Existing Data

In April 2022, findings from the first National Survey on Harassment and Violence against 2SLGBTQIA+ people at Work in Canada were released in the “Harassment and Violence in Canadian Workplaces: It’s [Not] Part of the Job”report. ^[13] Results revealed that 2STNBGNC+ individuals are experiencing higher rates of harassment and violence in the workplace. Of those who participated in the survey, 73% of 2STNBGNC+ respondents experienced “at least one behaviour or practice of sexual harassment and violence in the past two years while at work” despite being only 2% of the survey’s respondents.^[14] Intersectionality is a crucial part of this analysis: “Racialized and Indigenous respondents also reported different prevalence rates in relation to white respondents. Indigenous respondents experienced significantly higher rates of harassment and violence (79%) and sexual harassment and violence (47.8%).”^[15] These results show that 2STNBGNC+ individuals are disproportionally impacted by violence and harassment in the workplace, underscoring the importance of Waterloo’s efforts to support employees who are transgender, non-binary, or gender-nonconforming.

Results from the University of Waterloo’s most recent Employee Engagement Survey (2023) also revealed concerning results.^[16] Compared to other employees, 2STNBGNC+ employees are less engaged, report lower feelings of belonging, and report less pride with the institution.  Furthermore, they are less likely to believe that: 

• The University values and promotes employee diversity.
• The University is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment.
• Everyone is treated equitably regardless of their identities.
• The University shows care and concern for its employees.
• The University provides a workplace environment that promotes and supports mental health and well-being.

2STNBGNC+ employees also express less favourable views of leadership/senior leadership compared to their colleagues.  They are less likely to:

• Believe that the University is open and honest in communications.
• Have trust and confidence in the University's senior leadership team.
• Believe that the senior leadership team is consistent in what they say and do.
• Believe that senior leaders' actions and behaviours are consistent with the University's values.

At the intersection of race (i.e., 2STNBGNC+ employees who also identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized) results are even more concerning.  In addition to the experiences described above, these racialized employees report stronger barriers to work and fewer enabling factors within their work environments.  Compared to other employees, they are less likely to believe that:

• Their jobs make good use of their skills and abilities.
• Their work reflects their job description.
• They are paid fairly.
• They experience effective collaboration and teamwork within their environment.
• The workload within their work group is well distributed.
• The work within their work group is organized.
• Their work schedule is flexible enough to allow them meet personal obligations.

These results could indicate that, compared to others, racialized 2STNBGNC+ employees experience misalignments with their roles and more barriers at work.

Findings at the student level also reveal negative and harmful experiences of trans and non-binary persons. “Thriving on Campus” is a multi-year study that explores the experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ university students throughout Ontario.^[17] It recently released a community report that highlighted student experiences and perceptions related to 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion and safety. This report revealed that 17% of all student participants reported being verbally threatened, bullied, or intimidated, which includes 23.4% non-binary, 25.1% students on trans woman spectrum, and 27.8% students on trans man spectrum.^[18]

Furthermore, 43% of trans students who participated in the study revealed that they were frequently or very frequently misgendered with wrong pronouns in interpersonal incidents.^[19] Among other incidents of trans microaggressions the following were reported: gender-diversity exclusive documentation forms that only offered “male” and “female” options, healthcare was limited to cisgendered bodies, witnessing negative social media posts about trans people, and people making assumptions about gender based on sex assigned at birth.^[20] Similar concerns were reported in Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) student community consultations.^[21]

Results from a recent University of Waterloo’s Student Experience Survey (SES)^[22] provide a preliminary look at the experiences of students who are members^[23] of the 2STNBGNC+ University community.  Similar to the employee engagement survey, results are also concerning.

Compared to their peers, 2STNBGNC+ students are less likely to:

• Believe that they are respected for who they are.
• Feel physically safe on campus.
• Feel that their wellbeing matters.
• Know who to ask for help.
• Feel safe asking University employees for help.
• Believe that University employees demonstrate genuine care and concern for them.

Results from the University’s most recent Employee Engagement and Student Experience Surveys reveal preliminary themes that required further exploration through 2STNBGNC+ community consultations.  Compared to their peers and colleagues, trans and non-binary students and employees rated the University rated less favourable on the following themes:

The data collected in the 2023 Employee Engagement and Student Experience Surveys identified key areas of concern for trans and non-binary students. However, there were limitations to the data collected in the surveys, which were necessary for a fair evaluation of the learning and working environments for members of the 2STNBGNC+ community on campus. In addition to the community’s sense of belonging, recognition and fair treatment, more information was needed on the sense of safety and safety needs specific to trans and non-binary community members, information on the intersections of 2STNBGNC+ and disability, and 2STNBGNC+ and race and/or Indigeneity, as well as about specific types of barriers and hurtful behaviours towards trans and non-binary students and employees. The surveys also did not provide data on community suggestions on how to prioritize and mitigate existing systemic barriers. 

Collecting data on 2STNBGNC+ and 2SLGBTQIA+ issues requires specific methodologies that go beyond the data itself and require looking at the broader context of where and how the data is collected. For example, a sense of safety and belonging in the classroom or workplace allows trans and non-binary students and employees to be more open and direct about their identities and identify their needs. However, data collection protocols often do not include external and community factors which lead to significant gaps in the representation of the needs of trans, non-binary and queer communities.^[24] It is crucial to collect data directly from community members and to invite trans and non-binary informants to identify key research questions.

For this reason, the 2STNBGNC+ Community Gathering and Sharing Project has been designed and implemented as a community-based and community-informed initiative. All the recommendations presented in this Strategy were proposed by community members and are based on their lived, learning and working experiences at the University.

^[21]https://wusa.ca/document/trans-racialized-student-experiences-with-campus-wellness/.

^[22]https://uwaterloo.ca/institutional-analysis-planning/studentexperiencesurvey

^[23] Due to limitations of the study design, only some members (those who indicate a gender identity other than male or female) are included in the description.

^[24]For more information about the complexity of “queer and trans data” collection, see: Guyan, K. 2022. Queer Data: Using Gender, Sex and Sexuality Data for Action. Bloomsbury Academic.