Supporting queer and trans residents

There are things a municipality can do to make our community more welcoming and supportive for queer and trans residents, but I do not think we should assume we know what people need without first listening to them.

If elected Mayor, one of my first steps would be to meet with Spectrum to better understand what they are hearing from residents in Wilmot, what supports already exist, and where there are gaps.

Wilmot is already connected with Spectrum, but I would like to see that relationship become much more visible in our community.

That could mean helping to create more events in Wilmot, recruiting local volunteers to support Spectrum’s work, and encouraging more Wilmot residents to participate in activities that make our community more welcoming. 

If Spectrum does not have the capacity to expand programming directly into Wilmot, we can help build partnerships with existing community organizations that already support queer or trans residents. Perhaps through partnerships, they could offer family supports, peer groups, social opportunities or other programming, with guidance and resources from Spectrum.

As Mayor, when I meet with community organizations, service clubs and other groups, I would also encourage conversations about how their programs and events can be more welcoming and inclusive, connecting them to Spectrum. 

There are also some practical things we can do within the Township itself. When possible, we should consider not collecting gender information unless there is a legitimate reason to do so. Where that information is needed, people should be able to self-identify rather than being limited to only male or female choices. Township systems should also allow people to use their chosen name wherever a legal name is not required.

I want us to create opportunities for people to tell us what would make their community more welcoming, and then use the municipality’s role, partnerships and resources to help those ideas happen.