Six decades after affirmation, challenges remain

Today we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that marked a crucial turning point in human history as the first international agreement setting out freedoms, rights and entitlements for all humanity to claim.

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QX Monthly Get Together! December 19th 6-10pm

QX is hosting it's December Monthly Get Together from 6-10pm on Friday DECEMBER 19th at Lamp community Centre 2555 Dixie road Mississauga ,behind the ESSO. We would like to thank all members for their support this past year So come and celebrate with us this December.There will be food and drinks, great conversation and friendly faces, and this month we just want to have fun!

We can be seen at http://www.facebook.com/ 6-10pm , come early and enjoy a great evening. Please email/message us if you have dietary restrictions

Oh did I say their will be food!

See you Friday!*Please call to learn more

A Resource Database featuring LGBT health and wellness resources

Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO) is pleased to announce the launch of our new website * www.RainbowHealthOntario.ca RHO is a province-wide program that works to improve the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in Ontario through education, research, outreach and public policy. Our mission is to improve access to services and to promote the health of Ontario*s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities. We are based at Sherbourne Health Centre in downtown Toronto and our team consists of 4.5 staff in Toronto and 14 part-time Community Outreach Team members, one in each of Ontario*s Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). Please visit website for more information

PFLAG MEETING: 8th December

Hello PFLAGers, This month our meeting is on Monday 8th December. A reminder that new people are always welcome at PFLAG. We welcome parents, families and friends of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgendered persons to discuss, chat, meet others, and socialize. Please email qxposure@hotmail.com to RSVP or phone 647-289-4885 Time: 7pm-9pm Location: 100 Matheson Blvd East, Mississauga (Suite 103 at Associated Youth Services of Peel_ Nearest intersection is Matheson and Hurontario Lots of parking, and a short walk from the Hurontario bus stop at Matheson Blvd Refreshments provided. See you then!

' How homophobic' are you?

Take the test,what are you afraid of? ttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/assault/etc/quiz.html

Gay Hotline

The Peel Police launched a Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual,Transgenered,HATE CRIME HOTLINE on August 27th ,2008,it is believed to the the first of its kind in the region.The number is 905-456-5905.

Queer It Up! 2008 -- HISTORY IS MADE!

Queer It Up! - Peel's FIRST ever PRIDE march took place on July 19th, 2008. With over 70 diverse participants, and the support of Peel Region Police and agency organizers, the march strode peacefully westbound on Dundas Street all the way to Constitution Blvd, and then back eastbound to Dixie and Dundas. A BBQ, entertainment, and fun followed the march at the East Mississauga Community Health Centre. Thanks to the Mississauga News and Rogers Cable 10 staff who were respectful and sensitive to making sure people were comfortable with their presence. Article: http://www.mississauga.com/article/16803 Photos: http://infocus.mississauga.com/?view=photo&item_id=15244&event_id=2294 Many many many hands made this day a success. Special thanks to Nelson at the YMCA, Kathleen, Ramon, Ali, Blayne, Roger, Nicolas, Malena, Evan, Joanne, Jayme, PFLAG, David, Vinhson, John, Pam, Rhonda at Peel CAS, Bonnie, Danielle, Donna, Wasan, Alun, Beth, Sushmita, Maria Delmonte, Bill, PHAN, AYSP, and all the amazing QX participants and allied supporters that showed up! We worked together as a community to show our PRIDE in our backyards in Peel Region. We are grateful for all the mississaugaeans who honked, waved, and showed their support! It was a proud day in Peel Region for it's Queer, Trans and allied communities. We are already thinking about Queer It Up 2009! Lots of photos are posted on Facebook,check thcem out! Feel free to post feedback on what you'd like to see different for next year.

PRIDE March in Mississauga!!

The first ever PRIDE March in Mississauga will take place on July 19th, 2008! Please stay tuned for more details on meeting point, route, and post-march activities. The march will take place in East Mississauga and will be celebrated with food, entertainment and fun at the East Mississauga Community Health Centre, located at 2555 Dixie Road, Unit 7. QXposure is coordinating the PRIDE March in Mississauga with the help of many other individuals, and organizations in Peel who support building healthy and well LGBTQ communities. This event also compliments the great annual event by the Pride Committee of Peel, held in Brampton. Please be sure to check out their fun annual picnic on the 20th of July. Let's celebrate the dynamic, vibrant and diverse Queer and Trans communities in our Peel neighbourhoods!

Upcoming PFLAG Meetings - Summer 2008

All PFLAG meetings unless otherwise stated are held at 120 Matheson Blvd East, suite 103, Mississauga. It's best to RSVP so we can provide enough refreshments, adequate space, and we can keep you up to date of any changes. To RSVP please email qxposure@hotmail.com or call 905-602-4082 Tuesday June 24, 7-9pm Tuesday July 15, 7-9pm Monday August 18, 7-9pm

New resource for families of trans teens and young adults

Central Toronto Youth Services is pleased to announce the publication of *Families in TRANSition*, the first comprehensive Canadian publication to address the needs of parents and families supporting their trans children. *Families in TRANSition* summarizes the experiences, strategies, and successes of a working group of community consultants - researchers, counsellors, community leaders, parents, as well as trans youth themselves. The guide aims be inviting and inclusive of families who may be at any one of a number of stages, and especially so for parents who may have had their adolescent or young adult child come out recently as trans. *Families in TRANSition* provides practical and sensitive parent-to-parent and professional therapeutic advice, and tries to anticipate and address common questions and concerns, as well as normalize the varied reactions families may have. The guide offers accurate, up-to-date information on terminology, health, and issues related to transition, and suggests to families important ways they can take care of themselves and one another through this challenging and critical time. *Families in TRANSition* provides a provincial context and relevant local resources for continued youth and family support towards strengthening families. Hard copies can be ordered for a cost of $10 each, or downloaded for free as a pdf document, through our website, www.ctys.org. Best wishes, Nicola Brown, Ph.D., C.Psych Researcher, Pride & Prejudice Nicola.brown@ctys.org 416-924-2100 x249

PFLAG Monthly Meeting May!

Hi All! Join us on May 26th for our Parents, Families/Friends of LGBTTIQQ2 meeting from 7-9pm in Mississauga. Meet other people, discuss, chat, and share experiences in a safe space with others. Please email us at qxposure@hotmail.com to let us know you'll be joining us and we'll confirm the location with you. Refreshments will be served! See you on Monday May 26th!

QX Queer Health Literature Review

A literature review is available electronically (please contact us for a print copy). The literature review gives an overview research on the social determinants of health and their relevance for the Queer communities in Peel Region. The term Queer as used in this document is used as an umbrella term to capture all folk who identify under the LGBTTTIQQ acronym (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Transsexual, Two Spirited, Intersexed, Questioning and Queer). It is recognized however that not all trans folk would identify s queer if they identify as heterosexual. While the social determinants of health are no different for Queer and Trans communities, the literature review based on existing research, highlights how Queer and Trans communities can experience the social determinants of health in a unique way that includes the impacts of heterosexism and trans/homophobia. Your feedback and comments are welcome!

Peel PFLAG Meeting - April 28th, 2008

Dear Parents, Familes, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), After a successful launch last month, Peel PFLAG will be having a meeting on April 28th from 7-9pm. Location to be announced. If you are interested in attending, please email us at qxposure@hotmail.com to RSVP. Refreshments will be provided, and new members are always welcome. PFLAG is a great place to meet others who share similar experiences. For more information on PFLAG Canada, please visit www.pflagcanada.ca Thank you and hope to see you on the 28th!

QX Monthly Get Together!

Greetings QXers! Join us on April 25th from 6:30-9:30pm for our monthly get together. Join us for a dinner together, chat with others, and meet new people. Location to be announced, RSVP please! If you would like to attend, please send an email to qxposure@hotmail.com or RSVP on our Facebook Group. Hope to see you there!

Trans Training in Peel

QXposure hosted a Trans Training for service providers in Peel Region on March 28th through the wonderful expertise of the 519 Community Centre facilitators, Jake Pyne and Yasmeen Persad. A diverse audience of social service organizations and health providers actively participated in exploring the issues that Trans communities face when accessing health and social systems. This training was intended to improve capacity amongst participants to service and meet the needs of Trans communities, and second to begin a longer-term discussion to create more inclusive and responsive services for trans communities in Peel. Thank you to all those who participated!! Many thanks to the Positive Space Coalition of Peel, Associated Youth Services and the East Mississauga CHC for making this event possible. A selection of resources is available online:

• Trans Pulse Project

National Trans Resource guide developed by Community Based Research Project on the impacs of discrimination on the health of Onatrio trans communities

• Trans Access Project

Web resources supporting agencies to make services more accessible

• Trans Alliance Society

BC Organization providing education and resources for removing barriers for trans people. Site includes a guide for criminal justice personel and trans inclusion policy manual.

• Transgender Health Program

Extensive website resources on a range of health concerns for transgender people. Includes clinical protocol guidelines for clinicians as well as accessible health information for trans people.

• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

U.S. manual about making shelters accessible to transgender people.

Peel Queer and Trans Environmental Scan

QXposure understands the unique health issues for these communities and the barriers to health care access due to a lack of recognition of these unique issues by service providers. An environmental scan was conducted to begin to investigate the opinions and knowledge around queer and trans issues of service providers in the region of Peel and also to discover what, if any, specific services existed to cater to this demographic. The focus of this environmental scan was to identify current service provision for queer and trans communities in Peel. It was also intended to highlight gaps in service and offer some insight into the knowledge and opinions of service providers around these communities. It will be helpful if this document is read in-conjunction with the queer and trans and trans health literature review – created by QXposure1 - so that a better understanding of the social determinants of health for queer and trans can be achieved. Recognizing and understanding the stigma and discrimination that are apparent for queer and trans identifying folk – and their allies, is paramount to understanding the need for specific service provision for these communities. A full copy of the Environmental Scan Report can be accessed at: www.eastmisssaugachc.org/qxposure.php (please click on 'click here for access to additional information')

Peel FFLAG Launch!

Help us Launch FFLAG Peel!!! Join us on March 19, 2008, from 5-7 at Meadowvale Secondary School (6700 Edenwood Drive, Mississauga) to launch Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (FFLAG). RSVP appreciated, email qxposure@hotmail.com Refereshments will be served. Check out www.pflagcanada.ca for more information: "PFLAG Canada is a national charitable organization, founded by parents who wished to help themselves and their family members understand and accept their non-heterosexual children. Mission PFLAG Canada is a national voice that speaks for a more accepting Canadian society by providing support, education and resources on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Through our PFLAG Canada Chapter and Contact network, we actively assist in the recognition and growth of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, intersex, queer and questioning persons and their families and friends, within their diverse cultures and societies. Vision PFLAG Canada is a nationally recognized presence with a highly effective network of people and resources focused on supporting and educating Canadians on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity." Hope to see you on the 19th! If you would like to be kept updated on regular FFLAG events, either join us on Facebook (FFLAG Peel) or drop us an email at qxposure@hotmail.com

February Monthly Get Together!

Movie and Dinner with QX! It's time again for our monthly get together!! Come out and join us to watch a movie, have some food and meet some new people. This is a FREE event and Mississauga Transit Bus Tickets are available as a transportation subsidy for those who request it in advance. Please RSVP with your preference of movie, the one with the most votes wins: Mambo Italiano or But I'm a Cheerleader! Check out movie reviews at: http://www.imdb.com/

• Date: FEB 29, 2008
• Time: 6-9:30pm
• Place: 120 Matheson Blvd. E. Suite #201, Mississauga, L4Z 1X1

RSVP via email qxposure@hotmail.com or via our Event on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=12804876499

QX Community Consultation, Mississauga

QXposure made history in Peel Region by holding the first Queer and Trans community consultation at the Burnamthorpe Library Theatre on October 18th, 2007.

Coordinated by the East Mississauga Community Health Centre, in partnership with the Peel HIV/AIDS Network, the event brought together over 45 community members, service providers, front-line workers, and community members from all over Peel Region and the GTA.

Q-Xposure’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of Queer communities in Mississauga through a social determinants of health perspective, guided by an anti-racist and anti-oppressive framework which recognizes the specific needs of racialized Queer communities.

A copy of the post-forum report can be found online at http://www.eastmississaugachc.org/qxposure.php (click on 'please click here for additional information')

Our History

Welcome to QXposure's blog! Our history began with the planning of a community forum in mid-2007. The goal of this ground-breaking community forum for Mississauga was to encourage resident and social service provider input into strengthening the voice of diverse Queer and Trans communities. Over 45 people gathered at the Burnamthorpe Library Theatre in Mississauga to engage a panel of Queer and Trans service providers (mostly servicing Toronto) and to participate in a community 'game' to discuss oppression, privilege and community change. A post-forum report will be posted online shortly and will contain summaries of the group discussions, contacts for the panelists, and future directions based on the recommendations of the forum participants.

Our Meetings

Our next meeting will be scheduled for late February, typically on a Friday evening. However, we very much encourage people to let us know their prefer days and times that they would like to meet. We encourage a social component to our meetings like coffee, dinner, bowling, etc., so if you have any ideas, send them our way! If you'd like to stay up to date on our meetings, please join our Facebook group 'Qxposure' or email us at qxposure@hotmail.com and you will receive email updates. Looking forward to welcoming new QXers!!