Bibliothèque complète

One warm summer evening a group of 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual, and more) youth gathered in a local Montréal café. While collaboratively designing a quilt, they discussed the concept of ‘community.’ The purpose of this conversation was to understand what community means to each participant as 2SLGBTQIA+ English-speaking youth in Montréal: what is it, where can one find it, and how is it experienced. Recommendations for actualising our participants’ suggestions for improved community vitality are listed at the end of the report. Quilting has, historically, been an important meeting point for art and activism within the 2SLGBTQIA+ movement. Consider the NAMES project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Quilts are not just intricate or decorative blankets; they can be a tangible representation of community, shared experiences, bonds between friends and families, as well as symbols of collective identity, resilience and pride (Power, 2011, p. 145). Participants noted that it felt good to be able to creatively express their ideas visually while discussing them with each other.