LGBTQ2S+ Resources
The Beyond Bullying Project:
Stories of LGBTQ sexuality in schools
People you can talk to at school, at home, or in your community
Identify some peers and adults you can confide in and trust at school, at home, and in your community. As much as possible, you want real people, nearby, and on hand to help you think about the issues that matter to you. The following are some LGBTQ+ community resources.
LGBTQ+ youth mental health resources
In addition to the resources and supports that exist in schools, LGBTQ+ youth can reach out to the following local and national resources.
The 519 offers counselling and other support services. Crisis support and other mental health supports are also available.
Sherbourne Health is a health and wellness centre particularly committed to helping LGBTQ+ people and others who may have been under-served by conventional health care. They offer walk-in mental health counselling on a weekly basis.
Trevor Project Canada has trained counselors avaialble to support LGBTQ+ youth 24/7. If you are a young LGBTQ+ person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, call the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678. More details on their website.
LGBT Youthline supports queer, trans, and nonbinary youth via chat and phone. If you’re looking for support, visit their website for information and contacts.
Trans Lifeline provides trans peer support for the trans community. Run by and for trans people, it’s been divested from police since day one.
Toronto-based LGBTQ+ organizations
Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention
Since 1989, the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) has worked to respond to the threat of HIV and AIDS in Toronto’s African, Caribbean and Black communities. Our work is guided by our motto, ‘Because All Black People’s Lives Are Important’, which serves as a reminder of our commitment to the human rights and dignity of all Black people who are vulnerable to HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP)
ASAAP`s work is focused on areas that many South Asians find uncomfortable facing, such as sexuality, sexual health and homophobia. The shame and guilt associated with conversations on sexual health impede access to information and fuel our work even today.
The 519 is committed to the health, happiness and full participation of the LGBTQ2S communities. A City of Toronto agency with an innovative model of Service, Space and Leadership, we strive to make a real difference in people’s lives, while working to promote inclusion, understanding and respect.
LGBTQ2+ Counselling in Toronto
Family Service Toronto is committed to trauma-informed, anti-oppression practices to help empower LGBTQ+ individuals, couples and families, as well as people living with, affected by or concerned about HIV/AIDS, and to enhance participation in their communities and in the broader society.
Sherbourne is committed to providing (free) specialized mental health counselling services and groups that empower LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and queer/questioning, 2 spirit) people – individuals over 18 years of age, couples, families and parents – to live healthier, happier Queer-positive lives.
Resources for Refugees in Canada
Founded in 2000, Rainbow Refugee is a Vancouver based community group that supports people seeking refugee protection in Canada because of persecution based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression (SOGIE) or HIV status.
EAST QREW brings queer and trans youth in Scarborough together in a safe and supportive environment where they can connect to others who have similar experiences and offer a supportive community.
Pflag Canada is a national charitable organization, founded by parents who wished to help themselves and their family members understand and accept their LGBTQ2S children.
Online resources to help you think more about sexuality, youth, and education
Answer—Sex Ed, Honestly
Answer is an award-winning, national organization, providing invaluable sexuality education resources to millions of young people and adults every year.
Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN)
AVEN hosts the world’s largest online asexual community as well as a large archive of resources on asexuality. AVEN strives to create open, honest discussion about asexuality among sexual and asexual people alike.
Born This Way Foundation
Born This Way Foundation leverages innovative programming and partnerships to model, convene, and support healthy conversations about mental wellness, to connect youth with resources and services that support their mental health – online and offline, and to encourage and build communities that understand and prioritize mental and emotional wellness.
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice
California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) is a statewide organization committed to honoring the experiences of Latinas to uphold our dignity, our bodies, sexuality, and families.
Girls, Inc.
Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, providing more than 140,000 girls across the U.S. and Canada with life-changing experiences and solutions to the unique challenges girls face.
GLSEN
Gay, Lesbian, Straight Educators Network is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students.
GSA Network
GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Network is committed to empowering youth activists to fight homophobia and transphobia in schools.
It Gets Better
It Gets Better Project’s mission is to communicate to LGBT youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them.
LGBT National Youth TalkLine
Services provided are always free & confidential. We are the only LGBT organization that offers national support, resources, and information directly. All calls and online services are provided by highly trained LGBTQ volunteers. Calls are never out sourced or answered by other affiliated organizations.
QuERI
QuERI (Queering Educational Research Institute) is an independent think-tank, qualitative research, policy, and training center dedicated to bridging the gap between research and practice in the teaching of LGBTQ students and the creation of LGBTQ youth affirming school environments.
Queerly Elementary
Queerly Elementary provides services and resources to help school communities embrace lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer diversity.
Sexual Ethics for a Caring Society
Site features a curriculum, authored by Sharon Lamb, designed to help students develop their own ethical standpoint about sex and sexual behavior. They are discouraged from developing a relativistic perspective that “anything goes” or that leaves them saying “I can’t judge anyone else.”
Scarleteen
Scarleteen was founded in 1998 for people between the ages of 15 and 25. It is the highest-ranked website for sex education and sexuality advice online.
SIECUS
SIECUS (the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States) was founded in 1964 to provide education and information about sexuality and sexual and reproductive health.
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.
Online resources to help you think more about storytelling
The Moth
The Moth is an acclaimed not-for-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Moth shows are renowned for the range of human experience they showcase.
Snap Judgment
A U.S. public radio program that highlights a raw, musical brand of storytelling, daring listeners to see the world through the eyes of another.
StoryCorps
StoryCorps provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.
This American Life
U.S. public radio program that features primarily journalistic non-fiction, but also essays, memoirs, field recordings, short fiction, and found footage.
Transom
Transom new work and voices to public radio through the Internet, and discusses that work, and encourages more.
Youth Radio
Through the highest quality media production, Youth Radio equips 14-24 year-olds with skills and support that lead to jobs and education in digital media and journalism.
Visibility Project
A national portrait + video collection dedicated to the Queer Asian American Women & Trans* community. The Visibility Project breaks barriers through powerful imagery and storytelling.
Online resources to help you think more about sexuality and faith
Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion
The Center serves three distinct but overlapping constituencies: the world of academic religious scholarship; faith communities; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and transgender people and organizations.
Faith Matters Network
As a people of color led collective, Faith Matters Network trains, connects, convenes, and amplifies marginalized people of faith, primarily people of color, to chart a new moral horizon.
IJSO
The central mission of the the Institute for Judaism, Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity focuses on the creation of welcoming spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Jews in the Jewish world.
HeartStrong
HeartStrong is a nonprofit social justice organization; its members and leaders were once students at religious schools and they know what it feels like to hope that no one notices your struggle.
Muslim Alliance
This website discusses the issues surrounding Islam and sexual, as well as gender, diversity.
NRJ
The Network on Religion and Justice for Asian and Pacific Islander Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer People (NRJ) is a culturally respectful, LGBTQ-affirming, spiritually grounded, justice seeking network of API-LGBTQ organizations and individuals, their faith communities, family and friends working to nurture and support efforts toward a fully LGBTQ-inclusive Asian Pacific Islander faith community.
Online sources to help you think more about sexuality and social change
Black Youth Project
The BYP website aims to generate new media information, blogs, art, conversations, webinars, and data that will expand the human and social capital of young African Americans, facilitating their general empowerment through highlighting their voices and experiences
FIERCE!
FIERCE is a membership-based organization building the leadership and power of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth of color in New York City.
Online sources of news and critique regarding gender and sexuality
Bitch Media
Bitch Media is a nonprofit, independent, feminist media organization dedicated to providing and encouraging an engaged, thoughtful feminist response to mainstream media and popular culture.
Out in the Bay
Out In The Bay is a weekly half-hour radio show broadcast on KALW, 91.7 FM San Francisco, and KALW.org worldwide Thursdays at 7PM PT. Our lives, our voices – Out in the Bay is the sound of queer culture.
Rewire
Rewire is a nonprofit daily online publication that seeks to foster public knowledge and enlightenment through high-quality evidence-based news, analysis, commentary, and investigative reporting on issues of sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice.
Song That Radio
Song That Radio is the first and only radio program for the Vietnamese LGBT community.
Trikone
Trikone offers a supportive, empowering and nonjudgmental environment where LGBTQ South Asians & their allies can meet, make connections, and proudly promote awareness & acceptance of their sexual identity.