LGBTQ2SIA+ Collaborative

The Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) works in partnership with academic units, faculty members, and graduate students to enhance the practice and scholarship of learning and teaching at Dalhousie University. We seek to encourage and facilitate diversity in both teaching methods and inclusivity in student learning. Throughout the year, CLT offers a range of workshops, and are always open to putting forth programming that is of interest to the Dalhousie Community.

As of right now, programming of CLT that supports and reflects the LGBTQ2SIA+ community has been requested specifically by students and faculty within the community, or of interest to the staff, in collaboration with other LGBTQ2SIA+ groups on campus. We are working towards a future for the Centre that incorporates even more opportunities for LGBTQ2SIA+ students, staff and faculty, as well as the greater Dalhousie community, to share knowledge, understand experiences, and create an inclusive environment, in and outside of the classroom. 

Location:
G90, Killam Library
6225 University Avenue
Halifax, NS
B3H 4H8

Contact:
Dr. Jill Marie McSweeney, PhD (Educational Developer, Graduate Studies)
Jill.McSweeney@Dal.Ca

OUT Truro (Dal OUTT)

DalOUTT is a social club on the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/442895672495117/

Stay tuned for info!

DalOUT is Dalhousie’s LGBTQ2SIA+ student society within the Dalhousie Student Union, run for and by student of queer and trans communities. They provide education, advocacy, social programming, monetary support and peer support initiatives to queer and trans students on campus.

For updates, like our page on Facebook. 

Office Location:
Basement, Student Union Building
6136 University Avenue
Halifax, NS
B3H 4R2
Contact: dalout@dal.ca

Get REAL strives to utilize the power of personal stories to provide youth and adults with a powerful and resonating education on the impact of language surrounding LGBTQ+ discrimination and understanding that everyone has a voice to be heard and a story to tell. Get REAL is driven by the values of kindness, positivity, honesty and acceptance and aims to portray and instill those in all its endeavors.

We like to think of ourselves as a big quirky family, and we are open to anyone and everyone who embodies what we stand for. Email us to get involved!

Email: GetREAL@dal.ca 

Human Rights & Equity Services is a key contributor in Dalhousie's mission to create a more inclusive learning and working environment. We strive to foster and support a community that is diverse, respectful, and equitable for all students, faculty, and staff.

Human Rights & Equity Services is responsible for:
- Receiving, responding to, and resolving complaints related to human rights, harassment, and conflict management among members of the university community
- Developing educational materials on topics related to human rights, diversity, and inclusion, as well as facilitating open, informative dialogue with students, faculty, and staff about these issues
- We provide confidential service to members of the Dalhousie community seeking advice, support, and conflict resolution related to harassment or discrimination. 

MacDonald Building, 4th floor
6300 Coburg Road
Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2

Phone: (902) 494-6672 
Email: HRES@dal.ca

Office Hours

Monday - Friday
9:00a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(The office is closed from 12-1pm for lunch)

An Advisor is available for in-person meetings on the Agricultural Campus. Please email or call the main office to book an appointment.

OUTLaw is a network of LGBTIQQ2SA* students and allies that are anti-oppressive, anti-racist, trans-inclusive, feminist, social justice-oriented queer organization. We aim to create a safe space for productive discussion that respects and values the experiences of members. OUTLaw strives to advance the rights of LGBTIQQ2SA* people. 

OUTLaw fulfills this mandate by working with students, societies, and broader community organizations to raise awareness about sexual rights with a focus on systemic inequalities and their impact on LGBTIQQ2SA* communities- particularly those who are most marginalized. 

OUTLaw is a safer space for students of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and relationship structures.

Email: schulich.outlaw@gmail.com

Mission: To ensure LGBTQI+ faculty and staff have a safe and welcoming learning and work environment within which to flourish and support one another.

Vision: To have an inclusive campus for all.

Mandate: to provide a safe and welcoming venue for LGBTQI+ faculty and staff to have a voice on campus. Also, to promote equity and inclusion for LGBTQI+ faculty.

Language used by the Queer Faculty & Staff Caucus is: LGBTQ+, LGBT, pride, LGBTQ2SIA+, ally, etc. LGBTQI+

To connect with the Queer Faculty & Staff Caucus contact either jgahagan@dal.ca or catrina.brown@dal.ca.

South House (SoHo) is Halifax’s only full time gender justice centre. The South House is a volunteer driven, student funded, physically accessible, gender inclusive safe space for ALL members of our community.

The South House is a trans-and queer-positive space and are proud to offer a wheelchair accessible space. They offer a resource centre, library, and free meeting space for woman-positive and anti-oppression organizing and gathering.

If you’d like to become a volunteer, contact the Administrative and Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@southhousehalifax.ca.

Location
South House Sexual and Gender Resource Centre
1443 Seymour Street
Halifax, NS
B3H 3M6

South House is located around the side entrance, accessible by ramp, underneath the Dalhousie Faculty Association.

Phone: (902) 494-2432
Hours: 10am-4pm Monday-Friday

Contact Information:
Outreach Coordinator: outreach@southhousehalifax.ca

Administrative and Volunteer Coordinator: volunteer@southhousehalifax.ca

Board: board@southhousehalifax.ca

What steps is Health Services taking to become more welcoming to LGBTQ students?
Dalhousie Student Health Services has always tried to create a safe and comfortable environment for everyone using our services, including those of the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. When you access our services, we hope that you will feel sure that your confidentiality is maintained in a warm and accepting atmosphere and that we are knowledgeable about and accepting of the many ways in which sexual preference and gender identity might impact your health and well being.

In recent months we have been developing new skills and services specifically developed for the Trans community. This ongoing work includes:

1. Training for medical providers and staff, including the ability to initiate and maintain cross-hormone therapy (letter of readiness not needed) and provide letters of readiness for gender reaffirming surgery (this includes the letter required from a family doctor only). The assessments will be completed by our Social Worker Hazel Ling in conjunction with Dr. Andrea or Dr. Mallory. Dr. Andrea and Dr. Mallory can prescribe appropriate medication following completion of the assessment and provide referrals for surgery.
2. The identification of specific medical providers who are working on developing expertise in trans health issues and who have expressed a particular interest in working with trans students.
3. Training for medical assistants and schedulers.
4. A comprehensive review of our services, including paperwork, signs and posters in the building, and the Health Services and Health Promotion websites, to identify areas for improvement.

Tips for your visit to Student Health Services

• Prepare for your visit: Health professionals will personalize their assessment based on their abilities and their knowledge of you. Common topics you will talk about include medical history (both physical and mental), alcohol and drug involvement, smoking, family and social relationships, sexual orientation and practices, economic considerations and gender concerns, and body parts and symptoms (specific to the reason you are coming into the clinic)
• Come with written questions: While all of our clinicians receive are informed around inclusive health care, it is important to choose a clinician you feel comfortable with and try to make all appointments with this provider
• Talk open and honestly with the health care providers and staff about your identity, and if someone miss-identifies you, please correct them. We don’t want to make the same mistakes twice. It is ok to say “My name I go by is____” or "My pronouns are ”She/he/ze, etc.”.
• Keep your medical records (lab work or other tests and procedures, medications, immunizations, a record of all the health clinics you go to in case you have to contact them in the future, etc.)
• Give us feedback! We encourage you to email your feedback to thenurse@dal.ca

About Nova Scotia Legislation

For several years sexual orientation has been included in the human rights legislation. In recent years, it has been expanded to include Trans related concerns.

In December 2012, Nova Scotia revised its Human Rights Act to include “gender identity” and “gender expression” as prohibited grounds of discrimination and harassment.

On April 1st, 2014, the Department of Health and Wellness announced that it will grant coverage to trans-identified patients for 8 types of surgeries. They include: mastectomy, oophorectomy, hysterectomy, penectomy, orchiectomy, phalloplasty, metoitioplasty and vaginoplasty. However, these surgeries are not performed within Nova Scotia, and will require travel to other clinics.

Nova Scotians would be allowed to display on their birth certificate the gender they identify with, regardless of whether they had sex reassignment surgery, under legislation introduced April 8, 2015.

Amendments to the Vital Statistics Act include:

• Eliminating the requirement for sex reassignment surgery to change the sex designation on a birth certificate
• Requiring a self-declaration from the applicant stating that they have assumed, identify with, and intend to live in a gender identity that corresponds with the desired sex designation
• Requiring a letter of support from a person with a professional designation as defined in regulation (like a doctor, nurse, social worker or psychologist)
• Requiring minors under 16 to have parental consent. The letter of support must be from a doctor or psychologist that has treated or evaluated the applicant and must include a professional opinion that the minor is able to understand the impact of the decision.
  
  

Resources

Pride Health (Capital Health)
The Youth Project
Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project
Nova Scotia Legislature Bill No. 140: Transgendered Persons Protection Act

Please note that the contents of external sites may not necessarily reflect the views of The Transgender Project.