Learning

Trans 101 - The Basics

What does it mean to be nonbinary?

Vihart: On gender: I Do Not Understand your Meat Noises

toronto area support groups for parents

Toronto Pflag

In addition to Toronto Pflag’s general support meetings, and specialized support meetings for dads and for transfemme & nonbinary folks, there are other organizations you may find helpful.

Transceptance

Transceptance is support group for parents of trans and non-binary youth which meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month at Central Toronto Youth Services (CTYS). It is run by parents, with a staff counsellor. This program is drop-in, no pre-registration or commitment required.

Families in Transition

The ten week educational program for parents of trans and non-binary youth is an excellent in-depth introduction. You’ll meet each week with the same group of parents, and learn about terminology, overcoming social stigmas, issues related to legal and medical transitioning, and how to keep communication open with your kiddo. FIT requires an intake interview and a commitment to attend the whole program.

other pflag chapters

If you don’t live in the city of Toronto, look for a Pflag chapter in your area! There are dozens of chapters that are part of Pflag Canada. If you are from outside Canada (or want to look at their resources), check out the US National Pflag organization. There are also PFLAGs in at least 17 other countries around the world. Some chapters are more active than others, so check out the one closest to you but also look to see if there are others in range that might be helpful.

online support groups

There are a number of online support groups, many through Facebook. Some of the best ones are secret groups, which means that none of your Facebook friends who are not in the group can your posts or even see that you are in the group. Secret groups do not show up in searches, so you’ll need someone to refer you.

Toronto LGBT organizatioNs

The 519 – Provides a wide variety of programs and services for the LGBTQ2S+ community. Art programs for trans kids, clothing exchanges, social events, housing assistance, mentorship, and much more. Located at Church & Wellesley.

Rainbow Health Ontario works to promote the health of Ontario’s LGBTQ2S+ communities and improve their access to services. RHO creates resources, provides information and consultation services, delivers education and training, and supports research. Of particular interest is their database of service providers who either specialize in, or are affirming of, trans and gay individuals. They also provide training for medical professionals to become more knowledgeable about trans care, including a weekly Trans Care Mentorship Telecall, which allows clinicians across Ontario to call in for guidance about how to provide proper care for transgender individuals. Located in the Sherbourne Health Centre.

Egale Canada advocates for equality for Canadian lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their families, across Canada. Egale's work includes lobbying for more equitable laws for LGBT people, intervening in legal cases that affect human rights and equality, and increasing public education and awareness. They also provide counseling for LGBTQ2S+ youth, with services to help those who are facing homelessness.

legal matters

human rights

Canada provides Human Rights protections for gay and transgender individuals.

Every person in Canada—regardless of whom they love, or how they identify or express their gender— has the right to live free without fear of discrimination, violence, or exclusion, and to be fully included and embraced in all facets of Canadian society.

Same sex marriage has been legal throughout Canada since 2005.

With the passage of C-16 in 2017, it is now illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or gender expression, in addition to the previously protected groups (age, race, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status).

Change name and gender marker

Some transgender people choose to legally change their name and/or gender marker on their IDs, to better match their identities. A guide is forthcoming about how to go about this process in Ontario. The process has become much easier in recent years, so if you are looking at old materials on the web, they may be out of date.

Here are the forms for changing your name and gender marker in Ontario. There are no requirements for surgery or invasive procedures. You can do both at the same time (or separately if you prefer).