2SLGBTQ Health In Focus is a podcast from Rainbow Health Ontario where we talk to experts in the field and share knowledge about health and health care systems and 2SLGBTQ folks.
In Episode 3, we get a picture of the ways that anti-trans actors can target health care providers from a clinic who experienced this type of harassment, as well as the current face of transphobia and disinformation from experts in the field.
In Episode 4, we speak to folks who share practical tips for resisting transphobia. From safety measures to communications strategies to tightening up our cybersecurity, you’ll learn about some of the tools that will keep us all going in a climate of rising hate.
Our podcast was recorded on traditional territories of many Indigenous nations, including:
- Toronto (Tkaronto): Treaty 13 territory. The Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat
- Ottawa (Odawa/Adàwe): Unceded territory of Algonquin Anishnaabeg
- Waterloo: Haldimand treaty. Territory of Haudenosaunee, Anishnaabe and Attawandaron/Attiwonderonk (also known as Neutral).
We acknowledge these, and any other Nations who care for the land–acknowledged and unacknowledged, recorded and unrecorded. These territories are still home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to record these stories for the people who call these lands home today.
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Guests
By day, Kevin Cao, a seasoned small business banker provides loans and financial expertise to empower entrepreneurs in navigating the complexities of the business world. Beyond banking hours, he is the Operations Coordinator at Thrive Kids Clinic. His overarching goal is to contribute to the well-being and development of the next generation of kids and healthcare professionals.
Dr. Raphael Buencamino, a doctor with a passion for 2SLGBTQ+ health, brings a unique perspective shaped by growing up gay in the conservative United States Bible Belt. Inspired by the challenges he and his close friends in the 2SLGBT+ community faced, he dedicated his career to advocating for inclusive healthcare. Trained at UCSF, a pioneer in gender-affirming care, Dr. Buencamino gained expertise in addressing the unique needs of 2SLGBT+ individuals. Now in Toronto at Thrive Kids Clinic, he spearheads a new gender-affirming care clinic for youth.
Fae Johnstone, MSW, is the Executive Director of Wisdom2Action, a progressive consulting firm and social enterprise, and President of the Society of Queer Momentum – a 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy nonprofit. She is a prominent advocate for queer and trans rights and a recurring voice in Canadian news on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues. Over the past ten years, she has supported hundreds of organizations across Canada to build their capacity for 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. She was the Grand Marshal of the Ottawa Capital Pride Parade in 2023, and recipient of the Young 2SLGBTQIA+ Entrepreneur of the Year award from Canada’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Chamber of Commerce, also in 2023. She’s also on a chocolate bar.
Dr. Saroo Sharda (she/her) is the inaugural Associate Dean of Equity and Inclusion for the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University. From 2019 – February 2024 she was a medical advisor and EDI Lead at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario where she led cross-organizational work to embed an EDI and anti-racist lens into complaints processes, provincial policy and education. Saroo partnered with RHO to provide mandatory training for all Board and committee members with regard to safe and culturally competent care for 2SLGBTQ+ patients. As a cisgender straight woman she strives to continually build her own cultural competence as a clinician in her anesthesiology practice. Dr. Sharda also considers it important to use her privilege to advocate for high quality, lived-experience driven education for healthcare learners and faculty members in the area of 2SLGBTQ+ health.
Kathryn LeBlanc (she/her) is a social impact communications expert and the Principal Consultant at LeBlanc (& co.) Communications. After leading communications for nonprofits and working in media relations on Parliament Hill, Kathryn established LeBlanc (& co.) Communications which is a sought after firm focused on strategy, messaging development, training, and branding.
While Kathryn works in communications strategy across a range of areas, her background is specialized in communications for 2SLGBTQI+ communities. In 2019, Kathryn joined the Enchanté Network as the network’s second employee and helped establish and scale the network as she served in several leadership roles and led the network’s communications. She has supported successful advocacy campaigns winning federal government funding for 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations and has co-authored research on queer funding policy. Recently, one of Kathryn’s projects involved collaboratively creating a message guide on supporting trans youth and many of her clients are national and local organizations working in areas such as gender justice, sexual health, and 2SLGBTQ+ rights.
Laura Graves (she/her) is a queer woman living in Waterloo. Her Masters research was focused on making machine learning models do things they aren’t supposed to do and learning how we can exploit, fix, or learn from those properties. She now works designing machine learning models that detect and protect against cybersecurity threats. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, playing music, and birding.
Resources
- RHO Resource: Managing Anti-Trans Harassment for Health Care Providers
- Thrive Kids Clinic
- Wisdom2Action
- College of Physicians and Surgeons – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- College of Physicians and Surgeons – In Dialogue podcast
- The Society for Queer Momentum
- Together We Will Win: Guide to Campaign Messaging In Support of Trans Youth
- Aso Communications
- Race Class Narrative Messaging Checklist
- LeBlanc & co. Communications
- Cyber security for healthcare organizations: Protecting yourself against common cyber attacks (Government of Canada)