Forced back into the closet as COVID hurts our community
Pandemic worsen inequalities for LGBTIQ+ people in Tasmania, says Lynn Jarvis
THERE is still much we don’t know about the impact of COVID-19 or the measures taken to control its spread.
But one thing we do know is that the pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities, including for LGBTIQ+ people.
We know about the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on LGBTIQ+ because of an increasing body of local, national and international studies that say the same thing. These include a study by the University of Tasmania, national studies by University of Melbourne and Equality Australia and studies from the US and Europe.
The National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan also highlights LGBTIQ+ people as a particularly at-risk group.
These studies and reports show the already higher rates of economic distress, mental ill-health and discrimination experienced by LGBTIQ+ people have grown worse during the pandemic.
LGBTIQ+ people, particularly trans and gender diverse community members, already have higher than average rates of poverty and unemployment because of discrimination and stigma.
According to University of Melbourne’s TransFORM study 60 per cent of transgender Australians are now experiencing financial strain related to buying food because of the pandemic.
Anxiety, depression, social isolation and other mental health issues which are caused by discrimination and stigma, are also increasing.
For example, the UTAS study highlighted the personal stories of young LGBTIQ+ Tasmanians who have been forced back into the closet because their only option for housing during the lockdown was to move back in with unsupportive family members.
Discrimination is also a problem when it comes to accessing health and emergency services during the pandemic.
Most health and emergency workers treat everyone professionally and with respect. However, with more LGBTIQ+ people accessing these services there has been an increase of reports of same-sex relationships not being treated equally and transgender people being misgendered. As a result, respondents to all the studies say they prefer LGBTIQ+ services where possible.
The problem is these services, which were already overstretched and underfunded, have trouble meeting an increased demand.
Tasmania’s LGBTIQ+ community organisations have done our best to meet the needs before us.
For example, Working It Out has added additional support hours, run groups more frequently and developed an entirely new volunteer program (Working It Out Together) to meet
demand and to provide a mechanism for LGBTIQ+ people to help one another. But we have done this by diverting existing resources, which is not sustainable given the pandemic and its impact are ongoing and indefinite.
Non-funded organisations such as PFLAG Tasmania, Connect4Life, Transgender Tasmania, Bi+ Tasmania and Equality Tasmania have also seen an increase in demand for help and support.
Working It Out, Equality Tasmania and PFLAG have developed a set of recommendations we have submitted to the Premier’s pandemic advisory committee and which we believe will make a real difference.
These include: More funding for LGBTIQ+ support organisations to meet the growing demand for our services; more training for health and emergency workers in the issues facing LGBTIQ+ people; and greater acknowledgment by the State Government of the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on LGBTIQ+ Tasmanians.
Compared to the government spending in other sectors, what we are asking for is a very small level of support.
But for LGBTIQ+ Tasmanians it will make a big difference.
On April 15, as the lockdown hit hard, Tasmania’s Deputy Premier, Jeremy Rockliff said, “I get a sense that when there is a particular vulnerability the community has always rallied around those people most vulnerable. But I believe that [in the aftermath of this pandemic] we are going to see that to a greater degree.” I wholeheartedly agree. Not only should we be rallying around all those Tasmanians who are more vulnerable because of the pandemic, we should be looking forward to a postpandemic Tasmania that is more inclusive and equitable than ever.