The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) is pleased to announce the release of Promoting Equitable, Affirming, and Inclusive Environments for 2S LGBTQAI+ Nursing Students: Guidelines for Canadian Schools of Nursing. This document offers a set of guidelines that promote equitable, affirming, and inclusive environments for nursing students who are Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, or intersex and/or belong to additional marginalized sexual or gender identities (2S LGBTQAI+). All nursing students in Canada deserve to learn in an environment free from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).
The overlapping concepts of equity, diversity, and inclusion enacted within the three dimensions of curricula—formal, informal, and hidden (Hafferty, 1998)—address interlocking systems of oppression and provide an overarching framework for the guidelines. The aim in creating these guidelines is to help schools of nursing foster environments that are inclusive and affirming of SOGIESC diversity and develop accountable practices that contribute to 2S LGBTQAI+ students’ experiencing a sense of belonging.
This document was researched and developed by the CASN Committee on Advancing SOGIESC Equity and Success. The final guidelines were produced following revisions based on a Canada-wide virtual consultation forum and a validation survey. CASN acknowledges and expresses our gratitude to the members of the Committee on Advancing SOGIESC Equity and Success for their valuable time, research, and expertise in producing these guidelines.
