Workshop: Healthcare for Trans and Gender-Diverse People

On January 15, we welcomed students and community members to our first Patient and Community Voices (PCV) Workshop of 2026, Building Safer Spaces: Healthcare for Trans and Gender-Diverse People. Eleven students participated from eight programs (Dietetics, Genetic Counselling, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, and Science).

We were grateful to our panelists, Mandy Young, Jodi Gray, and Charis Hamm, who shared lived experiences as transgender individuals and caregivers. Their stories invited participants to reflect on navigating healthcare systems, the impact of affirming and non-affirming care, and everyday practices that contribute to safer spaces. They also highlighted the complexity and intersectionality of people’s lives, the importance of community and support, and the need to see trans and gender-diverse people as whole individuals beyond any single aspect of identity.

Student reflections underscored the powerful impact of hearing directly from people with lived experience. One participant shared that the workshop “left a lasting impression” they hoped to carry into their future practice, while another reflected that the panelists’ stories helped them re-evaluate how they might approach patient–provider interactions. Students spoke about deepening their understanding of allyship, health inequities, and the diverse experiences of trans and gender-diverse people, as well as recognizing their own roles in advocating for, supporting, and empowering patients and caregivers.

As with all Patient and Community Voices workshops, the evening centred lived experience as expertise, encouraging students to consider how they can help create healthcare spaces where trans and gender-diverse people feel seen, respected, and supported.

Upcoming Workshops

• Disability Health – February 5, 2026
• Rural Health – February 26, 2026
• Substance Use Care – March TBD

Registration is required.