Rural support found to be lacking for LGBT Indigenous youth

A new study is exploring how to provide better support for LGBT Indigenous youth, or two-spirit people, on their home reserves and in rural communities in the Maritimes.

Researcher John R Sylliboy, co-founder of the Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance, interviewed 20 two-spirit people, including some from P.E.I.for the study, and found some disturbing results.

We want to know how we can provide support.- John R Sylliboy

"Out of the 20 that we interviewed about 30 per cent had experienced suicide ideation. For some it got to a point where it was a critical choice between coming out and suicide," said Sylliboy.

"Our main priority is suicide prevention. We want to know how we can provide support."

Sylliboy said many of the people he interviewed ran away from their home communities in order to find the support they needed in urban centres.

The interviews are done, but the stories still need to be analyzed to determine how to provide better services for two-spirited youth.

Sylliboy is also planning to put the stories together in a book so they can be shared more widely.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Beyond white spruce: Restoring forests in P.E.I. National Park
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Pulse promoter predicts growth in favas and green peas