2SGBTQ + men health equity: Voices from the front lines

Abstract

This community-based study was the second of two studies intended to help the Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance (GMSH), a member-based coalition of AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) based in Ontario, Canada. The current study considers the community and organizational needs of two-spirit, gay, bisexual, trans*, and queer (2SGBTQ+) men. An ASO program scan was conducted to determine existing services and inform the questions for focus groups. Six focus groups were conducted with 21 ASO service providers that serve 2SGBTQ+ men. Participants reported unmet well-being needs as 2SGBTQ+ men, despite ASOs’ best efforts, and recommended an increase in 2SGBTQ+ targeted resources and advocacy and improved working conditions for providers.

Keywords:

• Advocacy
• AIDS service organizations;organizational issues
• 2SGBTQ+ Men
• well-being

Acknowledgement

Thank you to the participants in the focus groups who helped make this research possible. Special thanks to the GMSH for your help and assistance in this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Notes

1 In Canada, two-spirit is often used to refer to both masculine and feminine spirit by some Indigenous people to portray their overall identity, gender, and/or sexual orientation.

2 Trans* is an umbrella term that refers to transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people.

3 In Canada, two-spirit is often used to refer to both masculine and feminine spirit by some Indigenous people to portray their overall identity, gender, and/or sexual orientation.

4 Trans* is an umbrella term that refers to transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. (File number: 892-2019-3085).