Ethnoculture- Who Are We?

Ethnoculture is a not-for-profit organization whose sole mandate is to organize ethnocultural lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexuals, transgender and crossdresser (LGB3T) events. It is one of the only organizations that organizes cultural and social events that enable ethnocultural LGB3T individuals to break free from their invisibility, silence and isolation.

In Quebec, ethnocultural minorities often live at the fringe of the Quebec society and are set in their ways, their traditions and their prejudice.

Ethnocultural minorities need to be educated on the values and the rights that all differences are entitled to (sexual, religious and/or ethnic).

Very often, sexuality is a taboo and homosexuality is condemned as an unnatural act or is considered to be a western illness that can spread into a family; it can also be a crime punishable by death. Homosexuality is more often than not considered as a shame on both the family and the community.

LGB3T ethnic community is often made invisible ignored and subject to racism within the Quebec LGB3T community.

There is a huge need to create a circle of dialogue and respect and mutual acceptance of cultural, sexual, ethnic differences in order to prevent and fight prejudice, discrimination and intolerance.

To raise awareness about multiple, intersecting forms of discrimination.
To provide a circle of dialogue to ethnic communities and to all those who work in the field of immigration to help them grasp the different aspects of sexuality and gender identity.
To develop among Quebecers the knowledge and the understanding of the realities of their pluralist society.
To raise awareness with the mainstream LGB3T community about the different realities of LGB3Ts from ethnic minority backgrounds.
To help better integrate LGB3T immigrants and refugees into the Quebec LGB3T community.
To help empower ethnocultural groups in their own ethnocultural communities.
To increase exchanges between different ethnocultural groups.