Unity

For a better together

All people in Canada should feel free and safe to be who they are.

The Unity campaign sets out to create a more inclusive future for everyone, including Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and other sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) people.

Help advance equality by recognizing stigma, debunking misinformation, and supporting 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Here are three key concepts to get you started.

What is 2SLGBTQI+?
Acronyms like FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) are a common way to communicate a lot of meaning with few characters. 2SLGBTQI+ is an acronym that seeks to represent everyone who belongs to sexually and gender-diverse communities. It starts with 2S to recognize that Two-Spirit people were the first in Canada to honour sexual and gender diversity. The next letter is L for lesbian, then G for gay, B for bisexual, T for trans, Q for queer, I for intersex, and the + symbol, which represents additional groups, as our understanding and terminology grows. You can read more about each term in the online glossary. Language is fluid—as it evolves, the acronym might still change. The point of this inclusive language is to recognize the diversity that exists when it comes to sexuality and gender identities and expression.
What are stigma and bias?
Stigma refers to negative attitudes and false beliefs that a group of people or society has towards something. When attached to a certain group of people, it can include prejudice, judgment, and stereotypes, which can lead to discrimination and negative behaviours. This can result in members of the stigmatized group experiencing isolation and potential harm. Stigma can influence decision-making on a personal, group, or even institutional level. People are often unaware that their negative opinions or bias are rooted in stigma.

Bias refers to believing that some people or some things are better than others. In this instance, bias refers to negative thoughts, feelings, or actions towards someone in the 2SLGBTQI+ communities based on the unfair and inaccurate view that they are less than straight cisgender people.

Bias can prevent 2SLGBTQI+ people from enjoying equal access to things like health care, housing, and work opportunities. No one wants false beliefs to limit how they live their life, so it’s important to recognize how bias affects communities.

Sometimes bias can be conscious, like harassing someone because of their sexual orientation, or unconscious, like believing that someone who has a manly appearance needs to act in a certain way.
What are allies?
Allies are people who aren’t part of the 2SLGBTQI+ communities, but support their rights and freedoms. They’re committed to learning about the various challenges these groups face and taking concrete steps (even small ones!) to support them. There’s no right way to be an ally, and it can look different from one person to another.

There are many ways you can be an ally, like:
- Speaking up to tell someone that making fun of 2SLGBTQI+ people is offensive.
- Telling friends what someone’s correct pronouns are.
- Sharing accurate information when presented with stigma.
- Truly listening to the experiences and views of members of the 2SLGBTQI+ communities.