CultureLink is a member of Ontario Council of Agencies Serving
Immigrants (OCASI)’s Positive Spaces Initiative (PSI). This means that we
provide a welcoming and safe space of folks who identify as LGBTQ+. In
addition, CultureLink is also a member of the LGBTQ+ Settlement Network, a
collection of agencies across Toronto that provides services, such as health
care, mental health, workshops, legal support and programs for LGBTQ+
newcomers.
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| At Pink Dot Toronto, May 24, 2016 |
Support and services
for LGBTQ+ newcomers are very important. This is all the more so for newcomer
youth. Amongst the many challenges of being adolescent, the fear of not fitting
in is one that is highlighted double-fold for a newcomer LGBTQ+ youth. The need
for a positive peer support group and social circle is crucial for the
emotional, mental and physical well-being of a young person. Providing a
positive space for newcomer LGBTQ+ youth to get that positive peer support and
social circle is why CultureLink’s Sankofa Youth Program was created.
CultureLink’s Sankofa Drop-In is a weekly program that is welcoming and safe, for newcomer youth aged 14-29 regardless of immigration status, sexual orientation or gender identity. Sankofa hosts
a wide variety of activities and programs suggested by youth, for youth. Here
are some examples:
- Art and Craft, including made posters to
celebrate International Anti-Homophobia and Anti-Transphobia Day (May 17) and
International Women’s Day (Mar 8)
- Watch sports games, such as Raptors 905, Blue Jays
and Toronto Maple Leafs
- Workshops, including cooking, healthy relationships
etc.
- Watch movies, including ones with LGBTQ theme
We asked some folks to share their thoughts on LGBTQ+
newcomer youth in Toronto. Here’s what they have to say.
What do you think are the challenges that face
LGBTQ+ folks who are newcomer youth?
Yuki, 24 years old, gay asian male: As someone who is born and raised in Toronto, I
don't experience some of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ newcomer youth, but I
have been able to talk to and relate to some of the things they do go through,
and that's something I feel everyone should be consciously making an effort to
do. From the people I've spoken to, they've identified challenges around:
culture shock (language, society, "LGBTQ+ scene"), pressures of
family to live a "normal" life (finish school, get a good job, get
married, have kids), pressures of society to "come out", pressures to
assimilate to the culture here, fear of rejection from communities/families,
being hurt (physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually), being alone. These
can also be challenges faced by youth raised here as well, but as a newcomer
youth, they're in a new setting and can be confused about where to go,
concerned about their safety in trying to seek out these resources, or just
feeling lost in a new country and shutting out outside stress they feel they
have no control over (their sexuality for instance). It can be terrifying being
new.
Euan Hwang, 26
years old (E.H.): Because I work with specific population group, I think
challenges would look different depending on where the newcomer youth came
from. However, I believe it is a fact that homophobia/biphobia/transphobia, the
oppression towards LGBTQ people, is still a strong force in the world.
Therefore, I think the fear of rejection from newcomer LGBTQ youth's own family
and cultural community is the biggest challenge for this group, and all other
challenges are derived from this. Because newcomer LGBTQ youth are rejected by
their own family and community, they either get kicked out from the house and
face homelessness, or endure physical and/or psychological violence from their
own family and community that could lead to lots of physical and mental health
issues (Good article: Two-thirds of parents would be upset if their child was
gay, global report finds ).
There have been many recent studies that found out that parental support is the biggest source of strength for LGBTQ youth. Therefore, I think it is critical for youth to have a positive adult figures (whether that be blood-related parents, chosen parents, godparents, or even mentors) to be their source of support and strength while living through this oppressive society. There is also the issue of internalized oppression where youth will feel like they cannot accept both their sexual/gender identity and their cultural background. It is a struggle even for me to navigate my own identity when my own people rejects me because I am part of the LGBTQ community, yet the Canadian society views my own people as being barbaric and outdated because they are homophobic.
Anonymous: Sifting through the influx of
resources available to them is one of the challenges. Some official
listing as well as some referred through friends/ acquaintances may or may not
be accurate. Another challenge is isolation or social awkwardness. Some
may also have difficulty fitting in or finding their own cliques.
28, Queer: Getting involved with the clubbing scene,
promiscuity, drinking interpreted as the primary culture of LGBTQ people.
Coming out, depression, self harm, bullying - all things that
affect LGBTQ youth in general. With the added pressure of being a newcomer, I
think that the risk is higher especially in a new place, not knowing many
people, perhaps language barriers or not knowing how to be who you are freely.
Cultural differences, within the home, could possibly also add to the
probability of these risks.
What services are particularly important for
LGBTQ newcomer youth?
Yuki: Each LGBTQ+ youth experiences different challenges,
and helping to validate their struggles and their issues is so important.
Understanding that their challenges are valid and real are the first steps to
help LGBTQ+ newcomer youths. One of the biggest challenges (I feel) that LGBTQ+
newcomer youth have is finding a place to speak their mind: without fear of
rejection, being hurt, and feeling pressured to conform to certain norms. To
combat this challenge, I feel that these LGBTQ+ newcomer youth would need resources
around LGBTQ+ spaces, that also offer languages that they speak and programs
that are presented by facilitators/people who are of their race/ethnic
background. Resources should be visible in schools, communities, and venues
which these newcomer youths would be going to/attending. Services/programs that
understand their culture, and work together with the youth to find solutions is
important, instead of shoving cliched "strategies" down their
throat; ex. you should come out, it's the right thing to do! [when really, it
might not be].
E.H.: I think there is a widespread underlying misconception within cultural communities that being LGBTQ is a thing of a Western culture yet this is not true. LGBTQ people have existed throughout the entire human history. They were just known with different names throughout different cultures. I think services that bridge the gap between parents and LGBTQ newcomer youth is most critical. The support for both parents and youth need to be delivered in different languages as well.
Anonymous:
- Sex
education, with focus on safe sex,
- Hard /
soft drugs awareness education
- Mental
health or relationships support
- Safe
space after-school programs
- Summer
Employment support
- Further
Education
- Assertiveness training -
especially if they feel that they are being picked on due to their sexual
orientation or gender identity
- If it's not already covered in high school,
financial literacy
28, Queer: Mentor services for LGBTQ youth and adults.
SOY has this and from what I hear, it's quite successful.
Do you think
Toronto is a great/good/bad place to live for LGBTQ newcomer youth?
Yuki: Yes to all of that. Yes, great, because Toronto has
so many resources around LGBTQ+ rights and support. Bad, because most of these
resources speak to the stories/narratives of a white-dominated society. Toronto
has rich communities filled with so many cultures, but because some of these
cultures perpetuate mistreatment of LGBTQ+ folks, they may not be the safest
place for LGBTQ+ newcomer youth. And when the youth seek out resources and
programs meant for LGBTQ+ youth, they find they are not represented that well,
and again the problem of assimilating to this country's society happens, where
youth feel like they have to conform to the narratives and stories that are
being told in white-dominated spaces, and disregard their cultural-struggles as
"not as important". It is so helpful to have culturally-appropriate
LGBTQ+ spaces, but they are far and few in Toronto (travelling isn't the
easiest for some youth, as their parents may question where they're going, or
they don't understand the public transport system, or have no way of getting to
the programs).
E.H.: Yes, Toronto is indeed a better place for some people who came from countries that will find the killing of LGBTQ people totally acceptable. However, that doesn't mean Toronto is doing the greatest job. I think Toronto lacks space
for newcomer LGBTQ people, despite being known as a safe haven for LGBTQ
people. Majority of the programs are accessed by white LGBTQ people so the
narratives from white people dominate the society. Often times in these
existing programs, the voices of LGBTQ people of color are not listened to. We
need to hear more diverse faces and stories. We also need to work more on
addressing the homophobia/biphobia/transphobia in different cultural
communities.
Anonymous: Toronto is a great place - much more accepting
and/or tolerant of the LGBTQ population especially if it's in downtown Toronto,
not to mention the services, programs/activities and the nightlife that they
could eventually explore after dark.
28, Queer: Toronto is a fabulous place to live. It's
really queer place and, for the most part, it is absolutely okay and
absolutely accepted to be gay. Like any city there are unsafe places, but
there are pockets of LGBTQ people in various areas of Toronto and being LGBTQ
is not necessarily hidden by the people who are.
There are lots of well structures programs for LGBTQ youth to
take part in and I think that's handy for youth who might be lacking
a supportive and safe social circle.
By: Lynda Young
