International Journal of Research and Review Vol.8; Issue: 3; March 2021 Website: www.ijrrjournal.com Review Article E-ISSN: 2349-9788; P-ISSN: 2454-2237

COVID-19 and Its Predicament on LGBT Communities in - A Mini Review

Joshitha Sankam

Department of Public Health, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal, , India

ABSTRACT August 2017, India's LGBT communities were given the freedom to safely express The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the their sexual orientation the Supreme Court. lives of many people around the globe. The On 6th September 2018, consensual gay sec pandemic results in increased challenges and was legalized by India's Supreme Court [2]. risks for LGBT communities making them more India's moral and social values differ from vulnerable to the outbreak. The lives of LGBT other countries, making it complicated to communities were not comfortable before the [3] "new normal," and the pandemic has further normalize the LGBT culture . Even a year caused a strain on their ways of life. This article after the ruling for LGBT rights in India, the reviews the impact and predicament of COVID communities face challenges pertaining to 19 on the LGBT communities of India. same-sex marriage, jobs, education, healthcare and housing in the socially Key Words: COVID 19, LGBT Communities, conservative country [5]. The challenges healthcare, , mental health, faced differing between the urban and rural LGBT communities as the rural communities find it challenging to find a INTRODUCTION partner and live in fear of being ostracized if The COVID 19 pandemic is a new they were to come out [5]. There are no topic on the table all over the globe. There is official demographics for the LGBT a lot of ongoing research on COVID 19 and communities in India. Still, the government it is placed above all the ongoing issues. of India gave a figure to the Supreme Court This new virus is a threat to everyone in 2012 that about 2.5 million gay people worldwide and the LGBT communities are are recorded based on the individuals who also in its grasp. The LGBT communities have self-declared to the Ministry of Health were facing hardships long before the wrath [6]. of the pandemic. Access to quality healthcare and equality in healthcare [1] The predicament of COVID 19 on LGBT remains an ordeal for these communities . communities of India People's lives and livelihood were altered In the ongoing COVID 19 crisis, the during the pandemic and its effect on the LGBT communities are considered LGBT communities was more drastic. This particularly vulnerable to contract the virus paper reviews the impact of COVID 19 on due to various factors. Firstly, the LGBT India's , gay, bisexual, trans (LGBT) communities experience higher rates of communities. cancer and HIV, which makes the immune system weak and vulnerable. Along with Overview of LGBT In India this, the HIV persons undergoing treatment After a lot of havoc which began in like antiretroviral therapy and other 2009, which started with the treatments are affected due to the lockdown decriminalization of and measures, which resulted in a lack of again criminalization in 2013 and finally in

International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 25 Vol.8; Issue: 3; March 2021 Joshitha Sankam. COVID-19 and its predicament on LGBT communities in India - a mini review. transport facilities and health care facilities due to increasing loneliness and depression either not functioning or being filled up with among the communities and the inability to COVID 19 cases [7]. Secondly, transgender access psychiatric help [12]. adults are particularly at more risk as they are rated with poor health compared to DISCUSSION others. According to National Centre for Based on the above factors, it is Transgender Equality (NCTE), more than identified that the LGBT communities are one out of five transgender adults have one particularly at risk and vulnerable to or more chronic conditions such as diabetes, COVID 19 because of compromised asthma, or arthritis, increasing their immune systems of people living with vulnerability [8]. Transgender people HIV/AIDS, smoking habits, homeless (especially /Kinnar communities) have persons, no proper access to healthcare no daily income access as their traditional services and healthcare discrimination. The livelihoods are disrupted due to lockdown mental health of the LGBT communities is and social distancing measures [8]. Thirdly, also affected by people in lockdown with the habit of smoking is considered to be unsupportive family members, older adults more in LGBT people compared to non- who are left alone in self-isolation, people LGBT and cisgender adults [10]. COVID 19 experiencing homelessness and being a respiratory illness puts the LGBT unemployment, which caused financial communities at a higher risk and makes strain leading to an increase in depression them more vulnerable. Fourthly, LGBT and anxiety disorders. Based on these communities experience a lack of cultural factors, they were prone to the adverse competence and discrimination when they impact of the COVID 19 pandemic. The seek healthcare and health-related facilities, hardships faced by these communities resulting in them avoiding or delaying before the pandemic was not easy and now seeing health care at times of emergencies it has been made more complicated, both in [11]. The overloaded health systems can lead terms of healthcare and their regular to the LGBT people being deprioritized for livelihood. During the time of the crisis, treatments like HIV testing, hormonal society's acceptance and adaptiveness are treatment and gender-affirming treatment put to the test. The world is fighting the for trans people. This discrimination of COVID 19 pandemic. The LGBT health care provision and access elevated communities, especially in India, continue the risk of LGBT people from COVID 19. to struggle with discrimination and Finally, there was an increased strain on protocols of self-isolation and lockdowns mental health. The LGBT people who imposed. stayed with unsupportive families due to lockdown measures dealt with stress, CONCLUSION anxiety, trauma, and jeopardizing their The COVID 19 pandemic has put a mental health status. Some of them have no halt to our standard ways of life and we place to self-isolate due to lockdown have to understand that the marginalized measures either because they were rejected communities who were more vulnerable by their families and had to face "then" are more susceptible "now." We have stigmatization regularly or due to their low to promote helping LGBT communities economic status due to discrimination [11]. cope with this ongoing crisis and remove The LGBT elders were also affected as they the stigma because COVID 19 does not had no one to take care of them and we're discriminate and is more at risk. A strategic left alone amidst these protocols of self- plan has to be made to ensure safety and solation and lockdown. and measures for the LGBT communities in attempts to commit suicides were seen India. This is the right time to empower the increasing, as pointed out by media reports, LGBT communities of India in terms of

International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 26 Vol.8; Issue: 3; March 2021 Joshitha Sankam. COVID-19 and its predicament on LGBT communities in India - a mini review. social security, physical, mental and sexual 7. Eadens S. LGBTQ community may be health. 'particularly vulnerable' to coronavirus pandemic. Here's why. [Internet]. USA REFERENCES Today. Gannett Satellite Information 1. Masoodi A. Accessing healthcare still an Network; 2020 [cited 2020Aug22]. ordeal for LGBTQ in India [Internet]. . Available from: 2021 [cited 23 February 2021]. Available https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/natio from: n/2020/03/18/lgbtq-coronavirus- https://www.livemint.com/Politics/w6C5ws community-vulnerable-covid-19- 5POJ7d1O590mP6mJ/Accessing- pandemic/2863813001/ healthcare-still-an-ordeal-for-LGBTQ-in- 8. Sebastian, S. (2020, April 01). COVID-19: India.html What about the transgender community? 2. Rajagopal K. SC decriminalizes Retrieved August 23, 2020, from homosexuality, says history owes LGBTQ https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/gover community an apology [Internet]. The nance/covid-19-what-about-the-transgender- Hindu. The Hindu; 2018 [cited community--70151 2020Aug20]. Available from: 9. FICCI. IMPACT OF COVID -19 on https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc LGBTIQ+ COMMUNITIES IN INDIA -de-criminalises-homosexuality-says- [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2020Aug22]. history-owes-lgbtq-community-an- Available from: apology/article24881549.ece?homepage=tru http://ficci.in/SEDocument/20500/ficci- e recommendation-apr2-1.pdf 3. LGBT [Internet]. 2018 10. Banerjee D, Nair VS. "The Untold Side of [cited 2020Aug22]. Available from: COVID-19": Struggle and Perspectives of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_history the Sexual Minorities. Journal of _of_India Psychosexual Health. 4. Banerji A. One year after landmark ruling 2020:2631831820939017. for LGBT+ rights in India, challenges 11. Roy S. Plight of LGBT community during persist [Internet]. Reuters. Thomson the Covid-19 pandemic [Internet]. Reuters; 2019 [cited 2020Aug22]. Available NORTHEAST NOW. 2020 [cited from: https://www.reuters.com/article/us- 2020Aug22]. Available from: india-/one-year-after-landmark-ruling- https://nenow.in/opinion/plight-of-lgbt- for-lgbt-rights-in-india-challenges-persist- community-during-covid-19-pandemic.html idUSKCN1VR256 12. Chakraborty S. COVID-19 pandemic takes 5. Pandey V. What it means to be gay in rural toll on mental health of sexual minorities India [Internet]. BBC News. BBC; 2018 [Internet]. Downtoearth.org.in. 2021 [cited [cited 2020Aug22]. Available from: 23 February 2021]. Available from: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia- https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health india-45430953 /covid-19-pandemic-takes-toll-on-mental- 6. India has 2.5m gays, government tells health-of-sexual-minorities-71284 supreme court [Internet]. BBC News. BBC; 2012 [cited 2020Aug22]. Available from: How to cite this article: Sankam J. COVID-19 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia- and its predicament on LGBT communities in india-17363200 India - a mini review. International Journal of Research and Review. 2021; 8(3): 25-27.

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International Journal of Research and Review (ijrrjournal.com) 27 Vol.8; Issue: 3; March 2021