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Hurricane Beryl: The Need for an LGBTQ-inclusive Disaster Response in the Caribbean
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Hurricane Beryl has not only caused widespread devastation in the Caribbean but has also exacerbated the vulnerabilities and pre-existing inequalities faced by LGBTQ people in the region. The situation demands urgent and meaningful inclusion of LGBTQ people to ensure an effective and equitable response to climate-related disasters in the Caribbean.
On the heels of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) held in Antigua and Barbuda in May 2024, Caribbean countries are confronted with a historic event. Described as the earliest category 5 Hurricane to develop in the Atlantic, Hurricane Beryl tore through the Caribbean during the first week of July 2024. Hurricane Beryl caused catastrophic damage in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Jamaica, as well as varying degrees of damage in St. Lucia and Barbados. Hurricane Beryl follows an increased number of category 4 and 5 hurricanes in the region, the most recent being category 4 Hurricane Ian (2022), category 5 Hurricane Dorian (2019), category 5 Hurricane Maria (2017), and category 5 Hurricane Irma (2017), and category 5 Hurricane Matthew (2016). These hurricanes resulted in the loss of lives, displacement, disruption in livelihoods, destruction of vegetation and infrastructure, uninhabitable areas, and grave economic loss. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the Caribbean, climate-related disasters exacerbate the vulnerabilities and pre-existing inequalities that they face.
Survival and Viability of Caribbean Islands Threatened
Caribbean countries are experiencing the effects of climate change (Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, 2021). Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of category 4 and 5 hurricanes in the region by 25% - 30% (USAID, 2018). As indicated by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, category 4 and 5 hurricanes cause the most devastating impacts. The “increased frequency and ferocity of extreme weather events”, as evidence of the “rapid and adverse impacts of climate change”, represent the “greatest threats to the survival and viability” of small island States in the Caribbean (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2018, p. 83; United Nations Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, 2024, para 27).
USD Billion in Damages
The financial toll of these disasters is distressing. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) highlights that the Caribbean is “the most exposed region to climate-related natural disasters, with estimated adaptation investment needs of more than $100 billion, equal to about one-third of its annual economic output” (IMF, 2023). Despite this vulnerability, the Caribbean receives minimal private climate financing (IMF, 2023). The Caribbean has the highest average estimated disaster damage as a ratio to GDP globally, with some instances of damage exceeding the size of the economy (IMF, 2018). For example, Hurricane Maria resulted in US$1.2 billion in damages to Dominica, totaling 226 per cent of GDP (IMF, 2021). Hurricane Dorian resulted in US$3.4 billion in damages to The Bahamas (estimated at 25 - 30% of GDP) (Inter-American Development Bank and Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2022).
LGBTQ people are among those who are disproportionately impacted
LGBTQ people in the Caribbean continue to struggle with an unrealized vision of equality (Myrie, 2024). They are among the most marginalized in the region. They often experience discrimination, economic and societal exclusion, violence, and the threat of violence, mainly due to the criminalization of same-sex sexual relations and the stigma associated with being LGBTQ.
As a consequence of Hurricane Beryl, affected LGBTQ people in the Caribbean face increased housing and food insecurity, disruption in economic livelihoods, reduced access to community support structures, and increased exposure to harassment and violence. Recognizing the exacerbated vulnerabilities of LGBTQ people does not mean that they are at a greater risk of experiencing climate-related disasters. Rather, it is about appreciating that “in times of crisis those most marginalized tend to suffer disproportionately compared to the broader population” (Outright International, 2020). Further, where societal discrimination is strong, LGBTIQ people may have to conceal their sexual orientation or gender identity to remain safe, making their suffering invisible to those providing assistance (Outright International, 2024).
In the post-disaster context, LGBTQ people in the Caribbean may experience “discrimination in accessing emergency and social protection services and in emergency shelters” and “challenges integrating into their communities and earning a livelihood” (UN Women Caribbean, 2022). In The Bahamas, for example, post-Hurricane Dorian, some displaced LGBTQ persons were reluctant to stay in shelters for fear of violence. For those with sufficient resources, Hurricane Dorian was a catalyst for them to migrate (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, 2020).
In Haiti, LGBTQ people grappled with a heightened sense of insecurity during and after the 2010 Earthquake. They reported being blamed for the earthquake and were at an increased risk of harassment and violence (International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and SEROvie, 2011). Lesbians and bisexual women reported incidences of sexual violence and corrective rape, while gay and transgender men reported harassment and denial of access to healthcare, housing and food (IGLHRC and SEROvie, 2011). Affected LGBTQ persons shared that the earthquake “decimated the already limited physical spaces, social networks and support services available to them” (IGLHRC and SEROvie, 2011).
Although LGBTQ people in the Caribbean tend to be disproportionately impacted in the response to their “recovery, reconstruction and livelihood needs and experience “poor recovery outcomes”, they are “largely absent from climate and mobility strategies in the Caribbean” (Bleeker et al., 2021).
Meaningful inclusion of LGBTQ people is necessary for an effective and equitable disaster response
International, regional and local stakeholders must secure the meaningful inclusion of LGBTQ people in the Caribbean for an effective and equitable disaster response. This can be achieved by ensuring that LGBTQ people actively contribute to the planning processes and are engaged in all stages of the disaster management cycle. Meaningful inclusion allows for the full appreciation of the unique vulnerabilities of those affected and is critical for humanitarian actors to respond to their needs effectively. There must also be adequate safeguards to eliminate increased security risks and protect against discrimination, particularly in the provision of services and the distribution of resources.
Finally, “to ensure that the humanitarian sector does not reinforce or generate new forms of discrimination and harm, humanitarian actors must approach relationship-building with LGBTIQ organizations with sensitivity and commitment to safety, security, and confidentiality”, centering local knowledge and the voices of those most in need of life-saving assistance (Outright International, 2024).
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