Some Skeptical of COVID-19 Vaccine
LGBT HealthLink, 3/17/2021
Some Skeptical of COVID-19 Vaccine
The New York Times reported on hesitancy to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among LGBT folks, particularly those of color. They cite a recent study which found that among LGBT individuals, medical mistrust and concern around vaccine stigma were both associated with hesitancy towards taking the COVID-19 vaccine when it was available. That same study found that within the LGBT community, Black individuals were less likely to be willing to take the vaccine than were their White peers.
Groups Pan Anti-LGBT Bills
HRC published a letter from 1000 child welfare organizations across the country, together representing 7 million professionals, speaking out against a slew of anti-LGBT youth legislation brewing at the state level. So far this year, 65 bills have been introduced targeting the rights of transgender youth in particular, including to prevent them from accessing gender-affirming care or educational opportunities (such as participation in school sports).
Equality Updates Across the US
Relatedly, Movement Advancement Project published an update to its equality maps, which included positive changes like Virginia and Hawai’i making it easier for people to change their gender marker on state IDs, and examples of municipalities taking action at the local level to ban discrimination or end the practice of conversion therapy. Check out our ActionLink program to learn how to advance positive change in your area.
Intersectional Disparities in Homelessness
True Colors United released their annual report on homelessness, which among other things found that LGBT youth faced 120% higher risk of experiencing homelessness compared to their non-LGBT peers. Black LGBT folks were the highest-risk group, with nearly one in four young Black LGBT men reporting homelessness within the past year (not including those who expressed housing instability, such as having to “couch surf”).
Study Looks at Bi Women
NBC News reported on research finding that bisexual women who were in a relationship with heterosexual men were less likely than other bisexual women (e.g., those in a relationship with women or bisexual men) to be “out.” The study also found that bisexual women in relationships with heterosexual men tended to face less discrimination than did bi women in relationships with other types of partners.
Group Speaks Out against Conversion Therapy
The American Psychological Association adopted a resolution opposing efforts to change someone’s gender identity (such as what is often known as “conversion therapy”), with their Council of Representatives finding that such efforts caused harm and interfered with natural and healthy understandings of one’s own gender. They also updated a similar policy against trying to change a patient’s sexual orientation, which had been previously iterated in 1997 and 2009.
