Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Winter 2017

Department

Social Justice and Community Engagement

Department

Social Justice and Community Engagement

Abstract

The purpose of the qualitative study was to better understand how Brantford/Brant County LGBTQ+ community members experience accessing healthcare and social services. Over one month I interviewed 8 LGBTQ+ community members and conducted a focus group with 4 Trans and Gender non-conforming individuals. An intersectional feminist and critical Trans politic analysis was used to understand how LGBTQ+ community members experience accessing care. The results reveal that LGBTQ+ community members experience structural violence through oppressive administrative practices. Specifically, heteronormative and homonormative behaviors and assumed heterosexuality and/or gender, which creates a climate where LGBTQ+ people do not feel safe seeking healthcare and/or social services and thus do not feel like they belong. In addition, using examples that participants shared this research problematizes a rights based approach and recommends a restructuring of the LGBTQ+ movement to be more inclusive to all LGBTQ+ community members.

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