Albertan Affirmation Policy Projects
The importance of Gender-Diverse inclusion in public policy is more critical today than ever before; we’re doing our part in knowing more!
Book bans are never about the books. They are a strategy to marginalise, erase, and silence communities.
Recent proposals in Alberta are triggering resource and community censorship, targeting amongst others the Rainbow Community, their health, stories, and place in public life.
We can be ready. Building on a legacy of qualitative reporting, Cupola is launching cutting edge research – a swift, strategic project to not only recognise the damage but also equip community to fight back. Critical work this Autumn will help map the impact of by gathering testimonials from librarians, health professionals on the front lines, and other qualitative sources and in turn help build resilience by mapping effective paths to protect and spread community belonging as an antidote to hate & hurt.
Our work so far…
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Cupola is humbled to play a supporting role in the efforts of the Non-Binary Working Group. The group is ad-hoc and stands up when logistical barriers for X marker Canadians reveal paths to make life better. We support the scoping of realistic action and supporting policy science materials to empower changemakers to enact positive-sum change.
Two-Spirit, Non-Binary, X Marker, and Queer Canadians wishing to motivate an issue to the working group are encouraged to reach out via our ‘Contact Us’ page.
Outcomes
X Marker Equality in the Air - Canadians with ‘X’ markers on their identifications weren’t able to fly domestically, a decade following Transport Canada rule modernisation, mainly due to non-Canadian software. The Working Group collaborated with West Jet leadership to overcome the obstacles, in turn leading the Canadian aviation sector into allowing X marker Canadians to fly as themselves (Air Canada & other airlines following West Jet’s lead shortly thereafter).
X Marker Advances in Policing Procedure - When X marker Canadians apply for name changes, they are forced into falsifying policing documents which do not include X marker options. Through identifying the process errors, Canadian police services have begun a review of this and other gender/sex-marker related processing and information collection. In turn, senior officials with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police & other institutions are pursuing the removal of sex-marker information in general processes.
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A process & policy review of affirmation for Queer individuals in Alberta, identifying gaps & opportunities, to provide recommendations for enhancing the support and empowerment of the Queer community within Albertan society.
Work was focused to:
Identify accessibility, effectiveness, and experiential outcomes of affirmation related interactions across various categories.
Gather insights from Queer individuals and those they rely on.
Compile narratives to inform policy decisions and improve affirmation programs in Alberta.
Results were shared with community, policy, and government leadership and informed Albertan Affirmation Policy Projects.
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The Albertan Queer Affirmation Review revealed the need for stories to be shared, told, & amplified to give Queer folks in Treaty 7 to counter effects of anti-diversity extremists snuffing out participation in youth, in sports, and society. We gathered $3,000 to gather, feed, hear, and give cash prizes to Queer story writers & to share some of their stories via podcast & elsewhere. We are on track to raise: 15 unique stories; foster 150 conversations; and, 1,500 listens, all in a time of needed dialogue.
This project went into hiatus for safety considerations in summer 2024 but reactivated in Q1 2025.
Pilot Project Findings Report will be released September 2025 -
Cupola’s leadership in qualitative applied research projects unlocked invitations from Canadian post-secondary institutions to guide and mentor undergraduate researchers supporting gender-diverse policy inclusion in across health, academia, and other vocations.
Third Gender Experiences in Albertan Healthcare | 2024
Feasibility & Implications of Integrating the "X" Sex Marker into Alberta’s Healthcare and British Columbia Comparisons | 2025
Gender Diverse Experiences in Albertan Healthcare | 2025
Cupola is actively seeking financial support to continue these projects and to establish a society for future research efforts.
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Nursing researchers found Intersex, Non-Binary, and Two-Spirit communities need more representation in health literature & academia and warned of always lumping umbrellaing their needs under transgender discourses, paving the way for systemic change and equity-driven initiatives.
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Bow Valley College researchers shared findings with faculty & community that British Columbia can learn from decentralised civil society trans & gender-diverse healthcare in Alberta and how Albertan decision makers can learn from those in BC.
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Nursing researchers engaged with accreditors, deans & academic leaders, health care professionals and their colleges, as well as members of community to find baselines to improve Third Gender and gender diverse experiences in Albertan health.
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Part of Cupola's Queer Writers' Salon Series Pilot, Queer in Treaty 7 strengthens Queer narratives and stories by community-informed installments shared through Substack and podcast platforms.
Cupola has been seeking out and listening to lots about gender-diverse inclusion in public policy — this includes engaging community, professionals, academics, health providers, from Alberta and across Canada. Our works and reports have been connecting the realities of the Gender-Diverse and Albertan’s under the rainbow with thought leaders and decision makers wanting context and avenues for progress. We believe progress can come from ad hoc deeds but we know structure, tempo, and accountable leadership can empower so much more and we are building out a viable long-term service to community to help achieve this — a Planning & Implementation Committee has been struck to establish a society, inaugural board, and 18o-month plan; Cupola will continue leading Research Mentorship Projects in conjunction with Canadian post-secondary institutions policy inclusion work while the Committee will build the plan for the long term future under its leadership. Reach out through our Contact Page to help us out or to learn more.