Chapter 2: How discrimination and oppression can impact grief

Introduction

The advocate says
Heather McCain, educator and advocate, speaks about the importance of sharing grief and memories.(3:22)Video transcript
The educator says
Mono Brown, End-of-Life Doula, speaks about the need for marginalized groups to be involved in death and dying.(3:22)Video transcript

My grief – our grief – comes out of pain that I share with every 2SLGBTQ+ person, but grief is also how we heal, individually and together.

Grief is most often associated with a death. However, it can also be the result of a culture or a group being harmed through discrimination or oppression. When these two kinds of grief come together, it can feel deeply painful or overwhelming.

Although Canadian attitudes and beliefs about 2SLGBTQ+ communities have become more positive in recent years, the lives of 2SLGBTQ+ people continue to be deeply affected to varying degrees by both historical and current oppression and discrimination. You may or may not recognize the ways discrimination and oppression affect you. Click the arrows for examples.

Helpful resources