June is Pride Month, a time for the LGBTQ2SIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Two-Spirit, intersex, asexual, plus) to celebrate their wins, mourn their losses, and find community with one another.
Canada is a relatively safe space for queer people, and there are laws in place to protect the community. But that doesn’t mean that it is entirely safe to be gay or trans in this country. According to Egale Canada, hate crimes against queer people in Canada have doubled since 2018. The worst year in recent history was 2023, and rates remain high. Egale attributes this in part to the rise of hate online, which can encourage offline violence. Statistics Canada also released some data demonstrating that queer people are at a higher risk of physical and sexual assault than others.
The biggest challenge that queer people are facing in Canada is in Alberta, where Premier Danielle Smith invoked a notwithstanding clause to implement three different anti-trans policy bills that have been the subject of quite a bit of controversy. The first was Bill 26, which passed in 2024 and prohibited Canadians under the age of 16 from receiving gender-affirming care like hormones or puberty blockers. It also prohibits minors from getting gender surgery.
The second is the legislation that is formerly known as Bill 27, which dictates that teachers must report to parents if a student under the age of 18 is using a new name or pronouns in the classroom. It also dictates that students under the age of 16 cannot use a pronoun or name that was not assigned to them at birth without parental permission. Plus, it made Alberta the first province where parents must opt their child in to receive sexual education.
The third is the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, which says that anyone competing in female-only sports must have been assigned female at birth. Because of this, some organizations (including school boards) have implemented policies that let people challenge the gender of athletes anonymously.
On a different note, the past few years have also included some advancements for the queer community. Health Canada authorized Canada Blood Services to get rid of the rule that bans men who have sex with men from giving blood. The government has also been proceeding with the first ever Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan.
The Action Plan was put into place in 2022 and is intended “to create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, for present and future generations. The Action Plan builds upon work the Government of Canada has done since 2015 to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country,” according to the Government of Canada website. It is broken down into six priority areas: Prioritize and sustain 2SLGBTQI+ community action, continue to advance and strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ rights at home and abroad, support Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ resilience and resurgence, engage everyone in Canada in fostering a 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive future, strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ data and evidence-based policy making, and embedding 2SLGBTQI+ issues in the work of the Government of Canada. Updates on the plan can be found on the Government of Canada website.