To hear about Dev's experience, you can read the article on the Tapestry website, and listen to the broadcast.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/tapestry/it-was-devastating-queer-evangelical-survives-gay-conversion-therapy-and-helps-others-heal-1.5464893
Information and resources for the people of Kanata United Church, as we continue our journey as an Affirming congregation.
Monday, February 17, 2020
A Survivor Talks About Conversion Therapy
On CBC Tapestry, Dev Cuny talks about Conversion Therapy. Conversion Therapy does not change LGBTQ2+ people and can do great harm.
To hear about Dev's experience, you can read the article on the Tapestry website, and listen to the broadcast.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/tapestry/it-was-devastating-queer-evangelical-survives-gay-conversion-therapy-and-helps-others-heal-1.5464893
To hear about Dev's experience, you can read the article on the Tapestry website, and listen to the broadcast.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/tapestry/it-was-devastating-queer-evangelical-survives-gay-conversion-therapy-and-helps-others-heal-1.5464893
Monday, February 10, 2020
LGBTQ2+ - What does the B stand for?
The “B” stands for “Bisexuals”. This refers to “people who are attracted to more than one sex or gender”.1 This much is usually understood but do we know anything about life’s challenges for those among us who are bisexual?
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Ontario), “The “B” has often been left out of LGBT research; studies that lump together LGBT people when comparing them to heterosexual people often overlook the unique experiences of each population, particularly the “B” and the “T”. Research that does explore the health of bisexual people indicates that bisexual people often have poorer health outcomes compared to both lesbian and gay populations and the heterosexual population.”.2
There are clear reasons for this. The Rainbow Health Ontario website states: “Bisexuals may experience biphobia, negative attitudes and discrimination from LGBT2SQ communities, straight communities and the health care system.”3 So bisexual people are generally potentially vulnerable.
To see Rainbow Health Ontario’s anti-stigma videos, please see: https://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/bisexual-health/
“Erasure” is a very common experience for bisexuals. Erasure is when people are not known for who they truly are because they fear revealing their identity. For example, a bisexual person is assumed to be heterosexual if they have an opposite sex partner and if they do not feel safe in being known as bisexual. Likewise, if their partner is of the same sex, they are assumed to be homosexual. Coming out as what they are – bisexual – is usually risky in either case because of stigma. Some people who are bisexual do not even tell their partner about it for the same reason. Depression can result from hiding their identity or being excluded from community if their true identity is known.
For a Ted Talk on this subject, please see: “Bisexuality: The Invisible Letter "B".| Misty Gedlinske, TEDxOshkosh at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa6AnOCQD50.
Happily, more is being learned and understood about bisexuality - a biological phenomenon in the same manner as heterosexuality and homosexuality. The more that communities can learn and understand about this and all the LGBTQ2+ communities, the better for everyone.
1 Re:searching for LGBTQ Health. Bisexual Community. CAMH. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Ontario). https://www.lgbtqhealth.ca/community/bisexual.php
2 Re:searching for LGBTQ Health. Bisexual Community. CAMH. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Ontario). https://www.lgbtqhealth.ca/community/bisexual.php
3 Rainbow Health Ontario, Sherbourne Health
https://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/bisexual-health/
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Ontario), “The “B” has often been left out of LGBT research; studies that lump together LGBT people when comparing them to heterosexual people often overlook the unique experiences of each population, particularly the “B” and the “T”. Research that does explore the health of bisexual people indicates that bisexual people often have poorer health outcomes compared to both lesbian and gay populations and the heterosexual population.”.2
There are clear reasons for this. The Rainbow Health Ontario website states: “Bisexuals may experience biphobia, negative attitudes and discrimination from LGBT2SQ communities, straight communities and the health care system.”3 So bisexual people are generally potentially vulnerable.
To see Rainbow Health Ontario’s anti-stigma videos, please see: https://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/bisexual-health/
“Erasure” is a very common experience for bisexuals. Erasure is when people are not known for who they truly are because they fear revealing their identity. For example, a bisexual person is assumed to be heterosexual if they have an opposite sex partner and if they do not feel safe in being known as bisexual. Likewise, if their partner is of the same sex, they are assumed to be homosexual. Coming out as what they are – bisexual – is usually risky in either case because of stigma. Some people who are bisexual do not even tell their partner about it for the same reason. Depression can result from hiding their identity or being excluded from community if their true identity is known.
For a Ted Talk on this subject, please see: “Bisexuality: The Invisible Letter "B".| Misty Gedlinske, TEDxOshkosh at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa6AnOCQD50.
Happily, more is being learned and understood about bisexuality - a biological phenomenon in the same manner as heterosexuality and homosexuality. The more that communities can learn and understand about this and all the LGBTQ2+ communities, the better for everyone.
1 Re:searching for LGBTQ Health. Bisexual Community. CAMH. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Ontario). https://www.lgbtqhealth.ca/community/bisexual.php
2 Re:searching for LGBTQ Health. Bisexual Community. CAMH. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Ontario). https://www.lgbtqhealth.ca/community/bisexual.php
3 Rainbow Health Ontario, Sherbourne Health
https://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/bisexual-health/
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Prize Winning Starbucks Ad
Annual reports, a presentation for the annual meeting, and making sure we are ready for the Special Congregation Meeting has taken a back seat to the blog lately. We will try to get back to once a week postings.
As an uplifting first post of the new year, here is a commercial that won Starbucks a diversity award in Great Britain.
https://youtu.be/pcSP1r9eCWw
Starbucks comment on the commercial was this:
At Starbucks, writing your name on a cup and calling it out is a symbol of our warm welcome. It’s a small gesture, but it's symbolic of what we believe in: Recognition and acceptance, whoever you are, or want to be. We welcome everyone.
As an uplifting first post of the new year, here is a commercial that won Starbucks a diversity award in Great Britain.
https://youtu.be/pcSP1r9eCWw
Starbucks comment on the commercial was this:
At Starbucks, writing your name on a cup and calling it out is a symbol of our warm welcome. It’s a small gesture, but it's symbolic of what we believe in: Recognition and acceptance, whoever you are, or want to be. We welcome everyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)