Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBT community

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the LGBT community. More than 220 pride celebrations around the world have been canceled or postponed, as of April 3, 2020.[1] Global Pride, an online event with numerous national hosts, was scheduled for June 27, 2020.[2]

LGBT Asians have faced increased discrimination in line with xenophobia and racism related to the pandemic. LGBT seniors are also more likely to encounter isolation and therefore other health issues.[3]

The United Nations made a call for all States to urgently take into account the impact of COVID-19 on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse (LGBT) persons when designing, implementing and evaluating the measures to combat the pandemic which may affect disproportionately LGBT communities around the world.[4]

National health organizations have warned that some members of the LGBTQ community may be "particularly vulnerable" to the effects of the disease. Reasons for the increased risk include higher rates of cancer, HIV, and smoking, as well as health care discrimination.[5] There are also concerns about reduced support for LGBTQ people, particularly those who are homeless, and unsafe family environments.[6] In March 2020, more than 100 LGBT rights organizations signed an open letter asking U.S. public health officials to address this issue. Signatories included GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, and Lambda Legal.[7] The letter was organized by the LGBT National Cancer Network with support from GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality, the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, the New York Transgender Advocacy Group, Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE), and Whitman-Walker Health.[8]

Many LGBT+ dating websites have shared ways to prevent coronavirus infections. Grindr and Scruff downloads decreased in Italy and Spain.[9] Kyle Casey Chu, a writer from San Francisco, documented the ways in which the pandemic, particularly but not exclusively the requirement for people to wear masks when socializing in public, impacted traditional gay sexual behaviours in an August article for Xtra![10]

Africa

In Uganda, 20 LGBT people were detained at a shelter by police and accused of violating social distancing requirements.[11]

Asia

GagaOOLala, described by Reuters as "Asia's first LGBT+ video streaming platform, dubbed the continent's 'gay Netflix'", expanded with the hope of reaching people who are isolating because of the pandemic.[12]

South Korea

In May 2020, an outbreak connected to LGBT-friendly nightclubs in Seoul prompted a backlash and concerns over privacy.[13][14]

Turkey

Turkey's top Muslim scholar and Minister of Religious Affairs, Ali Erbaş, said in a Friday Ramadan announcement that country condemns homosexuality because it "brings illness", insinuating that same sex relations are responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan backed Erbaş, saying that what Erbaş "said was totally right."[16]

Europe

United Kingdom
Plymouth Citybus' "Pride bus" before a controversial rebranding

In the United Kingdom, sexually active gay and bisexual men were restricted from donating plasma for a National Health Service's (NHS) coronavirus research trial.[17] This is because the research trial followed the same rules as the existing blood donor rules.[18]

More than a hundred pride events were postponed or cancelled, including Pride in London[19], Leeds Pride[20], Brighton Pride[21] and the national UK Pride event which was to take place in Newcastle upon Tyne.[22] Other pride events, including Bristol Pride, announced that their events were to be online-only.[23]

Traditional seven-colour rainbows were used to show support for the NHS, with some using the LGBT rainbow flag for the same purpose.[24] Plymouth Citybus rebranded their "Pride bus" to celebrate the NHS instead, leading to accusations of straightwashing before an apology from the company.[25]

North America

Canada

In 2020, Canadian health professionals and researchers noted that LGBTQ+ people in Canada were uniquely vulnerable to both contracting COVID-19 and suffering under social-distancing regulations. LGBTQ+ people, they argued, are more likely to be immunocompromised and or suffer trauma during quarantine from isolation from community or proximity to unaccepting family members.[26]

Pride Toronto, Canada's largest and most prominent Pride Festival, has officially cancelled its pride events, such as the Dyke March, Trans March and the Pride Parade,[27] as has Fierté Montréal.[28]

Several pride festivals announced plans to proceed with online "digital pride" festivals. These include Pride Toronto,[29] Vancouver Pride,[30] Calgary Pride,[31] Sudbury Pride,[32] and Capital Pride in Ottawa.[33] Pride Toronto's plans included an "online pride parade" on June 28, which included video of registered participants delivering Pride-related messages for broadcast both as an online stream and a live special on CFTO-DT and CP24.[34]

Vancouver Pride was targeted by scammers who posted fraudulent posters around the city's West End soliciting donations via Bitcoin.[35]

Glad Day Bookshop announced various plans to support LGBTQ artists and performers during the pandemic and the associated shutdown of most venues that they depend on for income, including a crowdfunded Emergency Survival Fund to provide loans and grants,[36] and GD TV, a Zoom-based online channel for LGBTQ artists, writers, musicians, dancers and drag queens to livestream readings and performances.[37] The Toronto Queer Film Festival launched the Queer Emergencies Fund to offer grants to LGBTQ filmmakers for the creation of new short works,[38] and the Inside Out Film and Video Festival announced a program offering production grants of up to $2,500 to projects impacted by pandemic-related shutdowns.[39]

The vulnerability of many LGBTQ businesses was spotlighted in early May when Pegasus, a popular bar in Toronto's Church and Wellesley village, announced that it was at risk of closing because its landlord was refusing to participate in the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance program.[40] The federal government program had been designed to help protect small businesses from closure by subsidizing their rent during the shutdown, but still leaves businesses vulnerable because it requires buy-in from the landlord as well.[41] The 519 community centre followed up with an open letter suggesting that the entire Church and Wellesley village was in danger of disappearing if the federal and provincial governments did not take steps to improve their protection of small businesses.[42] In early June, it was announced that the landlord had finally agreed to participate in the program.[43]

Residents of the neighbourhood have also noted a significant increase in crime and violence, related in part to an impromptu encampment of homeless people setting up tents in Barbara Hall Park.[44]

Twisted Element, a gay bar in Calgary, Alberta, similarly went through bureaucratic hassles as it attempted to shift its business model from a nightclub to a pub-style restaurant so that it could remain in operation.[45]

Several residents of Toronto launched Club Quarantine, a popular Zoom-based online club night which quickly attracted an international following and highlighted a different DJ each night.[46]

In June, singer-songwriter Safia Nolin announced Saint-Jeanne, an LGBTQ-inclusive Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day livestream scheduled for June 24. The event was hosted by Kiara, a Montreal drag queen who is also featured in the first season of Canada's Drag Race, and the performance lineup included comedians Tranna Wintour and Karl Hardy, actress and writer Gabrielle Tremblay, songwriter and producer Annie Sama (Apigeon), rapper Backxwash, singer Jeremy Dutcher and drag queens Matante Alex and Gisèle Lullaby.[47] On June 24, CBC Gem and Buddies in Bad Times collaborated on Queer Pride Inside, an online event hosted by Elvira Kurt and featuring performances by Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Teiya Kasahara, Yovska, Ivan Coyote, Les Femmes Fatales, Gay Jesus, Cris Derksen, Luna Dubois, Pearle Harbour, Tawiah M'carthy, Stewart Legere, Alexis O'Hara, Trey Anthony and Ryan G. Hinds.[48]

Fierté Montréal's programming included an online edition of its annual Drag Superstars show, featuring the entire first season cast of Canada's Drag Race.[49]

United States

In Florida, several attendees of Miami's annual Winter Party Festival tested positive for coronavirus, according to event organizer National LGBTQ Task Force.[50] Shannon Bennett, a gay man and deputy sheriff with Broward Sheriff's Office, is "believed to be the first such line-of-duty death from COVID-19 in Florida".[51]

The San Francisco Department of Public Health published a news release called "Trans Care During COVID-19", which noted the higher proportion of transgender people with HIV/AIDS. New York's Callen-Lorde Community Health Center has considered extending HIV medication prescriptions and reducing in-person visits to practice social distancing.[52]

The following LGBT events have been cancelled or postponed:

In early July, a beach party on Fire Island received criticism for violating social distancing and masking protocols.[73]

Stonewall Gives Back

"Stonewall Gives Back! A Live-Streaming Concert for the LGBTQ+ Nightlife Community", or simply "Stonewall Gives Back", was a fundraiser held on April 23, 2020. The event was organized by World of Wonder and the Stonewall Gives Back Initiative, a charity affiliated with the Stonewall Inn, and hosted on the WOWPresents YouTube channel. It was announced on April 20 and benefited "LGBTQ nightlife industry professionals" applying for emergency assistance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[74][75] Beneficiaries were granted to "US residents who have worked for at least 12 months in LGBT+ nightlife and for whom it is a main source of income".[76] Hosted by Michelle Visage and Tyler Oakley, the event featured performances and appearances by Allie X, Shoshana Bean, Betty Who, Greyson Chance, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Todrick Hall, Carlie Hanson, Darren Hayes, Cyndi Lauper, Leland, Lorna Luft, John Cameron Mitchell, MUNA, Our Lady J, Nina West, Peppermint, Kim Petras, Matt Rogers, Troye Sivan, Pabllo Vittar, and Rufus Wainwright. Erich Bergen served as executive producer.[74][75][77]

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