Today,
the National Black Justice Coalition and Black Policy Lab, a project of
Pink Cornrows, announced a new initiative to gather data on one of the
most vulnerable populations in the COVID-19 pandemic, Black LGBTQ+ and
same gender loving (SGL) people. COVID while Black and Queer will find
crucial data on how Black LGBTQ/SGL people are weathering the pandemic
at a time when data shows that Black communities make up 60% of the COVID-19 deaths in the United States.
“Existing
data from this crisis has already proven what many of us have already
known: Black communities continue to be the least supported and most
exploited—more Black people are testing positive and dying as a result
of the virus and we should expect that existing data is undercounting
what’s more likely the reality given the history of Black communities
not being targeted for testing and data collection” said David J. Johns,
Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition. “What we
know now is important; however, to protect all Black people, we need
data on specific needs and experiences of Black LGBTQ and same gender
loving people.”
The new survey will build on the Black Policy
Lab’s ongoing COVID while Black initiative, which has surveyed hundreds
of Black Americans in the past weeks. “Data is a powerful tool, but
often isn’t the full story. Traditional empirical research and
interpretation methods are not without bias, and frequently disseminated
without insight from our community,” said Ifeoma Ike, attorney,
researcher, and Founder of Black Policy Lab. “COVID while Black was
launched to invite traditionally underrepresented and over-impacted
communities to provide important data and narratives about their own
lives. This valuable qualitative input does not limit our Black
experiences to just statistics, but instead allows us to see trends and
opportunities that hopefully will inform policymakers tasked with
recovery and restoration efforts.”
Unlike other surveys, COVID
while Black, for example, also allows respondents to share the names of
loved ones who were ill, essential workers serving on the front lines,
and those who have transitioned, contributing to a virtual homegoing
experience at a time where mass gatherings are prohibited and for
communities who heal, in part, by coming together.
Previous data has shown that Black people are disproportionately experiencing the severest health
impacts of the disease with systemic racism within healthcare,
inequalities resulting in health disparities and Black people
disproportionately working in ‘essential’ jobs as major contributing
factors. We also know that historically Black communities are not
targeted for testing or democratized health care.
Past research
has shown that LGBTQ/SGL Americans also experience underlying health
disparities that increase the likelihood of testing positive for and
suffering as a result of COVID19. LGBGTQ/SGL Americans are more likely
to be smokers—a
high risk factor—and work minimum wage jobs. Transgender people
especially face widespread workplace discrimination, are more likely to
be incarcerated, and more than 1 in 4 transgender people have reported
being denied healthcare due to their gender identity. Black LGBTQ people
also predominantly live in the South where it is legal to deny access
to employment, public housing, and medical services on the basis of
actual or perceived sexual identity, gender orientation, and gender
expression. These are the states that are rushing to open while
investing the least in targeted testing and treatment.
This
new survey aims to reveal new data on how Black LGBTQ/SGL people have
been affected to inform policy decisions and necessary shifts in
practice. Black Policy Lab will soon launch a series of virtual summits
to discuss survey results, solutions, and design policy
recommendations.