Reports on Disability and Accessibility in Canada
A profile of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, 2022

Introduction

In 2022, nearly 8.0 million Canadians aged 15 years and over had one or more disabilities according to the Canadian Survey on Disability (Textbox 1). Among them, approximately 8.7%, or 694,090 individuals reported being a 2SLGBTQ+ person, representing 2.3% of the Canadian population aged 15 years and over. Previous research shows that sexually and gender diverse populations have different outcomes than non-2SLGBTQ+ people in matters related to health^{Note 1Note 2}, employment and income^{Note 3Note 4Note 5}, housing security^{Note 6}, food security^{Note 7} and educational outcomes.^{Note 3} At the same time, persons with disabilities have unique employment, labour force, and educational outcomes compared to those without disabilities.^{Note 8}  For the first time, the Canadian Survey of Disability is able to produce data for 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities. Research on a range of disability characteristics, and on the full 2SLGBTQ+ population will provide insight into the lived experiences of these populations.

2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities are younger on average than their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts

In 2022, there were nearly 700,000 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over, according to the 2022 CSD. Among persons with disabilities, the median age of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals was substantially younger (29 years) than their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts (56 years). Almost two thirds (63.4%) of persons with disabilities who reported being a 2SLGBTQ+ person were between the ages of 15 and 34, compared with 17.8% of the non-2SLGBTQ+ population (Chart 1). This finding of those who report being 2SLGBTQ+ are younger than those who report being cisgender and heterosexual, or non-2SLGBTQ+, is consistent with previous research.^{Note 1Note 9Note 10} It is important to note that these data do not necessarily mean that younger people are more likely to be 2SLGBTQ+. Older 2SLGBTQ+ people may be less likely to report their identity in surveys because of their lived experience in a social context less accepting of sexual and gender diversity compared to now.

Disabilities related to mental health, pain and learning are the most common disability types among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities

Among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over, seven in ten persons (69.9%) had a mental health-related disability, making it the most common disability type (Table 1). 2SLGBTQ+ populations experience higher rates of harassment, violent victimization and unwanted sexual behaviours^{Note 11Note 12Note 13} than their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts (i.e., non-2SLGBTQ+ persons). Minority stress, that is, chronic stress related to social stigma, discrimination and the internalization of negative societal attitudes, is a common explanation for poorer mental health outcomes among the 2SLGBTQ+ population.1 Pain-related (48.9%) and learning (36.8%) disabilities were the next most common among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities. One quarter of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities had a seeing disability (26.3%), while one in five 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities had a flexibility (21.4%), memory (20.8%) or mobility disability (20.5%).



Mental health-related disability continued to be the most common type of disability among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with a disability across all age groups.  The proportion of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with a mental health-related disability ranged from 84.1% among those aged 15 to 24 years, to 72.2% among those aged 25 to 34 years and then to 59.3% for those aged 35 to 64 years.

Some key differences emerged when looking at the prevalence of certain disability types by age among 2SLGBTQ+ and non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities. 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 than their non-2SLGBTQ+ peers (61.1% and 38.2%, respectively).^{Note 14} Similarly, among those aged 25 to 34 years, 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities were more likely to have a mental health-related disability (72.2%) compared with their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts (57.2%).

Among those aged 35 to 64 years, the 2SLGBTQ+ population were less likely to have pain-related, flexibility or mobility disabilities than the non-2SLGBTQ+ population. However, these findings may be a result of the differences in the age structure of these populations, given the increased prevalence of disability among older adults. Given the relatively small number of 2SLGBTQ+ persons aged 35 to 64 years, the opportunity for more detailed analysis for disability types within this age group is limited.

Younger 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities are more likely to have co-occurring disabilities than their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts

Looking further into disability characteristics, 28.8% of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over had one type of disability, 41.8% had two or three disability types and 29.4% had four or more disability types. In addition, four in ten (37.8%) 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities had a ‘more severe’ disability while 6 in 10 (62.2%) had a ‘milder’ disability.^{Note 15}  

Overall, 2SLGBTQ+ and non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities had similar profiles in terms of the number of types of disability (Table 2). However, 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 to 24 years were more likely than non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities to have two or more disability types. In addition, among those aged 15 to 24 years of age, 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities were more likely to have a more severe disability compared to their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts. No differences in disability severity among those aged 25 to 34 years and 35 to 64 years were found between the 2SLGBTQ+ and non-2SLGBTQ+ populations.

Over three-quarters of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities face barriers to accessibility

The 2022 CSD collected information on barriers to accessibility in support of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). Respondents were asked whether they experienced barriers to accessibility that might limit their access to different areas and activities in their daily life due to their condition in the previous 12 months.^{Note 16} In 2022, 78.5% of of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over reported that they experienced one or more of 27 types of barriers to accessibility because of their condition in the past year. Compared with non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, the proportion experiencing a barrier overall was higher among both those aged 15 to 24 years and 25 to 34 years among the 2SLGBTQ+ population.

Among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over, barriers to communication^{Note 17} were most commonly experienced (61.0%; Chart 2), followed by barriers related to the behaviours, misconceptions or assumptions of others^{Note 18} (57.6%), barriers related to public spaces, such as entrances or exits and sidewalks^{Note 19} (55.5%), and barriers related to activities while using the Internet^{Note 20} (19.7%).

Some variations emerged when looking across age groups between 2SLGBTQ+ and non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities. Across all age groups, 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities were more likely to experience a barrier to communication or a barrier related to the behaviours, misconceptions or assumptions of others, compared with non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities. In terms of experiencing a barrier related to public spaces, 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 to 24 years and 25 to 34 years were more likely to experience this type of barrier than their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts. Conversely there were no differences observed among those aged 35 to 64 years between the two populations for barriers in public spaces. 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 15 to 24 years were more likely than non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities to encounter barriers related to activities while using the Internet, whereas there were no differences among those aged 25 to 34 years and 35 to 64 years.

Over one quarter of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 25 to 64 years hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, two-thirds are employed

Looking at the highest level of educational attainment among 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 25 to 64 years, 32.5% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 33.3% had a post-secondary certificate or diploma below a bachelor’s degree. When compared to their non-2SLGBTQ+ counterparts, 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities aged 25 to 64 years were more likely to have a bachelor’s degree or higher but less likely to have a post-secondary certificate or diploma below a bachelor’s degree (Chart 3). There were no differences between the two populations in terms of having a high-school certificate or equivalent, or having no certificate, diploma or degree.

The employment rate for those aged 25 to 64 years was similar among 2SLGBTQ+ and non-2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities (66.5%, 63.7% respectively). 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%) when compared with their counterparts (28.9%).

Conclusion

This fact sheet provides a profile of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, as well as key differences from the non-2SLGBTQ+ population with disabilities by age group. Being a 2SLGBTQ+ person and having one or more disabilities means that characteristics including age, disability types, disability severity, number of co-occurring disabilities, and barriers to accessibility faced can influence their experiences and create unique challenges.

Future research to build on the information provided in this factsheet could include analysis of the disability and socioeconomic experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities. This research could provide additional insight into lived experiences and challenges of 2SLGBTQ+ persons with disabilities, on topics such as income, poverty, food and housing insecurity, underemployment and disability supports.