This Pride Month, Nellie’s stands proudly with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community here in Toronto and around the world — although the work we do to create a safe environment for trans women, non-binary, and gender diverse people continues all year long. While our core commitment is to support all women in finding a path to healing, stability, and hope, we know that gender-based violence doesn’t affect everyone the same way, and that members of the queer community are disproportionately at risk, often facing unique, layered systemic and societal barriers.
Because of this, the team at Nellie’s is actively revising our internal policies and procedures to ensure our care truly meets the needs of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. While our overarching policy sets a unified standard across both our shelter and community programs, the real impact lies in our everyday procedures. These procedures govern how we practice identity-affirming care on the ground — from pronoun and inclusive language use, to how we deal with discrimination or hate.
To ensure these guidelines match the reality of our spaces, we are refining these procedures in close collaboration with our front-line shelter team. Their daily, on-the-ground experience is vital to ensuring our rules translate into real-world safety and trust.
“When we’re faced with phobias from other residents, we will always focus on education first,” explains Jiin Yiong, Program Director at Nellie’s. “But we have no tolerance for aggression and hate, and we make sure everyone involved knows this. And if it continues, then there will be consequences and they will be discharged.”
Jiin explains that in some cases, when there’s increasing tension around phobias among several shelter residents, the staff will organize educational workshops to try to address these conflicts on a larger scale. “Above all, the priority will always be to support the individual who has experienced that phobia or oppression, to make sure they feel safe,” says Jiin. “To provide ongoing one-on-one support, check-ins, and follow-ups.”
Serving vulnerable communities within an anti-oppression framework means constantly evaluating our internal operations to find areas where we can all improve. Safety at Nellie’s isn’t static — it is a continuous, evolving process of updating our daily practices. By ensuring our policies and procedures support the diverse realities of our clients, we’re providing the proper care and understanding that 2SLGBTQIA+ survivors deserve when they walk through our doors.
Nellie’s will proudly be marching in the Dyke March on June 27, and hosting a booth at the Pride Toronto street fair. See you there!