Home: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE): Safer Space Campaign

What is the Safer Space Campaign?

The Safer Space Campaign is an ongoing education initiative that helps BC Cancer employees learn about the history, lived experiences and healthcare needs of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual individuals (2SLGBTQIA+).

To help 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals feel safer accessing healthcare we can and should educate ourselves about their history, lived experiences and healthcare needs. You can help make BC Cancer a safer place for gender and sexual minorities to receive care by starting with your own commitment to ongoing learning.

Why Does This Matter?

For marginalized individuals, health care settings can create anxiety. Many 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals experience discrimination in health care settings. This can reduce trust and comfort with health professionals, limiting openness among 2SLGBTQIA+ patients.

All people seeking healthcare should be able to get it without worrying about being mistreated, harassed or denied service. Yet the discrimination that 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals often experience in healthcare settings is harmful and can delay or deny quality patient care.

How Can I Participate in the Campaign?

In order to complete the campaign and be recognized for developing your knowledge and awareness of issues experienced by 2SLGBTQIA+ people, follow these steps:

Step 1: Choose and complete TWO learning activities marked with the Progress Pride flag . The campaign offers a range of these activities as education resources:

Find these pages on the left side menu of this page.

If you are unsure where to start, try the Intro to Gender Diversity Learning Hub Courses!

If you have a suggestion for a learning resource to add, please contact l leitz@bccancer.bc.ca.

Step 2: Complete the Safer Space Campaign evaluation survey HERE

Step 3: Arrange with a local campaign representative a way to pick up a rainbow pin . Regional contacts are listed on the left. This pin demonstrates that you have completed the Safer Space Campaign and have educated yourself on some of the history, lived experiences and healthcare needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.

Pride Flags

Numerous pride flags have been created to represent the sexual and gender diversity of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. For BC Cancer’s Safer Space Campaign, we are using the Intersex Progress Flag to acknowledge the newest iteration of what is perhaps the most recognizable Pride Flag – the Rainbow Flag. We will be distributing Rainbow Flag pins to start; once this supply is used, we will transition to distributing the Intersex Progress Flag. To learn more about other pride flags that people use to represent their identity, watch the video below or see the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office page on pride flags.

> Click here to expand your knowledge about the Rainbow Flag and the Pride Progress Flag

The first Rainbow Flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978. In 2017, under the leadership of American civil rights activist Amber Hike, the Rainbow Flag was re-developed to incorporate black and brown stripes in recognition of Black, Brown, and other 2SLGBTQIA+ people of colour. In 2018, Daniel Quasar re-designed the flag to include trans people, which was came to be known as the Pride Progress Flag. Most recently, in 2021, the flag was re-designed by Valentino Vecchietti to incorporate the intersex flag, which is known today as the Intersex Progress Flag.

“It’s important for everyone to feel safe and listened to in any health care setting.

Please learn - develop an understanding of SOGIE in order to create safer spaces for us.”

~Linda Lee, patient partner

What Does Allyship Mean?

Allyship is an action not a label, and therefore, being an ally requires learning, self-reflection, practice and at times, courage.

How Does Wearing a Pin Help?

By displaying a rainbow pin upon completion of the campaign, you are not just adding a decoration. It is a symbol of inclusion.