About Us

LGBTQ+ Youth HeLP aims to provide an inclusive, non-judgmental, queer-oriented space where you can find sexual health information that is applicable and relevant to youths’ lives. We think that expanding our understanding of sexual health to include a diverse range of sexualities, gender identities, and sexual desires is beneficial to everyone.

Our website has a large variety of topics and information, including gender identity and sexual orientation, puberty, consent, and different types of sex. You can find out more about sexually transmitted infections, contraception, healthy relationships and self-esteem.

Our website provides information that is up-to-date, reliable and youth-oriented. We also direct you towards many other incredible and informative websites to expand on the basic information that we provide. We aim to be as accessible and welcoming as possible. Our content does not include medical advice, and we do recommend visiting a health care professional when necessary.

If you have any questions or comments, or there’s any topics you think should be added to the website, please email us!

Dr. Lauren McInroy - Project Lead
(She/Her/Hers)

Lauren McInroy, PhD, MSW, is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University. Her research investigates the impacts of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the well-being of marginalized adolescents and emerging adults – particularly LGBTQ+ young people, who experience heightened risks including mental health difficulties, social exclusion, and violence. She explores how LGBTQ+ youth build communities of support, engage in identity development activities, foster resilience and well-being, access information and resources, and engage in advocacy using digital technologies.

Dr. McInroy is a Regional Chair on the Leadership Council of INQYR, an international, interdisciplinary network seeking to co-create new knowledge and develop adaptable online tools related to LGBTQ+ resilience and digital technologies (www.inqyr.org).

Blake Hawkins - Project Lead
(He/Him/His)

Blake Hawkins, MLIS, is a health and information communication technology researcher passionate about improving the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people. His interdisciplinary research intersects queer theory, critical data studies, and queer geography to trouble the scholarly discourse on LGBTQ+ health and ICT. He has been a research assistant for a range of projects, including community-based research on sexual health interventions and sex worker policy changes, population-based surveys on gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Vancouver and Nationally, and knowledge translation/mobilization practices for research with underrepresented populations. His research interests include LGBTQ+ youth health information seeking behaviours, participatory methodologies, queer research ethics, and LGBT2S+ use of ICTs (e.g., seeking friendship, online communities, and accessing health information).

Design

Natasha Maxim, BDes
They/She/He

Social Media Coordination

Kyle Dyck
He/Him/His

Research & Content Development 

Clio Fregoli, BA, MA
She/Her/Hers

Iradele Plante, BSc, MPH
JD Student - McGill University
She/Her/Hers

Joseph Friedman Burley, BA&Sc
MPH Student - University of Toronto
He/Him/His

Kyisha Williams, BPAPM, MPH
Health Equity Expert
Their Name/They/She