Anti-2SLGBTQIA+ Bias and Discrimination
Anti-2SLGBTQIA+ bias and discrimination refers to prejudice, negative attitudes, stereotyping, exclusion, or unequal treatment directed at people because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics or their perceived identities. It can occur at individual, institutional, and systemic levels and contributes to barriers that negatively impact well-being, safety, belonging, and equitable access to opportunities.
Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate conduct and comment are prohibited as part of the Code’s protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.
In Canada, the Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse communities continue to face adversity and challenges in their pursuit of rights and inclusion. A disproportionate percentage of these communities continue to report experiencing discrimination and harassment.
Important Points
- 77% of sexually and gender-diverse youth have been the target of bullying, a higher proportion than that of cisgender youth who are attracted exclusively to a different gender (69%) (Statistics Canada, 2022)
- Research demonstrates that lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals, relative to their heterosexual counterparts, are more likely to earn lower incomes, experience discrimination on the job, and encounter barriers in finding and advancing in employment (Statistics Canada, 2022)
- Among those aged 15 years and older, 3 in 10 (29.7%) 2SLGBTQ+ people reported their mental health to be fair or poor, compared with fewer than 1 in 10 non-2SLGBTQ+ individuals (9.1%) (Statistics Canada, 2022)
- Studies determined that poorer mental health in 2SLGBTQIA+ communities is chronic stress related to social stigma, discrimination, and internalization of negative societal attitudes (Fehling, 2024)
- When Canadians were polled about which populations face the most stigma, 55% of respondents perceived that individuals who are transgender face “a lot” or “quite a bit of stigma” in their daily lives in Canada (Abacus Data, 2023)
Homophobia is fear, hatred, discomfort, or discrimination directed toward people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or are perceived to be so. Homophobia can be expressed through negative stereotypes, harassment, exclusion, or unequal treatment and can contribute to the marginalization of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
Biphobia is prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination directed toward people who are bisexual or perceived to be bisexual. It may include denying the legitimacy of bisexual identities, reinforcing harmful stereotypes, or excluding bisexual people from social, educational, workplace, and community spaces.
Transphobia is fear, hostility, prejudice, or discrimination directed toward transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse people. It can include misgendering, exclusion, harassment, denial of rights, or barriers to participation in educational, social, and civic life, and may be reinforced through policies, practices, or societal attitudes.
Resources
Help promote and defend human rights and make a difference in combatting anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate at Waterloo Catholic District School Board and in your community. Below are links to organizations throughout Ontario and Canada that support and provide resources around the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
