If you are an 2SLGBTQ+ student, you may have additional aspects to consider in your career planning. When choosing your career and looking for work, issues may arise, such as disclosing your sexual orientation or gender identity to employers and co-workers, finding careers that fit with your values and locating employers that are 2SLGBTQ+ friendly. Please find more details at the U of T resource below for trans or nonbinary students.
Read Your Journey: A Career Guide for Trans and Nonbinary Students
Unfortunately, 2LGBTQ+ individuals still face significant challenges to be part of the Canadian labour market. According to 2024 report Egale’s research summary called “Key Takeaways and Recommendations from Work for Change,” this percentage of the population face discrimination, harassment, safety concerns and psychological harm. According to the same document, 1 in 4 participants particularly complained about the improper use of their pronouns in the workplace, and 74% alleged having to disguise their gender identity while looking for jobs. Your Journey recognizes and responds to some of these issues by providing strategies and insights that can support trans and nonbinary students to explore career options, apply for jobs, and navigate the workplace. A PDF version of Your Journey is also available for download.
If you would like to discuss issues related to your career decision-making, our Career Counsellors can help. Please book an individual appointment by calling 905-828-5451 or emailing us at careers.utm@utoronto.ca. We can help you to understand what is important to you in terms of career planning and how to translate that into career options and potential employers.
In addition, our employment strategists can support your job search through an explanation of the best strategies for you, the creation of your résumé, cover letter and LinkedIn profile, as well as preparation for interviews, when you are job ready.
Helpful Websites
Human Rights Legal Support Centre
The Human Rights Legal Support Centre offers human rights legal services to individuals throughout Ontario who have experienced discrimination contrary to Ontario Human Rights Code.
Pride at Work
Pride at Work Canada encourages organizations to support authenticity at a corporate level and create workplaces where 2LGBTQ+ employees will be more able to be themselves. It is a compresensive website with events, resources and a job board.
Sexual & Gender Diversity Office at the University of Toronto
Information specific to the U of T community, with events, announcements and links to community resources.
Toronto’s Lesbian and Gay Community, listings of business services, mostly in retail, and support provided by community organizations that are 2LGBTQ+ friendly.
- Canada's Top Diversity Employers This site offers an annual overview of Canadian employers that have distinguished themselves for promoting workplace diversity and inclusiveness across a large number of industries.
- Resources for UTM LGBTQ(2LGBTQ+) The Queer Peel Oral History Project provides a snapshot of the queer life in the GTA. As the result of a 3rd year history course in early 2020 at UTM, this resource presents 25 oral history interviews with activists, students, alumni and residents of the Peel region by also offering a comprehensive portrayal of what means to be queer here.