Editor’s note: Outright International has given permission for the Washington Blade to republish this editorial from their website.
Shortly after the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, held in Antigua and Barbuda in May 2024, the Caribbean is facing a historic event. Hurricane Beryl, described as the earliest Category 5 hurricane to occur in the Atlantic Ocean, struck the Caribbean in the first week of July 2024. Hurricane Beryl caused devastating damage to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Jamaica, and caused varying degrees of damage in Saint Lucia and Barbados. Hurricane Beryl follows a rise in Category 4 and 5 hurricanes in the region, the most recent of which are Category 4 Hurricane Ian (2022), Category 5 Hurricane Dorian (2019), Category 5 Hurricane Maria (2017), Category 5 Hurricane Irma (2017), and Category 5 Hurricane Matthew (2016). These hurricanes caused loss of life, displacement, disruption of livelihoods, destruction of vegetation and infrastructure, uninhabitable areas, and severe economic losses. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people in the Caribbean, climate-related disasters exacerbate the vulnerabilities and existing inequalities they face.
The survival and survival of the Caribbean islands is under threat
The Caribbean is experiencing the impacts of climate change (Caribbean Community Climate Change Center, 2021). Climate change is projected to increase the frequency of category 4 and 5 hurricanes in the region by 25 to 30 percent (United States Agency for International Development, 2018). As shown by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, category 4 and 5 hurricanes have the most devastating impacts. The “increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events” as evidence of the “rapid and adverse impacts of climate change” poses the “greatest threat to the survival and survival” of small island states in the Caribbean (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2018, p. 83; United Nations Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, 2024, para. 27).
Damage estimated at $1 billion
The economic losses from these disasters are dire. The International Monetary Fund highlights that the Caribbean is “the region most exposed to climate-related natural hazards, with an estimated need for adaptation investments of over $100 billion, equivalent to about one-third of annual economic output” (IMF, 2023). Despite this vulnerability, the Caribbean has received little private climate financing (IMF, 2023). The Caribbean has the highest average estimate of disaster damage relative to GDP globally, with some instances where damage exceeds the size of the economy (IMF, 2018). For example, Hurricane Maria caused $1.2 billion in damages in Dominica, equivalent to 226% of GDP (IMF, 2021). Hurricane Dorian caused $3.4 billion in damages in the Bahamas, estimated at 25-30% of GDP (Inter-American Development Bank and Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2022).
LGBTQ people are disproportionately affected
LGBTQ people in the Caribbean continue to suffer from an unrealized vision of equality (Myrie, 2024). They are among the most marginalized people in the region. They often encounter discrimination, economic and social exclusion, violence and the threat of violence, primarily due to the criminalization of same-sex sexual acts and the stigma associated with being LGBTQ.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, LGBTQ people in the Caribbean are facing increased housing and food insecurity, economic difficulties in making ends meet, reduced access to community support organizations, and increased exposure to harassment and violence. Recognizing the heightened vulnerability of LGBTQ people does not mean they are at higher risk of climate-related disasters; rather, it is acknowledging that “in times of crisis, the most marginalized tend to suffer disproportionately compared to the general population” (Outright International, 2020). Moreover, in areas with high levels of social discrimination, LGBTIQ people may have to hide their sexual orientation and gender identity to stay safe, making their suffering invisible to those who provide them with support (Outright International, 2024).
In post-disaster situations, LGBTQ people in the Caribbean may experience “discrimination in accessing emergency and social protection services and in emergency shelters” and “challenges to integrate into communities and earn a living” (UN Women Caribbean, 2022). For example, in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian, some displaced LGBTQ people were reluctant to stay in shelters due to fear of violence. For those with sufficient resources, Hurricane Dorian was a trigger for migration (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, 2020).
In Haiti, LGBTQ people suffered heightened feelings of insecurity during and after the 2010 earthquake. They reported being blamed for the earthquake and an increased risk of harassment and violence (International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and SEROvie, 2011). Lesbian and bisexual women reported incidents of sexual violence and corrective rape, while gay and transgender men reported harassment and denial of access to health care, housing, and food (IGLHRC and SEROvie, 2011). Affected LGBTQ people stated that the earthquake “devastated their already limited physical spaces, social networks, and available support services” (IGLHRC and SEROvie, 2011).
LGBTQ people in the Caribbean have been disproportionately affected in addressing “recovery, reconstruction, and livelihood needs” and tend to “have poorer recovery outcomes” yet have “largely been excluded from regional climate and mobility strategies in the Caribbean” ( Bleeker et al., 2021 ).
Meaningful inclusion of LGBTQ people is essential for effective and equitable disaster response
For an effective and equitable disaster response, international, regional and local actors must ensure the meaningful inclusion of LGBTQ people in the Caribbean. This can be achieved by actively contributing to planning processes and involving LGBTQ people at all stages of the disaster management cycle. Meaningful inclusion ensures a full understanding of the unique vulnerabilities of affected populations, which is essential for humanitarian actors to effectively respond to their needs. It also requires appropriate safeguards to eliminate increased security risks and protect against discrimination, particularly in the delivery of services and distribution of resources.
Finally, it states that “to ensure that the humanitarian sector does not reinforce or create new forms of discrimination and harm, humanitarian actors must approach building relationships with LGBTIQ organizations with sensitivity and commitment to safety, security and confidentiality,” prioritizing the local knowledge and voices of those most in need of life-saving assistance (Outright International, 2024).
