DEVELOPING Latest updates on the major wildfires burning in Canada
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
Newly released data on the health and well-being of transgender and non-binary youth in Canada indicates that increased social support for said population could improve their quality of life and help eliminate health disparities.
Data was collected from a survey of 2,873 trans and non-binary people in 2019 by the research team at Trans PULSE Canada.
According to their study, one in five trans and non-binary youth who responded to the survey said they had avoided schools in the past five years due to fear of harassment or being “outed.” And 70 per cent said they avoided using public washrooms within the same timeframe.
"Transgender and non-binary youth face disproportionate rates of victimization, with many having experienced physical, sexual, and verbal harassment at a young age," the study notes. "At school, trans youth are frequently targeted by bullying, which compromises school attendance and access to education."
The survey’s respondents were all above the age of 14 and all were living in Canada when the data was collected. Beyond education, researchers also inquired about family dynamics and experiences with the health-care system.
The study found that while the majority of respondents were in good physical health, a high proportion had mental health concerns.
As many as two in five respondents indicated that they had considered suicide in the past year and one in 10 said they had attempted to take their own life.
The data indicates that trans and non-binary youth are especially vulnerable to mental health concerns that researchers say could be improved through supportive environments and family approval.
"Aceptance of trans and non-binary identities is growing and the proportion of trans youth living day-to-day in their felt gender is increasing, which also supports their well-being," the study notes.
Among those youth who responded to the survey, only 58 per cent were told by their parents and guardians that they were respected or supported. And only half of those respondents say they were called by their correct name and pronouns.
"Family support has repeatedly been found to be protective against issues such as depression, suicidality, and self-harm in trans youth," the study says.
According to the data, one in five youth had family members who did not let them wear clothes reflecting their gender and one in 10 said they were sent to a therapist, counsellor, or religious adviser to stop them from being trans or non-binary.
Despite the challenges, many respondents valued the sense of belonging and resilience they gained from being trans.
"I love how coming out as trans gave me a new family that I didn’t even know I needed," said one respondent.
In light of the data, researchers say that future initiatives should consider how to promote supportive environments at home and at school in order to protect trans youth against mental health issues, discrimiation and stigma.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need to speak with someone, here are available resources:
Crisis Services Canada, enables callers anywhere in Canada to access crisis support by phone, in French or English: toll-free 1-833-456-4566 Available 24/7
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
A ‘lifetime of abuse’ led Dallas Ly to snap and repeatedly stab his mother inside their Leslieville apartment in 2022 but he never intended to kill her, his defence lawyers argued during at his murder trial in Toronto on Thursday.
A burgeoning track star says his dream of going to the Olympics is being derailed by a deportation order after Immigration officials rejected his family’s claim for asylum
A Montreal father who kidnapped his daughter who has autism and lied to police when they asked where she was should serve three years in prison, a Crown prosecutor said.
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. said Thursday it's ready to sign on to the grocery code of conduct, paving the way for an agreement that's been years in the making.
A medical examiner says a Massachusetts teen who participated in a spicy tortilla chip challenge died from ingesting a substance 'with a high capsaicin concentration.'
A father has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of his 34-year-old daughter in southern Quebec.
The province’s health minister and solicitor general are urging Toronto to rescind its request to decriminalize simple possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use, calling the proposal 'misguided' and 'disastrous.'
A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain's stores in Texas.
Members of Piapot First Nation, students from the University of Winnipeg and various other professionals are learning new techniques that will hopefully be used for ground searches of potential unmarked grave sites in the future.
ALS patient Mathew Brown said he’s hopeful for future ALS patients after news this week of research at Western University of a potential cure for ALS.
When Adam Kirschner wrote 'Slap Shot,' he never imagined the song would be embraced by his favourite team.
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
A $200 reward is being offered by a North Vancouver family for the safe return of their beloved chicken, Snowflake.
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.
YES Theatre Young Company opened its acclaimed kids’ show, One Small Step, at Sudbury Theatre Centre on Saturday.