Supporting Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ Youth

The Reality

Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ youth often face higher rates of bullying, exclusion, and mental health challenges in schools. For Indigenous Two-Spirit youth, this is compounded by colonial legacies that erased or stigmatized traditional roles and identities that were once celebrated within their cultures.

Why It Matters

• Safety first: No student should fear showing up as who they are.
• Representation matters: Seeing oneself reflected in curriculum, staff, and school culture helps build belonging.
• Mental health: Supportive school environments drastically reduce rates of depression, self-harm, and suicide among LGBTQ+ youth.

The Canadian Context

• Many provinces have policies requiring safe and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ students, but implementation is uneven.
• GSAs (Gender and Sexuality Alliances) provide powerful spaces for peer support, yet some schools resist or underfund them.
• Indigenous-led frameworks emphasize reconnecting Two-Spirit youth with traditional teachings that affirm their place in community.

Paths Forward

• Policy to practice: Ensure anti-bullying and inclusion policies are more than just posters on the wall.
• Teacher training: Equip educators to address homophobia, transphobia, and to understand Two-Spirit identities.
• Affirming spaces: From gender-neutral bathrooms to inclusive sports, physical spaces send signals about who belongs.
• Curriculum shifts: Include 2SLGBTQ+ histories and contributions in mainstream teaching, not just as side notes.

The Question

How do we move from tolerating difference to celebrating diversity, ensuring that Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ youth not only survive school but thrive in it?