How can we address the increased risk of discrimination or stigmatization faced by Community members when accessing services or participating in events, especially when these are managed by non-francophone or non-2SLGBTQ+ entities or organizations? What do safety, inclusion, and equity concretely mean in the delivery of social and health services, in social activities, or in educational settings? And by what criteria should we evaluate or design services or partnerships in these areas?
Comfortable in Our Own Skin
The report from the "One of Us" Study (2021) recommends the implementation of safe social and health services for members of our community. The "Comfortable in Our Own Skin" project is a reflection on the means to achieve this.
What exactly do safety, inclusion, and equity look like?
A diagnostic tool based on community data
The Comfortable in Our Own Skin project seeks to answer precisely these questions and, at the same time, to follow up on several recommendations from the One of Us study (see page 83 for all recommendations, but particularly the 3rd on page 85). With this in mind, the Collective held community consultations in February 2022 in the areas of health, education, and social activities.
The first objective of the consultations was to engage Community members, in all their diversity, by discussing their experiences with current service providers, potential partnerships, and the conditions for success to ensure the safety and inclusion of French-speaking 2SLGBTQ+ people.
The second objective of the consultations was to develop an evidence-based method for rigorously and objectively evaluating services or partnerships intended for Community members. Then, based on the testimonies collected and synthesized, objective criteria were developed and presented in the form of a diagnostic tool.
Phase I Report
The report presents a diagnostic tool for services and partnerships in three areas (health, social and cultural development, education), as well as the method used to design it.
The authors review the projects limitations, develop recommendations, and outline other follow-up actions to implement toward a final version of the diagnostic tool. For 2SLGBTQ+ organizations wishing to develop their own diagnostic tool, briefing notes, communication materials, and other resources used during the community consultations are provided in the appendix.
This report therefore serves both as a pilot analytical tool and as an action plan for the Collective to continue implementing the recommendations of the One of Us report.
Bibliographic reference: Courcelles, R., Hardy, S., and Prada, K. (2023). Comfortable in Our Own Skin: Development of a Diagnostic Tool to Inform the Design and Evaluation of Safe, Inclusive, and Equitable Services or Partnerships for French-Speaking 2SLGBTQ+ People in Manitoba. LGBTQ* Collective of Manitoba.
Acknowledgments to Our Partners
The Collective wishes to extend special thanks to the Community members who contributed to this report, either by participating in the engagement sessions in 2022 or by contributing images to enhance the Phase I report.
For their proofreading and revision work, we wish to thank Jacqueline Avanthay Strus, professor in nursing sciences, Université de Saint-Boniface (sexuality and harm reduction, vulnerable populations, Indigenous health); Claudyne Chevrier, project manager, National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (sexuality and harm reduction, vulnerable populations, Indigenous health); Danielle de Moissac, professor, Université de Saint-Boniface (health services, mental health and society, risk behaviors, health determinants); Kevin Prada, consultant, University of Manitoba (sexual and gender minority health, health and spirituality, health determinants); and Gilbert Savard.
Finally, we wish to acknowledge the essential support of Women and Gender Equality Canada and the organization Santé en français and Health Canada in carrying out the Phase I work of the project.