Health impacts of 2SLGBTQI+ social policies and practices

The political environment of 2SLGBTQI+ (Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex) legislation has direct impacts on health outcomes in this population, such as anxiety, depression, and suicidality associated with sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression change efforts. Over the last 25 years, affirmative 2SLGBTQI+ social policies (e.g., reversing certain blood donation restrictions, amending the Criminal Code to prohibit certain activities that relate to so-called “conversion therapy,” the legalization of same-sex marriage, etc.) have been implemented in Canada, but restrictive policies have also been on the rise in recent years. This rapid synthesis assesses the best-available evidence on the health impacts of social policies and practices directed towards 2SLGBTQI+ populations and the changes in health outcomes of these populations as a result of rights-affirming or restrictive policies over time.