LGBTQ+ Rights and the Climate Crisis
It’s Pride Month, an important time to highlight the power of local, community-driven action. As LGBTQ+ communities—particularly trans individuals—face increasing threats from federal policies, local advocacy plays a vital role in safeguarding the rights, health, and safety of queer individuals.
Environmental protections are also under attack, with proposed policies risking billions in clean energy investments and stalling progress toward a more sustainable future. Current changes to federal policies neglect and disregard the well-being of queer lives and our planet —making community action more urgent than ever.
Regardless of sexual orientation, we all have the born right to breathe clean air, have access to clean water and nutritional food.
How does the climate crisis relate to LGBTQ+ rights?
Climate change and climate disasters are disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities, mainly the unhoused (Reta). LGBTQ+ people face an array of stigma and discrimination that makes it difficult for them to have stable, safe, and affordable housing (Romero et al.).
“Studies have found that between 20% - 45% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ—at least two to four times more than the estimated percentage of all youth who identify as LGBTQ” (Reta).
In a study conducted by Advocates for Trans Equality, they found that Black transgender and gender non-conforming people had an unemployment rate of 26%. This is over 3x the rate of the general population (7%) at the time the survey was fielded (Harrison-Quintana et al.).
LGBTQ+ people have long been subject to a disproportionate burden of pollution compared with cisgender heterosexual people due to discriminatory housing policies and higher poverty rates (Reta).
Climate change impacts all of us, but does not impact us all equally. The issues of climate injustice mirror issues of social injustice related to the disenfranchisement and exploitation of land and people.
Historically marginalized groups are disproportionately affected by climate change, and the struggles of living in poverty are exacerbated by climate disasters and pollution.
By recognizing where our identities and the injustices in our community overlap, we can better understand our shared responsibility to make our communities a safer, healthier and more inclusive place.
