As social workers, we recognize that allyship requires ongoing learning, and that social workers are uniquely positioned to advocate for the 2SLGBTQI communities we serve. This resource guide brings together research, events, and learning materials to support that commitment in recognition of Pride Month 2026. We encourage you to explore, share, and bring these resources into your practice.
Do you have suggestions for further resources we should share this June? Email us at [email protected].
Please note: the collection of resources below should not be considered a comprehensive overview of 2SLGBTQI mental health resources or social work research on 2SLGBTQI communities.
Podcast
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act, The Walrus produced a special episode of its Canadian Time Machine podcast. The Act was landmark federal legislation that formally recognized same-sex couples under Canadian law. This episode reflects on the significance of that milestone and the collective action that made it possible.
Digital Exhibit
This oral history project, hosted by The ArQuives, documents a pivotal decade in trans health advocacy in Ontario. Conducted in 2016, the project centres on the 1998 delisting and 2008 re-listing of coverage for gender confirmation surgery under Ontario's health care plan. Eight interviews with activists, community members, and politicians offer firsthand reflections on the fight for transgender equality under provincial and federal law.
LGBT YouthLine is a Toronto-based peer-support phone line that has been serving 2SLGBTQI youth across Ontario since 1993. This digital exhibit, hosted by The ArQuives, traces the organization's 25-year history and celebrates the significant impact YouthLine has had on young people across the province. It is a meaningful reminder of the power of community-led support and the organizations that have sustained that work for decades.
Report
Egale Canada's Rainbow Action Hub documents the exponential rise in anti-2SLGBTQI hate across Canada, including policy proposals at the provincial and federal level and increasing rates of hate crimes, hate speech, and coordinated anti-trans protests.
Article
This article offers a clear, accessible explanation of gender-affirming care and how professionals apply it in practice, including the rigorous assessments required before any medical intervention for minors. The piece also addresses detransition, a term that is frequently misunderstood and misused in public discourse. This resource may be especially helpful for social workers navigating conversations about trans care with clients, families, or colleagues.
This community-led needs assessment engaged 94 Black 2SLGBTQI youth in an anonymous online survey exploring their experiences accessing youth programs and services. The report examines access to programs, access to information, and past and current experiences with services. It includes findings, recommendations, and priorities for future programming directly informed by youth respondents.
Research
This national, multi-year research project examines critical gaps in mental health care for 2SLGBTQI people across Canada. Drawing on a national survey, regional focus groups, and community consultations with both 2SLGBTQI individuals and mental health service providers, the project identifies barriers to care and develops evidence-based, context-specific training and resources.
Authored by Shelley L. Craig, this study explores how child welfare professionals conceptualize and implement 2SLGBTQI affirmative practice in their day-to-day work. 2SLGBTQI youth are overrepresented in child welfare systems and frequently report identity-based harm within those systems; this research sheds light on what affirmative practice looks like in action, and what organizational factors support or constrain it.
Based on semi-structured interviews with 13 2SLGBTQI newcomers, immigrants, and refugees, this study examines the specific needs of 2SLGBTQI people accessing social services in Windsor-Essex. Conducted in partnership with Trans Wellness Ontario, the research is designed to inform social service providers supporting 2SLGBTQI people and migrants in the region.
This 2025 study by Celeste Pang and Ellie Maclennan draws on interviews with 48 2SLGBTQI older adults from across Canada to examine the compounding effects of discrimination on career trajectories and economic security over a lifetime. The paper explores access to education, navigating identity and disclosure in the workplace, and the realities of working into older age, offering insights for social workers supporting 2SLGBTQI elders.
Upcoming Event | June 9, 2026 | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
This workshop supports organizations in building inclusive, affirming services for 2SLGBTQI communities. Using an intersectional, anti-oppression framework, participants will review HR and intake policies, forms, signage, and workplace culture. Outcomes include auditing current practices, developing inclusive language guidelines, and creating action plans for sustained equity improvements. This is a valuable professional development opportunity for social workers in an organizational or supervisory role.
Upcoming Event | Elder Abuse Awareness Day Webinar
Join Celeste Pang and Krista James, alongside Egale Canada, for a webinar exploring dementia and substitute decision-making as they affect 2SLGBTQI communities. Drawing on Dr. Pang's research on 2SLGBTQI aging and Krista James' extensive background in elder law, this session addresses the legal and ethical dimensions of substitute decision-making for 2SLGBTQI people living with dementia.
The content presented in each resource website, article, report, and multimedia content offering is not produced in partnership or affiliation with the Ontario Association of Social Workers and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of OASW.
As we mark Black History Month under the theme 30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries, I am reflecting on where my understanding of social work truly began.