International students advocate for queer-specific counselling supports, resources

International students across Canada are calling for more queer-specific supports on postsecondary campuses, including counselling services and mental health resources. Bhagyashree Chatterjee of reports that many queer international students experience a “double barrier” where they feel isolated from both other international students and from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community on campus. Chatterjee also discusses how many queer international students feel they must “suppress their authentic selves and adopt a different persona” when they go back to their home countries, especially if their home country has criminalized the LGBTQ+ community. In response, many queer international students are calling for more campus counselling resources that are focused on their distinct lived experiences.