For many 2SLBGTQIA+ people in Canada, accessing healthcare can be an anxiety-producing experience and can sometimes be a harmful one. They may worry about how healthcare staff will perceive and address them, anticipating whether or not intake forms will allow them to express who there, and wondering if healthcare professional will be knowledgeable and respectful of their personhood. Identities may be invalidated or mocked, patients may be harassed verbally and/or physically, and their healthcare needs may not met. This can lead to 2SLBGTQIA+ people in Canada not accessing healthcare, not accessing preventive screening measures and treatments, which has led to poorer health outcomes in both acute and chronic care. Part of the problem is that the technical structures of healthcare are often not designed with 2SLBGTQIA+ affirming care in mind. This impacts quality of care, health data, inclusion in data sets for research, and healthcare culture.

There is a Canadian Action plan for modernizing better gender, sex, and sexual orientation documentation practices in digital health systems.

In this website you will find easily accessible information about the project, the team, and activities.

For more detailed information, you can visit our Infoway Site for additional information and access to our document.