Love Wins: Presenting the 2sLGBTQIA+ mural at CMHA Ottawa

Aug 22, 2024

LOVE WINS.  

The 2sLGBTQIA+ mural is proudly displayed in the second-floor client space at the CMHA Ottawa offices in Vanier. It was created collaboratively at 311 McArthur Avenue on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation by members of the branch’s gender and sexual diversity (GSD) committee and ally staff, peers and clients, as led by muralist Nicole Bélanger. It reflects the lived experiences of its creators. 

GSD committee members Jake and Dustin wrote the following about the mural: 

A common theme was the importance for the 2sLGBTQIA+ community to be inclusive of all groups that exist within the 2sLGBTQIA+ spectrum. Some clients have felt excluded and discriminated against by those within the community who have more privilege based on their social location. This was especially true for populations that have not received the same level of acceptance as other groups, such as trans, non-binary, and two-spirit people. 

Our clients felt that it was important to recognize how intersectionality impacts the social locations of differing groups within the 2sLGBTQIA+ population. Many of our clients want to live their lives peacefully, without being made to feel abnormal. Another common theme was the importance of connection with other members of the same community who personally understand the struggles, issues and joys associated with a shared sexual orientation or identity. 

A few different ideas were brought forward before reaching the final concept: Love Wins. One client in particular shared that she was pleased that the focus was on love, as this had been her overall experience with navigating services as a queer person. Despite the many systemic barriers she had faced accessing services, the workers she connected with through CMHA had always made her feel supported and seen. 

The background of the mural is the inclusive Pride flag, which builds on the traditional rainbow flag to include communities often left out of the LGBT narrative:

• Purple circle on a yellow background to represent intersex people.
• White, blue, and pink to represent trans people.
• Black and brown to represent people of colour. 
• We then included the heart with the edges encircled with flags which represent the many different experiences and identities of our clients and staff from the 2sLGBTQIA+ community. 
• Spoons represent 2sLGBTQIA+ people with disabilities both seen and unseen. Spoon Theory is a commonly referred to model within disability communities and uses the metaphor of numbers of spoons around allocation of energy throughout a day. 
• Twin feathers represent two-spirit people, honouring traditional Indigenous gender identities that exist outside of the western concept of gender.
• Lilacs represent women who love women.
• The pink triangle is a symbol of love overcoming hate.
• The infinity symbol represents eternal love. 

Our clients specifically connected being 2sLGBTQIA+ with resiliency, due to the significant trauma, stress, and hardship that comes from being queer. The mural represented a vision of queer people being tough, beautiful, and hopeful, which is not always portrayed in the media or within common societal stereotypes. It is important to note that many powerful, vulnerable, and poignant ideas were shared, not all of which could be included in the final piece. We valued all ideas expressed, as a chance to foster connection and build community on equal ground. 

Happy Pride Week, Ottawa! CMHA Ottawa is proud to strive for allyship with the 2sLGBTQIA+ community in Ottawa, providing safe, welcoming, inclusive and culturally competent programs, services and physical space for all.