The 2SLGBTQ+ Advisor (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and any non-normative identities) supports students through 1-1 advising, group programming, and campus-wide educational events to create a student experience that is meaningful and facilitates a sense of belonging.
Collaborative+ Members
The Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) works in partnership with academic units, faculty members, and graduate students to enhance the practice and scholarship of learning and teaching at Dalhousie University. We seek to encourage and facilitate diversity in both teaching methods and inclusivity in student learning. Throughout the year, CLT offers a range of workshops, and are always open to putting forth programming that is of interest to the Dalhousie Community.
As of right now, programming of CLT that supports and reflects the 2SLGBTQ+ community has been requested specifically by students and faculty within the community, or of interest to the staff, in collaboration with other 2SLGBTQ+ groups on campus. We are working towards a future for the Centre that incorporates even more opportunities for 2SLGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty, as well as the greater Dalhousie community, to share knowledge, understand experiences, and create an inclusive environment, in and outside of the classroom.
DalOUTT is a social club on the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities. See more on their Facebook group.
DalOUT is Dalhousie’s LGBTQ2SIA+ student society within the Dalhousie Student Union, run for and by student of queer and trans communities. They provide education, advocacy, social programming, monetary support, and peer support initiatives to queer and trans students on campus. For updates, follow their Facebook page.
Get REAL strives to use the power of personal stories to provide youth and adults with a powerful and resonating education on the impact of language surrounding LGBTQ+ discrimination and understanding that everyone has a voice to be heard and a story to tell. Get REAL is driven by the values of kindness, positivity, honesty, and acceptance and aims to portray and instill those in all its endeavors.
We like to think of ourselves as a big quirky family, and we are open to anyone and everyone who embodies what we stand for. Email us at getreal@dal.ca to get involved!
Human Rights & Equity Services is a key contributor in Dalhousie's mission to create a more inclusive learning and working environment. We strive to foster and support a community that is diverse, respectful, and equitable for all students, faculty, and staff.
Human Rights & Equity Services is responsible for:
- Receiving, responding to, and resolving complaints related to human rights, harassment, and conflict management among members of the university community
- Developing educational materials on topics related to human rights, diversity, and inclusion, as well as facilitating open, informative dialogue with students, faculty, and staff about these issues
- We provide confidential service to members of the Dalhousie community seeking advice, support, and conflict resolution related to harassment or discrimination.
OUTLaw is a network of 2SLGBTQIA+ students and allies that seeks to provide a welcoming community, organized advocacy, education and networking opportunities for students of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and relationship structures within the Schulich School of Law. Email schulich.outlaw@gmail.com to get involved.
The QFSC seeks to build a university community where people of all sexual orientations and gender identities feel heard, affirmed, valued, and respected. We do this by: promoting awareness of, and education around, 2SLGBTQIA+ identities and communities; engaging in social justice activities that improve the working and learning environments for queer faculty and staff; and providing support and social opportunities for 2SLGBTQIA+ staff, faculty, and the broader communities.
If you would like to learn more about the Queer Faculty Staff Caucus, or if you are a 2SLGBTQIA+-identified staff or faculty member at Dalhousie or King's and would like to get involved, please email us at QFSC@dal.ca.
South House (SoHo) is Halifax’s only full-time gender justice centre. South House is a volunteer driven, student funded, physically accessible, gender inclusive safe space for ALL members of our community.
South House is a trans-and queer-positive space and are proud to offer a wheelchair accessible space. They offer a resource centre, library, and free meeting space for woman-positive and anti-oppression organizing and gathering.
2SLGBTQIA+ Health Services
What steps is Health Services taking to become more welcoming to LGBTQ students?
Dalhousie Student Health Services has always tried to create a safe and comfortable environment for everyone using our services, including those of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
When you access our services, we hope that you will feel sure that your confidentiality is maintained in a warm and accepting atmosphere and that we are knowledgeable about and accepting of the many ways in which sexual preference and gender identity might impact your health and well-being.
In recent months we have been developing new skills and services specifically developed for the Trans community. This ongoing work includes:
- Training for medical providers and staff, including the ability to initiate and maintain cross-hormone therapy (letter of readiness not needed) and provide letters of readiness for gender reaffirming surgery (this includes the letter required from a family doctor only). The assessments will be completed by our Social Worker Hazel Ling in conjunction with Dr. Andrea or Dr. Mallory. Dr. Andrea and Dr. Mallory can prescribe appropriate medication following completion of the assessment and provide referrals for surgery.
- The identification of specific medical providers who are working on developing expertise in trans health issues and who have expressed a particular interest in working with trans students.
- Training for medical assistants and schedulers.
- A comprehensive review of our services, including paperwork, signs, and posters in the building, and the Health Services and Health Promotion websites, to identify areas for improvement.
Any students wanting supports navigating health services can contact the 2SLGBTQ+ Advisor, Olivia Fader at 2slgbtq+advising@dal.ca or 902-494-6947.
- Prepare for your visit: Health professionals will personalize their assessment based on their abilities and their knowledge of you. Common topics you will talk about include medical history (both physical and mental), alcohol and drug involvement, smoking, family and social relationships, sexual orientation and practices, economic considerations and gender concerns, and body parts and symptoms (specific to the reason you are coming into the clinic)
- Come with written questions: While all our clinicians are informed around inclusive health care, it is important to choose a clinician you feel comfortable with and try to make all appointments with this provider
- Talk open and honestly with the health care providers and staff about your identity, and if someone miss-identifies you, please correct them. We don’t want to make the same mistakes twice. It is ok to say, “My name I go by is____” or "My pronouns are ”she/he/ze, etc.”.
- Keep your medical records (lab work or other tests and procedures, medications, immunizations, a record of all the health clinics you go to in case you have to contact them in the future, etc.)
- Give us feedback! We encourage you to email your feedback to thenurse@dal.ca
All-Gender Restrooms
An all-gender restroom is one where the signage is visibly identified with open, inclusive language, not just 'male' or 'female'. It's evident these facilities are void of gender identity and have accommodations that are especially sensitive to the needs of a greater range of people.
The availability of all-gender restrooms is a privacy issue in the broadest sense. Single person, all-gender restrooms provide privacy to any individual who requires it, no matter their reasons. All-gender restrooms are the best solution to ensure access and to eliminate barriers for all persons, no matter what their gender identity, ability, health status, sexual orientation, etc.
About Nova Scotia Legislation
For several years sexual orientation has been included in the human rights legislation. In recent years, it has been expanded to include Trans related concerns.
In December 2012, Nova Scotia revised its Human Rights Act to include “gender identity” and “gender expression” as prohibited grounds of discrimination and harassment.
On April 1st, 2014, the Department of Health and Wellness announced that it will grant coverage to trans-identified patients for 8 types of surgeries. They include: mastectomy, oophorectomy, hysterectomy, penectomy, orchiectomy, phalloplasty, metoidioplasty and vaginoplasty. However, these surgeries are not performed within Nova Scotia, and will require travel to other clinics.
Nova Scotians would be allowed to display on their birth certificate the gender they identify with, regardless of whether they had sex reassignment surgery, under legislation introduced April 8, 2015.
Amendments to the Vital Statistics Act include:
- Eliminating the requirement for sex reassignment surgery to change the sex designation on a birth certificate
- Requiring a self-declaration from the applicant stating that they have assumed, identify with, and intend to live in a gender identity that corresponds with the desired sex designation
- Requiring a letter of support from a person with a professional designation as defined in regulation (like a doctor, nurse, social worker, or psychologist)
- Requiring minors under 16 to have parental consent. The letter of support must be from a doctor or psychologist that has treated or evaluated the applicant and must include a professional opinion that the minor is able to understand the impact of the decision.