BC Society of Transition Houses (BCSTH) works from an intersectional feminist framework incorporating a critical lens to the systems of power. Without ranking, we identify power as including our experience with and ability to access systems; our social or economic status; ability; Aboriginality; citizenship/nationalities; class; education; ethnicity; experience of colonization; gender; geographic location; health; occupation; refugee/immigrant status; religion; and sexuality. BCSTH acknowledges that this is not exhaustive.

Intersectional feminist framework

• Recognizes that feminism means different things to different people
• Encompasses a gender based analysis but takes into consideration other social structures and power relations that impact women’s lives (for example, racism, ableism, heterosexism, etc.)
• Encourages us to reflect on our own social positions in our daily interactions: what are our interests, perspectives, and in what ways do we hold and exert power?
• Enables us to strategize around how to make our services more inclusive by asking questions around: Who is included and who is missing? Who is being heard and who is silenced?

We encourage all of our members to use an intersectional feminist framework and to think about some of the questions above. The solution for each of you is dependent on your community context, and on what services exist in your community.

The term “women” refers to and is inclusive of all self-identified women. BCSTH recognizes that while gender-based violence has significant impacts on cis-gender women and girls in Canada, 2SLGBTQQIA+ and gender diverse people are disproportionately impacted by experiences of violence.