"We have to save each other" – community support networks for trans people in Montreal

Faced with the rise of anti-2SLGBTQ+ laws south of the border, political uncertainty in Canada, and economic difficulties, trans people in Montreal work tirelessly to keep their communities afloat. Although transgender support networks and services are growing in Montreal, most organizations depend on unpaid labor and very limited budgets. Community workers share their observations on the current situation.

In the buzz of a lively café, we meet Skylar Laidman, a young trans woman from Montreal. Working for TRAPs is an integral part of her life as a member of the transfeminine community. She doesn't see herself as a "volunteer" and has taken on more responsibilities for about two years. A little shy at the beginning of the interview, Skylar gains confidence as our conversation deepens.

"With these organizations, what we're really trying to do is not [just] offer a service. We're trying to build something that people can feel belongs to them," Skylar explains.

TRAPs is a radical transfeminist collective that organizes community cooking workshops, meetings, and workshops on community organizing, in addition to offering voice training classes for transfeminine people in Montreal.

The organization implements partnerships and initiatives to help trans people going through difficult times. Economic hardship hits trans people harder, who have more difficulty finding employment, accessing housing, and obtaining public medical care, Skylar explains.

TrapS and MtF plead for advocate for free and gender-affirming healthcare (RAMQ does not cover facial feminization surgery or breast augmentation, which are considered "purely cosmetic"), a guaranteed income, the decriminalization of sex work, the decriminalization of drugs, as well as housing and refugee status for 2SLGBTQ+ people, to name just a few examples.

Although Skylar notes progress in the general acceptance of trans people in Canada, she believes that institutional policies hinder the survival of trans people. For example, without access to gender-affirming medical care, some trans people may be tempted to self-medicate with hormone replacement therapy without supervision. Similarly, the lack of affordable housing can lead to cases of domestic abuse due to transphobia. The approval time for a trans asylum seeker also increases the risk of transphobic violence in their country of origin.

"A lot of trans people are still going to die because it's not about agreeing with trans people, but about the power that can be deployed against us with policies, governmental and legal aspects, and their enforcement," the young woman explains.

TRAPs has also created a mutual aid fund, which is managed by its partner non-profit organization, the Transfeminist Movement/Movement for Transfeminism (MtF). This fund is a reserve of money from the collective that can be used by people in need to pay their rent, food, medical expenses, or any other urgent purchase necessary for their survival.

The organization's initials are a nod: MtF also refers to the familiar expression "male to female." MtF was incorporated as a non-profit organization in March 2024 and acts as a hub for trans community organizations. MtF collaborators connect trans people with the right resources and secure funding for the organization.

According to Judith Lefebvre, one of the organization's co-founders, MtF and TRAPs were created to meet the immediate needs of trans people. "Transgender organizations receive millions of dollars to essentially educate cis people – which is good, worthwhile, and important work. Then there's this refusal to address urgent, structural needs, which are the objective manifestations of transmisogyny and then transphobia," she says.

She speaks quickly, and there is an urgency in her voice when she describes the barriers that trans people face.

Requests for assistance sometimes simply involve helping people access already existing resources, she explains – such as a social assistance application or an employment insurance application. But between the precarious nature of volunteer work and the lack of funding and staff in organizations, some people can fall through the cracks of community organizations. Judith Lefebvre would like frontline workers to be hired to help trans people navigate existing institutions, and for trans people to also create their own institutions.

Recently, MtF received funding from the federal government, but the volunteer organization is still looking for longer-term funding, like many other community services, Ms. Lefebvre points out. "It breaks our hearts sometimes because we lack time, we lack resources, we're not always able to help people to the extent they need," she confides.

On its website, the City of Montreal states that it is committed to supporting 2SLGBTQ+ people with initiatives such as the education of municipal employees, the use of appropriate language, and support for  Interline center, a helpline for 2SLGBTQ+ people, and Fierté Montréal. There is no mention of support for community organizations on its page. La Converse contacted the City of Montreal for an update on its Solidarity, Equity and Inclusion Plan, but did not receive a response.

At the provincial level, the government recently reduces funding for organizations that work in harm reduction, including ASTT (e) Q, a peer support organization under the umbrella of CACTUS Montreal, which helps trans people access healthcare and social services.

"Over the past decades, in recent years in particular, there has been a significant improvement in the capacity to welcome, for example, organizations for women victims of violence, women's shelters. But there has been no expertise developed for feminist intervention with trans women. And this expertise cannot develop without us. For that, we will need funding and support to build these infrastructures," Judith confides.

“We're doing a lot of things that doctors should be doing.”

Trans Patient Union (TPU), one of the services in the MtF network, provides medical resources and advocates for trans patients in Montreal. Jacob Williams helped found TPU in 2022, an initiative born from a group of McGill students. Today, the organization is extending its services to the entire Montreal community. Despite a busy schedule, Jacob takes the time to explain his work in detail, in a passionate and familiar tone.

On its website and Instagram page, there are numerous resources for trans patients, such as a database of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) providers and transition guides. TPU has also set up the Dating a trans patient program, where people interested in gender-affirming surgery can talk to someone who has already undergone the procedure. TPU volunteers also offer one-on-one support to trans people.

As co-administrator, Jacob dedicates about 25 hours a week to TPU, between completing his master's degree and two part-time jobs. Others work as much as he does, but most only dedicate a few hours here and there.

"We sometimes pay honorariums to certain people, but it's a few dollars an hour if you calculate it," Jacob explains. The organization has just received federal funding that could allow it to hire part-time staff: "This is very good news for us. Our organization exists thanks to a small number of extremely dedicated people who do this work for free and who organize their entire lives to ensure they can do this work for free," he explains. "And that is not sustainable," he adds. "Our goal is therefore to obtain substantial funding to allow us to ensure our existence in the future."

He hopes that access to public healthcare will improve for trans people but believes it is important that some aspects of this care rely on local community organizations rather than public bodies.

"We firmly believe that we do many things that doctors should do. A large part of our work is explained by the fact that the medical profession does not properly care for transgender patients," Jacob believes. According to him, many doctors do not offer consultations on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and are also not informed about the different types of gender-affirming surgeries that are available, let alone the side effects and healing processes of these procedures. He adds that some doctors are not sensitive to the needs and realities of trans patients.

"Advocacy for trans patients goes beyond the clinic and medical care," he states. Each person has a different gender affirmation journey, and this nuance is sometimes ignored in a medical setting. "There are things that, in my opinion, lend themselves better to a community setting," Jacob affirms.

"We're all passing around the same $50 bill"

The 19 edition of the Trans Pride Festival  was held on March 29th and 30th at Livart, an art gallery in Plateau-Mont-Royal. Organized by Help for Trans in Quebec (ATQ) and Studio ZX, the festival offers panels, performances, and dance parties.

Victoria F. Legault, director of ATQ, smiles as she recalls this year's edition, the busiest she had ever seen. “For the first panel of the day, almost all the chairs were full, and there were people sitting on the stairs at the back. It is deeply touching. It also shows the need to have this space, at least once a year, so that people can meet, exchange, expand their network, break isolation,” she says.

During the afternoon workshop titled Beyond Survival: Networks of Radical Solidarity (beyond survival: radical solidarity networks), FrankieB Lambert spoke to a packed room about the importance of community support. Dressed in bright colors, he addressed the crowd in a soft and confident voice, sharing the knowledge he has gained through his experience as a Black transmasculine activist, sex worker, and harm reduction worker.

He spoke of the love and support of the Montreal trans community, and noted that external resources are always needed. “I often joke with my friend that in Montreal, we all pass out the same $50 bill,” he said, eliciting complicit laughter in the crowd.

"Each of us experiences difficulties, and we help each other, which is a good thing. But it's also problematic. We should receive money from other people, like allies, people who are perhaps more financially stable and who can also contribute to this mutual aid. Instead of us passing around the same $50 bill, tell your rich friends to help trans people and contribute to trans mutual aid funds," he adds.

Asked about the role the government should play in supporting trans people, he replies as follows: "I think [the state's] role would really be to support us trans people, in the sense that we've already done the work. You know, there's ATQ, there's ASTT(e)Q, there are so many grassroots organizations that are already on the front lines. If I had to say something to the government, it would be: 'Give me your money!'" The audience bursts into laughter and applause. "Seriously, fund our services. We've already done the work with a few bucks, so imagine what we could do with millions. Let's stop giving money to the police and give it instead to those who house us, those who save us, those who feed us."

The entire Trans Pride programming exclusively featured trans and non-binary people, with the exception of a session on the role of allies in the fight for trans rights. The allies panel included Westmount Liberal MNA Jennifer Maccarone, Dr. Antoine Cloutier-Blais, and Narinder Dhami from the Sonor Foundation. All three spoke about ally initiatives within the Quebec government, in the medical field, and in the private fundraising sector, respectively.

According to Ms. Maccarone, resources have been allocated to education and awareness of the realities of transgender people within the government, but there is still a long way to go. Several trans people La Converse spoke with cited Ms. Maccarone as an ally. Asked about the province's intention to allocate funds to trans organizations on the ground, she recalled that she was a member of the opposition and did not have the final say on the allocation of funds, but that the province needed to start making better decisions.

Referring to the province's $13 billion deficit, Ms. Maccarone stated: "We are going to face very difficult times soon. Probably until mid-2026. (...) We don't need to have a Committee of Experts. In fact, a sum of $1 million could fund the needs of a few organizations. The short answer is that we need a change of government."

"We have a beautiful community and we are united"

Although the work is far from over, these members of the trans community do not intend to give up – or lose hope.

Victoria envisions not only a trans-inclusive future but also a future where trans people are empowered.

"I hope we will keep what we have already gained. I think that's already a good wish to have right now, seeing what's happening south of the border. But I really hope for growth in services for trans and non-binary people. I would like to see more people from our communities in decision-making or positions of power. We were just talking about it with Jennifer [Maccarone]: when will we see the first trans person sit in the National Assembly?"

"What gives me hope is waking up every day choosing hope," says Skylar. "It's the same kind of opposition that gay people experienced in the 1980s. It's not a surprise. We know the rules of the game, but we also know that we managed to get through it. That's not the case for everyone, and that's why we have to fight now."

Jacob says he is motivated by love and necessity. "Becoming a trans patient has had a truly transformative effect on my entire life and the way I see things, and doing this work is by far the most meaningful thing I have ever done in my life," the student explains.

The fight for trans rights is far from lost, Judith believes, despite the current climate, which is so uncertain and frightening. According to her, some 2SLGBTQ+ organizations place too much emphasis on telling their allies to "accept" trans people and "raise awareness" about the existence of trans people, and they should redirect some of that energy towards political work and direct action. "The crisis with the United States, the loss of momentum of the far right in Canada, puts us in a good position to solicit our allies and then start again with a more offensive stance."

The message that emerges from FrankieB's presentation is this: we must stand together. "I don't think the government is going to save us. We have to save each other. And for that, we have to stand our ground and work together... We will continue to exist as we have for thousands of years, because we are strong, we have a beautiful community, and we are united," he declares.

Resources

• The resource directory for trans people from Aide aux Trans du Québec (ATQ)
• Dial 1-855-909-9038, option 1, for the ATQ hotline
• Medical resources for trans people in Montreal (Trans Patient Union)
• Apply for mutual aid (MtF)
• Sexual Health and Sex Worker Resource (Rézo)
• Peer support for the health and well-being of the trans population (ASTT (e) Q)
• Trans Lifeline National Hotline (English and Spanish only)

‍