LGBTQ issues are human issues: here's why

Matters that impact LGBTQ people, like access to hormone therapy and safe gender-affirming surgeries, are often seen as unique.

But LGBTQ people also interact with areas of everyday society, such as education and health care, where their identities can affect their experiences.

Much more still needs to be done to accommodate the different standpoints and needs of the LGBTQ community in different facets of everyday life, advocates say.

To delve into this idea deeper, CBC's The Early Edition in Vancouver heard from some members of the LGBTQ community during July, ahead of Vancouver Pride.

These are a few of their stories.

Erasing the not so invisible divide

CBC's Kiran Singh and Xtra Magazine's Mel Woods join Stephen Quinn, host of CBC's The Early Edition, to talk about the importance of examining social issues through the experiences of LGBTQ people.

The Early Edition9:14LGBTQ+ stories are human stories -- That is the focus of our week-long series called "We are here"

Throughout this week, we will bring you very human stories of LGBTQ+ individuals in a series we are calling - We Are Here. Our own Kiran Singh and Xtra magazine's Mel Woods join us for a look ahead at the series.

Diverse families in the school system

Serene Carter and Stevie Nguyen tell CBC's Kiran Singh about raising their 10-year-old Noah in a diverse family setting.

The Early Edition8:18We Are Here: How do you raise a child who has four parents in total, when two of them happen to be queer?

Kiran Singh speaks with Serene Carter and Stevie Nguyen about raising a child who has four parents in total, when two of them happen to be queer.

Accommodating all abilities and identities

Heather McCain sits down with CBC's Kiran Singh to explore the complexities intersecting identities can present when you are disabled, trans and asexual.

The Early Edition9:06We Are Here: advocating for disabled in the LGBTQ+ community

Kiran Singh brings us the third installment in our series that continues the conversation of inclusion in the LGBTQ community.

Losing a partner

The Early Edition host Stephen Quinn speaks to Tori Phillips and Lynda Dickson, now engaged to be wed, about the deaths of their respective former partners and how they found each other.

The Early Edition12:47"We Are Here" -- We talk with two people who navigated the healthcare system while losing a same-sex partner

We continue to share LGBTQ+ humans stories through our week-long series #WeAreHere. In today's installment, we talk with a couple that experienced the worst of our healthcare, and being queer added another layer of complexities to the ordeal.

Activism is inclusive

Ellen Woodsworth and Joy Masuhara can be considered a power couple when it comes to advocating for marginalized communities. CBC's Stephen Quinn sits down with them to explore the idea of intersectionality in activism.

The Early Edition10:16The last installment of our week long series "We are Here" -- We talk with two people who have fought long and hard to push womens' rights issues forward

We continue celebrating LGBTQ+ humans with our week-long series #WeAreHere. In today's installment, we talk with Ellen Woodsworth, and Joy Masuhara. A couple that has been fighting for Women and LGBTQ rights for decades.