Qmunity
1170 Bute Street V6E 1Z6 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Wishing everyone a healthy and safe Holiday Season and hope to see as many of you in 2021!

And lastly, we didn't forget about our amazing Qunicorns who have worked so hard this year and have rolled with the constant changes that came with this unpredictable year and made sure our programs are running and our community is being supported during 2020. They have all received this lovely care package

Holiday packages for the Youth program have also been mailed and delivered! Thanks to our Youth Program Specialist for putting together these sweet thoughtful packages!

QMUNITY elves have been really busy for the past week putting together these amazing Holiday packages for the Seniors & Older Adults program "HoliGays" virtual event, and making sure they get delivered safely on time. Big thanks to our Seniors Program Specialist and our Admin Coordinator for doing an awesome job!

Raising awareness about the trans community. Here's some facts to amplify the issues and discrimination trans and non-binary folks face. Advocacy is a collective effort! Source: www.suicideinfo.ca #transawarenessweek #transawarenessweek2020

QMUNITY's Counselling Program is looking for members to join the Counselling Advisory Committee for 2021! For full details, terms of reference, and application please visit our website https://qmunity.ca/counselling-advisory-committee/

Join the Trans Day Of Remembrance Memorial at Jim Deva Plaza or the livestream online, this Friday Nov. 20th, if you feel healthy and safe to do so. COVID protocols will be in effect. If you're unable to join, you can share this image to "light" a candle in the memory of all the trans lives we have lost. #transdayofremembrance #transdayofremembrance2020 #tdor

Today, we're raising awareness about Aromatic; what does the term mean. #aromantic #aromanticawarness #aro #aros

Do you have a passion for education, facilitation, and advocacy for the LGBTQ2SAI+ community? QMUNITY is currently looking for FACILITATOR, EDUCATION & TRAINING PROGRAM to join the team! Application is open and deadline is January 6th 2021. For full job description and to apply visit our website qmunity.ca/jobs

Trans is beautiful. It's Trans Awareness Week Oct. 13th - 20th and we want to acknowledge and celebrate all trans and non-binary identifying people. Trans folks and especially trans people of color and Black trans women are still one of the most marginalized and discriminated against groups in society and within our own Rainbow community. Let's show them some love and support, talk about trans awareness with your social groups and families, stand up for a trans person if yo...u see them being harassed, share your pronouns in efforts to normalize it, get some more education and read about trans issues and important trans people in history. There's so much we can do and it all starts with us individuals. Happy Trans Awareness Week! If you're looking for support, here's some local resources: QMUNITY BBB (Bra, Binder, and Breast Forms Exchange Program) for gender affirming chest wear for youth. Get in touch with Han at [email protected] Transgathering Support Group. Get in touch with Tristyn at [email protected] Transecare BC, for accessing Health and Medical care phsa.ca/transcarebc/

Following Intersex Awareness Day yesterday, we wanted to shed some light on three more identities that are also often marginalized within the LGBTQ2SAI+ community. We're starting today with Asexual; #asexualawarness #asexual

The team at Q is happy to welcome onboard, Carole Rondeau, Youth practicum. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Boots have had a busy month reviewing all of the practicum placements applications for both the Youth and Seniors & Older Adults programs, while coordinating with both programs' specialists, Han and Courtney. Here's a little about Carole;... Carole is joining QMUNITY as a Youth Practicum Student while completing her MSc in Global Health virtually from McMasters University. She is particularly interested in alleviating the challenges and barriers LGBTQ2S+ youth experience while seeking gender-affirming care and aspires for a fundamentally inclusive healthcare system. Carole hopes to support the youth program in various ways, including participation in youth drop-ins, COVID safe program planning and organizational outreach. As a new resident of Vancouver, Carole enjoys exploring the incredible BC landscapes and beaches. She is always looking for recommendations of places to explore! You can contact Carole at [email protected]

Today is Intersex Awareness Day! What does the term Intersex mean? Intersex: General term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with reproductive or sexual anatomy, genetics/chromosomes, or hormonal levels that do not seem to fit the ‘typical’ definitions of male or female. In many parts of the Western World, individuals who were born intersex had oppressive, non-consensual and/or unnecessary medical and surgical interventions, including gender reassignme...nt surgery and aggressive hormonal therapy during childhood. ‘Intersex’ has replaced the term ‘hermaphrodite’, which is widely considered to be out-dated, inaccurate and offensive. An intersex person may or may not identify as part of the trans community, however the terms ‘intersex’, ‘transsexual’ and ‘trans’ are distinct and should not be used interchangeably.

Today is International Pronouns Day, the day falls on the 3rd Wednesday of October each year. Referring to people by the pronouns they determine for themselves is basic to human dignity. Being referred to by the wrong pronouns particularly affects transgender, gender nonconforming, and gender variant people. Together, we can transform society to celebrate people’s multiple, intersecting identities. By normalizing the practice of sharing our pronouns in any social situation, w...e create a safe space for those who feel less safe or accepted to share theirs. Try to share your pronouns today at least once! or share them below in the comments (if you feel comfortable to do so). pronounsday.org #InternationalPronounsDay #InternationalPronounsDay 2020

The team at Q is happy to welcome onboard, Dianna Zhao, Seniors & Older Adults practicum. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Boots have had a busy month reviewing all of the practicum placements applications for both the Youth and Seniors & Older Adults program, while coordinating with both programs' specialists, Han and Courtney. Here's a little about Dianna;... "Hello everyone! My name is Dianna Zhao, I am very excited to be joining the QMUNITY team as a practicum student with my main focus working in the Seniors Programs. A little about myself and my background--I identify as Bisexual and I use She/Her pronouns. I was born and raised in Richmond B.C. Currently I am in the Bachelors of Social work Program at the University of British Columbia and hope to use this degree to work with LGBTQ2SIA+ populations in the future." You can contact Dianna at [email protected]

QMUNITY, BC’s queer, trans, and Two-Spirit resource centre is excited to announce an expansion of our own acronym that we use in our communications: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, 2S (Two-Spirit), Asexual/Aromantic and Intersex. With a bit of practice, LGBTQ2SAI+ is rolling off the tongues of our staff and volunteers! For the full statement follow the link below. https://qmunity.ca/news/a-i-inclusion-statement/... #awareness #inclusion #AceAroAwareness #AceAroInclusion #aromanticawarness #AsexualAwareness #intersexawareness #intersexinclusion

Thank you to everyone who joined in on our Townhall event yesterday discussing important issues for the LGBTQ2SAI+ communities in BC. We extend our thanks to the respective representatives from the BC NDP (Spencer Chandra Herbert), BC Greens (Nicola Spurling), and the BC Liberals (Jon Ellacott). Thanks to the partner organizations Rainbow Refugee and LOUD Business, LOUD Scholarship Foundation and for the team who worked to make this event happen, Sempulyan, Charmaine de Silva for moderating, the ASL interpreters, and the tech director.

Qmunity's Proud 2 Vote election debate and discussion is live now!

B.C. Election 2020: Poll finds anti-LGBTQ comments rejected by nearly six of 10 B.C. voters. https://vancouversun.com//poll-finds-anti-lgbtq-comments-r

Join QMUNITY, Rainbow Refugee @rainbowrefugeecanada , and LOUD @loudbusinessassociation in a political debate with representatives of the Green, NDP, and Libral parties to discuss key issues for the LGBTQ2SAI+ communities in the province. #Proud2VoteBC #ProudToVoteBC #bcpoli

To celebrate LGBTQ History Month and as we believe education is key, we are sharing a number of definitions that are related to the acronym LGBTQ and what they mean. Read, share, learn! #LGBTQHistoryMonth #LGBTQHistoryMonth2020 Queer: A term becoming more widely used among LGBTQ2S+ communities because of its inclusiveness. ‘Queer’ can be used to refer to the spectrum of non-heterosexual and/or non-cisgender people and provides convenient shorthand for ‘LGBTQ.’ It is important to note that this is a reclaimed term that was once and is still used as a hate term and thus some people feel uncomfortable with it. Not all trans people see trans identities as being part of the term ‘queer,’ and it is important to acknowledge the different histories of queer and trans communities.

LGBT History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson. While we continue our advocacy journey for equal right for all, let's take a moment to celebrate and acknowledge all queer, trans, and Two-Spirit folks this month and especially lesbian, gay, Bi, and trans identifying folks. You are all loved, appreciated, and valid.