# 24 - The Impact of Disasters on LGBTQIA+ Communities: A Global Perspective. Part 1 (Leo Goldsmith and Vanessa Raditz)

Summary:

This episode focused on the global experiences of LGBTQ+ communities in the context of disasters and climate change, featuring perspectives from researchers working in the U.S. The discussion highlighted the growing field of queer climate justice and the urgent need to address how disasters uniquely affect LGBTQ+ individuals.

Despite assumptions that LGBTQ+ rights are well protected in places like the United States, significant disparities remain. Disasters often intensify pre-existing vulnerabilities such as homelessness, poor access to healthcare, social isolation, and economic insecurity. The lack of recognition for LGBTQ+ families and the reliance on discriminatory faith-based relief organisations further exclude individuals during crises. Additionally, some U.S. states allow healthcare providers to deny treatment based on sexual or gender identity, a practice that can be life-threatening during emergencies.

Structural issues like anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and discriminatory social attitudes were identified as compounding risk factors. These laws not only restrict healthcare and education access but also influence displacement patterns and exacerbate the marginalisation of LGBTQ+ people during disasters. Researchers underscored how disaster responses often overlook these vulnerabilities due to poor data collection and a general lack of awareness within official systems.

Historically, events like the HIV/AIDS crisis continue to shape stigma and responses to newer health threats like Mpox. Anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has often been weaponised for political purposes, reinforcing social exclusion during times of crisis. The need for better representation, inclusive disaster policies, and the incorporation of sexual and gender diversity in international frameworks like the Sendai Framework was emphasised.

The conversation concluded with calls for deeper historical understanding, improved data collection, and more inclusive, justice-oriented approaches to disaster risk reduction that acknowledge the complex realities faced by LGBTQ+ communities around the world.

Guests:

• Leo Goldsmith (Yale University, United States)
• Vanessa Raditz (University of Georgia, United States)

Co-Hosts:

• Mr. Jeisson Orlando Garcia (Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres, Colombia)
• Dr. Mark Ashley Parry (Northumbria University, United Kingdom)

Music: "Sunset" by Kai Engel, available at ⁠Free Music Archive⁠, licensed under CC BY 4.0.