WHAT IS COMMUNITY?
‘The importance of community’ is a theme that weaves throughout the documentary Supporting Our Selves (SOS). Dive further into that subject by exploring below, reflecting on how community grows, how it’s threatened and its meaning in our life.
What does Community mean to you?
Participants from the documentary reflect on this question in the video below.
what are the threats to community?
Join the conversation! Enter any words or phrases that you feel represent threats to Community. Don’t be afraid to repeat answers you already see!
A lack of discourse. Politics. The loss of physical space.
Inclusion and growth is a painful process for all involved. Our lack of patience and empathy, in my opinion, stunts our evolution as a community,
Complacency. Community requires action.
Our human rights being threatened everytime there is an election. Our safety being threatened on the streets and on the TTC. The Catholic school board and their campaign of hate, fear and ignorance. The fact that our Premier has been clear his anti-LGBTQ2S+ stance.
How does community grow?
Check out these amazing organizations featured in the documentary who are working everyday to support and strengthen our community.
COMMUNITY ONE
Community One Foundation is an organization that provides grants for projects that enhance the development of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in the GTA.
DISABLED, QUEER AND FABULOUS
Disabled, Queer and Fabulous welcomes 2SLGBTQIA+ Disabled, Chronically ill and Neurodivergent people and our supporters to foster meaningful connections with other members and talk about important issues facing our communitie(s), and the ways we work to enforce positive change!
THE 519
The 519 is committed to the health, happiness and full participation of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities. A City of Toronto agency with an innovative model of Service, Space and Leadership, we strive to make a real difference in people’s lives, while working to promote inclusion, understanding and respect.
THE AFRICAN CENTRE FOR REFUGEES
The African Centre for Refugees is a registered not-for-profit and non-sectarian African Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ+) community organization that supports vulnerable refugees from the African continent with humanitarian assistance to unite as a harmonious community and create a friendly and supportive environment.
TYLER J. SLOANE
As an Anishinaabe (Oji-cree), Chinese, White mixed race Non-binary artist, my work emphasises marginalised voices with an intrinsic intersectional lens and artistic framework. I am currently participating as a Fellow in Why Not Theatre's ThisGen: PROVOKE Producing Fellowship. Beyond, Tyler is a multi-disciplinary artist with a focus in Performance (Performance Art, Burlesque and Drag under the stage name Tygr Willy), Media Arts (Photography and Videography), and Visual Arts.
LEZLIE LEE KAM
I identify as a World Majority, Brown, Carib, Trini, Indo, Chinese, callaloo, differently-abled, Jurassic, Bionic, queer DYKE Elder/Rainbow Senior. I am a community activist, educator, connector, storyteller, knowledge-keeper, event curator and sometime actor. I live and work from an intersectional anti-oppression and anti-colonial perspective. My purpose is to advocate for the Human Rights of ALL 2S-LGBTQI + Rainbow Seniors and queer/trans youth.
BUDDIES IN BAD TIMES THEATRE
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is Toronto’s leading destination for artistically rigorous alternative theatre, a world leader in developing queer voices and stories for the stage and the largest and longest-running queer theatre in the world. Buddies offers a year-round program that includes a full season of queer theatre and intergenerational training and education initiatives.
remember your history
Dive into these resources used for the film to learn more about our history!
THE QUEER NINETIES
At the beginning of the 1990s lesbians and gays had no recognition of their relationships in law and the Canadian government had still not included non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the Federal Human Rights Act. By the end of the decade, lesbians and gays had won relationship recognition and adoption rights in most jurisdictions in Canada. “The Queer Nineties” takes a look at an amazing decade in the struggle for lesbian and gay equality in Canada.
THE ARQUIVES
The ArQuives is one of the largest 2SLGBTQ+ archives in the world. Focusing on Canadian content, The ArQuives acquires, preserves, organizes and gives public access to information and materials in any medium, by and about 2SLGBTQ+ people, primarily produced in or concerning Canada.
