THE JASMIN ROY SOPHIE DESMARAIS FOUNDATION REVEALS THE RESULTS OF ONE OF THE LARGEST SURVEYS ON SEXUAL AND GENDER DIVERSITY Français
The study highlights a crying need in Canada for help and support for young people who are sexually and gender diverse, and especially for trans and non-binary people
MONTREAL, Aug. 6, 2024 /CNW/ - The Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation has today unveiled the results of a major survey on sexual and gender diversity in Canada, conducted by the CROP polling firm and powered by BRP as part of their Ride Out Intimidation program. Analysis of the results shows that sexually and gender-diverse people experience more violence, intimidation and discrimination, particularly young trans and non-binary persons.
Of the 8,396 Canadians who participated in this study, 7,481 are sexually and gender diverse. Of these respondents, 1,309 self-identified as trans and 1,625 as non-binary. While 8.6% of people aged 18 and over self-identify as sexually and/or gender diverse, this proportion is almost twice as high among 18–34-year-olds (16.5%).
This new study is a continuation of the first Canada-wide survey, LGBT+ Realities, conducted by the Foundation in 2017, to see what has changed over the past seven years. This data will enable the various levels of government to better determine their priorities and action plans regarding the fight against homophobia and transphobia.
Openness to diversity
The survey conducted in 2017 had already shown that Canadian society is comfortable with people with diverse sexual orientations. The 2024 survey shows an even greater degree of openness. Indeed, the proportion of people who say they are comfortable mixing with people of diverse gender identities has risen from 60% in 2017 to 66% in 2024.
However, the general Canadian population still maintains relatively few friendships with sexually and gender-diverse people. While 91% of sexually and/or gender-diverse people count homosexual, bisexual or pansexual people among their friends, the percentage for the general population is 46%. Sixty percent (60%) of people of diversity have trans or non-binary friends, compared with only 13% for the general population.
Social acceptability of public displays of affection
The Canadian population is generally more prudish than sexually and gender-diverse people. For example, people are less comfortable when they see two people holding hands in public, especially when they are not a man and a woman. More specifically, about one in two members of the population are very comfortable with two women holding hands (57%), two men holding hands (50%), or one trans or non-binary person holding another person's hand (49%). Among people of diversity, approximately 9 out of 10 are very comfortable with these behaviours (91%, 89% and 87%, respectively).
Social acceptance of diversity
Regarding the acceptance and integration of diversity within society, 51% of Canadians believe that the situation has improved in recent years. Only 14% feel that the situation has deteriorated. However, this perception is not at all the same among sexually and gender-diverse people: 39% see an improvement, while an equivalent proportion (39%) see a deterioration.
Gradation and fluidity of gender identity over time
To measure the gradation of gender-identity fluidity, we asked survey participants to indicate, on an eleven-point scale (0 to 10), whether they felt totally masculine (0), equally masculine and feminine (5), totally feminine (10), or any point in between. The average score for cisgender Canadian men was 1.8 out of 10. For cisgender women, it was 8.4 out of 10. These averages are less polarized among people of diversity, at 2.9 out of 10 for cis men of diversity and 6.8 for cis women of diversity. Gender identity is therefore less polarized and more plural among people of diversity.
Fluidity of sexual orientation over time
Fantasies are an indicator of the fluidity of sexual orientation. A clear majority of cisgender heterosexual men (85%) feature women in their fantasies, while among cisgender heterosexual women, 65% fantasize about men. Same-sex attraction is more prevalent among cisgender heterosexual women: 25% report lesbian fantasies, compared to 10% of cisgender heterosexual men who report homosexual fantasies, and 5% who report fantasies featuring trans or non-binary people.
Questioning, acceptance of and coming out with their sexual orientation and gender identity
People of diversity report a greater fluctuation in their sexual orientation over time (57%) than the general population (16%). The reported fluctuation is even greater among bisexuals, pansexuals, queers and those who are questioning, and is particularly high among younger people, reaching 71% among 15–17-year-olds of diversity. Among sexually and gender-diverse people, the sexual orientation of gay men has fluctuated the least over time (28%). Questioning one's sexual orientation usually begins in childhood (between 6 and 12 years of age: 29%) or adolescence (between 13 and 19 years of age: 43%). More rarely, it occurs in early adulthood (20-34 years of age: 12%). Acceptance and coming out logically follow and occur mainly during adolescence (40% and 33% respectively) or shortly thereafter (between 20-34 years of age: 33% and 32%, respectively).
Questioning one's gender identity usually begins earlier than it does for one's sexual orientation. Questioning one's gender identity often begins before the age of 13. Acceptance and coming out follow and manifest themselves during adolescence or shortly thereafter.
For people of diversity who have come out to those around them, the reception is generally better when it comes to revealing their sexual orientation than their gender identity.
Medical treatments for trans and non-binary people
Hormonal treatments and surgery were reported by 76% and 37%, respectively, of trans people, and 20% and 13% of non-binary people. Of those who opted for such treatments, 53% reported that getting access to these services was difficult.
One trans man in two (48%) has had surgery to help him better live with his gender identity. The same proportion is not found among trans women, only 29% of whom have opted for surgery. However, despite opting less for surgery, trans women are more likely to opt for hormone therapy (81% versus 72% of trans men). In the 25-34 age bracket, 90% of trans people have opted for hormone therapy and 45% for surgery. Lastly, although such treatments are rarer during adolescence, slightly more than one in four (28%) young trans persons aged 15 to 17 have started taking hormones. There is also a low incidence of surgery among trans people in this age group (4%).
Canada and freedom of self-expression
Of the people of diversity who stated that they were not born in Canada, 67% feel that coming to the country enabled them to more freely express their gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
Violence experienced
Sexually and gender-diverse people are more subject to violence and discrimination. In the last 12 months, 23% of the country's general population experienced violence, whereas for people of sexual and gender diversity, this percentage rose to 46% (over their lifetime, 69% of the Canadian population have experienced some form of violence or discrimination, compared to 89% for people of diversity). This suggests that, despite positive developments in the acceptance of sexually and gender-diverse people, often they are still the targets of violence. Physical appearance (18%), gender identity (15%) and sexual orientation (15%) are the main motives for the reported violence and discrimination.
Supporting programs against violence in the workplace and at school
Workplaces and schools are places that need to be monitored closely when it comes to violence and discrimination. Overall, in 24% of cases, these were reported as the location of the most recent episode of discrimination or violence. In 18% of cases, the aggression suffered by sexually and gender-diverse people was perpetrated by colleagues at work or school. Nearly one in two young people aged 15-17 (46%) who experienced violence in the last 12 months said that the event took place in or near a school. In order to counter the violence experienced by young sexually and gender-diverse students in schools, we recommend the creation of specific programs and pro-diversity educational measures focused on social and emotional learning for all young people.
Improving sex education courses at school
Upgrading sex education courses was identified, by both people of diversity and the Canadian population in general, as the action that would be most useful in promoting the well-being and integration of sexually and gender-diverse people, especially since the majority of these young people begin to question their sexual orientation during their school years (between the ages of 6 and 19) and to question their gender identity during childhood (between the ages of 6 and 12) and adolescence (between the ages of 13 and 19).
Developing mechanisms to prevent and control violence on the Web
The Web is a useful platform for sexually and gender-diverse people, who see it as a positive environment for self-development. One in two (52%) believe that social networking sites (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) are beneficial for coming to terms with, accepting or coming out with their gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Despite these advantages, the Internet is also a place where sexually and gender-diverse people suffer intimidation and violence. People of diversity are victims of cyberviolence three times more often than the rest of the population (32% versus 10%). If we focus on the last 12 months, trans people (26%) and the youngest people of diversity (25% in the 15-17 age group) were the most frequent victims.
Introducing measures to help people of diversity, facilitating access to mental health support
Many sexually and gender-diverse people rate their mental health negatively. More people of diversity report "fair" or "poor" mental health (60% versus 32% for the Canadian population). Stress levels are also higher among people of diversity (6.5/10) than among the Canadian population (5.3/10).
Similarly, people of diversity are twice as likely to have been diagnosed with depression (49% versus 26% for the general population) or an anxiety disorder (48% versus 26% respectively). The same is true for dependency problems (21% of people of diversity versus 12% of the general population) and eating disorders (20% of people of diversity versus 8% of the general population). It is worth noting that among people of diversity, 4 out of 10 (40%) reported having had suicidal thoughts in the last 12 months, which is three times more than the Canadian population (12%). This is why it is important to introduce measures that can offer help to people of diversity and facilitate their access to professional mental health support, especially for younger, trans and non-binary people, who are the most affected.
More than half (58%) of people of diversity rate the support resources available to them as insufficient.
"When suicidal thoughts affect one in four sexually and gender-diverse persons, it is absolutely crucial to take action without delay; we are clearly talking about a life‑or‑death situation," stated Jasmin Roy, President of the Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation. "Such suicidal thoughts are directly linked to the physical or psychological violence suffered by sexually and gender‑diverse young people. This violence is highlighted in our study. Our survey reveals that this is more than a heartfelt cry from these young people: they are sending out an SOS. This strongly demonstrates that all levels of government must respond to this call for help. Young lives are at stake."
Methodology
The Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation, by conducting this survey, wanted to gain a better understanding of the current realities and issues faced by sexually and gender-diverse people, and of the evolution of Canadian society's views on these diversities. The goal of the survey was to poll the Canadian population and, more specifically, sexually and gender-diverse people. In addition to analyzing the overall results, the objective of this survey was to highlight the particularities of different segments of the population according to their gender identity and/or sexual orientation. The data collection process, which took place from February 5, 2024 to June 11, 2024, gathered responses from 1,000 people aged 18 and over among the Canadian population, as well as from 7,481 Canadians aged 15 and over who are sexually and/or gender-diverse. The survey was conducted by the CROP polling firm in collaboration with Jasmin Roy, President of the Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation, and Michel Dorais, sexuality sociologist and professor emeritus at Laval University. BRP provided the funding for this study.
View the full report: To view the full Sexual and Gender Diversity in Canada report published by the Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation, please follow this link: fondationjasminroy.com/en
The Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation
Established in 2010, the Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation is both a charitable and community organization whose mission is to create positive and caring environments, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the United Nations. The Foundation raises awareness, educates, supports, and contributes to finding sustainable solutions to issues of violence, discrimination, and intimidation in all living environments, be it educational settings, workplaces, or any other space. The implementation of healthy emotional and relational habits is at the heart of its approach, which aims to promote the inclusion of all people and to prevent mental health issues in Canada as well as everywhere else in the world.
SOURCE Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation
Media contact: Simone Bellay, +1 514 951-3789, [email protected]
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