For the past few days, a claim has been spreading across social media that Canada has “added more letters” to LGBTQ+. It’s being framed as proof that queer identity has become “too much,” “too confusing,” or “out of control.”
It’s also completely false.
And more than that, it’s something worse.
Because what’s actually being mocked isn’t a changing acronym. It’s a documented human rights crisis.
Where the Lie Comes From
The viral claim didn’t appear out of nowhere. It was amplified by high-profile accounts, including posts on X, and quickly spread across Facebook and other platforms without context.
What people are pointing to is a long string of letters like:
MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+
On its face, it looks overwhelming. That’s the point.
But that string is not a single identity acronym. It’s two entirely different things smashed together and misrepresented.
What MMIWG2S+ Actually Means
MMIWG stands for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
It refers to a well-documented crisis in Canada where Indigenous women and girls face disproportionately high rates of violence, disappearance, and murder.
This isn’t internet discourse. It’s not theoretical.
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It was the subject of a national inquiry that concluded the violence is rooted in systemic racism and colonial structures.
When the term is expanded to MMIWG2S+, it includes:
- Two-Spirit people
- LGBTQ+ Indigenous people
- Others who are disproportionately affected by that same violence
This isn’t about identity branding.
It’s about who is being harmed.
And No, Canada Didn’t “Add Letters”
Canada does use the term 2SLGBTQI+, placing “2S” (Two-Spirit) at the front.
That’s intentional.
Two-Spirit is not a new identity. It’s a term used by Indigenous communities to describe gender and sexual identities that have existed for centuries, long before Western LGBTQ+ language.
Putting it first is about recognition. Not expansion.
Not excess.
Recognition.
What This Misinformation Is Actually Doing
This isn’t just a misunderstanding. It’s a pattern.
Take something serious.
Strip it of context.
Make it look absurd.
Then use that absurdity to discredit an entire group.
In this case, that means:
- Turning a human rights crisis into a culture war joke
- Framing Indigenous and queer people as “confusing” or “too much”
- Reinforcing the idea that LGBTQ+ identity is inherently ridiculous
And it works, because the presentation is designed to provoke a reaction before anyone stops to ask what they’re actually looking at.
Why This Matters Beyond One Viral Post
We’re in a moment where misinformation isn’t just spreading. It’s being engineered for engagement.
Long acronyms. Cropped screenshots. Out-of-context quotes.
They aren’t accidents.
They’re tools.
And when those tools are used, the impact isn’t abstract:
- LGBTQ+ people face increased harassment
- Indigenous communities see their realities dismissed or mocked
- Real violence gets buried under viral outrage
The Reality They Don’t Want You to See
MMIWG2S+ isn’t about adding letters.
It’s about naming people who are being targeted, harmed, and erased.
It’s about acknowledging that violence doesn’t affect everyone equally.
And it’s about refusing to let that reality be turned into a punchline.
Bottom Line
Canada didn’t “add more letters” to LGBTQ+.
What people are seeing is the intersection of two things:
- A long-standing Indigenous human rights crisis
- And the inclusion of queer and Two-Spirit people within it
Collapsing those into a meme doesn’t make it true.
It just makes it easier to ignore what’s actually happening.
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Kirstyn Piper Plummer is a Mom, Wife, Photographer, Reporter, IT Administrator and many other things.
