A first look at characteristics of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities
Released: 2024-07-08
New data from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) shed light on the characteristics of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities in Canada. For the first time in 2022, the CSD asked respondents their sex at birth, their gender and their sexual orientation. Together, these variables allow for analysis of the 2SLGBTQ+ population with disabilities.
In recognition of Pride Season, Statistics Canada is releasing a fact sheet titled "A profile of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, 2022" to provide a snapshot of the experiences of Canadians with disabilities who reported being a 2SLGBTQ+ person.
2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities are younger on average than their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts
According to the 2022 CSD, there were nearly 700,000 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 years and older. Almost two-thirds (63.4%) of persons with disabilities who reported being a 2SLGBTQ+ person were aged 15 to 34 years, compared with 17.8% of their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts. This mirrors findings among the general population where a larger share of youth report being 2SLGBTQ+ than any other age group. As the 2SLGBTQ+ population is relatively younger than the non-2SLGBTQ+ population, comparisons between the two groups are made by age group in this report.
Around 7 in 10 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities have a mental health-related disability
Recent research has shown that the prevalence of mental health-related disabilities has increased from 2017 to 2022, and is particularly high among youth with disabilities. The most common disability type among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities was mental health-related disabilities (69.9%), followed by pain-related (48.9%) and learning (36.8%) disabilities.
Looking across age groups, 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 to 24 years were more likely to have a mental-health related (84.1%) or learning (47.8%) disability compared with their non-2SLGBTQ+ peers (61.1% and 38.2%, respectively). Similarly, among those aged 25 to 34 years, the proportion that had a mental health-related disability was higher among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities (72.2%) compared with their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts (57.2%).
The most common barriers to accessibility faced by 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities are related to communication
In support of the Accessible Canada Act, the 2022 CSD collected information on barriers to accessibility. Nearly 8 in 10 (78.5%) 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities reported having experienced at least one barrier to accessibility in the 12 months prior to the survey. 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 to 24 years (79.8%) and aged 25 to 34 years (77.9%) were more likely to experience barriers than their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts (63.9% and 67.5%, respectively).
Barriers to communication (61.0%) were the barrier type most commonly experienced by 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, followed by barriers related to the behaviours, misconceptions or assumptions of others (57.6%), barriers related to public spaces (55.5%) and barriers related to online activities (19.7%).
Similar employment outcomes among 2SLGBTQ+ and non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities
Looking at the highest level of educational attainment among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 25 to 64 years, 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities were more likely to have a bachelor's degree or higher than non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, and less likely to have post-secondary education below a bachelor's degree.
The employment rate for those aged 25 to 64 years was similar among 2SLGBTQ+ (66.5%) and non-2SLGBTQ+ (63.7%) persons with disabilities. The two groups did not differ in terms of the unemployment rate; however, the proportion of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities who were not in the labour force was lower (23.8%) compared with their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts (28.9%).
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Note to readers
The Government of Canada adopted the acronym 2SLGBTQI+ to refer to Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people and those who use other terms related to gender and sexual diversity. Statistics Canada uses the acronym 2SLGBTQ+ for data analysis purposes, as information is not yet collected specifically about intersex people. The term "non-2SLGBTQ+" is used to refer to people who are both cisgender (people whose reported gender corresponds to their reported sex at birth) and heterosexual. See Improving data on 2SLGBTQ+ populations and Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan 2022 for more information.
The Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) sample is selected from the Census of Population respondents, making this survey a postcensal one. For methodological details, see Surveys and statistical programs - Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD).
The CSD asks respondents their sex at birth, gender (male, female, other) and sexual orientation (heterosexual, lesbian or gay, bisexual or other). This analysis classified any respondents who were not cisgender (cisgender people are those whose reported gender corresponds to their reported sex at birth) and not heterosexual as the 2SLGBTQ+ population.
The CSD collected information on 27 types of barriers to accessibility, touching on the Accessible Canada Act priority areas of Built Environment, Communication, and Information and Communication Technology. These barriers do not represent a comprehensive list of barriers to accessibility. Respondents were asked if they experienced barriers because of their condition using the response categories of "not applicable," "never," "sometimes," "often" and "always." Respondents who indicated that they experienced barriers "sometimes," "often" or "always" are included as having experienced a barrier at least sometimes. See the 2022 CSD questionnaire for more information on the barriers to accessibility included within the survey.
All differences mentioned in this release are statistically significant (p < 0.05).
Products
The fact sheet "A profile of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, 2022," which is part of the Reports on Disability and Accessibility in Canada (89-654-X), is now available.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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