The Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC), in partnership with community-based research groups across the country, is launching Our Bodies, Our Health—a groundbreaking Canada-wide survey to better understand the sexual and reproductive health needs of 2S/LGBTQIA+ people across Canada. The survey will be available to complete online and in-person, and will travel to Pride events and community spaces across Canada from May through September.

Our Bodies, Our Health is a pan-Canadian partnership created in close collaboration with research teams in Vancouver (Health Initiative for Men), Edmonton (Queer and Trans Health Collective), Winnipeg (Village Lab, University of Manitoba), Toronto (CRUISELab, University of Toronto), Montréal (Qollab, Université de Montréal), and Halifax (SHaG Lab, Dalhousie University). This involves seven community-based research training programs, including Investigaytors, Jeunes Chercheur.e.s Queers, and Knowledge 2eekerS. Community researchers from these programs and organizations have co-led this work and will support in-person data collection for the survey, as well as play an active role in analyzing and sharing its results.

“2S/LGBTQIA+ communities have historically been excluded from health research and public health data related to sexual and reproductive health,” says Marie Geoffroy, Associate Director of Research at CBRC. “This survey will address those gaps and advocate for the care that meets our communities’ needs. We need strong evidence of the current challenges 2S/LGBTQIA+ people face in terms of getting care tailored to their experiences, bodies, sexual practices and reproductive desires.”

The Our Bodies, Our Health survey will explore critical topics like gender-affirming care, sexual behaviour and health, sex and pleasure, family planning, fertility and abortion, cancer prevention, and discrimination and violence. The survey prioritizes accessibility and inclusion, especially for those who face additional barriers to care—such as Indigenous, Black, and other People of Colour; immigrants and people with precarious status; disabled and chronically ill people; sex workers; youth; asexual people; and those living in rural and remote areas.

“We will use data that 2S/LGBTQIA+ folks share to inform community advocacy, shape inclusive health policies and ultimately improve care for our communities,” says Nathan Lachowsky, Research Director at CBRC and Professor at the University of Victoria. The data collected will be used to create public reports and community resources to support community-driven, evidence-based advocacy and policy change efforts. “The answers provided will go a long way in working to improve the sexual and reproductive health and wellness of our communities and push for the change we need.”

All survey responses are confidential, and participants will receive a small honorarium for their time. The Our Bodies, Our Health is now live online and can be completed in English, French, or Spanish. In-person survey events will take place across the country in the following cities (west to east): Whitehorse, Nanaimo, Victoria, Vancouver, Prince George, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Yellowknife, Saskatoon, Brandon, Thompson, Winnipeg, Woolwich, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, Sherbrooke, Québec City, Charlottetown, Halifax, Cape Breton and St. John’s (all cities are subject to change). This study is supported by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR).

Visit CBRC to participate, learn more, and find out when they will be in your area.

About CBRC

Community-Based Research Centre promotes the health of people of diverse sexualities and genders through research and intervention development. CBRC’s core pillars of community-led research, knowledge exchange, network building, and leadership development position the organization as a thought leader, transforming ideas into actions that make a difference in our communities. CBRC was incorporated in 1999 and is a non-profit charitable organization. Our main office is located in Vancouver, British Columbia; we also have satellite offices located in Edmonton, Toronto, and Halifax.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist based in Toronto with a focus on tourism, lifestyle, entertainment and community issues. He has written several travel articles and has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He’s willing to take on any assignments of interest, attend parties with free booze, listen to rants, and travel the world in search of the great unknown. He’s eager to discover the new, remember the past, and look into the future.