Definitions
Sex-positive: a way to understand and view sex and sexual activity that is rooted in consent and the wellbeing of those engaging in it, without placing a moral value on different sexualities or sex acts.
Body-positive: an attitude or approach towards the topics of body and body image that believes everyone has the right to feel a positive sense of body image regardless of their shape, size, colour, ability, or appearance.
Intersectionality: a term used to recognize the ways in which distinct aspects of an individual's identity (e.g. race, gender, sexuality, socio-economic status, etc.) may actually intersect and compound, uniquely affecting their own experience in the world. This leads to individuals experiencing multiple and interconnected forms of discrimination and marginalization. Intersectionality is a term that was explored by black feminists and later coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw.
Anti-Racism: the act of identifying racism, becoming aware of how it affects the lived experiences of Black, Indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC), and actively working to challenge it by changing systems, policies, procedures and attitudes that systematically perpetuate racism.
Affirmative Listening: a form of active listening, affirmative listening strives to both validate an individual's experience, and to give them space to share their experience in their own words. This includes avoiding interrupting the speaker or finishing the speaker’s sentences. After carefully listening to the speaker, affirmative listeners repeat the information back to the speaker to ensure that they accurately understood what the speaker intended to say.
Accessibility: Accessible programs and structures consider physical, economic, and information accessibility to promote equitable access and inclusion. Physical accessibility ensures the environment is accessible for any physical ability level and body type, and includes consideration of physical attributes in the environment such as lighting, contrast of writing or images, ramps, weight capacity of chairs, space for mobility aids or larger bodies, etc. Economic accessibility includes direct and indirect costs, including registration or service fees, ability to take time off work, ability to access opportunities with a variety of transportation (e.g. bus, bike, scooter, car, etc.), and other factors that may be influenced by socioeconomic status. Information accessibility ensures any service users or community members can access and use information equitably and includes consideration of reading level, literacy, access to technology, languages understood orally and written, availability of sign language interpreters, etc.
Diversity: Diversity generally refers to the diverse identities that shape and inform an individual's lived experience, and includes but is not limited to factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, age, class, and ability.
Inclusion: Inclusivity is both an action and a feeling, meaning, it is the active practice to ensure individuals with different lived experiences are able to succeed and thrive while feeling like they are welcomed and respected.
Equity: the recognition that various social or economic factors may act as an advantage or disadvantage for individuals and lead to systematic disparities, and as such, to be the most fair or just, there is a need for differentiated treatment to strive for an equal outcome for everyone.
Purpose:
In recognizing the diverse identities of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Edmonton and across the province, this policy strives to ensure the QTHC consistently takes an intersectional approach in the delivery of health services, resources, and information, and strives to make such services accessible and equitable.
The QTHC is a grassroots health organization run by and for queer and trans community members, and as such, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and accessibility are at the core of the organization’s vision, mission, and inevitably, our day-to-day work. The communities we serve are diverse with a wide variety of experiences, identities and stories, and we must take that into account to ensure that the language we use, the types of advocacy we support, and the ways in which we engage in the community all support the mission and values of the organization.
Scope:
This policy applies to all aspects of the QTHC’s work at both a governance and operational level.
Policy Statements:
The Language We Use in our Programs, Services and Resources
1.1. The language we use throughout our programs, services and resources is instrumental in building safe and accessible spaces, and the use of inclusive language is required in all of the work we do.
1.2. The QTHC develops and/or delivers a wide variety of programs, services and resources to reach our mission of addressing the needs of queer and trans community members through community education, support, and capacity-building.
1.3. It is crucial that the QTHC recognizes and understands the various ways this work is understood and interacted with by the community. As such, the QTHC will strive to:
1.3.1. ensure that all resources, services, information and events are equally accessible to all community members, recognizing the unique identities and experiences that may shape how they interact with the organization.
1.3.2. provide detailed information about the physical accessibility of services and events, as well as any accommodations that are available.
1.3.3. utilize trauma-informed, trans inclusive, anti-racist, and affirmative language and content.
utilize language when talking about communities that is preferred by members of those communities.
1.3.4. ensure any sexual education provided by the QTHC in the community is shared in a clear, sex-positive, body-positive, 2SLGBTQ+-centric, and trauma-informed way.
1.4. While the use of language may be universal, the type, style or delivery of language varies immensely and is incredibly personal. The QTHC acknowledges that community members communicate with various languages and systems of communication including sign languages, braille, assistive technology, and languages other than English and will:
1.4.1. recognize, respect, and advocate for the diversity of language and communications within our community.
1.4.2. work to deliver programs with diverse language and communication strategies where possible.
1.5. The QTHC will strive to ensure all programs, services, resources and governance or operational documents are accessible to individuals with varying levels of reading comprehension.
2. The Advocacy We Support
2.1. The QTHC has made its mission to both represent and support the queer and trans communities, including through supporting capacity building for advocacy, and representing the community more broadly on a number of issues.
2.2. Recognizing that healthcare is diffused across the province, the QTHC will advocate for the right of community members to have access to safe and affirming care. This includes:
2.2.1. Advocating for, providing, or promoting training for healthcare providers to deliver safe, affirming and inclusive care.
2.2.2. Advocating for compassionate healthcare processes and methods of care rooted in affirmative listening, recognizing the emotional labour associated with having to constantly explain various aspects of one’s identity.
2.3. The QTHC will advocate for trans and queer affirming healthcare, for health issues and concerns that disproportionately affect these populations, and for associated services and resources.
2.4. The QTHC will also strive to ensure its advocacy is inclusive of the unique and intersectional healthcare access needs and health outcomes of BIPOC folks.
3. How we Connect our Communities
3.1. Seeing as social relationships are important to the health and quality of life for our communities, the QTHC hopes to support the promotion of 2SLGBTQ+ community events-at-large.
3.2. The QTHC will strive to share this policy and principles therein with community partners to work towards accessibility and equitable inclusion in events and programs throughout Edmonton and Alberta.