COVID-19: LGBTQ community kept in closet by public health officials

 | 
04/26/2020

Everyone knows I’m queer. Except one group of colleagues. Ironically, they’re the ones from my own field — public health professionals. I work for the National LGBT Cancer Network, a CDC-funded, LGBTQ+ disparity network. I announce I am trans and bi whenever I host a training program for the Network. But while knowing one trans-bi person may be changing some hearts and minds, what public health officials are largely not doing is collecting health outcome data about the larger communities of LGBTQ+ people. What does that mean? We use tobacco at rates that are 50% higher than the general population, and ⅓ of all cancers are caused by tobacco use. But can I give you an overview of our disproportionate cancer impact as a result? No. Let’s switch to our current public health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic. An estimated 2.3 million LGBTQ+ people are cigarette smokers. An early study out of China showed smokers were significantly more likely to be severely affected by COVID-19. Can I tell you how many more LGBTQ+ people are being severely affected by COVID-19? No.

Share this:

Latest Global News

Added on: 04/19/2024
04/18/2024
Burundi’s president said gay people should be stoned, amid a larger crackdown on the LGBTQ community in the East African country. “If you want to …
Added on: 04/19/2024
04/18/2024
ACCRA (Reuters) – Members of Ghana’s LGBT community and activists are waiting to see whether the West African country’s president will sign into law …
Added on: 04/19/2024
04/18/2024
Jules was driving to their friend’s house in St. Petersburg, Florida, last year when a police officer pulled them over for a busted taillight. …

Explore LGBTQ+ Issues

Other News from ,

Added on: 04/19/2024
Jules was driving to their friend’s house in St. Petersburg, Florida, last year when a police officer pulled them over for a busted taillight. …
Added on: 04/17/2024
A federal appeals court struck down a West Virginia law that barred transgender athletes from competing on girls’ and women’s sports teams in public …
Added on: 04/16/2024
The conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court on Monday let a Republican-backed law in Idaho that criminalizes gender-affirming care for transgender minors broadly take effect after …