The coronavirus pandemic and responses have had uneven impacts on different segments of societies. Despite growing awareness and research into lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual and other diverse gender and sexual identity (LGBTQIA+) experiences, their needs and capacities are often overlooked in crisis responses and risk reduction strategies. The vulnerability of LGBTQIA+ people is linked to pre-existing marginalisation and discrimination and exacerbated by dominant cis-heteronormative value systems. In Covid-19, this led to unique challenges for LGBTQIA+ people, such as increased social isolation and disrupted access to identity affirming spaces and gender-related healthcare. But queer people have also shown their resilience in important ways, drawing on collective community resources and mutual aid to help each other in the absence of more official or government support.

In this online event we present research and stories of LGBTQIA+ vulnerabilities and resilience collected during the Covid-19 crisis in the UK and Brazil – as different social, cultural, economic, and political contexts in which the same crisis has impacted. We will have presentations from four researchers on their work, followed by a combined Q+A/panel discussion on queer marginality and coping, and working towards greater inclusion in research, policy, and practice.

Speakers:

Billy Tusker Haworth (they/them or he/him), Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, University of Manchester

www.billyhaworth.com | @BillyTusker

Dr Billy Tusker Haworth is a geographer, Lecturer in Disaster Management, and representative for equality, diversity and inclusion at the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI), University of Manchester. Their main research areas include critical and participatory GIS, disaster vulnerability, LGBTQIA+ marginality, and graffiti in spaces of conflict/peace. During COVID-19, Billy has led a research project exploring the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people in the UK and Brazil, with implications for more inclusive crisis response strategies and future risk reduction.

Luan Cassal (he/him), Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester

https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/cassal.html | @luancassal

Luan Cassal is a Brazilian gay activist, Educational Psychologist, PhD candidate at Manchester Institute of Education and Research Assistant at HCRI, University of Manchester. His current project analyses requirements of time and age in the British Gender Recognition Act (2004) and its reform proposals, and he has publications in Portuguese on gender, sexuality, violence, and public policies in Brazil.

Mariah Rafaela Silva (she/her), Fluminense Federal University and Grupo Conexão G

http://ideiasemprocesso.blogspot.com.br/ | @mrafinharj

Mariah Rafaela is a black trans human rights activist in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is currently a project coordinator at Grupo Conexão G de Cidadania LGBT de Favelas, a social organization that has existed for 15 years in one of the most violent favelas in Rio, and she was an advisor to the Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals of Rio de Janeiro and a representative on the LGBT State Council for the promotion of human rights. Mariah has a degree in art history, a master's degree in humanities and a doctoral researcher in communication.

Jack López (he/him or they/them), Associate Dean Equality Diversity & Inclusion, University of Bradford

https://birthritesanthro.wordpress.com/ | @anthroLopez

Originally from Manchester, Jack completed a BA Hons in Social Work and DiPSW at the University of Salford (2002) and later MA Social Anthropology (2006) and PhD in Social Anthropology (2016) at the University of Manchester. Jack’s community and social work career led him from the UK - Mainland Europe - Mexico where he worked in health promotion, substance misuse outreach, HIV and sexual health education and human rights observation in armed conflict zones. His research as a socio-medical anthropologist is broad covering all areas concerning barriers to healthcare and social justice. Since 2020 Jack has been researching barriers to health care for trans and gender non-conforming adults and young people. He has an ongoing project examining the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on adult trans related healthcare. Separate to this Jack is examining the epistemic politics of trans health care and the challenges to young trans people and their families in accessing healthcare. He is also currently working on an ethnographic study of transmasculine experience of pregnancy and parenthood.

The event is supported by ESRC Impact Acceleration funding.

About this Event

This event will be available both online via Zoom, as well as being streamed on South Campus (venue tbc). Please choose your ticket accordingly.

About the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute

We are a leading global centre for the study of humanitarianism and conflict response, global health, international disaster management and peacebuilding.

Our work is driven by a desire to inform and support policy and decision makers, to optimise collaborations between partner organisations, and to foster increased understanding and debate within the field.

Bringing together disciplines from medicine to the humanities, we research questions and issues related to what the United Nations calls the ‘triple nexus’ – humanitarian response, development and peace. Our aim is to facilitate improvements in crisis response on a global scale.

HCRI engage with students, researchers, practitioners, government and policy makers through our talks, seminars, workshops and conferences.

Our events take place throughout the year and are open to students, staff and the general public from the UK and abroad.

Find out more on our website and social media channels (@hcrinstitute).