Safety Shouldn’t Be a Closet: Why Quebec’s Seniors’ Homes Must Do Better for LGBTQ+ Elders

Growing old is hard enough. Doing it while hiding who you are is something no one should have to endure yet that is still the reality for many LGBTQ+ seniors living in care homes across Quebec.

The Émergence Foundation’s goal to train 10,000 people to make seniors’ residences safer and more inclusive is not just commendable; it is overdue. Behind the statistics and training numbers lies a quieter, more painful truth: for many LGBTQ+ elders, seniors’ residences can feel less like homes and more like places where silence becomes a survival strategy.

A 2025 Léger survey revealed that one in four LGBTQ+ residents in Quebec seniors’ homes felt compelled to hide their sexual or gender identity from staff and fellow residents. That number should trouble anyone who believes dignity is a basic right, not a privilege earned by conformity. These are people who have already lived through decades of discrimination criminalization, medical stigma, family rejection only to find themselves once again pushed back into the shadows at a stage of life when vulnerability is at its peak.

What makes this situation even more frustrating is how preventable much of the harm is. As trainer Julien Rougerie points out, inclusion does not always require complex policies or grand gestures. Sometimes it starts with something as simple as language. Asking about a “partner” instead of assuming a “husband” or “wife.” Avoiding jokes or comments that may seem harmless but reinforce stereotypes. Intervening when bullying occurs instead of dismissing it as “just how people are.”

These small actions send a powerful message: you are safe here, and you are seen.

Critics may argue that seniors’ residences already face staffing shortages and overwhelming demands. That is true but it is not an excuse. Training staff to act as allies is not an added burden; it is a fundamental part of providing quality care. Emotional safety is just as important as physical safety, especially in environments where residents depend so heavily on others for their daily needs.

There is also a broader cultural issue at play. Many care homes mirror the attitudes of the generations living within them, some of which may still hold deeply ingrained prejudices. But this is precisely why institutional leadership matters. When staff are trained, supported, and empowered to challenge discrimination, they help shift the culture from quiet intolerance to active respect.

The Émergence Foundation has already trained more than 3,000 staff members in public and private facilities. That progress proves change is possible. But the goal of reaching 10,000 should not be seen as ambitious it should be seen as the bare minimum.

LGBTQ+ seniors should not have to choose between care and authenticity. If seniors’ residences are truly meant to be places of comfort, community, and dignity, then inclusion must be built into their foundations. Anything less is a failure we can no longer afford to ignore.