About this session

Saturday, 10:20 AM - 11:50 AM

Navigating Challenges and Support for 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth: Insights into Mental Health, Identity, and Advocacy

The proposed symposium seeks to shed light on the complex realities faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, particularly focusing on the critical roles of bullying, mental health, healthcare access, and parental advocacy. With 2SLGBTQIA+ youth among the most vulnerable populations, recent increases in legislation restricting their rights have heightened the urgency for supportive frameworks that bolster their wellbeing.

The papers to be discussed collectively highlight the multifaceted challenges these youth encounter. The first study explores the prevalence of weight-based bullying, revealing that queer and gender-diverse youth are especially susceptible, which can exacerbate mental health difficulties. The second study provides alarming insights into suicidality rates among transgender and gender-diverse youth, indicating nearly half experience suicidal thoughts, underscoring the need for focused mental health interventions. The third study discusses barriers to accessing mental and medical healthcare, emphasizing the need for trans affirming care to mitigate negative health outcomes. Lastly, the fourth study examines the relationship between parental support and advocacy, finding that supportive parents are more likely to engage in certain forms of public advocacy, although state-level laws do not appear to influence this engagement.

Together, these studies emphasize the necessity of an intersectional approach to address the unique vulnerabilities of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. Through collaborative studies among researchers, healthcare providers, and community advocates, this symposium highlights actionable strategies to enhance support systems and promote healthier development for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.

Paper #1
Title	Weight-Based Bullying Experienced by Canadian Youth Across Intersections of Gender and Sexuality
Presenting author	Dr. Deinera Exner-Cortens, University of Calgary, Canada

Paper #2
Title	Prevalence of suicidality among TGD youth: A meta-analysis and systematic review
Presenting author	Kristine Lyn Pesigan, University of Calgary, Canada

Paper #3
Title	Navigating Barriers and Facilitators: Enhancing Healthcare Access for Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth
Presenting author	Lindsay Berg, University of Calgary, Canada

Paper #4
Title	Impact of Legal Context on Parental Support and Advocacy for Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth
Presenting author	Louis-Thomas Bouchard Morin, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada

View all paper details

Session chair
Brae Anne McArthur, Ph.D., University of Calgary, Canada

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