Resources
#Just The Tip
Don’t be a drag. Just be a (Harm Reduction) Queen.
Local Edmonton queens (and a king) share their harm reduction tips with the Peer N Peer program.
Harm Reduction & Me
Conversations about harm reduction are important for queer and trans communities. In this video, several brave queer and trans community members share their experiences with harm reduction and QTHC's Peer N Peer program.
Safer Smoking
Smoking is a method of substance use that can be safer than other methods of use, such as injection, but it’s not without its own risks.
Safer Snorting
A common way people use drugs is through snorting. When you snort a drug, the drug enters the bloodstream through the blood vessels which line the inside of the nose. This generally results in a quicker high than swallowing. While snorting may seem like a safer way to consume drugs, especially when compared to other ways like injecting, it’s not without risks.
Safer Injecting
Let’s face it — injecting substances can be a complex and dangerous activity. Reaching your desired high while also preventing potential harms can be a challenging balance.
Community Connections
Social relationships, such as friendships, are important to your health and quality of life. A great deal of evidence has demonstrated how the presence, absence, and quality of social relationships can affect a person’s health.
Accessibility Action Plan
Many of the community members QTHC serves experience challenges accessing health information, resources, and services integral to their health and well-being because of institutional barriers. These barriers exclude marginalized folks and are created by systemic racism, xenophobia, ableism, settler-colonialism, cissexism, transphobia, heterosexism, and homophobia. This dynamic can seriously threaten the health and well-being of individuals and their communities.
Alberta 2S/LGBTQ+ Connection: A Zine by and for Rural Folks
Rural life can make connection more difficult, and rural 2S/LGBTQIA+ folks are more vulnerable to isolation if they cannot form connections with their surrounding community. This can worsen other aspects of mental health and overall well-being.
Gender Dysphoria
Gender dysphoria refers to the distress or discomfort associated with one’s gender not aligning with their sex assigned at birth. This conflict can affect people in different ways, potentially influencing behavior, dress and self-image.
Mood Disorders
2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals are at a greater risk for experiencing mood disorders, and contributing factors include societal and institutional prejudice and discrimination leading to personal shame and guilt about their identity and behaviours. Institutional discrimination resulting in mental health disparities include barriers to health care and health insurance and lack of power to make medical and legal decisions on behalf of their partners. 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals report higher unmet mental health care needs.
Suicidality
Suicide is a very real topic for the queer and trans community, as 2S/LGBTQIA+ people are seven times more likely to attempt suicide and over half of 2S/LGBTQIA+ students in the K-12 study reported having had suicidal thoughts. Suicide attempts are associated with depression, low self-esteem, history of forced sex, drug and alcohol treatment and gender-based discrimination. Social isolation may make individuals more vulnerable due to the strong association between homophobic victimization and mental health.
Mpox In Alberta
The viral infection known as mpox is here in Alberta and is spreading amongst members of our community. While investigations are still ongoing, most, but not all, global cases identified to date have been among men who report sex with other men and have multiple partners.
Trans Health and Nutrition
While all people have important nutritional needs, trans folks have unique health experiences which can result in different needs. Throughout this section, we provide a brief overview of some unique nutritional needs trans people might have.
Cancer Screening
Cancer can affect anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. As you age, it’s important to consider your screening needs. Early detection of cancer can increase your treatment options while also improving your health outcomes.
Chemsex
Chemsex is a commonly used term to describe drug use immediately before or during sex. Also referred to as PNP or “Party and Play,” chemsex activities typically involve certain types of drugs such as GHB, crystal meth, and mephedrone.
PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis)
PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is an HIV medication used by someone who is HIV negative in advance of possible exposure to HIV to prevent transmission. Whether your partner(s) is HIV positive or you otherwise feel the need to proactively manage your exposure risk, PrEP can be an effective preventative measure to protect you and your health.
2S/LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Fitness
2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals face barriers to accessing physical fitness opportunities and spaces that their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts do not. This is especially the case for trans, non-binary, and gender nonconforming community members and 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals with physical disabilities.
Intimate Partner Violence
In our society, intimate partner violence (IPV) is often only presented in cisgender, heterosexual relationships. The reality is that intimate partner violence doesn’t discriminate. Same-gender relationships and other relationships within the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community may be impacted by intimate partner violence, regardless of sexual preference, race, or gender identity.
HIV & STI Treatment
HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can have a variety of impacts on a person’s health and wellbeing. Some of these impacts may be minor or unnoticeable, and others may be serious, potentially resulting in severe illness.
Information Resources for Settlers
For many of us, our ancestors settled these territories and occupied them alongside the Indigenous nations who have called this place home for millennia. Our ability to form communities on these lands is due in part to the goodwill of Indigenous peoples who were here first. However, the presence of Canada and the invitation of settlers disrupted many of their traditional practices and uprooted their sovereignty.