Is the LGBTQIA+ Community at a Higher Risk of Climate Crisis?

Twitter | Archived 

June was celebrated as pride month by worldwide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual and other similar people collectively (LGBTQIA+ Community). With the Pride month, more attention in the whole communities in the world was paid to the LGBTQIA+ community. Using this attention, they try to express their issues, matters and squalls to the world. One of the main points they introduced was their role in the climate crisis

So, the Climate Fact Checks team decided to search LGBTQIA+ community and climate change.

What is LGBTQIA+ Community?

LGBTQIA+ community refers to diverse individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and other non-binary gender identities. Each letter in the acronym represents a different sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Lesbian refers to women who are attracted to other women.

Gay refers to men attracted to other men, although it is an umbrella term for the entire community.

Bisexual refers to individuals who are attracted to both men and women. 

Transgender refers to people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Queer or Questioning is an umbrella term that describes individuals who do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender and maybe are still exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Intersex refers to individuals born with physical sex characteristics that do not fit the typical definition of male or female.

Asexual refers to individuals who experience little to no sexual attraction towards others.

The “+” at the end of the acronym represents the inclusivity of other sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions that are not explicitly mentioned in the acronym. It recognises and welcomes all individuals who may not fit into those categories.

This community encompasses individuals who do not conform to societal norms related to sexual orientation or gender identity. It is an inclusive and supportive community that advocates for equal rights, social acceptance and equality for all its members.

LGBTQIA+ Community and Their Challenges

LGBTQAI+ community faces various challenges and obstacles. But the main threat for them is the public reaction to them. This is the base of most of the difficulties that the LGBTQIA+ community have confronted. 

Most people in many countries still do not think that the LGBTQIA+ community should have the approval to live like everyone in society. They do not believe that LGBTQIA+ people are ordinary people like others. Some people believe that they are spoils in the community. Those people try to explain the LGBTQIA+ individual’s situation from their point of view. Some describe it as a sin from a religious point of view. Some present as a mental illness. However, the final result is their rejection of society. Sometimes, society tries to force them to change their personalities. Also, some LGBTQIA+ individuals face this situation in their households and families. Most of the community see them being themselves as a crime. This makes life harder to LGBTQIA+ individuals.

In this situation, they struggle with others’ lack of support towards them. As mentioned above, many LGBTQI+ individuals face rejection from their families, leading to social isolation and a lack of support systems. This lack of acceptance and understanding from loved ones can significantly impact their mental health and overall well-being.

Bullying and violence are other more complex challenges the LGBTQIA+ community commonly confront. Most young children from the LGBTQIA+ community often face bullying, harassment and violence in schools and communities. They may be at a higher risk of physical assault, hate crimes and even homelessness due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Despite progress in many countries, LGBTQIA+ individuals still face legal challenges. Some countries have laws that criminalise same-sex relationships or restrict transgender rights. Even in places where same-sex marriage is legal, there may still be obstacles to adoption, healthcare benefits and other rights that the others partake in. Also, LGBTQIA+ activists are complaining that they do not have enough protection. They feel uncomfortable and insecure due to social and legal aspects toward them.

Many LGBTQIA+ individuals face discrimination and stigma in various aspects of life, including education, employment, healthcare and housing. They may be subjected to prejudice, stereotypes and unequal treatment due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Most LGBTQIA+ individuals suffer from mental health issues caused while confronting life with such social problems. Rejection, forcing them to change and not accepting them as who they are, bullying, violence, discrimination, and all the social pressure makes them mentally vulnerable. They are more likely to experience mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse due to the stress of coming out, facing discrimination or dealing with social rejection from family, friends or society. Also, low self-esteem, less self-confidence, the feeling of insecurity and many other mind states can occur among these community individuals. Here for know more.

LGBTQIA+ individuals may face barriers in accessing inclusive healthcare, including disparities in mental health services, transgender healthcare and HIV AIDS prevention and treatments.

It is important to note that while progress has been made in advancing LGBTQIA+ rights and acceptance in many places, these challenges persist globally to varying degrees. Efforts towards education, legislation, social acceptance and support systems are vital in addressing these issues and creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.

Here to read more on the challenges of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Climate Change and LGBTQIA+ Community

Climate change is not affecting every community in society in a same way . Climate change impacts feel differently by different groups; some people and areas show more vulnerability due to those impacts than others. This unequal impact distribution can be defined as climate injustice. Usually, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, low-income families, older adults and immigrant communities are a few of society’s main groups that have suffered from climate injustice. Climate Change affects the LGBTQIA+ community in several ways.

Climate change can lead to extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves and floods, disproportionately impacting marginalised communities, including LGBTQIA+. These disasters can result in physical injuries, mental health issues, and displacement and disrupt access to healthcare, especially for those who are already vulnerable due to discrimination and lack of resources.

Climate change-induced disasters can force individuals and communities to leave their homes and relocate. LGBTQIA+ individuals who are displaced may face additional challenges due to discrimination or lack of understanding in their new communities, potentially leading to isolation and limited access to supportive services.

Climate change exacerbates social and economic inequalities, disproportionately affecting marginalised groups like the LGBTQIA+ community. Limited financial resources and discrimination can make it harder for LGBTQIA+ individuals to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change, such as investing in renewable energy or sustainable housing.

Climate change’s environmental and social impacts, such as loss of biodiversity, environmental degradation and natural disasters, can contribute to increased stress, anxiety and depression among LGBTQIA+ individuals. The feeling of powerlessness in the face of global climate challenges can also add to mental health burdens. 

Climate change-induced disasters can disrupt LGBTQIA+ community space., such as LGBTQIA+ centres, bars, festivals and activism hubs. These spaces provide a sense of community, support and identity. Their loss or destruction can impact the social connections and support networks essential for the well-being and resilience of LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Why are the LGBTQIA+ Individuals More Vulnerable to Climate Change than Other Communities?

Our Climate Fact Checks team contacted the LGBTQIA+ activist and project manager of “Equal Ground”, a  non-government organisation speaking on equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community in Sri Lanka, Miss Kaushalya Sendanayaka Arachchi. 

According to Miss Kaushalya, the LGBTQIA+ community suffers from social and family rejection, as mentioned above. Most LGBTQIA+ individuals are not well accepted in many job fields. So, most of them used to be self-entrepreneurs, and of all those entrepreneurs, a higher percentage are in the salon industry. Usually, in disaster times, most small-scale businesses, including the salon industry, become vulnerable. So, there is a higher possibility for many LGBTQIA+ individuals to be lost and threatened. 

The LGBTQIA+ individuals rejected by their families try to make money and earn shelter. But with climate change and climate change-induced disasters, homelessness increases. LGBTQIA+ community is the first victim of this, along with low-income families. LGBTQIA+ individuals face many comfortabilities and issues while finding shelter. Most people do not have a fondness for giving them space because of the bad reputation that society has prepared for them. So, they have to get through a hard time with this homelessness. With low income due to climate change, they will be in a more complex situation. 

Miss Kaushalya said there are even many squalls the LGBTQIA+ community has faced while getting government subsidies though they have qualified to get them. In climate change-induced disaster periods, there are many programs to help aggrieved people. But even under the required conditions, they need help to get those. For example, in Sri Lanka, on Covid-19 season, the government imparted Rs.5000 per time for low-income families in all the ‘Grama Niladhari’ divisions a few times. In this process, some villagers, LGBTQIA+ individuals, have complained that they were ignored and try not to give them subsidies by the government service officers until they started to protest.

With climate change and climate change-induced disasters, reducing the LGBTQIA+ community’s space harms their well-being, especially in countries like Sri Lanka and other countries with less legal support. In such countries, all the exorbitance and injustice experienced by LGBTQIA+ individuals were complained about and discussed in the organisations and their social space. It will be a bad experience for the LGBTQIA+ community if they disrupt. And the connection between the community is well managed through these spaces. Missing those will also make LGBTQIA+ individuals lonelier.

With climate change, the health of all the communities in the world can become more vulnerable. In this case, with an already more challenging time accessing their healthcare, the LGBTQIA+ community will be struggling. Also, climate change can impact the mental health of everyone on the earth. So, the LGBTQIA+ community is also venturesome. With the above facts, they will become more sensitive to climate change with these issues than other communities.

Adaptation, mitigation, and sometimes migration can be suggested solutions to climate change. When it comes to migration, the LGBGTQIA+ community need help. Especially after migrating, adapting to the new environment, finding new jobs there, and becoming stable, there is a more significant challenge for them than others.

What are the Steps Against These issues that LGBTQIA+ Community takes?

According to Miss Kaushalya Sendanayaka Arachchi, the best way to avoid these issues as an LGBTQIA+ individual is to have a good education and be stable as a reputed professional. This solves many of the above problems.  Reputation and acceptance of the erudite individuals in the community are much better than other LGBTQIA+ individuals. But the matter is that there is no way to achieving to that position for neither LGBTQIA+ individuals or even other people. Especially when many LGBTQIA+ individuals’ education was sabotaged by the social reaction towards them, harassment from society and discrimination. So, several additional steps can be taken to address issues which are affected cross-section of the LGBTQIA+ community by climate change.

Increasing awareness about the intersection of climate change and LGBTQIA+ issues comes as the main one of them. Educate both the LGBTQIA+ community and the broader public about the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals in the context of climate change is happening here. Fortunately, with the evolution of more comprehensive public platforms, including social media, almost everyone can efficiently conduct the step on different scales. Many non-government organisations in most countries are taking the issues of the LGBTQIA+ community and making a voice for them and their problems. Also, advocating for the inclusion of their voices and perspectives in climate change policies, plans and decision-making processes is done by them. It should be ensured that LGBTQIA+ activists, organisations and community members are consulted and involved in shaping climate resilience strategies at all levels.

Another crucial step is focusing on building resilience within the LGBTQIA+ community by establishing support networks, creating safe spaces, and fostering connections. This can include promoting mental health and well-being initiatives, organising peer support groups and facilitating access to resources.

Working towards inclusive disaster response and preparedness plans that consider the specific needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals is very important with the climate change impacts they face. This includes training emergency personnel on LGBTQIA+ cultural competency and sensitivity, providing inclusive shelter options and developing targeted outstretch campaigns to ensure that LGBTQIA+ individuals are aware of available resources during and after a disaster. Also, it is better to integrate LGBTQIA+ health considerations into climate change adaptation strategies, focusing on access to healthcare, inclusive mental health support services, and addressing the specific health needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals affected by climate change events.

LGBTQIA+ organisations, environmental justice groups and climate change activists should be encouraged to collaborate. Building alliances can help amplify the voices and concerns of the LGBTQIA+ community within the broader climate change movement and foster collective efforts for change. Along with that, to reduce climate change, they can advocate for sustainable and just solutions for climate change.

Most of all, giving acceptance and understanding to the LGBTQIA+ community may help to get rid of many of their not only climate issues but also others. And that is the easiest and the best step the other people can get for them.

Anyway, by adopting an inclusive approach and addressing the specific challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, we can work towards building a more equitable and resilient world in the face of climate change.

LGBTQIA+ Community Involvement in Climate Changes

The LGBTQIA+ community is very interested in the world’s environmental movement and keen on the environment. Over the world, many LGBTQIA+ activists are involved in environmental organisations. Also, many LGBTQIA+ climate organisations are leading climate change-related projects. Even during pride month, they didn’t forget to address the world about climate change. Fortunately, because of their presentation and voices, more attention can be grabbed from the world towards their words and ideas. Here are a few LGBTQIA+ climate organisations actively participating in the fight against climate change.

Their primary purpose on climate change is to get the attention on climate change by the government, authorised people, and local communities. They conduct protests and many other activities related to climate change. LGBTQIA+ is a community with much more attention than others, so they quickly grabbed the world’s attention. With that, they complete their duty in public awareness.

LGBTQIA+ Community in Climate Change – Sri Lankan Context

Sri Lanka is a small island in South Asia. Sri Lanka can be considered a traditional country. With these conventional concepts, in Sri Lanka and many other Asian countries, the LGBTQIA+ community has many legal and cultural barriers. Social acceptance for them is at a lower level. So, the Sri Lankan LGBTQIA+ community is struggling with many issues compared to other countries. Here for the legal aspects for LGBTQIA+ individuals in Sri Lanka.

Miss Kaushalya Sendanayaka Arachchi said that the Sri Lankan LGBTQIA+ community is thoroughly suffering and struggling with less understanding, acceptance, and rejection from society and their families. With that, homelessness is one major issue that they are suffering from. Climate changes and other crises in Sri Lanka increase these situations in Sri Lanka. When finding jobs, sometimes in interviews, transgender individuals struggle with uncomfortable questioning and bullying. And most of the time, they dropped out. Some LGBTQIA+ individuals are tried to brainwash and change their personalities by their families, and if it can’t be done, they are kicked out of their homes. The crisis which arises with climate change is triggering this. 

Anyway, there are shelter homes in Sri Lanka for LGBTQIA+ individuals who become homeless and unemployed, which non-government organisations conduct. These homes take care of them until they find a job and become stable. 

By now, the Sri Lankan LGBTQIA+ community is more accessible to reveal to the world about themselves than before, as LGBTQIA+ individuals were hiding themselves in shyness years ago. So, they get more education, awareness and healthcare than before. But when they arrived at hospitals and other public spaces, they became harassed and bullied most of the time. So, the LGBTQIA+ community is not very keen on healthcare and other general things. It harms and increases the climate change-related health effect on them. Because most of the Sri Lankan community considers every LGBTQIA+ individual to become one due to their mental illness, cognitive therapy will allow others to bully them more. So, for those reasons, they are not fond of going for them though they got depression or any other issues. 

Also, Miss Kaushalya mentioned they are exerting beach clean-ups and other environmentally friendly programs. Also, in their workshops and other programs, they have reduced plastic usage, such as straws and plastic water bottles and tried to decrease environmental pollution. Their organisations are actively supporting climate activists like Greta Thunberg. 

But in Sri Lanka, more space is needed for the LGBTQIA+ community. As Miss Kaushalya mentioned, the Sri Lankan LGBTQIA+ community and activists are still protesting and struggling to get their rights. Still, they have massive rejection in society. They need more space to fight climate change in this situation. She said people are already questioning why they spent money and organised the programs during Pride month. Still, Sri Lankans are at a level of asking their every action negatively. So, it is hard to start large-scale environmental and climate justice projects in Sri Lanka. So, only small steps are still being conducted on the climate change movement in Sri Lanka. 

When the LGBTQIA+ community gets proper legal and social protection, they will love to join large projects on climate change.

Conclusion

The LGBTQIA+ community is more vulnerable in the face of climate change. So, many projects and programs have been conducted by the LGBTQIA+ community and other communities to decrease this vulnerability. The Sri Lankan LGBTQIA+ community is also suffering from that. But with legal and social boundaries, they cannot actively participate in large-scale climate activities.

But it is possible to remove many struggles for LGBTQIA+ communities with climate change through social awareness and getting acceptance, understanding and not rejecting LGBTQIA+ individuals in our society.

If you have any queries or come across suspicious content related to climate change or the environment and want us to verify them for you, then send them to us on our WhatsApp hotline: +917045366366

-With inputs from Mihiri Saparamadhu –