Queer and present danger: understanding the disparate impacts of disasters on LGBTQ+ communities

LGBTQ+ communities comprise 16 million individuals in the United States, yet this population is often rendered invisible within disaster policies. Bias in federal disaster response programmes, a lack of recognition of LGBTQ+ families, and the prevalence of faith-based organisations in disaster relief services together heighten the risks that LGBTQ+ individuals face. This paper describes the ways in which this reality combines with the contextual vulnerability of LGBTQ+ communities, whereby existing inequalities and marginalisation are exacerbated during disasters and in their aftermath. As a result, the immediate trauma of a disaster, such as physical injury or the loss of loved ones or possessions, is compounded in multiple ways for LGBTQ+ individuals, making them less likely to benefit from disaster relief services. To address these inequalities, the paper concludes with a set of policy recommendations to inform prevention, mitigation, and recovery planning, as well as to reduce the impacts of disasters on LGBTQ+ individuals.