AlterHéros

AlterHéros is a bilingual (French/English) non-profit organization based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 2002 by Marc-Olivier Ouellet as a school project, it began as a web portal offering information and resources on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality. Its services primarily target youth aged 14 to 30. The organization's mission is to foster the well-being and self-fulfillment of individuals in relation to their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality. AlterHéros operates two main program streams. The first, "Pose ta question" (Ask Your Question), is a peer-based question-and-answer service staffed by LGBTQ+ peers, some of whom are students or professionals such as social workers, doctors, sexologists, and psychologists. The second, "Neuro/Diversités," is a project that enables neurodiverse and LGBTQ+ individuals aged 14 to 30 to break isolation through discussion spaces and project creation focused on sexuality education, safe spaces, and the intersection of sexual and gender diversity with neurodiversity. The Neuro/Diversités project is led by neurodivergent people for neurodivergent people, aiming to operate collaboratively and accessibly. Historically, AlterHéros grew from a single web portal into a multi-site platform. In 2010, it split its services into four distinct sites: AlterHéros.org, AlterCité, Parles-en aux experts, and AlterHéros.com, the latter serving as a social network linking the others. The portal reached its millionth visitor in March 2006 and by 2010 was attracting over 150,000 visitors per month, mostly from Canada, France, the United States, and other Francophone and Anglophone countries. In 2017, the website was redesigned and simplified, dropping the four portals to focus on psychosocial intervention and neurodiversity initiatives. AlterHéros has been involved in Quebec's LGBTQ+ community since its founding, participating in coalitions and government working groups. It was a founding member of the Coalition jeunesse Montréalaise de lutte contre l'homophobie (now Coalition des groupes jeunesse LGBTQ+) and the defunct Regroupement d'entraide à la jeunesse allosexuelle du Québec (REJAQ). It contributed to the 2007 report "De l'égalité juridique à l'égalité sociale" by the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) and helped form the Collectif de travail LGBT in 2010, which led to Quebec's first government action plan against homophobia in 2011. It was also a founding member of the Comité trans of the Conseil québécois LGBT in 2011, which produced a trans advocacy plan in 2012. Since November 2016, AlterHéros has been located at L'Astérisk, a living environment for LGBTQ youth aged 14 to 25. In 2014, the organization created its first paid part-time position with funding from the Bureau de lutte contre l'homophobie of the Quebec government; a second part-time position followed in 2015. In 2017, the Neuro/Diversités stream launched with funding from Justice Québec, and AlterHéros hosted the youth safe space at Fierté Montréal, a first for the festival, repeated in 2018 and 2019. The organization celebrated its 10th anniversary on June 23, 2013, and its 15th anniversary during Fierté Montréal 2017. In 2020, demand for its services increased by 200% due to the pandemic.

AlterHéros was founded in 2002 by Marc-Olivier Ouellet as a school project. It began as a web portal providing information and resources on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality, primarily targeting youth aged 14 to 30. The portal quickly gained traction, welcoming its millionth visitor in March 2006. By 2010, it was attracting an average of over 150,000 visitors per month, with most visitors coming from Canada, France, the United States, and other major Francophone and Anglophone countries. In 2010, the organization underwent a major transformation. From a single portal, AlterHéros split its services into four distinct websites: AlterHéros.org, AlterCité, Parles-en aux experts, and AlterHéros.com, the latter designed as a social network that also linked the other sites together. To publicly support this transformation, social media specialist Michelle Blanc and researchers Bill Ryan and Line Chamberland became spokespersons for the organization. The organization celebrated its 10th anniversary on June 23, 2013, at Le Petit Medley in Montreal with a special evening event. During the parliamentary session at the Quebec National Assembly in September 2013, Daniel Breton, MNA for Sainte-Marie-Saint-Jacques, submitted a special mention to highlight the 10th anniversary and the work of the many volunteers who had ensured the organization's survival and services over the decade. In 2014, after operating entirely on a volunteer basis since its inception, AlterHéros created its first paid part-time position thanks to funding from the Bureau de lutte contre l'homophobie of the Quebec government. A second part-time position was created in 2015. Since November 2016, AlterHéros's offices have been located at L'Astérisk, a living environment for LGBTQ youth aged 14 to 25. In 2017, the Neuro/Diversités stream was launched, funded by Justice Québec following a call for projects. That same year, AlterHéros hosted the youth safe space as part of Fierté Montréal, a first for the festival, which was renewed in 2018 and 2019. Also during Fierté Montréal 2017, the organization celebrated its 15th anniversary at the feminist bookstore L'Euguélionne. The same year, AlterHéros's website was redesigned and streamlined. Previous versions of the web portal had included LGBT news coverage, an interactive zone for youth under 30, and an LGBT resource directory. Samuel Alexis Communications signed off on the new website design, and the organization moved away from the four portals created in 2010 to focus on psychosocial intervention (Pose ta question!) and initiatives related to the intersection of neurodiversity and sexual and gender diversity (Neuro/Diversités), among others. In 2020, demand for help from youth for the organization's services increased by 200% due to the pandemic. Throughout its history, AlterHéros has been actively involved in Quebec's LGBTQ+ community. It was a founding member of the Coalition jeunesse Montréalaise de lutte contre l'homophobie (CJMLH, now Coalition des groupes jeunesse LGBTQ+) and the defunct Regroupement d'entraide à la jeunesse allosexuelle du Québec (REJAQ). The organization participated in the work of the Groupe de travail mixte de lutte contre l'homophobie, which led to the production of the report "De l'égalité juridique à l'égalité sociale: vers une stratégie nationale de lutte contre l'homophobie" by the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ), published in March 2007. It followed the formation of the Collectif de travail LGBT in January 2010, of which AlterHéros is a founding member, to follow up on the CDPDJ report and the first Politique nationale de lutte contre l'homophobie of the Quebec government tabled in December 2009 by then Minister of Justice Kathleen Weil. Through the work of the Collectif de travail LGBT with the Government of Quebec, a first Plan d'action gouvernemental de lutte contre l'homophobie was tabled in May 2011 by Minister of Justice Jean-Marc Fournier. Regarding trans issues, AlterHéros is also a founding member of the Comité trans of the Conseil québécois LGBT, established in June 2011. A Plan de revendication trans resulted, which was submitted to then Minister of Justice Jean-Marc Fournier in May 2012. This was followed by Bill 35, Loi modifiant le Code civil en matière d'état civil, de successions et de publicité des droits, tabled by Minister of Justice Bertrand St-Arnaud, which brought major changes concerning trans persons.

• 2020

  Demand for services increased by 200% due to the pandemic.

• 2017

  Launched Neuro/Diversités stream funded by Justice Québec; hosted youth safe space at Fierté Montréal; celebrated 15th anniversary; website redesigned.

• 2016

  Offices moved to L'Astérisk, a living environment for LGBTQ youth aged 14–25, in November.

• 2015

  Created second paid part-time position.

• 2014

  Created first paid part-time position with funding from Quebec government's Bureau de lutte contre l'homophobie.

• 2013

  Celebrated 10th anniversary on June 23 at Le Petit Medley, Montreal; special mention at Quebec National Assembly in September.

• 2010

  Major transformation: services split into four distinct websites (AlterHéros.org, AlterCité, Parles-en aux experts, AlterHéros.com).

• 2006

  Welcomed its millionth visitor in March.

• 2002

  Founded by Marc-Olivier Ouellet as a school project.

Bilingual non-profit organization supporting LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse youth in Quebec through peer support and community projects.

• Pose ta question

  Peer-based question-and-answer service staffed by LGBTQ+ peers, including students and professionals such as social workers, doctors, sexologists, and psychologists.

• Neuro/Diversités

  Project enabling neurodiverse and LGBTQ+ individuals aged 14–30 to break isolation through discussion spaces and project creation on sexuality education, safe spaces, and the intersection of sexual and gender diversity with neurodiversity.

1. 1AlterHéros - Éducation et soutien par et pour jeunes LGBTQ+alterheros.com
2. 2AlterHeros - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3AlterHéros - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org