PRIDE

Each year, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities worldwide celebrate PRIDE month. While working with partners and artists, we want to celebrate PRIDE with community members and immigrants from diverse backgrounds. In our work, we especially want to recognize and help immigrants who experience intersectionality between multiple identities such as race, gender, and sexual orientation.

Understanding Gender and Sexual Diversity

No one word can convey the many ways human beings live and understand their gender or sexuality.

Understanding gender and sexual diversity as an aspect of human diversity is essential -- in every part of the world, culture, as well as the past and present.

Graphic by @xdiamarie

Sources: National Rap LGBTQI Presentation
Unit 1-Sexual and Gender Diversity and "A Guide to Gender Identity Terms" by NPR

Sexual Orientation and the Term 2SLGBTQIA+

Canada has made some progress protecting the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ in recent history: in 1993, Canada began permitting 2SLGBTQIA+ who face persecution in their home countries to apply for refugee status. However, we still have a long way to go. Obtaining refugee status is highly complex, leaving half of LGBTQI+ refugee claimants unsuccessful and vulnerable. And although refugees accepted to Canada no longer face direct persecution, they still face hardships when settling here because of their intersectionality.

Art by @xdiamarie

 

Did You Know? Intersectionality Affects Many Immigrants

We unveil some of the stories and challenges of people exploring life at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities.

Intersectionality affects immigrant 2SLGBTQIA+ and the wider BIPOC community daily in unique ways.

Art by @xdiamarie

Sources: Human Rights Campaign, "Coming Out Living Authentically as LGBTQ Asian and Pacific Islander Americans," "Coming Out Living Authentically as LGBTQ Latinx Americans," and "Coming Out Living Authentically as Black LGBTQ People"

How Do you Navigate Your Identities? How Do You Support As an Ally?

LGBTQIA+ newcomers are an integral, yet often invisible, part of immigrant, refugee and mainstream 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

As someone whose experiences are at the intersection of multiple marginalized communities in our society, how do you navigate your identities and these communities? Or how do you support as an ally?

Art by @xdiamarie

Sources: Coming Out Living Authentically as Black LGBTQ People and Trevor Project

Queer Arabs Halifax
Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project

Local Organizations Supporting BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+

PRIDE extends beyond the PRIDE month. Here are some local organizations that are immigrant & 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly for you to follow and support:

Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia

Halifax Pride-All Tongues

The Youth Project

Rise HFX

Queer Arabs Halifax

Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project