Todaysa国际传媒檚 youth has a wider array of language tools and a better understanding of gender diversity than Britton Kohn did in their teen years, but theresa国际传媒檚 still room to improve how people understand themselves and their neighbours.

Statistics Canadasa国际传媒檚 first-ever census data on the transgender or non-binary population found Greater Victoria had the countrysa国际传媒檚 largest proportion (0.75 per cent) of individuals identifying with those groups.

sa国际传媒淚 feel a lot safer and seen and understood in Victoria than I do in my hometown of Calgary,sa国际传媒� Kohn, who is non-binary, told Black Press Media. sa国际传媒淟anguage is powerful and education is powerful and thatsa国际传媒檚 something I think Victoria has started to share.sa国际传媒�

But the figures highlight a gap, the Victoria Pride Society president said, and that more education is needed in communities across Canada sa国际传媒� especially for young folks as trans youth continue to face disproportionately high suicide rates.

sa国际传媒淕ender expression, gender diversity is there and itsa国际传媒檚 a part of us,sa国际传媒� Kohn said, adding that by providing education sa国际传媒測ousa国际传媒檙e allowing a person to really learn more about themselves in a much richer way.sa国际传媒�

Replacing the census sa国际传媒渟ex at birthsa国际传媒� category, which StatsCan said will be used to compare historical data, with a host of gender options, and a write-in space, would more accurately allow people to say who they are, Kohn said.

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The census also found Gen Z and millennials are three to seven times more likely to identify as trans or non-binary than other generations. Younger generations may be more comfortable reporting their gender identity than older generations as theresa国际传媒檚 been more been social and legislative recognition of transgender, non-binary and 2SLGBTQIA+ people, StatsCan said.

Kohn recalled the discomfort they felt being called a tomboy growing up and feeling shame for not wanting to wear a dress. They said a simple fix to helping kids feel like they belong would be including gender and racial diversity in the books they read.

sa国际传媒淔rom a young age, (books) should really reflect society and for parents that think that all of a sudden influences their kid to be gay or be trans sa国际传媒� I want to confirm it doesnsa国际传媒檛 work like that,sa国际传媒� Kohn said.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 just the education around allowing a little human to express themselves, whatever that looks like, and to nurture that sa国际传媒�itsa国际传媒檚 allowing the kid to be who they are.sa国际传媒�

Queer and trans people often lack resources that help them accept who they are or process the harsh realities theysa国际传媒檝e faced, said Victoriasa国际传媒檚 Kara Nystrom. For her, that included facing abuse from family when she was young sa国际传媒� while being aware she was female but felt stuck in a male body sa国际传媒� and being threatened in the workplace later in life.

sa国际传媒淲hat would you feel like if yousa国际传媒檝e been shown through media (and) through society that you donsa国际传媒檛 fit, that you donsa国际传媒檛 count, that you donsa国际传媒檛 have a voice, that you donsa国际传媒檛 have a place sa国际传媒� and then try to achieve something,sa国际传媒� Nystrom said. sa国际传媒淗ow are you going to do that, how are you going to feel about yourself, your internal dialogue is just full of self-hate.sa国际传媒�

Itsa国际传媒檚 what led to her life-coaching service, Karadical Transformations, which focuses on the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 my family and those are the people I want to spend the bulk of my time lifting up and helping them find their own voice.sa国际传媒�

She described it as a two-person support group where she tries to create a safe, kind and compassionate space so people can open up and achieve some sa国际传媒渞adical self-love.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚t strengthens our community, it strengthens the individual. Generations from now, people will be able to transform how wesa国际传媒檙e seen and how wesa国际传媒檙e perceived,sa国际传媒� Nystrom said.

Kohn said while places like the Island Sexual Health Clinic use a model that makes gender diverse folks feel comfortable, healthcare centres in Victoria are an area where the region could strive to improve. Itsa国际传媒檚 a hard ask for the COVID-19-exhausted system, Kohn admitted, but even just some simple language changes can go a long way. They remember medical appointments where staff made them uncomfortable, but others when just having gender boxes to check beyond just male and female made them feel hopeful.

sa国际传媒淐onversation and having dialogue means that theresa国际传媒檚 room for change and growth to happen,sa国际传媒� Kohn said.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e going to get it wrong sometimes and thatsa国际传媒檚 OK as long as wesa国际传媒檙e doing the work to get it right.sa国际传媒�

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