Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

For various reasons, GBT2Q people have higher rates of substance use, including problematic use. One aspect of this public health concern is the greater risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV and other STIs, particularly in the context of sexualized drug use (chemsex or 'party-and-play') among gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirited and queer ("GBT2Q") people who have sex with men. As a population, men who both have sex with men and use drugs face heightened risk of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and other sexually transmitted or bloodborne infections (STBBIs), as well as other harms sometimes associated with substance use. Meanwhile, both GBT2Q people and people who use drugs face barriers to health care, including harm reduction services and services for preventing and treating problematic substance use. The intersection of these two identities means that GBT2Q people who use drugs have particular needs and face additional barriers. Until recently, this public health and human rights issue has received little attention in harm reduction or broader drug policy discussions or from 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy organizations. In 2024, the HIV Legal Network released *Connection, Care, Community: Strengthening Harm Reduction for GBT2Q People who Use Drugs in Canada*, two companion resources aimed at challenging stigma and protecting the health of GBT2Q people who use drugs: (1) a Summary Report reviews the evidence about substance use - including problematic use - among GBT2Q people and includes insights from queer people working in the field of harm reduction; and (2) an Agenda for Action presents nearly 30 recommendations for action in multiple areas. including: improving data collection; challenging stigma through public education; making services more accessible; ensuring 2SLGBTQ+ communities are more inclusive and strengthen their advocacy for sensible drug policy; enhancing funding for the health of GBT2Q people who use drugs; and enacting key legal and policy reforms.