The #YouBelongHere campaign for International Transgender Day of Visibility
QMUNITY is hoping to raise awareness and generate support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community
QMUNITY has created a social media advocacy campaign to recognize and support International Transgender Day of Visibility. (Submitted)
QMUNITY, British Columbia’s non-profit queer, transgender, and two-spirit resource centre, has created a social media advocacy campaign in honour of International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31.
The province-wide campaign will be asking people to take a photo of themselves holding a sign with the hashtag #YouBelongHere in support of the transgender community.
The organization came up with the campaign and hashtag last year, and are hoping to achieve even more of a social media response this year.
“We wanted to take up space online to show anyone who identifies as trans in B.C. that there was a community for them, as well as let them know that we are here for them and we have a lot of services they can access,” says Tamara Touma, one of the campaign organizers and graphics and communication specialist for QMUNITY.
“Last year … we received social media messages thanking us and telling us how, through this campaign, they learned about the services and groups within their towns and cities that they can now access,” Touma says.
The goal of the campaign is to give transgender people the opportunity to join communities and connect with others who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+.
Syd Gill, community and fundraising assistant for QMUNITY, also worked on the campaign and says this initiative shows transgender people everywhere that they are not alone.
“Part of the campaign is to raise awareness, but also for trans folks across the province to know that QMUNITY has free and accessible services to support them with whatever issues or obstacles they are facing,” she says.
Due to the increase in anti-transgender politics both in Canada and the United States, Gill says they are also working on a campaign to encourage public spaces to make gender neutral washrooms.
“We are creating free guides and resources to educate business and community members on why this is such an important initiative for the trans community.”
Since 1979, QMUNITY has been providing a safe space for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Vancouver. Their goal is to “empower queer, trans and Two-Spirit individuals to be their best selves,” reads their website.
QMUNITY has done other initiatives for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community over the years, such as encouraging the use of pronoun pins and generating more educational programs across the province.
“Anytime I see trans folks coming in here, they are always so appreciative of our services and it feels so incredibly great for me to help this community out,” Gill says.
Other ways to get involved and show support for the #YouBelongHere campaign is by contacting local representatives to find out how they are helping the transgender community or by making a donation.
