LGBT people are being blamed and targetted all over the world for “spreading COVID-19,” according to the United Nations AIDS group. The research group found increasing cases of LGBT people being falsely accused of spreading the virus and being abused and arrested as a result. Often, it is the religious groups that make the accusations and incite the violence.
“Organizations and homes are being raided, LGBTI people re being beaten, and there has been an increase in arrests and threatened deportation of LGBTI asylum seekers,” said George Ayala, the executive director of MPact.
In addition to that, new concerns about privacy for LGBT have also appeared. Among the many developments brought about by COVID, the tracking of cellphones. This, experts say, can become a serious problem for minorities everywhere. Concerns are that oppressive government and independent law enforcement will specifically target these minorities. But according to the UN report, the tracking of LGBT has already begun.
Examples of this include a gay man with HIV in Belize who was assaulted by police. He has allegedly died. Another case includes LGBT people in the Philippines who, after breaking curfew, were forced to dance and kiss in public humiliation.
The report stated that for the violence and abuse to stop, governments must take a bigger step in discouraging that behavior by condemning violent actors and creating public media campaigns. Unfortunately, the opposite is happening in the United States.
Many religious organizations in the US have also made false allegations linking COVID-19 to the LGBT, but the government is far from discouraging them. In fact, they have done a lot to empower them. As part of the COVID relief program, the Trump administration gave up to 16 million dollars to homophobic organizations all across the nation. Among these include the American Family Association (AFA), who have expressed their commitment to “battle the homosexual agenda,” and “Liberty Counsel,” which openly advocates for anti-LGBT policies.
If you are concerned about this, learn which companies around you have homophobic policies and make sure to denounce them.
All of these factors combined with the rolling back of policies protecting transgender people and others have put the LGBTQ+ at high risk, and it’ll take all of us to be and remain proud of who we are, and show that we won’t relent.
