Looking for Resources?

We’ve partnered with the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CCGSD) to make it easier for the trans community and their allies to find the help and support they need.

The CCGSD runs and supports numerous campaigns that raise awareness for the LGBTQ2S+ community, and offers youth-focused educational and leadership training through workshops and forums. Its founder and director, Jeremy Dias, says, “The Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CCGSD) is here to help anyone that needs it. We provide folks with resources, connections and tools.

“When struggling with my gender identity I was given a lot of advice. I wish someone had told me the truth: it’s not ME that struggles, but rather them who struggle respecting diversity (or things they don't understand). It is hard to deal with 'their' struggle, and it's not fair. Your struggle is real and valid. Know that you are not alone; many have been through what you are going through. And when you want help, it is here for you.”

Get involved

Regional forums: Throughout the school year, across Canada, the CCGSD hosts regional forums for youth and educators, focusing on issues of homophobia, transphobia, transmisogyny, bullying, intersectional violence and discrimination in schools. Each forum is a full day of workshops, speakers and resources specifically designed to suit the needs of the community it’s held in. This program isn’t just about skill-building on an individual level, but creating sustainable, vibrant networks on a community level.

The CCGSD reaches out to communities that urgently need diversity programming and workshops when deciding where to host these forums: through collaborating with local organizations, the CCGSD offers events that are both unique to the region and up-to-date with issues that are being faced on a wider scale.

National Leadership Forum: In addition to regional forums, the CCGSD has also hosted the national Gender and Sexuality Alliance Leadership Forum every year for the past five years. This forum brings together 100 people of gender and sexual minority (GSM) and allied students (ages 14-17) from across Canada to participate in a week of leadership education. The students will learn to be leaders in their school and youth communities on topics of GSM identities, diversity, anti-bullying, anti-racism and mental health. Participants will also be trained on how to run a successful Gender and Sexuality Alliance club at their school.

Programs and workshops

Supporting victims of violence: The CCGSD’s Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Prevention Program works with any service providers across Canada who may interact with LGBTQ2S+ victims of intimate partner violence. The IPV Prevention Program provides them with tools, information on services, and training to support LGBTQ2S+ victims of domestic physical assault, sexual assault and emotional abuse and to increase their access to the criminal justice system.

Making sports a safe space: If you’re in Ontario and passionate about making sports a more accepting and inclusive pastime for everybody, there’s the Sports Inclusion Program. Through this program, the CCGSD aims to challenge homophobia and transphobia in athletics. In two workshops, they collaborate with sportspeople and trainers throughout the province, creating action plans on how to combat ignorance, reduce bigotry and improve the atmosphere of inclusiveness and acceptance in athletics. These trainings are completely free of charge, and the CCGSD are willing to travel to you to facilitate them in either English or French.

Canada-wide workshops: Customized, youth-led and intersectional, the CCGSD’s workshops engage all Canadians in a dialogue about diversity and understanding the impact of discrimination, bullying and hate. Topics range from feminism to queer history to sexual consent. At the moment, the CCGSD’s education team is available to conduct workshops for free across Ontario, and at-cost across Canada.

The day of pink: Every 2nd Wednesday in April is the International Day of Pink. All Canadians are invited to wear pink and challenge bullying, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia in their schools and communities.

Canadian LGBTQ2+ Service Providers Network: The CCGSD is also home to Canadian LGBTQ2+ Service Providers Network. The national network facilitates LGBTQ2+ Services to collaborate and work together.

Support our partners

Conversations about the trans community are entering the mainstream more than ever before, and organizations like the CCGSD are working hard to support trans folks and educate allies on important topics. To support them, purchase an Inner Truth Bath Melt: 100 percent of its price (minus the taxes) will go toward the CCGSD, the US-based National Center for Transgender Equality and other organizations working to advance and secure transgender rights.