Our Story – Why We Exist

Morgan Martino has had her share of pain in finding acceptance and understanding from her rural-based family and community west of Calgary. But she has had a strong hand in creating her own support network and bringing “chosen and found family and friends” into her life. At her Calgary high school, Morgan joined the Queer Straight Alliance, a club for students identifying as 2SLGBTQ+. It was there that Morgan first encountered the Centre for Sexuality. The Centre supports schools through their GSA Network, and Morgan was able to tap into the Centre for resources and advice on how to organize and run a QSA. Through the Centre, she was also able to book speakers to bring in—someone to talk about local pride history, for example. In Grade 12, Morgan applied to be part of the youth advisory committee for Camp fYrefly, a leadership retreat run by Centre for Sexuality for LGBTQ+ youth. “It’s been a tremendous experience for me,” she says. “You’re surrounded by community 24/7 for a few days, and also have lots of different people coming from different backgrounds and experiences. Not to mention it’s just capital-F fun.”

In 1972 a dedicated and visionary group of volunteers came together and formed the Calgary Birth Control Association to ensure that women had support and information regarding their reproductive health, and they were deeply committed to a mission of health promotion and community education. This is still the foundation of Centre for Sexuality, and we are deeply proud that our work has grown from these strong feminist roots planted fifty years ago. Today, our work remains rooted in education, information, advocacy, and support.