Publications

Internet-based testing for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections has been available in British Columbia since GetCheckedOnline launched in 2014, and researchers wanted to know who was actually using it five years on. Drawing on the Sex Now 2019 online survey of gay, bisexual, transgender and queer men and Two-Spirit people, the team examined uptake among British Columbia respondents who already knew about the service. Just over a quarter had tested through it. Use was lower among racialized participants and those living with HIV, and higher among men who usually tested at walk-in clinics. Convenience was the most common reason for choosing the service.

What does an equitable relationship look like outside heterosexual norms? Thirty young women and non-binary youth aged 17 to 29 in British Columbia, over half with experience living as trans, took part in qualitative interviews about their current or recent non-heterosexual or non-monogamous relationships. A youth-engaged collaborative reflexive thematic analysis identified three requirements for equity: moving away from cis-heteronormative gender roles, actively dismantling hierarchies by sharing power, labour, and decision-making, and affirming each person's distinct needs and identities. Youth also described the difficulty of resisting deeply ingrained norms. The findings carry implications for healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers.

PrEP prevents HIV very effectively, yet uptake, adherence and persistence remain uneven. This study examines the political and economic conditions behind that gap in Ontario, Canada. Between July and October 2021, researchers held six focus groups and three interviews with 20 stakeholders, including clinicians, community organization staff and government staff, then analyzed transcripts using reflexive thematic analysis informed by a critique of neoliberalism. Participants described funding structures that prioritize profit and push patients and providers to act as individual entrepreneurs, compounding inequities for marginalized people. Suggested paths forward included stronger institutional and government support, community collaboration, and moving beyond risk-based health frameworks.

Precarious work is rarely examined through a queer lens, a gap this narrative inquiry addresses. Twenty gay, bisexual, and queer men shared employment stories, analyzed using Polkinghorne's narrative analysis and framed by a political economy of queer struggle. Their accounts form a three-part arc. Early devaluation of LGBTQ+ identities and adverse life experiences disrupted career planning and postsecondary education. Entering the labour market, participants faced restricted opportunities because of safety concerns and learned to navigate white, cisgender, straight, Canadian ideals prized by employers. Once employed, they lacked protections against hostile treatment, fearing job loss, leaving them susceptible to exploitative labour markets.

Les personnes de la diversité sexuelle et de genre (DSG) rapportent une consommation accrue de méthamphétamine en contexte sexuel, mais peinent à donner un sens à leurs expériences et à se faire entendre dans les services. Cette étude participative documente l'implication de pairs-chercheurs à toutes les étapes du processus, par journal de bord et notes de réunions analysés selon le cadre de l'injustice épistémique. Leurs savoirs situés ont enrichi l'analyse, orienté la diffusion vers la transformation des services et favorisé la confiance avec la population. Ces liens génèrent toutefois des attentes exigeantes, et l'engagement de l'équipe peut sembler manquer d'objectivité.