Problems and possibilities on the margins: LGBT experiences in the 2011 Queensland floods

Abstract

Vulnerability to disasters is not inherent to particular social groups but results from existing marginality. Marginalisation from social, political and economic resources and recognition underpins vulnerability and impedes recovery. Yet concurrently, disasters can reveal the resilient capacities of some marginal groups, who often develop specific means of coping with marginality. This article applies these perspectives to the experiences of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans) people during the 2011 disaster in Queensland, Australia, which resulted from catastrophic flooding of Brisbane and SouthEast Queensland. The findings come from a survey conducted by the Queensland Association for Healthy Communities (QAHC) a year after the floods, which sought to understand LGBT experiences, resources and needs. An agreement was established between QAHC and university researchers to facilitate data analysis. This article analyses some key findings using the concept of marginality to understand both vulnerability and resilience. This framework helps grasp the particular issues facing LGBT people. The data reveal vulnerability due to social and political marginality, including discrimination and inhibited access to assistance, but simultaneously examples of resilience borne by self-reliance and coping strategies developed in a context of marginality. Understanding LGBT marginality, vulnerability and resilience helps contribute to inclusive and effective disaster preparation, response and recovery.

Emergency management response and recovery plans in relation to sexual and gender minorities in NEW South Wales, Australia

“…Whilst this paper is conceptual in its focus, elsewhere we are reporting the empirical experiences of LGBTI people in disasters. For example, [35] noted that research participants reported significant concerns in relation to accessing emergency services, shelters and other types of official relief and recovery assistance provided by faith-based Christian institutions.…”

“…Issues facing sexual and gender minorities; access to emergency shelters; access to support services; gay male privilege in LGBTI communities; relations between LGBTI communities and mainstream emergency services; occlusion in mainstream media and policies [32,33,34,35,36] 2011 earthquake Christchurch, New Zealand…”

“…However, vulnerability is also about how social and cultural positions and subjectivities contribute to incapacity. Vulnerability, as suggested above, is based upon social inequality [35,67]. As noted, "persons at the same level of income do not suffer equally in disaster situations nor do they encounter the same handicaps during the period of recovery" [61].…”

Remembering and forgetting 1974: the 2011 Brisbane floods and memories of an earlier disaster

“…My interest in exploring memories of the 1974 floods emerged while researching a separate project about the impacts of social marginality on the disaster experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities (Dominey‐Howes et al ., ; Gorman‐Murray et al ., ; McKinnon et al ., ). The 2011 floods were one of four case studies for that project, and I conducted a small series of eight semi‐structured interviews in Brisbane in March 2014.…”

Gender and sexuality III: Precarious places

“…This call to 'queer disasters' takes into account the vulnerabilities, needs and resilience of LGBTI populations. LBGTI people: need a voice in disaster management and recovery (Gorman-Murray et al, 2017); have specific shelter and housing needs (Gorman-Murray et al, 2014); and, are vulnerable yet possess an array of capabilities for disaster impact reduction (Gaillard et al, 2017). This important scholarship builds on feminist geographical research that focuses on the intersections of embodied vulnerability and adaptive capacities in natural disaster situations (Hyndman, 2008;Reed and Christie, 2009;Seager, 2006).…”