"I think if people didn't have to worry about meeting basic needs , there would be a lot more room to figure out their mental health. I think if people weren't worried about poverty and food insecurity and housing insecurity, all of which often disproportionately impact marginalised communities, I think it would be a lot easier to want to be alive for lack of better words."

In this month's episode, Kathy and Keri-Lyn are privileged to sit down with Jay Tang to discuss suicide, mental health, and medical assistance in dying.

Jay Tang (they/them) is a disabled trans settler currently residing on lək̓ʷəŋən territory, colonially known as Victoria, BC. They are currently pursuing a PhD in sociology and have a multidisciplinary background with an MSc in Social Dimensions of Health and a BSc in Biology and Psychology. Driven by lived experience, Jay’s work spans diverse topics across the areas of disability, sexuality, queerness and transness, and healthcare. Their current work explores the relationships between suicidality and medical assistance in dying, and the implications of legalising MAID for mental illness, particularly for multiply marginalised queer/trans populations.

Jay’s SSHRC-funded study was one of the first to highlight queer/trans perspectives on MAID for mental illness, and their findings have been shared through a public webinar and report via Égale, Canada’s leading organisation for 2SLGBTQI people and issues; at Canadian and international conferences; and at community events and guest lectures.

Jay is currently the project lead and co-investigator on a CIHR Catalyst Grant-funded study exploring the use of mental health crisis services among 2S/LGBTQ+ communities, and the perceived implication of MAID for mental illness on provision of and access to such services.

Music for Disrupting Death was created by the ever-lovely Sarah McInnis. Sarah is a music therapist, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist and End-of-Life Doula. In 2021, Sarah began The Legacy Song Project, writing original songs for folks at the end-of-life, and for folks who have lost loved ones. To learn more about Sarah, visit her website https://sarahmcinnis.com.

This episode of Disrupting Death was produced by Keri-Lyn Durant.