2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan Survey Results: Stigma and Belonging

This visual product displays the survey results for questions related to stigma, isolation, and resilience, showing results for related questions broken down by the respondent’s gender, age, sexual orientation, population group, Indigenous identity, disability status, province of residence and more.

Sense of belonging within 2SLGBTQI+ community spaces, events, and services

Survey responses overall

Almost two-thirds (62%) of survey respondents agreed that they feel included and represented within 2SLGBTQI+ community spaces, events, and services; however, 23% of respondents either strongly or somewhat disagreed.

Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statement:

I feel included and represented within LGBTQ2 community spaces, events, and services.

Total Sample
Strongly Agree/Somewhat Agree 62%
Neither Agree nor Disagree 15%
Strongly Disagree/Somewhat Disagree 23%

Responses by gender identity

Two-Spirit (31%) respondents strongly or somewhat disagreed that they felt included and represented within 2SLGBTQI+ community spaces, events, and services, the most to disagree of the gender identity groups.

Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statement:

I feel included and represented within LGBTQ2 community spaces, events, and services.

Woman (transgender) Woman (cisgender) Man (transgender) Man (cisgender) Gender Diverse Non-Binary / Agender Two-Spirit
Strongly Agree/Somewhat Agree 63% 59% 61% 65% 62% 62% 54%
Neither Agree nor Disagree 17% 15% 14% 16% 14% 12% 15%
Strongly Disagree/Somewhat Disagree 20% 26% 25% 18% 25% 26% 31%

Responses by sexual orientation

Compared to respondents from other sexual orientation groups, Asexual (38%) and Demisexual (34%) respondents were most likely to strongly or somewhat disagree that they feel included and represented within 2SLGBTQI+ community spaces.

Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statement:

I feel included and represented within LGBTQ2 community spaces, events, and services.

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Pansexual Queer Asexual Heterosexual Unsure / Questioning Demisexual Two-Spirit
Strongly Agree/Somewhat Agree 66% 67% 57% 58% 65% 47% 53% 51% 49% 54%
Neither Agree nor Disagree 15% 16% 15% 16% 11% 15% 17% 25% 18% 15%
Strongly Disagree/Somewhat Disagree 19% 17% 28% 27% 24% 38% 30% 24% 34% 31%

Responses by population group and Indigenous identity

Latin American (66%) respondents were the most likely to agree that they feel included and represented within 2SLGBTQI+ community spaces.

 

Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statement:

I feel included and represented within LGBTQ2 community spaces, events, and services.

South Asian

East Asian

South East Asian

Middle Eastern / North AfricanFootnote 1

Black Caribbean

Black African

Latin American

Racialized: Other GroupsFootnote 2

White and RacializedFootnote 3

White

Indigenous

Strongly Agree/Somewhat Agree

52%

55%

62%

60%

59%

50%

66%

49%

54%

63%

56%

Neither Agree nor Disagree

14%

17%

15%

16%

11%

16%

14%

16%

15%

15%

16%

Strongly Disagree/Somewhat Disagree

35%

28%

24%

25%

30%

34%

20%

35%

31%

21%

27%

Responses by disability status

56% of respondents with disabilities agreed that they felt included and represented within 2SLGBTQI+ community spaces, events, and services compared to 65% of respondents without disabilities.

Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statement:

I feel included and represented within LGBTQ2 community spaces, events, and services.

Person with a Disability Person without a Disability
Strongly Agree/Somewhat Agree 56% 65%
Neither Agree nor Disagree 14% 16%
Strongly Disagree/Somewhat Disagree 30% 20%

Responses by age

Respondents aged 16 to 17 (73%) were most likely to agree that they feel included and represented within 2SLGBTQI+ community spaces..

Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statement:

I feel included and represented within LGBTQ2 community spaces, events, and services.

16-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Strongly Agree/Somewhat Agree 73% 66% 60% 60% 61% 63% 64%
Neither Agree nor Disagree 12% 13% 15% 16% 18% 18% 17%
Strongly Disagree/Somewhat Disagree 16% 21% 25% 24% 21% 20% 19%

Sense of belonging to Canada

Survey responses overall

The majority (82%) of respondents agreed that they had a very/somewhat strong sense of belonging to Canada. In comparison, this figure was 91% in the 2013 General Social Survey for the general population.

How would you describe your sense of belonging to Canada? Very Strong/Somewhat Strong
LGBTQ2 Action Plan Survey 82%
2013 General Social Survey 91%
How would you describe your sense of belonging to Canada? Very Strong
LGBTQ2 Action Plan Survey 45%
2013 General Social Survey 64%

Responses by gender identity

Cisgender men (88%) and cisgender women (85%) respondents were the most likely to report a very/somewhat strong sense of belonging to Canada compared to other gender identity groups.

How would you describe your sense of belonging to Canada?

Woman (transgender) Woman (cisgender) Man (transgender) Man (cisgender) Gender Diverse Non-Binary / Agender Two-Spirit
Very Strong/Somewhat Strong 69% 85% 70% 88% 67% 62% 57%
Very Weak/Somewhat Weak 31% 15% 30% 12% 33% 38% 43%

Responses by sexual orientation

Gay (88%) respondents were most likely to report a strong sense of belonging to Canada compared to other sexual orientation groups, while Two-Spirit (57%) respondents were least likely.

How would you describe your sense of belonging to Canada?

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Pansexual Queer Asexual Heterosexual Unsure / Questioning Demisexual Two-Spirit
Very Strong/Somewhat Strong 83% 88% 78% 73% 71% 74% 81% 80% 68% 57%
Very Weak/Somewhat Weak 17% 12% 22% 27% 29% 26% 19% 20% 32% 43%

Responses by population group and Indigenous identity

Black African (66%) respondents were the least likely group to report a strong sense of belonging to Canada.

How would you describe your sense of belonging to Canada?

South Asian East Asian South East Asian Middle Eastern / North African Black Caribbean Black African Latin American Racialized: Other Groups White and Racialized White Indigenous
Very Strong/Somewhat Strong 79% 80% 77% 79% 79% 66% 78% 68% 73% 83% 71%
Very Weak/Somewhat Weak 21% 20% 23% 21% 21% 34% 22% 32% 27% 17% 29%

Responses by disability status

Respondents with disabilities were 13% less likely than respondents without disabilities to report a strong sense of belonging to Canada.

How would you describe your sense of belonging to Canada Person with a Disability Person without a Disability
Very Strong/Somewhat Strong 72% 85%
Very Weak/Somewhat Weak 28% 15%

Responses by age

Respondents aged 65+ (92%) were most likely to report a strong sense of belonging to Canada.

How would you describe your sense of belonging to Canada? 16-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Very Strong/Somewhat Strong 76% 73% 78% 85% 89% 91% 92%
Very Weak/Somewhat Weak 24% 27% 22% 15% 11% 9% 8%

Life satisfaction

The self-reported mean life satisfaction for 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan Survey respondents was 6.4, compared to 6.7 for the Canadian general population.Footnote 4 2SLGBTQI+

Responses by gender identity

Transgender women respondents (5.4) and transgender men respondents (5.3) reported the lowest mean life satisfaction rating, while cisgender men respondents (6.9) and cisgender women respondents (6.6) reported the highest life satisfaction.

Using the scale below, how do you feel about your life as a whole right now? (1-10)

Man (cisgender) Woman (cisgender) Two-Spirit Gender Diverse Non-Binary / Agender Woman (transgender) Man (transgender)
Mean Life Satisfaction 6.9 6.6 6.0 5.7 5.5 5.4 5.3

Responses by sexual orientation

Asexual respondents (5.5) and Demisexual respondents (5.5) reported the lowest mean life satisfaction rating, compared to respondents from other sexual orientation groups.

Using the scale below, how do you feel about your life as a whole right now? (1-10)

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Pansexual Queer Asexual Heterosexual Unsure / Questioning Demisexual Two-Spirit
Mean Life Satisfaction 6.9 6.7 6.1 6.1 6.0 6.0 5.8 5.8 5.5 5.5

Responses for Intersex IndividualsFootnote 5

Intersex respondents have an average overall life satisfaction of 5.1, which is lower than the average life satisfaction for all respondents.

Responses by population group and Indigenous identity

Black African respondents (5.8) followed by Indigenous respondents (5.9) reported the lowest mean life satisfaction rating compared to respondents from other groups.

 

Latin American White East Asian South East Asian Middle Eastern / North African South Asian White and Racialized Black Caribbean Racialized: Other Groups Indigenous
Black African
Mean Life Satisfaction 6.7 6.5 6.4 6.3 6.1 6.1 6.1 6.1 6.0 5.9 5.8

Responses by province or territory of residence

Respondents from Alberta (6.0) reported the lowest mean life satisfaction rating while Quebec respondents (6.9) reported the highest mean life satisfaction rating.

Using the scale below, how do you feel about your life as a whole right now? (1-10)

QC Territories BC ON NS MB NL NB PE SK AB

Mean Life Satisfaction

*The life satisfaction mean of the entire 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan Survey sample was 6.4.

6.9 6.7 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.3 6.2 6.0

Responses by disability status

Respondents with disabilities (5.4) reported a lower mean life satisfaction rating compared to respondents without disabilities (6.8).

Using the scale below, how do you feel about your life as a whole right now? (1-10) Person with a Disability Person without a Disability
Mean Life Satisfaction 6.8 5.4

Responses by age

Respondents aged 65+ reported the highest mean life satisfaction (7.6), while respondents aged 16-17 only reported a mean life satisfaction of 5.2.

Using the scale below, how do you feel about your life as a whole right now? (1-10) 65+ 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 18-24 16-17
Mean Life Satisfaction 7.6 7.3 6.9 6.7 6.3 5.7 5.2

Building resiliency

Respondents across all demographic groups reported that their friends were important for building resiliency (72%). The other three most common factors identified by respondents were one’s romantic partner (52%), biological family (41%) and chosen family (38%).

Please indicate which of the following are most important to you for building resiliency in your life? (Select up to three items)

□ Romantic partner(s)

□ Friends

□ Primary health care

□ LGBTQ2 community organizations

□ Biological family

□ Online forums

□ Settlement services organization for newcomers or through someone who sponsored me as a newcomer

□ Other, please specify:

□ Peers

□ Community events (e.g. Pride, a party, etc.)

□ Chosen family

Total Sample
Romantic partner 52%
Friends 72%
Chosen family 38%
Biological family 41%

Response by population group and Indigenous identity

Respondents across all population groups reported that their friends were the most important for building resiliency in their life, this was especially the case for East Asian respondents (78%).

Please indicate which of the following are most important to you for building resiliency in your life? (Select up to three items)

□ Romantic partner(s)

□ Friends

□ Primary health care

□ LGBTQ2 community organizations

□ Biological family

□ Online forums

□ Settlement services organization for newcomers or through someone who sponsored me as a newcomer

□ Other, please specify:

□ Peers

□ Community events (e.g. Pride, a party, etc.)

□ Chosen family

South Asian East Asian South East Asian Middle Eastern / North African Black Caribbean Black African Latin American Racialized: Other Groups White and Racialized White Indigenous
Romantic partner 48% 51% 50% 48% 45% 41% 48% 45% 44% 53% 44%
Friends 71% 78% 76% 68% 65% 64% 69% 62% 73% 73% 66%
Chosen family 35% 38% 36% 40% 38% 34% 37% 39% 44% 38% 44%
Biological family 40% 36% 36% 36% 37% 31% 36% 38% 37% 42% 38%

Responses by disability status

Respondents with a disability reported that their chosen family (45%) was more important to them for building resiliency in their life than it was for people without a disability (36%).

Please indicate which of the following are most important to you for building resiliency in your life? (Select up to three items)

□ Romantic partner(s)

□ Friends

□ Primary health care

□ LGBTQ2 community organizations

□ Biological family

□ Online forums

□ Settlement services organization for newcomers or through someone who sponsored me as a newcomer

□ Other, please specify:

□ Peers

□ Community events (e.g. Pride, a party, etc.)

□ Chosen family

Person with a Disability Person without a Disability
Romantic partner 45% 55%
Friends 65% 75%
Chosen family 45% 36%
Biological family 32% 45%

Responses by age

The youngest respondents, aged 16-17, were more likely than the other age groups to report that their friends (81%) were most important to them for building resiliency in their life.

Please indicate which of the following are most important to you for building resiliency in your life? (Select up to three items)

□ Romantic partner(s)

□ Friends

□ Primary health care

□ LGBTQ2 community organizations

□ Biological family

□ Online forums

□ Settlement services organization for newcomers or through someone who sponsored me as a newcomer

□ Other, please specify:

□ Peers

□ Community events (e.g. Pride, a party, etc.)

□ Chosen family

16-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Romantic partner 37% 46% 55% 57% 54% 51% 42%
Friends 81% 76% 72% 69% 69% 72% 73%
Chosen family 39% 37% 39% 39% 38% 37% 31%
Biological family 33% 40% 42% 45% 42% 39% 38%

Community organizations

Respondents who felt included and represented within 2SLGBTQI+ community spaces were twice as likely to report that 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations are important to them for resiliency as a source of inclusion.

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