Adeb Arianson

For LGBTQIA+ refugees, displacement doesn’t just mean fleeing home—it often means being forced into systems that weren’t built for them. From asylum processes that ignore queer-specific trauma to healthcare systems that fail to provide affirming care, LGBTQIA+ newcomers face unique challenges that are often overlooked in mainstream refugee policies.

In this session, Adeb Arianson brings both lived experience and professional insight to explore the urgent need for trauma-informed, culturally competent healthcare solutions for LGBTQIA+ refugees. He will shed light on the systemic failures that put queer asylum seekers at disproportionate risk—from medical gatekeeping and mental health crises to the dangers of detention centers and resettlement policies that don’t consider SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sex Characteristics) protections.

Drawing from his own journey, as well as his work with GIDA Movement, YMCA Canada, and the YMCA Centre for Immigrant Programs, Adeb will unpack:

• The barriers LGBTQIA+ refugees face in accessing healthcare, from asylum claims to settlement services.
• The importance of trauma-informed, culturally aware interventions in refugee health.
• The role of NGOs, community programs, and policymakers in addressing these gaps.
• Practical solutions to create safer, more inclusive pathways for LGBTQIA+ refugees.

This session isn’t just about policy—it’s about real people, real experiences, and real solutions. It’s about reimagining refugee healthcare through an intersectional, justice-driven lens, ensuring that LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers aren’t left to navigate these challenges alone.

Adeb Arianson is an activist-survivor, artist-theatrist, community organizer, and emerging scholar committed to uplifting LGBTQIA+ refugees and newcomers. As the Founder and Director of GIDA Movement (Growth Initiative for Dedicated LGBTQ+ Advocacy), Adeb works on the frontlines of refugee rights, advocating for policies and community-based solutions that prioritize queer asylum seekers’ safety, dignity, and access to healthcare.

Having arrived in Canada as a queer refugee himself, Adeb’s advocacy is deeply personal. Navigating the system firsthand, he witnessed how many LGBTQIA+ newcomers fall through the cracks, struggling to access affirming healthcare, housing, and legal support. That experience—combined with his passion for international development—drives his work in bridging the gap between policy and lived realities.

Beyond GIDA, Adeb is actively involved in national and local advocacy efforts. He is a member of NYLAC (National Young Leaders Advisory Council) at YMCA Canada, where he helps amplify youth voices in policy discussions, ensuring newcomer queer youth perspectives are part of national decision-making. Locally, he works with the YMCA Centre for Immigrant Programs in Halifax, delivering, leading and co-facilitating workshops on gender-based violence prevention (GBVP), human rights, and inclusion. His work is rooted in education, empowerment, and creating spaces where displaced individuals—especially those from the LGBTQIA+ community—can find belonging and support.

Adeb is also pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at Dalhousie University, focusing on International Development and Performance Studies. His academic and professional work intersect, blending research, advocacy, and storytelling to challenge systemic inequities in refugee policies and healthcare access.

At the heart of everything he does is a simple belief: no one should have to choose between their safety and their identity—and he is committed to fighting for a world where LGBTQIA+ refugees don’t just survive but thrive.