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York University reaffirms support for trans community on Trans Day of Remembrance

Transgender flag waving against blue sky,

La version française suit la version anglaise. 

In 2017, the Ontario government passed the Trans Day of Remembrance Act in acknowledgement that trans people in Ontario face not only indifference, prejudice and hatred, but also anti-trans violence. It joined other jurisdictions in naming Nov. 20 as a day to remember those murdered, to recognize the pervasive problem of crimes against trans people and to remind ourselves of the diversity and resilience of the trans community. The goal of a civil society is to ensure the dignity of all people, and as we take a moment to remember and mourn the losses, it is also important to enhance our understanding.

During the development of the 2022 Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, a survey revealed that transgender and Two-Spirit respondents were most likely to report discrimination in terms of employment and other forms of harassment that, for example, resulted in unstable housing. Transgender men reported the lowest levels of life satisfaction, and friendship was identified by many as an important source of comfort in their lives.

The work of reducing barriers and creating inclusive and welcoming communities and institutions belongs to us all. As stated in the York University Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (DEDI) Strategy, “Creating a sense of inclusion and belonging requires supportive structures and social spaces where diverse perspectives are heard, acknowledged and respected … Achieving an inclusive and equitable community is not a destination, but rather a journey that requires ongoing attention and action. Organizational change must be informed by the foundational and ongoing work to advance DEDI through research, curriculum, teaching, service and programming.”

York University reaffirms its support for trans students, staff, faculty, instructors and alumni, and continues to denounce transphobic discrimination and violence everywhere.

The Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion has identified and developed a number of resources for the community, including a guide on gender expression and gender identity, available here.

The SexGen Committee will mark Nov. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. with Rest, Regenerate, Resist, a space where the trans community can mourn, engage with community and refill our cups so we can keep resisting transphobia. Quiet time will be provided to remember those we have lost to anti-trans violence. There will be workshop stations such button making, art, bracelet making, LEGO building and beanbag chairs. A counsellor from Student Counselling, Health & Well-being will be on site to provide support to members of the community. Marshalls will be present to ensure folks in the room are safe. It will be held in the Serenity Room in the Second Student Centre. Light refreshments will be available.

Let us continue the journey together of making York a safer space where everyone has the opportunity to feel like they belong.

Thank you. Merci. Miigwech.

Alice Pitt
Interim Vice-President Equity, People and Culture

L’Université York réitère son soutien à la communauté transgenre à l’occasion de la Journée du souvenir trans

En 2017, le gouvernement de l’Ontario a adopté la Loi sur la Journée du souvenir trans[ALG1]  en reconnaissance du fait que les personnes transgenres en Ontario sont confrontées non seulement à l’indifférence, aux préjugés et à la haine, mais aussi à la violence. Elle s’est jointe à d’autres instances pour faire du 20 novembre une journée de commémoration des personnes assassinées, pour reconnaître le problème omniprésent des crimes contre les personnes transgenres et pour nous rappeler la diversité et la résilience de la communauté transgenre. L’objectif d’une société civile est de garantir la dignité de toutes les personnes. Alors que nous prenons un moment pour nous remémorer et déplorer les vies perdues, il est également important de mieux comprendre la situation.

Lors de l’élaboration du Plan d’action fédéral 2ELGBTQI+ 2022, une enquête a révélé que les répondants transgenres et bispirituels étaient les plus susceptibles de signaler des discriminations en matière d’emploi et d’autres formes de harcèlement qui, par exemple, entraînaient une instabilité du logement. Les hommes transgenres ont déclaré les niveaux les plus bas de satisfaction dans la vie, et beaucoup d’entre eux ont dit que l’amitié était une grande source de réconfort.

La réduction des barrières et la création de communautés et d’institutions inclusives et accueillantes incombent à tout le monde. Comme indiqué dans la Stratégie DEDI de l’Université York, « Pour créer un sentiment d’inclusion et d’appartenance, il faut des structures de soutien et des espaces sociaux où les diverses perspectives sont entendues, reconnues et respectées (…). L’atteinte d’une communauté inclusive et équitable n’est pas une destination, mais plutôt un parcours qui nécessite une attention et une action continues. Le changement organisationnel doit être étayé par un travail fondamental et continu pour faire avancer la DEDI au moyen de la recherche, des programmes d’études, de l’enseignement, du service et de la programmation. »

L’Université York réaffirme son soutien aux membres de la communauté étudiante, du personnel, des corps professoral et enseignant et aux diplômés et diplômées transgenres, et continue de dénoncer la discrimination et la violence transphobes partout dans le monde.

Le Centre des droits de la personne, de l’équité et de l’inclusion a défini et développé un certain nombre de ressources pour la communauté, notamment un guide sur l’expression et l’identité de genre, disponible ici (en anglais).

Le comité SexGen se réunira le 20 novembre de 13 h à 16 h avec Se reposer, se régénérer, résister, un espace où la communauté transgenre peut faire son deuil, s’engager avec la collectivité et se ressourcer pour continuer à résister à la transphobie. Un moment de silence sera prévu pour se souvenir de ceux et celles que nous avons perdus à cause de la violence anti-trans. Il y aura des ateliers d’art, de fabrication de boutons et de bracelets, de construction avec des briques LEGO et des fauteuils poires confortables. Des personnes-conseils des Services de santé, de counseling et de bien-être étudiant (SCHW) seront sur place pour apporter leur soutien aux membres de la communauté. Des agents assureront la sécurité des personnes sur les lieux. L’événement aura lieu dans la salle Serenity au Second Student Centre. Des rafraîchissements seront servis.

Faisons ensemble de York un espace plus sûr, où chaque personne a le sentiment d’être à sa place.

Merci. Thank you. Miigwech.

Alice Pitt
Vice-présidente intérimaire de l’équité, des personnes et de la culture

LA&PS writer-in-residence hosts award-winning filmmaker Deepa Mehta

Theatre

The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and the Department of English invite the York University community to an evening with Writer-in-Residence Shyam Selvadurai and internationally revered filmmaker Deepa Mehta.

Shyam Selvadurai
Shyam Selvadurai

On Dec. 7, Selvadurai will host Mehta for a screening and discussion of her latest collaboration, the documentary film I Am Sirat. The film follows Sirat Taneja, a trans woman in India, as she navigates living a dual life.

In 2020, Mehta collaborated with Selvadurai, adapting his bestselling book Funny Boy into a feature film. The two won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. 

Deepa Mehta

Mehta holds an honorary degree from York University and is widely recognized for her daring films that push industry and cultural boundaries. She has been at the forefront of numerous television series and has directed and produced many critically acclaimed documentaries and feature films, like her celebrated Elements Trilogy: Fire (1996), Earth (1998) and Water (2005).

She has received both a Genie Award and an Oscar nomination. In 2012, she received Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.

Selvadurai is the author of Funny Boy, Cinnamon Gardens, Swimming in the Monsoon Sea and The Hungry Ghosts. His work has won the WH Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award, the Lambda Literary Award and the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award, and has been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. He is also the editor of Story-Wallah: A Celebration of South Asian Fiction and a comprehensive anthology of Sri Lankan literature called Many Roads Through Paradise.

The Writer-in-Residence Program connects faculty, staff and students with a professional writer for feedback, critiques and support. Four meetings per week are available by appointment through Calendly. 

The event occurs at the Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan Theatre at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7. Registration is now open.

Research-informed website aims to support sexual and gender-diverse communities

Hand reaching out for help

A new research website launched by a multidisciplinary team led by York University Professor Kinnon MacKinnon aims to provide resources, support and data-driven information about gender detransition/retransition.

The website Detrans Support was informed by learnings from two research studies funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) that explore detransition/retransition, along with ongoing consultations with transgender and gender-diverse, detransitioned people and their care providers.

Kinnon MacKinnon
Kinnon MacKinnon

The two studies – “The Re/DeTrans Canada Study” led by MacKinnon of York’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and “The Detrans Discourses Study” led by Professor Annie Pullen Sansfaçon of the Université de Montréal – were designed to qualitatively explore experiences of detransition/retransition.

“Understanding identity evolution and identity fluidity is really important to ensure that gender care services are comprehensive and responsive to all gender-diverse populations such as non-binary, gender-fluid, two-spirit and detrans – whose specific needs may be neglected by prevailing ideas about gender medicine,” says MacKinnon. “The process of developing content for this website was explorative, multi-staged and involved significant stakeholder engagement.”

In November 2022, MacKinnon and colleagues held a Detransition Symposium and community event at York University to discuss and share results from the two research studies with those who identify with experiences relating to transitioning and/or detransitioning, along with their friends and families, gender care providers, and 2SLGBTQ+ program developers and educators.

Though MacKinnon acknowledges the website’s content may not reflect the full range of life journeys and perspectives of all 2SLGBTQ+ communities, it was iteratively produced by analyzing feedback and discussion notes collected at the symposium. Conversations with an advisory committee and feedback from several detransitioners, as well as a parent, also helped to inform the development of the website.

Designed to educate the public, support those who are exploring detransition, and provide resources for family, care providers and others, the website will evolve with continuing research. MacKinnon and team were recently awarded an Insight Grant from SSHRC to continue to build data-driven knowledge about pathways to detransition, identity evolution, gender minority stressors and unmet care needs among this population.

“We hope that the website will help to provide empirically driven information and guide conversations about this often misunderstood experience. To do this, it centres a diversity of voices and perspectives and includes resources for care providers working with gender-diverse people and for people who are detransitioning,” says MacKinnon. “We also hope the website will help to inform the future development of formal social supports because shifts in identity and gender expression following gender-related medical care is a phenomenon that is being seen more frequently in broader society, yet there remains stigma and unmet care needs around this experience.”

In June 2023, MacKinnon and colleagues published a paper in The BMJ outlining how research and care services have overlooked people who detransition, specifically those who discontinue or reverse gender care treatment, and how unmet physical and mental health-care needs and stigma are commonly reported among this population.

In this paper, MacKinnon also identifies how short-term studies into transitioning may have unintentionally excluded and erased detransition and identity shifts and calls for more robust research to inform the development of comprehensive knowledge, practice guidelines, and care services inclusive of detransition/retransition and gender-diverse identity evolution.

To learn more about the Detrans Support website and the team behind it, visit the About page.

Fall Convocation brings positive change for York graduands

File photo Convocation students

By Ashley Goodfellow Craig, editor, YFile

A new cohort of York University graduands will cross the stage to earn their diplomas during one of seven ceremonies, running Oct. 11 to 20 at Sobeys Stadium on the Keele Campus.

The Fall Convocation events will incorporate changes to align with the University’s values, including updates to policy on regalia, the music performed during the ceremonies, a spotlight on alumni and more.

In August 2022, a working group led by York University’s President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton was formed to explore updates to convocation. These changes aim to enhance the integration of decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion principles, show respect for Indigenous knowledge and traditions, create a student-centred celebration, as well as align with the University’s commitment to sustainability and create a student-centred celebration.

Changes implemented during Spring Convocation will continue, with students, faculty and guests who identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit welcome to wear traditional ceremonial dress of their culture. While wearing ceremonial dress has always been welcome, York has incorporated this into their communications to replace outdated messaging that states only academic regalia may be worn.

Other changes to look for include student performers, who will perform during the academic procession as well as before and after the ceremony. At the ceremony’s conclusion, graduates will recess to a song they chose by popular vote. As well, the national anthem will be played after a land acknowledgment and, where relevant, following an Honour Song.

To shine a light on previous graduates, an alumni speaker will take the stage during each ceremony to deliver a welcome message to graduands and their guests.

For a complete list of ceremonies during the Fall 2023 Convocation, visit the Ceremonies web page. For all other information, visit the Convocation website.

Look for a story in an upcoming issue of YFile announcing the honorary degree recipients.

Standing with our community

La version française suit la version anglaise. 

Dear community,

Today (Sept. 20) a series of anti-trans and anti-2SLGBTQIA+ demonstrations is taking place across the country. York University is a champion of equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice, and these actions demonstrate clear opposition to these values. I want to extend my support to the many people in our community who will be negatively affected by these activities. 

York University stands with the country’s queer community during these hateful protests. The University’s Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy is a key signal of how the University is working to continue creating safe and welcoming spaces for all members of our community and the importance of advancing these priorities.

Many of you may need additional support today. There are supports available; information can be found at yorku.ca/well-being/resources.

Take care and stay well,

Alice Pitt
Interim Vice-President Equity, People and Culture

Aux côtés de notre communauté

Chers membres de la communauté,

Une série de manifestations contre les personnes trans et 2ELGBTQIA+ a lieu aujourd’hui dans le pays tout entier. L’Université York se fait la championne de l’équité, de la diversité, de l’inclusion et de la justice sociale, et ces activités s’opposent clairement à ces valeurs.  Je souhaite apporter mon soutien aux nombreuses personnes de notre communauté qui seront affectées par ces manifestations. 

L’Université York soutient la communauté queer canadienne lors de ces manifestations haineuses. La Stratégie de décolonisation, d’équité, de diversité et d’inclusion illustre la volonté de l’Université de continuer à créer des espaces sécuritaires et accueillants pour tous les membres de sa communauté, et souligne l’importance de faire progresser ces priorités.

Plusieurs d’entre vous auront peut-être besoin de plus de soutien aujourd’hui. Des ressources et des informations sont disponibles sur le site yorku.ca/well-being/resources.

Prenez soin de vous et restez en bonne santé,

Alice Pitt
Vice-présidente intérimaire de l’équité, des personnes et de la culture

Employment Equity Report 2022 now available

Two women chatting over coffee

The Annual Employment Equity Statistical Report for 2022 details the workforce analysis for equity-identified groups at York University. The report for the period Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022 is now available here: Employment Equity and Diversity.

The report highlights representation at York University for the four federally designated groups – women, Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons and persons with disabilities – under the Employment Equity Act, and representation rates for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. It also highlights some of the employment equity initiatives undertaken in 2022 and identifies future employment equity goals.

As part of its obligations under the Federal Contractors Program, the University is required to conduct a workforce analysis to identify areas of under-representation of designated group members in its workforce. The Annual Employment Equity Statistical Report details this workforce analysis.

The report also notes the recommendation from the Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to develop a pan-university employment equity action plan. The action plan would include benchmarks for recruitment, hiring and retention of equity-deserving individuals, as well as qualitative and quantitative reporting mechanisms, with the goal of increasing representation, career progression, success and retention across all employee groups. 

To find out more about Employment Equity at York and to view past reports, visit: yorku.ca/vpepc/employment-equity-and-diversity.

Fall orientation kicks off with events for Black, mature and international students

Four students walking on York University's Keele Campus in the fall

With fall term classes beginning on Sept. 6, the official start of the new academic year at York University is almost upon us. For students who are new to York, this is always an especially exciting and busy time, with a long list of orientation events to participate in and keep track of. 

The Transition and Orientation 2023 website helps with all of that, directing community members to the many events and activities happening in the lead-up to September and beyond. There, students will find:

  • a schedule of events and corresponding registration information;
  • the new student checklist;
  • a college finder tool;
  • an extensive resource guide of student support services;
  • information for parents and families;
  • housing and residence details;
  • contact information; and
  • important social media accounts to follow.

One of York’s top priorities is to ensure that all students feel welcome and supported in every way during their university experience. Guiding all transition and orientation programming is a focus on decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion. This means there will be many events designed specifically for priority communities, including (but not limited to) Indigenous, Black, international, 2SLGBTQIA+, first in the family, mature and transfer students.

Below are details about the first few events kicking off York’s 2023 Orientation. Stay tuned for more in YFile in the coming weeks.

Black Excellence at York University (BE YU) Welcome Event 

The BE YU Welcome Event is designed to celebrate incoming post-secondary students who self-identify as Black. The event’s theme is “BE YU and Getting to Know You,” and the intention is to delve into the Black student experience in post-secondary while building personal and professional relationships and celebrating the achievements of incoming York students. 

The BE YU Welcome Event will be held on Aug. 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the University’s Second Student Centre. Incoming students who are interested in attending can register here. For more information about BE YU, visit futurestudents.yorku.ca/black-excellence.

Mature and Transfer Student Orientation Sessions

Mature and transfer students can attend an orientation session either virtually on Aug. 17 or in person on Aug. 22. The session is intended to help ease their transition to their new school and increase their chances of success. They will have the opportunity to meet the Atkinson Centre for Mature and Part-time Students (ACMAPS) staff, hear personal stories from other mature students, have mature student learning myths debunked, and connect with other mature and transfer students. For complete details and to register, visit the Mature and Transfer Student Orientation Sessions page. 

In addition to the orientation session, Ready, Set, YU! is another program available to mature and transfer students, providing access to transition coaches who can offer specialized support to help students meet their transitional milestones and successfully navigate campus resources. 

International and Exchange Student Orientation 

Incoming international and exchange students students are invited to attend the International and Exchange Student Orientation taking place on Aug. 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. There, they will learn about the various support services available to international students and have an opportunity to meet with on- and off-campus vendors such as banks, cell phone providers and more. For those who cannot attend on Aug. 28, the session will be repeated on Sept. 8 and 14.  

In addition, an optional event being offered is Shopping Essentials with York International on Aug. 27, where students can take a guided trip to nearby shopping centres to purchase any essentials they may need for the start of the school year. 

For complete details and to register for either event, visit the International and Exchange Student Orientation website.  

For more information about York University’s 2023 Transition and Orientation events, visit yorku.ca/orientation.

Inaugural events celebrate Black and rainbow grads

convocation

Spring Convocation saw the launch of two inaugural graduation celebrations, one organized by the York University’s Black Alumni Network (YUBAN), and the other by the Sexuality and Gender Advocacy Alumni Network (SAGA).

The events, designed to celebrate the resilience and achievements of the Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ graduates, joins the existing Indigenous grad event organized by the Centre for Indigenous Student Services (CISS), as part of York’s ongoing support of decolonizing, equity, diversity and inclusion (DEDI) initiatives.

The new events are also the result of efforts by the York alumni engagement team to re-build the Black, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ alumni networks in recent years.

The Black Grad Celebration, hosted by economics alum Fikayo Aderoju (BA ’22) and Schulich School of Business alum Reni Odetoyinbo (BBA ’18), was marked by inspirational words from Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora Carl James (BA ’78, MA ’80, PhD ’86), as well as a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by York student Ayokunmi Oladesu, a member of Vanier College Productions.

Black Grad Celebration
Black Grad Celebration

“For many Black university students, Black graduation ceremonies are opportunities not only to reflect on their journey through university, but also to celebrate the fact that despite the odds, challenges, doubts and setbacks, they want to celebrate how they managed to obtain their post-secondary credentials that once seemed elusive and unobtainable,” said James.

Actuarial science graduate Kobe Cargill (BA ’23) also took to the stage, sharing his experience as a Black international student, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the achievements of Black graduates.

“I am the first in my family and in my high school to leave Jamaica and get a university degree. I am doing this first and foremost for my family and friends back home,” he shared. “York is a large university with an extensive alumni network, and as Black alumni, we are laying a foundation for those to follow.”

The 2SLBGTQIA+ event, organized by SAGA, was hosted by political science alum Sara Elhawash (BA ’15) who welcomed recent grads and alumni, while acknowledging their accomplishments and challenges in getting where they are today. The event featured food, music and remarks delivered by Alice Pitt, interim vice-president equity, people and culture, and alumnus/current PhD student Gin Marshall (MES ’20) of SexGen, York’s committee responsible for advising and advocating around issues and concerns of sexual and gender diversity.

Rainbow Grad Celebration
Rainbow Grad Celebration

“I was truly honored to witness the power of unity and authenticity within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Having graduated in 2015 without a supportive network, it was heartwarming to celebrate alongside my fellow graduates who finally had the opportunity to embrace their true selves,” said Elhawash.

The evening provided an opportunity to network in a safe space and share words of encouragement and advice for future grads. Marshall spoke about their experiences as a queer-identifying university student and their challenges in the workforce. “We know the pendulum is swinging back towards more discrimination, and there is lots of work to be done. Recognize yourself, frame your degree and make sure it represents who you are. It is essential for you to recognize this accomplishment,” they said.

Along with YUBAN and SAGA, these two inaugural events were supported by the Division of Advancement, the Division of Students and the Office of the VP, Equity, People and Culture, and had participation from faculty and staff across the University.

York community celebrates Pride Month

Pride Month vari hall stickers 2023

A ceremony to celebrate Pride Month on June 7 at York University’s Vari Hall Rotunda was attended by staff, faculty, students and other University community members, who took part in the day’s events organized by the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (CHREI) in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Events and Student Community & Leadership Development.

Beginning with opening remarks, the event featured a flag unfurling ceremony and booths to share information about SLGBTQIA+ resources and services available at York. Attendees were also invited to enjoy free treats and snap a selfie with York’s mascot Yeo.

See a photo gallery of the event, below. Visit York’s Pride Month website to learn more.

York University Pride 2023 opening ceremony

Study finds bisexual women at higher risk of suicide

women depression mental health support

New research by York University and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) finds that the risk of attempting suicide for women who identify as bisexual is more than three times higher compared to heterosexual women.

Published June 7 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the study also finds that compared to heterosexual individuals, gay men and gay women/lesbians are twice as likely to attempt suicide – both fatal and non-fatal, which is referred to by researchers as a suicide-related behavior (SRB) event.

Antony Chum
Antony Chum

For this study, the research team looked at Ontario participants from the Canadian Community Health Survey, which was linked to anonymous administrative health data such as emergency room visits or hospitalizations for non-fatal self-harm and fatal suicide events between 2002 and 2019. It is the first study to link population-based survey data with health records for over 123,000 individuals.

The findings point to an urgent need for better mental health supports within the LGBTQ+ community.

“We wanted to better characterize the disparity in suicide-related behaviors across sexual orientations and gender,” says lead author Antony Chum, a Faculty of Health assistant professor and Canada Research Chair in Population Health Data Science at York University and adjunct scientist at ICES. “Prior research on suicide attempts has mostly relied on self-reported data from surveys, which means we don’t have information on people who are too sick to participate or have died by suicide.”

The researchers, who include York University postdoctoral Fellows Gabriel John Dusing and Chungah Kim, found:

  • Overall prevalence of one or more SRB events was around two per cent in heterosexual individuals, five per cent in gay/lesbian individuals, and eight per cent in bisexual individuals.
  • Sexual minority individuals were at higher risk of SRB events, ranging from 2.10 to 4.23 times more likely when compared to heterosexual people.
  • After adjusting for age and gender, the risk of a SRB event was more than three times greater among bisexual individuals, and this risk was most pronounced for bisexual women.

“The higher risk for bisexual women could be attributed to greater discrimination that bisexual people face within the LGBTQ+ community, as well as higher rates of violence, trauma and caregiving burden that bisexual women may experience in opposite-sex relationships,” says Chum.

One limitation of the study is that data was not available for non-binary individuals and other sexual orientations, such as asexual and queer. Nevertheless, this was the first study to use a large representative sample linked with medical records, which improves the generalizability of the findings for other regions and populations.

“The study shows a clear need for better funding, policy and programming to address LGBTQ+ suicide risk,” says Chum. “We also need increased training for health-care workers to address LGBTQ+ suicide risk. Further, we want to encourage hospitals and clinics to collect sexual orientation data as part of routine patient care.”

Chum also notes the increasing creep of health care privatization and that publicly funded mental health supports need to be increased not just for LGBTQ+ people, but across the board.

The findings align with the authors’ related study published in March in PLOS One, which found that both sexual minority status and residing in under-resourced neighbourhoods with poor access to health care, were independent risk factors for suicide-related behaviours. Future research needs to explore interventions that improve the mental health of LGBTQ+ people while addressing social determinants of health, such as neighbourhood-level disparities and barriers to health care.

Watch a video of Chum, Dusing and Kim explain the research.

Learn more at News @ York.