GBTQ2+ Communities and PC-PEP

You belong here.

Welcome

If you’re a gay, bisexual, queer, MSM, or trans man navigating prostate cancer, this space is for you.
You are seen, respected, and supported here — exactly as you are.

PC-PEP (the Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program) was created to help men rebuild health, confidence, and connection after prostate cancer. We know that GBTQ2+ individuals face unique experiences — from changes in sexuality and relationships to feeling invisible in the healthcare system. You don’t have to navigate that alone. This is your community within PC-PEP: open, inclusive, and grounded in compassion and science.

Why This Matters

Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men, yet for many GBTQ2+ individuals, awareness, early detection, and affirming care remain limited. Fear of discrimination or past negative experiences can lead to delayed screening, while a lack of representation in research and survivorship programs can make recovery feel isolating.

We believe every person deserves access to culturally competent, identity-affirming survivorship care — care that speaks your language, reflects your relationships, and respects your story.

🎥 Must-Watch: Prostate Cancer & the GBTQ2+ Community

If you are a gay, bisexual, queer, MSM, or trans man diagnosed with prostate cancer — this conversation is for you.

In this powerful and candid session, Drs. Chris Wallis, Rob Rutledge and Gabriela Ilie speak directly about what is often missing from prostate cancer care for GBTQ2+ individuals.

▶️ Watch here:

In this conversation, we openly discuss:

• Sexual identity and role (top, bottom, versatile) after treatment
• Erectile changes — beyond “can you get an erection?”
• Loss of ejaculation and what it means psychologically and relationally
• Receptive anal sex after surgery or radiation
• Hormone therapy and libido
• Dating, disclosure, and relationship changes
• Treatment regret and mismatched expectations
• Mental health, isolation, and invisibility in care
• How to advocate for yourself within the healthcare system

One of the most important messages from this talk:

Medicine measures erections. Patients live identities.

Most prostate cancer research and outcome tools are built around heterosexual assumptions. This leaves critical gaps in understanding the lived realities of GBTQ2+ men.

This video was shaped directly by GBTQ2+ participants in our Movember-supported outreach initiative — men who told us they wished someone had spoken openly about these issues at the beginning of their journey.

We hope this conversation meets you where you are — and reminds you that you are not alone.

What You’ll Find in the PC-PEP (Prostate Cancer – Patient Empowerment Program) when you join?

🌈 Safe, affirming spaces
Join our dedicated pre-sessions and small groups for GBTQ+ participants — a place where you can speak openly about intimacy, relationships, and recovery with others who truly understand.

🤝 Mentorship & connection
Choose between confidential one-on-one support or public mentor circles featuring peers from diverse backgrounds who have completed PC-PEP.

🎧 Real voices & stories
Listen to candid conversations from men like you on our PC-PEP Podcast Series and in the documentary Empower, sharing the humor, courage, and vulnerability that shape recovery.

📚 Practical tools & science-based strategies
Access daily exercise and pelvic-floor videos, guided meditations, nutrition guidance, and mental-health tools – all part of PC-PEP’s free 6-month home program.

🌍 Ongoing research & advocacy
We are collaborating with GBTQ2+ participants, researchers, and clinicians to co-create better care pathways — ensuring your experiences directly shape national survivorship recommendations.

We created this video with you and for you.
Many men told us they needed a space where the realities of being gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, or MSM in the context of prostate cancer could be named openly and compassionately.

In this conversation, Dr. Gabriela Ilie and Dr. Rob Rutledge walk through:

  • what the research tells us about the experiences of GBTQ+ men in prostate cancer care
  • why side effects may show up differently
  • barriers and discrimination men still report in the health system
  • how to advocate for yourself and get the care you deserve
  • the importance of community, mentorship, and connection
  • how PC-PEP can support you with evidence-based tools for sexual, physical, and mental health

This resource was shaped directly by GBTQ+ participants in our Movember community outreach project, who generously shared what they wish someone had told them at the start of their journey.

We hope this video meets you where you are — and helps you feel supported, informed, and empowered.

Please note that as part of the PC-PEP program, when you are enrolled, you will receive an invitation before each monthly PC-PEP videoconference to join our GBTQ+/MSM pre-session circle — an optional affinity space that opens 45 minutes early. It is a warm, confidential place to connect, listen, share, and support one another. We hope you will join our empowered community.

Portrait of a Gay Couple · Free Stock Photo

Unique Challenges Faced by GBTQ2+ Individuals

Delayed Diagnosis: Fear of discrimination or negative past experiences can prevent routine screening.

Stigma & Isolation: Gay and bisexual men—especially those single or in rural areas—may feel isolated. Trans women and nonbinary people may face unique barriers to inclusive care.

Lack of Representation: Most prostate cancer research assumes heterosexual, cisgender men, leaving gaps in understanding and care.

How PC-PEP is Taking Action

Hear From Our Participants

Podcast Series: Exploring the Experience of GBTQ2+ Individuals Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer

“PC-PEP didn’t just guide me through treatment — it saved my sanity. As a gay man with prostate cancer, I finally found a place where nothing was off the table: sex, fear, implants, grief, hope. For the first time, I wasn’t alone, and I had a roadmap.”
– Wayne, PC-PEP participant, PC-PEP Podcast Ep. 12

“Joining the PC-PEP group for gay men helped me feel less alone. For the first time, I didn’t have to explain myself—I could just be. It made a huge difference in my healing.” – David Ashcroft, PC-PEP participant, PC-PEP Podcast Ep. 6

“I was scared to even talk to my doctor about my symptoms. PC-PEP gave me the confidence to advocate for myself and the tools to thrive after diagnosis.” – Uli Holtkamp, PC-PEP Podcast Ep. 9

“For me, joining PC-PEP wasn’t just about physical recovery—it was about reclaiming a sense of agency, dignity, and connection. As a gay man, I didn’t always see myself represented in cancer care. This program made space for me, my voice, and my healing. That changed everything.” — Mathew Guy, PC-PEP Participant & Advocate Episode 5, PCPEP podcast

Human Impact Story

David Ashcroft, a gay man from rural Nova Scotia, found both community and purpose in PC-PEP:

“The guys have been extremely open about their struggles, their frustrations, their successes, their wish list… My phone buddy and I have become really good friends.”

David now co-leads monthly GBTQ+ PC-PEP meetings and even designed PC-PEP t-shirts to spark awareness across Canada.

What PC-PEP Offers

Our free 6-month, home-based health promotion program provides daily tools and community support for men diagnosed with prostate cancer:

  • Daily guided exercise and pelvic floor training
  • Stress reduction and mindfulness practices
  • Nutrition and lifestyle guidance
  • Monthly live sessions with doctors and peers
  • Access to mentors, buddies, and alumni networks

Hundreds of men across Canada have completed PC-PEP. Many stay connected long after, continuing as mentors, advocates, and friends.

HOW TO JOIN

👉 Join PC-PEP today at pcpep.org.
👉 If you’d like our team to present to your GBTQ2+ community or organization, [contact us here].

Together, we can change the story of prostate cancer care—one person, one community, one conversation at a time..

Supported by Movember

This GBTQ2+ Health Equity initiative is proudly funded by Movember (2025–2028) through a grant awarded to Drs. Gabriela Ilie and Rob Rutledge at Dalhousie University.

With Movember’s support, PC-PEP is expanding its reach to ensure that every man — gay, bi, trans, queer, or straight; urban or rural; young or older — has access to the knowledge, support, and community needed to heal and thrive after prostate cancer.

Together with Movember, we’re changing the story of survivorship — one man, one community, one conversation at a time.

You’re home. You’re part of this.

Welcome to PC-PEP.