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ResearchersexamineLGBTQrealitiesintheNWT14TuesdaySeptember92014HEALTHWELLNESSLGBTQWELCOMEBACKSTUDENTSWALLYSDrugsPharmacy.Souvenirs.Magazines.NewspapersToys.Cards.Stationery.LotteryTicketCentreMondaytoSaturday10a.m.to6p.m.Thursday10a.m.to8p.m.SundayCLOSED867872-213468BreynatSt.FortSmithcascadegraphicsWemayhavechangedourlookbutwestillofferallthequalityproductsandservicesyouareusedtoplusmore.ByDALICARMICHAELWhatisitliketobeaLGBTQpersonintheNorthThatswhatagroupofresearchersishop-ingtounderstandinanewstudyexaminingstructuralfactorsthatimpactthementalandsexualhealthoflesbiangaybisexualtransandqueerpeoplelivingintheNorth-westTerritories.CarmenLogieaUniversityofTorontore-searcherwhospecializesinsocialandstruc-turaldriversofHIVhumanrightsandhealthequityissuesisleadingthestudywithre-searchpartnersfromtheInstituteforCir-cumpolarHealthResearchICHRAuroraCollegeFOXYFosteringOpeneXpressionamongYouthNWTPrideandItGetsBet-terYellowknife.Wereaskingyouth...whatwouldyouliketoknowmoreaboutwhatisimportantforpeopletoknowtomakelifebetterforyouLogiesaid.WeknowthatbecauseofstigmaanddiscriminationLGBTQyouthhavehigherratesofmentalhealthissuesincludingsuicidesubstanceabusedepres-sionandhigherratesofhomelessnessbutwealsoknowthattheseissuesareaprob-lemintheNorth.Northernterritorieshavesomeofthehigh-estratesofsexuallytransmittedinfectionsinCanadaincludingHIVwhichLogiesaidisariskthatcanbefurtherincreasedforLGBTQpeople.Nobodyhaseverlookedattheseis-suesfromaresearchperspectiveintheNorthsowedontactuallyknowwhatisthehealthwhataretheprioritieswhatisthestigmawhatthesocialacceptanceislikewithLGBTyouthintheNorthofCanadaLogiesaid.ThestudykickedoffduringthisyearsNWTPridefestivalinAugustwhenasmallgroupofLGBTQyouthinYellowknifeaged18to30wereinterviewedabouttheirlifeexperiences.Earlyfindingsshowthatwhiletheyouthdidntoftenfeelovertlydiscriminatedagainstbypeopleintheircommunitysomeoftheyoungmeninthestudysaidtheyhadbeendirectlyharassedwhilelivinginthecityandfeltunsafebecauseoftheirsexualorientation.Studyparticipantsexpressedthatamoreprevalentissueforthemisaperceivedlackofvisiblesupportfromthecommunity.ThegroupalsosaidtherearentenoughservicesavailablespecicallyforLGBTQyouthlikecounsellingandinformationonsafesexualhealthpractices.Unfortunatelysolutionstothesetypesofissuesarental-waysstraightforwardLogiesaid.TheydowantservicesbutitsalittlebittrickybecauseifyouhaveaclinicjustforLGBTQpeoplethenitskindofoutingpeo-plethatgotothatclinicLogiesaid.IftherewasawayforserviceproviderstobemoreinclusiveandmoreknowledgeableabouttheissuesLGBTQpeoplewouldbemorelikelytoaccessthoseservices.AfterrecentlyreceivingasecondgranttocontinueherresearchentitledMappingSo-cialandStructuralContextsofHIVandSTIVulnerabilityAmongLGBTQYouthintheNorthwestTerritoriesLogiesaidthenextstepwillbetoplanmorein-depthstudiesthatwillextendtoareasoutsideofYellowknife.AlreadyhavinganimpactFOXYanorganizationthatfocusesonspreadingsexualhealthawarenessintheNorthwestTerritoriesrecentlyannouncedtheyhavereceived60000fromthegovern-mentoftheNorthwestTerritoriestocontinuewiththeirtouringworkshops.Armedwiththepreliminaryresultsofthestudytheyhavealreadyadaptedtheirpro-grammingtobemoreinclusiveaddressingissuesthataroseintherstsession.WerelookingatmakingourprogrammingmorerelevantandmeetingtheneedsofLGBTQyouthaswellaslookingathowweregoingtoexpandintoworkingwithboysoverthenextsixmonthssaidCandiceLysaFOXYorganizerandaresearcherwiththeICHR.PhotoJamesMackenzieResearchersstudyingLGBTQyouthexperiencesinYellowknifebegantheirprojectwithagroupinterviewduringlastmonthsPridefestival.