Two-Spirit, Trans & Non-Binary HIV & Hep C Resource

At YouthCO, we know that T2SNB youth, particularly youth who are trans women and femmes who are also Indigenous, Black, and of colour, are among the youth most impacted by HIV & Hep C.

One of the many ways we can support T2SNB communities is through providing accurate information that can give us some tips and reduce the stigma surrounding HIV and Hep C. This booklet was written by T2SNB youth from across what is now called British Columbia from September 2018 - May 2019, with funding from the Provincial Health Services Authority's Collective Impact Network Innovation Fund.

We believe that all youth, including those of us who are Trans, Two-Spirit and non-binary (T2SNB) have the right to accessible and affirming information about our sexual health. Institutional barriers that our communities face have made knowledge on how HIV and Hep C relates to us harder to access, and in some cases, non existent. The information in this booklet has been developed by community members, including past and present YouthCO staff, volunteers, and program participants who are Trans, Two-Spirit, non-binary, living with HIV and/or Hep C.

Each of us has a unique relationship to our bodies, sex, and sexuality. For many of us, the words used by others for our bodies and their functions are not the words we use for ourselves. We know that we have not used words in this resource that reflect everyone in our communities. We have tried to be as expansive with our language as we know how to while being as specific as possible about the ways that HIV and Hep C can be passed.

Language and experiences are ever changing and evolving, so we invite feedback about the language we have used in this book so we can continue to make this information more accurate and accessible. You can reach the YouthCO team at [email protected], or give us a call at 1-855-968-8426!