Every young person deserves to show up as their full, authentic self.
For 2SLGBTQ+ youth, safe spaces to explore, experiment, and connect with peers are essential.
“Not everyone lives in homes that are necessarily accepting, and school is not always the safest place to be yourself for youth, never mind someone who has intersecting identities,” said Anika Dowsett, Youth Drop-In Coordinator at Rainbow Resource Centre. “We have youth who come in, and maybe they try out a new pronoun or a new name for the day—and this is the space where that’s allowed and celebrated.”
Rainbow Resource Centre, a United Way Winnipeg donor-funded agency partner, is Canada’s longest-serving 2SLGBTQ+ centre, offering counselling, programs, and resources to 2SLGBTQ+ people in Winnipeg. Serving people from youth to older adults, the organization helps queer people build connections, strengthen community, and access spaces where they feel safe and included.
Recently, Rainbow Resource Centre led the The State of 2SLGBTQ+ Communities in Manitoba 2026, the province’s first-of-its-kind research project. The survey examined the experiences and realities of queer Manitobans and explored what the community needs most today.
“What really stood out to me was the amount of hope that exists,” said Alice Charles, Program Manager, Community Programs at Rainbow Resource Centre. “But also, we’re not where we want to be.”
The report confirmed what Rainbow Resource Centre has already heard from the community: many 2SLGBTQ+ Manitobans are seeking connection and belonging. It also found that more than 25% of 2SLGBTQ+ Manitobans cite limited access to safe and affirming spaces as a top issue.
“Queer people have been wanting more dedicated spaces … that are affirming, and the city is lacking that,” Alice said. “We need to kind of move beyond the rhetoric of ‘I accept you’ and really move into the action of, ‘you belong here, you’re included here, you’re welcomed here, and you’re celebrated here.’”
The findings also underscored the importance of the programs Rainbow Resource Centre already offers.
By creating affirming spaces where young people can build friendships and explore their identities, the organization’s Youth Program addresses the need for connection highlighted in the report.
That’s what the Youth Program is all about—connection. It features virtual programming, off-site excursions, guest facilitators, a three-times-weekly drop-in, and more.
“It’s so meaningful,” said Anika. “The relationships that I get to see blossom in that space are so beautiful—these people who are maybe from different schools, maybe even from different communities, who wouldn’t meet in any other way, are now creating these bonds that will hopefully last a lifetime.”
The program also provides opportunities for connection through everyday activities, from sharing snacks to playing video games—small moments that add up to meaningful relationships.
Alice hopes the findings from The State of 2SLGBTQ+ Communities in Manitoba 2026 will help strengthen and expand queer-centred spaces across the province for people of all ages.
“Right now, there are many little pockets of community, and based on these results, those pockets will grow, and people will work together, and eventually there will be dedicated spaces for queer people,” she said. “I want queer people to exist in the world and not be afraid.”
Alice emphasizes that this change is made possible by the support of a strong community.
“We could not do the work that we do without [United Way Winnipeg],” said Alice. “Beyond funding, having a partner that is so reputable in the city has helped us build connections with other organizations and other folks across the city here.”
The report makes it crystal clear: the need for belonging is strong, and Rainbow Resource Centre is helping ensure that more queer Winnipeggers can find it.
“Anybody can pick this up and read through it and look at the numbers and know that this has been conducted in an academic way,” said Alice. “Which is so much more concrete and less abstract than just saying that queer people are feeling a certain type of way.”
“It’s backed. It’s data. It’s real—it can’t be disputed.”
