With June being Pride month, it’s important to highlight some of the organizations in the region that help support queer people – especially organizations for queer youth, who may feel confused or alone while figuring out this piece of their identity. Rural areas often lack the community spaces for queer people that larger urban areas have, but there are still a few places to turn to close to the Valley.
In the Montérégie, JAG (Jeunes Adultes Gay) has been providing young queer people with community and resources for almost 30 years. Dominique Théberge, the general director of JAG, feels that it is essential for young people to have a safe space where they can express themselves. “These young people are going through things either at school or at home. Having people they can trust, and a community where they can speak up is essential,” he says. He also emphasizes that it’s important for people to have a space where they can explore their identity and learn more about themselves.
Unfortunately, JAG had to close their office in Valleyfield a few years ago, which was their only office in the Montérégie-Ouest. Recently, Théberge applied for funding through the Alliance Pour la Solidarité de l’Ouest to reopen their doors. “The main thing is that in their strategic plan, they mention the JAG three times, that it requires LGBT resources, that the JAG is there, but there aren’t enough resources for the JAG,” he says. He is crossing his fingers that the funding will come through.
On May 17, JAG hosted their annual Gala Haut en Couleur to celebrate queer youth in the region. This event fell on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. This year, they decided to have the event be a family drag brunch for the first time. It was hosted by the drag queen Eva Moist and was very well received by the community. On their Facebook page, JAG says, “It’s important and meaningful to create a space where we can come together and celebrate.”
At this year’s event Jennifer Maccarone of the Quebec Liberal Party was presented with an award for all the work she’s done with the JAG, and all her speeches in the National Assembly. They presented an award to Catherine Fournier, the mayor of Longueuil, for her work as well.
Next year there will be no Gala Haut en Couleur because 2027 will actually be JAG’s 30th anniversary. Théberge says that they have already started planning the festivities, and plan to have a big party to mark this momentous occasion. To keep up to date with what they have programmed, visit JAG, Organisme LGBT+ on Facebook.
Besides JAG, youth aged 12-25 can look into Aire Ouverte if they are in need of sexual health resources. This is an organization with offices across Quebec that aim to help people with their “physical health – including sexual health – mental health, adjustment difficulties, addiction, and social, academic, and professional integration,” according to the website. They work particularly with people who may not have access to other resources to connect youth with nurses, educators, and social workers.
Aire Ouverte Montérégie has offices in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and at the Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi in Huntingdon. The services they provide are completely free, and though they are not specifically for queer youth, a lot of what they have to offer directly helps with some of the issues young queer people deal with regularly.