ideas from academic experts.

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TORONTO, June 15, 2021 – The pandemic has put a damper on many events this year, including the 40th anniversary of the Pride Toronto celebration and parade, but it has also affected LGBTQ+ communities in other ways.

91��ɫ experts are available to discuss the effect of the virus and lockdowns on Pride, LGBTQ+ communities, including LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers, as well as transgender people already facing health-care inequities and long waitlists for surgeries before COVID-19. They can also talk about how the pandemic has shifted ideas about risk and safety in ways that affect sexuality and sex education for youth.

is an associate professor in the School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, co-ordinator of its Sexuality Studies Program, and cross appointed to the Faculty of Health. His research interests include the social inclusion/exclusion of LGBTQ+ populations in social policy and service provision. He also engages in critical analysis of the LGBTQ+ movement and the development of queer liberation theory. Mulé is the founder, past chairperson and a member-at-large of Queer Ontario. He can speak to the following:

• Pride’s trajectory over the past 40 years
• Need for Pride to connect better with the LGBTQ+ communities
• Need for Pride to hold to community principles of inclusion, accessibility and political will (i.e., keeping the police out of the Pride parade)
• Impact of COVID-19 on LGBTQ+ communities, including LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers
• Addressing internal divisions within LGBTQ+ communities

is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and is an expert on gender-affirming care policy and clinical practices. He studies access to health-related services for queer and trans people. He can discuss:

• Transition-related hormone and surgery access inequities in Canada
• 2SLGBTQ mental health
• Political-economic dimensions shaping the availability of 2SLGBTQ health services;
• Digital health-care services and education
• Community-engaged research methods for and with 2SLGBTQ populations

is an expert in sexuality education, consent, gender and LGBTQ+ issues in the Faculty of Education. She has conducted extensive research on LGBTQ+ issues in education, youth understanding of sexuality and gender, and sexual health education. She led the international collaborative research project, Affective Beginnings: LGBT Issues in Teacher Education and the Between Yes and No: Rethinking Discourses of Consent in Sex Education. She can discuss the following:

• How LGBTQ+ youth have been coping with a year of pandemic schooling
• Young people’s sophisticated understanding of social justice struggles, including homophobia and transphobia
• How teachers are working to bring conversations about sexuality and gender into the online classroom
• How the pandemic has shifted ideas about risk and safety in ways that affect sexuality and sex education

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91��ɫ��is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.��

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317,��sandramc@yorku.ca

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TORONTO, June 15, 2021 – The pandemic has put a damper on many events this year, including the 40th anniversary of the Pride Toronto celebration and parade, but it has also affected LGBTQ+ communities in other ways.

91��ɫ experts are available to discuss the effect of the virus and lockdowns on Pride, LGBTQ+ communities, including LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers, as well as transgender people already facing health-care inequities and long waitlists for surgeries before COVID-19. They can also talk about how the pandemic has shifted ideas about risk and safety in ways that affect sexuality and sex education for youth.

is an associate professor in the School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, co-ordinator of its Sexuality Studies Program, and cross appointed to the Faculty of Health. His research interests include the social inclusion/exclusion of LGBTQ+ populations in social policy and service provision. He also engages in critical analysis of the LGBTQ+ movement and the development of queer liberation theory. Mulé is the founder, past chairperson and a member-at-large of Queer Ontario. He can speak to the following:

• Pride’s trajectory over the past 40 years
• Need for Pride to connect better with the LGBTQ+ communities
• Need for Pride to hold to community principles of inclusion, accessibility and political will (i.e., keeping the police out of the Pride parade)
• Impact of COVID-19 on LGBTQ+ communities, including LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers
• Addressing internal divisions within LGBTQ+ communities

is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and is an expert on gender-affirming care policy and clinical practices. He studies access to health-related services for queer and trans people. He can discuss:

• Transition-related hormone and surgery access inequities in Canada
• 2SLGBTQ mental health
• Political-economic dimensions shaping the availability of 2SLGBTQ health services;
• Digital health-care services and education
• Community-engaged research methods for and with 2SLGBTQ populations

is an expert in sexuality education, consent, gender and LGBTQ+ issues in the Faculty of Education. She has conducted extensive research on LGBTQ+ issues in education, youth understanding of sexuality and gender, and sexual health education. She led the international collaborative research project, Affective Beginnings: LGBT Issues in Teacher Education and the Between Yes and No: Rethinking Discourses of Consent in Sex Education. She can discuss the following:

• How LGBTQ+ youth have been coping with a year of pandemic schooling
• Young people’s sophisticated understanding of social justice struggles, including homophobia and transphobia
• How teachers are working to bring conversations about sexuality and gender into the online classroom
• How the pandemic has shifted ideas about risk and safety in ways that affect sexuality and sex education

-30-

91��ɫ��is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.��

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317,��sandramc@yorku.ca

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91��ɫ expert available to explain how LGBTQ youth can thrive in self-isolation

TORONTO, May 28, 2020 – June’s Pride Month will look much different this year with no joyous in-person events celebrating the triumphs and recognizing the struggles of the LGBTQ community.

That is a huge loss for some young people who are grappling with their identities and lacking access to much-needed support systems while stuck at home in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, says , an associate professor in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Education who teaches sexuality and education.

“While organizations are working to create virtual celebrations, these cannot replace the feeling of being part of a crowd of LGBTQ people marching down the street,” says Gilbert. “LGBTQ youth may be at home, socially distancing, with families who may or may not be supportive of their sexual or gender identities. Schools, and the friends found there, are often a crucial space of support for LGBTQ youth.”

With Ontario schools closed since the March Break, other young people are happy for the lockdown.

“Some LGBTQ youth face harassment at school and the break may be a welcome respite from the stress of going to school,” says Gilbert, an expert on bullying in schools related to LGBTQ issues who served as the only Canadian investigator in the .

Teachers often do their sex education lessons in the spring so for many students it is being delivered online, if taught at all, which brings both challenges and opportunities.

“Students can access the information shared by their teacher at home, outside the sometimes uncomfortable atmosphere of the classroom,” explains Gilbert. “But they aren’t learning with each other and hearing other people’s questions get answered.”

Gilbert has conducted extensive research on LGBTQ issues in education, youth understanding of sexuality and gender, and sexual health education. Currently, Gilbert is the lead investigator of an international collaborative research project, Affective Beginnings: LGBT Issues in Teacher Education.

She can share tips for LGBTQ youths to survive in self-isolation, including:

• Reach out to teachers, mentors and caring adults to ask for support
• Stay connected with friends online and enjoy socially-distant time together
• Read LGBTQ books, catch up on classic LGBTQ movies and TV shows
• Learn about the history of the LGBTQ community through online resources

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452,��vthomps@yorku.ca

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TORONTO, Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018 – 91��ɫ Associate Professor , who just wrapped up a major research project, , says the Supreme Court of India’s unanimous decision to strike down a 157-year-old law criminalizing same sex relations is a huge victory. She is available to discuss the landmark ruling.

The court ruled that discrimination based on sexuality is illegal and a violation of basic human rights and that LGBTQ+ people should be granted constitutional protections under Indian law.

A documentary filmmaker in 91��ɫ’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, Nicol says “The ruling will have huge repercussions in other countries, particularly throughout the Commonwealth, where there are similar legal battles against colonial era laws.”

Nicol co-edited a new anthology, , which will launch Sept. 13 at the , 499 Church St., Toronto.

A PDF of the book is available to media in advance of the launch.

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91��ɫ��champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:
Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-736-2100 ext. 22097,

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TORONTO, June 15, 2018 −From the Stonewall riots in 1969 to the Toronto Bath house raids in 1981, an increasing number of organizations celebrate Pride Month this June to reflect on historical events like these as well as to celebrate the impact the LGBTQ community has had on the world. Pride Month, a 30-day celebration, is also a time to recognize the struggles the LGBTQ community has faced and continues to face.

91��ɫ has a number of experts who can speak about Pride Month and issues related to the LGBTQ communities:

, professor in the��Department of Psychology��in the Faculty of Health, and a historian of psychology, can talk about the history of psychological science as it has related to policies affecting the LGBTQ community.

, professor in the Faculty of Education and Director of the , can comment on homelessness and housing issues, including the causes of homelessness in the LGBTQ community and the approach to address��both emergency housing needs and prevention.

, associate professor in the Faculty of Education, who teaches sexuality and education, can comment on gender and sexual identity from the perceptions of both youths and teachers, and other LGBTQ issues in education. She is the principal investigator of “Between Yes and No: Rethinking Discourses of Consent in Sex Education,” funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

associate professor of sociology of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, can talk about sexuality and transgender issues, genderless bathrooms, transgender and queer theatre, and psychoanalysis and sexuality.

, social sciences professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, can discuss LGBTQ issues and politics in Canada and the United States, as well as human rights protections.

Media Contact: Anjum Nayyar, 91��ɫ Media Relations 416 736 2100 ext. 44543��anayyar@yorku.ca

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

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TORONTO, February 29, 2016 – Ontario’s LGBTQ communities face barriers to finding high quality home care that meet their unique needs, a five-year study by 91��ɫ researchers reveals.

This research, the first study to comprehensively examine home care access for LGBTQ people in Ontario, was conducted by a team led by School of Social Work Professor Andrea Daley and School of Nursing Professor Judith MacDonnell, in collaboration with Rainbow Health Ontario and the Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre (CCAC).

“The LGBTQ community faces discrimination in health care services and barriers in finding responsive and relevant care,” says MacDonnell in the School of Nursing. “While this has been well documented in hospital and other clinical settings, this study��shows similar findings, highlighting the unique concerns that affect home care access for LGBTQ people across Ontario. We were also able to identify what’s working well with examples of caregivers who provide affirming care”

The research focus on home care is important, according to Daley. “We can think of the ‘home’ as taking on great significance as a place where LGBTQ people can be themselves and live their identities and relationships with a greater level of freedom. However, that is likely to be affected by the discriminatory reactions and unpredictable support of service providers.”

The findings showed that LGBTQ people often��anticipate they may face overt or subtle hostility, as seen in other healthcare settings, and that home care providers require more training on health issues that are important to LGBTQ communities. Trans people especially may avoid seeking home care.

Among the study participants, one in three home care providers believed they had never worked with an LGBTQ client. Ninety per cent of home care service providers reported having never received continuing education while employed in home care that focused on a client’s sexual and/or gender identity as it pertained to high quality care.

According to the researchers, these findings were of particular interest to the Toronto Central CCAC��whose participation and staff involvement is part of an overall commitment to improve LGBTQ access, awareness and communication.

“Our staff work with likely the most diverse group of patients anywhere in the country and we pride ourselves in looking at the whole person – who they are and what their care needs are,” says Anne Wojtak, Chief Performance Officer. “We’ve worked extremely hard at breaking down barriers for people who experience any form of inaccessibility: colour, race, religion, sexual orientation, financial status, and so on We’re excited that with these findings we can continue to explore new ways to support better training, communication, and ultimately access to care.”

The study shone a light on the��many home care services users in the LGBTQ community who are under the age of 50, single and in the lower income group, while the study participants ranged from 19 to 86 in ages.

“The importance of our research also lies in the community-based approach taken to explore home care access for LGBTQ communities. Our research process brought together��Ontario’s LGBTQ community members as well as their supporters, and home care-related organizations,”��says��Daley.

The study aimed at filling gaps in awareness of home care need for LGBTQ people to bring about policy change. MacDonnell adds “As we have undertaken the research and shared findings with diverse LGBTQ communities, service providers, decision makers and policy makers over the last five years, it is clear that there is significant interest across stakeholder groups in taking steps to improve care for LGBTQ home care service users, care givers, their chosen families and communities of care.”
is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our 52,000 students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 24 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide.

Media Contact:

Gloria Suhasini, 91��ɫ, 416-736-2100, ext. 22094, suhasini@yorku.ca

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