Life in a pandemic: intersectional approach exploring experiences of LGBTQ during COVID-19

Abstract

The study explored the experiences of Indian working-class gays during the time of COVID-19 pandemic. The intersectionality framework facilitated the understanding of how the Indian working-class gays' experiences differ from the general population. The study is qualitative and applies transcendental phenomenology as a mode of enquiry. The participants of the study were identified through purposive snowball sampling. The data analysis methods included horizontalisation, thematic analysis, textual and structural descriptions, and intuitive integration. The participants described their lived experiences around eight major themes: stuck at home, a refuge in hobbies, shrinking personal spaces, loss of sexual appetite, poor mental health, physical symptoms of poor health, fear of losing employment, and blessing in disguise. The research implies how ignorance of intersectionality framework while formulating policies and deciding measures for preventing the spread of coronavirus disease, adversely effected the sexual minorities that were already prone to mental health issues. The study can be used as a foundation for conducting empirical research, and policymakers may use it for deepening their understanding of intersectionality and why it matters during COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Work-Related Quality of Life through the Lens of Sexual Orientation

“…However, there may be protective factors such as resilience [15], which researchers should consider in future studies. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have emphasized the inequalities and disparities already existent in society [67,[71][72][73], leading to vulnerability situations that are particularly difficult for bisexual people [72]. Therefore, we can conclude that there are differences in the perception of WRQoL between sexual orientations, with a marked disadvantage for bisexuals, perhaps because the lack of visibility of bisexuality in society is associated with greater vulnerability and susceptibility to the influence of social stigma, particularly biphobia [74].…”

Qualitative Findings on the Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Australian Gay and Bisexual Men: Community Belonging and Mental Well-being

“…Indeed, participants in this sample, who were mostly white and middle class and who had access to resources to assist them in managing COVID-19 regulations, discussed their relative privilege in comparison to other LGBTIQ people who may not have those same privileges, including those of lower socioeconomic status. Recent research has argued that COVID-19 has compounded and deepened social and health divides for people with multiple and layered vulnerabilities, such as those with minority sexual identities and low socioeconomic status (Bhalla & Agarwal, 2021; Chatterjee et al, 2020; Galea & Abdalla, 2020; Salerno et al, 2020). In such circumstances, not only might people need to consider their vulnerabilities as gay and bisexual men but they may also need to contend with pressures associated with low socioeconomic status, such as limited access to finances and ongoing housing.…”

Experiences of COVID-19 among Chinese-speaking lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Hong Kong: an inductive thematic analysis of survey response data

“… 13 , 14 A rapidly growing literature has documented the impact of the pandemic on different aspects of LGBT people’s lives, including their mental health, 15–18 health behaviours 19–21 experiences of stigma and discrimination, 22 , 23 difficulties of accessing health services, 24–26 and economic hardship, 27 as well as their agency and resilience in dealing with the pandemic. 28–31 It has been found that, in general, LGBT people faced a disproportionate impact during the pandemic, compared with their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. 18 , 32–35 Recent research has argued that the impact of different social positions, such as gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and sexual and gender identity, on the experiences of the pandemic works intersectionally.…”

“… 31 , 36–39 Thus, an intersectionality framework is needed to understand the unique and disproportionate consequences of the pandemic on sexual and gender minority individuals, as well as the diverse experiences within the LGBT community. 28 , 31 …”

“…Studies on the consequences of the pandemic on LGBT people have mainly been conducted in North America and Europe, 12–14 , 20 , 38 while there is emerging research on the topic beyond the Global North. Examples of such research include studies on gay and bisexual men, or MSM in China and India, 28 , 40 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in China and Indonesia, 41 , 42 sexual minorities in Chile, India and Taiwan 15 , 43 , 44 and hijra, transgender and gender non-binary people in Bangladesh, India and Peru. 45–49 While the effect of the pandemic hit globally, its impact on sexual and gender minority individuals varies across societies and cultures, and interlocks with the pre-existing social conditions, social stigma and marginalisation experienced by this disadvantaged group in different societies.…”