2STNBGN Perspectives on Access to Justice

A Legal Needs Assessment

Poster with a dark gradient pink and blue background. Left-aligned text in the top left corner in pink reads “Do you identify differently than the gender you were assigned at birth?” followed by text in blue reading “Are you 12 and over?” followed once more by pink text reading “Do you live in Canada?” Below this is smaller white text reading “You can participate in a research study about Two Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming access to justice needs in Canada.” After a space, further white text reads “Those interested should fill out the survey found at tinyurl.com/2stnbgna2j.” The bottom right corner has white text reading “You will be compensated $50 for taking part in a focus group session or a one on one interview,” and the bottom left corner has a QR code leading to the same site as the link, with white text below that reading “This study is trans-led and community focused. For more details about our community ethics process please contact us at project@justicetrans.org.” The image on the poster shows the trans flag, curved, stretching from the bottom left corner to the top right corner. A dark grey trans symbol (a ring with a cross, an arrow, and a cross and an arrow combined) circles around the flag as a ring, with three people holding hands also encircling the flag and the symbol. In the centre of the symbol is a bright white glare. At the bottom of the poster is a white band with black text reading “In partnership with:” followed by the logos of Women and Gender Equality Canada, Carleton University, and JusticeTrans (in order from left to right).

This project aims to better understand the barriers Two Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming communities in Canada face when confronting legal issues and accessing justice. Anyone who identifies differently from the gender/sex they were assigned at birth and who lives in Canada can participate in the project. Participation begins with a survey that will take 15-30 minutes to complete. In completing the survey, you will be given the opportunity to indicate that you would like to participate further in the project through a one-on-one interview or through a focus group, which will be conducted later this year. Any questions about this research project can be sent to project@justicetrans.org. If while completing the survey you need any support, we have compiled a list of support resources found below. You can also contact the organizations in our resource lists, found here and here. 

The data collection portion of this research project is now closed and we are in the process of preparing a final report. Thank you to everyone who completed the survey and participated in our focus groups and interviews!

Find Support Resources Here (EN)
Find Support Resources Here (FR)

This project draws on the work of other researchers, including the projects listed below.

TRANSforming Justice Trans Legal Needs Assessment Ontario 

This project collected data from legal professionals and 2STNBGN community members across Ontario from 2016 to 2017, with goals including assessing the legal needs of trans people in Ontario and identifying access to justice barriers. The final report, released in 2018, can be accessed here. 

Trans PULSE Canada Survey 

This research, based on previous data collected in Ontario, collected data from people over 14 living in Canada as a gender other than what they were assigned at birth. Survey results are still being released in the form of academic papers, slide sets, community reports, and infographics. More information and results can be found here. 

Canadian Legal Problems Survey 

This survey is currently being conducted by Statistics Canada to identify the kinds of legal problems people face, how they resolve them, and the impacts these experiences have. The data is expected to be released in early 2022, and more information can be found here.