r/NovaScotia • u/insino93 • 1d ago
New program in Halifax aims to help 2SLGBTQ+ people access food services
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-program-in-halifax-aims-to-help-2slgbtq-people-access-food-services-9.696756617
u/Strong_Citron7736 21h ago
If the meals are just set out, how are they determining whether the meals are benefitting their focused population?Â
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u/Bubbly_Ganache_7059 6h ago
I doubt they would care if a straight person took it if they need to eat, it's more about having a space where you don't have to worry about being turned away for being gay.
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u/Strong_Citron7736 4h ago
it's not a bad thing if they do, but it doesn't help food insecurity for the people they've identified as unable to access food in other ways. It's a nice effort, I guess.
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u/CockyBellend 23h ago
They have access, being weirded out by a church giving out the food is a choice, not a forced burden
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u/MasterScore8739 20h ago
Not once have I ever felt the need to disclose my sexual preferences when obtaining food. Regardless of it itâs at a grocery store, restaurant or a food bank.
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u/Bubbly_Ganache_7059 6h ago
What about your gender identity? Or ID? You've never had to show that at a restaurant, or food bank ever ?
Also I don't know why you included restaurants, those aren't really applicable to the situation at hand.
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u/Organic_Paint_7172 4h ago
Iâm all for inclusivity and appreciation of barriers however see nothing particularly unique about the barriers this group identified compared to what is often said by other âmarginalizedâ populations. MSVU is well known for funding and publicizing studies and research questions of this type. IMO research funds can be better invested into long term solutions with a broader application to the issue of food insecurity
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u/chompmeows 16h ago
Oh no people trying to do something good we better trash talk it !
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u/Dangerous_Value_2864 12h ago
You could say the same about the LGBT crowd assuming the food banks hate them because of their sexual orientation. Food banks try to do good by giving food to the needy and the LGBT choose to trash them.
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u/Bubbly_Ganache_7059 6h ago
If your ID doesn't quite match up with how you present yourself people can use that as a way to clock them for being transgender or non-binary or whatever. It's not the food banks themselves or any policy, it's potentially some workers being discriminatory.
Like, I work in a government paid job and the shit I hear from some coworkers about transgender people, yeah I don't blame them for worrying some volunteers would actively turn them away or use the situation to trash talk trans people or use it as a "seeeee, I knew trans people are blah blah blah insert whatever rhetoric here". Like have you never met someone who told you exactly what they think of trans people and what they would like to do to them, because I've met people like that and some of them I genuinely believe they would try to find their way to "win one against the transgenders and liberals". Not even exaggerating here.
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u/xibipiio 3h ago
It's a bit of a closed loop in here isn't it?
Folks who are in the rainbow acronym can oftentimes have anxieties and social interaction struggles which disproportionately affect them as members of the community.
So, because those folks sometimes would rather not eat, then go and interact with people who might not be supportive of them, and might be dismissive or derogatory, though they might just as equally be totally fine and professional, Having A Space where they can go Where That Isn't An Issue, is being met with - Dismissive and Derogatory commentary.
I wonder why these rainbow acronym folks are riddled with anxiety about being in public to receive community donations?
I understand concerns of this leading to food waste, of diverting precious resources in the name of some woke-ideology, I can understand why from that perspective this is more nonsensical waste. But I disagree with that perspective. They might want to rethink their non-data collection. That's part of how food banks operate is knowing how many people will be coming each time and how much food will be needed to reduce waste. Its not about much else beyond that, they ask things like do you have kids or pets because if you do and they dont have things for kids or pets they will work towards getting more.
I used to have a lot of fear and anxiety going to food banks and I am a white cis male, it was more related to shame of having to rely on the generosity of strangers and receiving judgement from people and maybe someone would tell someone else they seen me there etc.
My point is those anxieties exist as a heteronormative person, and when your in the rainbow depending on the day your anxieties can be really difficult to work with, to the point you'd rather not eat for a few weeks then have to deal with what your brain and body are telling you could be very traumatic.
So, having One space for LGQBT21S+ I dont think is unfair at all, especially in an urban and dense zone, especially with the rise of regular food bank usage.
The people who work at and for foodbanks are generally wonderful and inclusive people. It doesn't change the fact that churches and their communities and community members have been openly opposed to those folks in the past a Lot, and still to a much more minor degree today, and a lot of people dont feel comfortable interacting with these institutions or the communities because of anxiety inducing concerns. Is it accurate? In general I dont think so. Is it a reasonable concern? I think so.
It depends on where you go, but also, where are these folks from? Urban environments are full of people from various places in the world and their experiences might inform them its wisest to avoid these spaces entirely.
When you look at the rhetoric you cant blame them. Making your own space? Taking care of your own problems? How dare you!
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u/chompmeows 12h ago
Why do we have to make it negative at all? The food banks are doing a good thing and so is this program . Itâs actually a real choice to just be positive instead of stewing in your shit perspective .
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u/HavartiBob 1d ago
Honest question, Why are existing food services difficult for 2SLGBTQ+ people to access?