CFPC Pride Stories

Family doctors identifying as 2SLGBTQ+ and providing care to these communities have an invaluable perspective of 2SLGBTQ+ health in Canada. Their stories are critical to breaking down the barriers faced by 2SLGBTQ+ Canadians in primary care. CFPC Pride Stories reflect the complex history, challenges, joy, and future of 2SLGBTQ+ health. This collection of narratives, stories, art, and expressions has been submitted by family physicians and residents as part of the College’s yearly CFPC Pride program.

2025 Pride Stories

Gender Affirming Care is Primary Care: University of Ottawa, Department of Family Medicine
Listen to the experiences of patients and family medicine residents at the gender diversity clinic run by Ottawa Hospital and the Montfort Academic Family Health Team.

Click on the quotes to view the full stories published in the May 2025 issue of Canadian Family Physician.

Medicine can be queer!
“The queer community has come out of the closet and is seeking our support. It’s time for the medical field to rise to the challenge, embrace diversity, and create a future that’s queerly bright.”
Ted Jablonski, he/him, Calgary, AB

When the closet isn't glass
“Some people say, ‘the closet was glass,’ meaning that it was already obvious to people in their lives that they were queer or trans before they came out. That was not the case for me! The closet was made of concrete. Maybe it would have been different if I had had more 2SLGBTQIA+ representation in my life when I was younger.”
Robyn Moxley, she/her, Toronto, ON

My Gender Confuses People
“I walk onto a ward, my hair tucked away into a scrub cap. ‘Excuse me, sir, are you here for Room 4?’ ‘Actually, it’s ma’am,’ I say, my stomach turns. It’s not ma’am either. My gender confused her, it confuses me too.”
Sara Sotirakos, they/them, Toronto, ON
 

2024 Pride Stories

The Joy of Caring for 2SLGBTQ+ Patients
Listen to Dr. Jason Hamm from Edmonton, Alberta, share his Pride story on how rewarding it is to care for 2SLGBTQ+ patients in his practice.

Click on the quotes to view the full stories published in the June 2024 issue of Canadian Family Physician.

“I have come to truly believe that family practice, where mental and physical health can be managed holistically and flexibly, is where most nonsurgical gender-affirming care can best be delivered.”
Dr. Adam Burgess, he/him, Edmonton, Alberta

“I am therefore taking this opportunity, during Pride month, to thank my colleagues and highlight their actions, which have had a lasting impact on my transition and made them invaluable allies.”
Dr. Pier-Maude Lanteigne, they/them, Iqaluit, Nunavut

“I feel a glow of satisfaction when I help [my transgender patients] use hormones to safely transition. It is unlike most other medical visits, as I am helping them achieve their long-sought-after goals.”
Dr. Claire Nowlan, she/her, Halifax, Nova Scotia

“When I started providing primary care to 2SLGBTQ+ folks and their families, it is not an exaggeration to say that every single chart I reviewed contained the potential for harm.”
Dr. Avery Wynick, she/her, Edmonton, Alberta

Interested in submitting a story for consideration to be featured during next year’s Pride month? Check out the submission criteria below!

Share your Pride Stories

The 2SLGBTQ+ Health Member Interest Group is inviting all College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) members to submit their 2SLGBTQ+ health narratives, stories, art, and expressions for future editions of CFPC Pride Stories. Sharing your experiences as 2SLGBTQ+ identifying health providers and/or as family doctors who provide care to 2SLGBTQ+ communities has never been more important.
 

Examples of CFPC Pride stories

• A written or video reflection on providing care to 2SLGBTQ+ patients
• A written or video reflection on being a 2SLGBTQ+ family physician or medical trainee in Canada
• A written or video reflection on how to improve care for 2SLGBTQ+ communities where you work
• Poetry
• Fictional writing capturing the 2SLGBTQ+ primary health care experience
• Visual art submissions (paintings, drawings, comics, and photography)
• Performance videos, including dance and theatrical expression
• Original song or spoken word performance

Submission guidelines

• English and French submissions accepted
• Text: Up to 500 words (.doc .docx .pdf)
• Graphics: Up to 50MB (.jpg .png .gif).
• Audio: (.mp3, other)
• Video: Up to 50MB. Less than two minutes (.mp4, other). Portrait or landscape orientation

Publication

Review Process

Deadlines