SPECTRUM was very pleased to see the release of Canada’s first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan on August 28, 2022. This plan represents a good step in the right direction and begins to articulate the very large amounts of work that need to be done to advance rights and equality of 2SLGBTQI+ in this country.
The Plan and its six priority areas make it clear that this work will need to be done – as it always has been – by 2SLGBTQI+ organizations and community members, and our allies. It represents a commitment from the federal government to support us in this work and we will need to use it to hold the government accountable for the promises it makes.
The need for this Plan can clearly be seen when one reads a sampling of the comments on news articles and social media posts about its announcement. 2SLGBTQI+ people are under constant attack in communities across the country and the resources promised by this plan are crucial to working towards an end to queerphobia. We hope that every province and territory will follow this example and create action plans that are tailored to support 2SLGBTQI+ in their jurisdictions.
We are grateful to the countless activists who have sacrificed and worked to advance 2SLGBTQI+ rights to this stage, and especially to those who have not historically been recognized including Black, Indigenous, and racialized trans and non-binary people. Thank you for the collective advocacy of the Enchanté Network and to all those who are working to build a more inclusive and equitable future. We look forward to continuing our work towards our vision of an inclusive community where all 2SLGBTQI+ individuals are welcomed, celebrated, and supported as their authentic selves.