The importance of gender and sexual minorities in emergency management
This publication details the importance of emergency and crisis management professionals recognizing the importance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual & all other non-heterosexual, non-cis gender people (LGBTQIA+) individuals within their field and take steps to address their specific needs (Dominey-Howes et al, 2016). At the core of the work disaster professionals and emergency managers do is a desire to ensure that all members of our communities can respond to and recover from events that uproot our day-to-day lives, creating chaos and often dangerous situations (Canton, 2019). Within that work therefore, it is crucial we consider all members of society, especially those who are marginalized or hard to reach, as they are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of disasters (Dominey-Howes et al, 2016). Gender and sexual minorities face unique challenges during emergency and crisis situations. These challenges can often stem from a lack of understanding and preparation by emergency and crisis management professionals (Dominey-Howes et al, 2016).
The publication advocates for the following:
- Emergency and crisis management professionals must also work with LGBTQIA+ organizations and community groups to develop culturally competent emergency response plans.
- Emergency and crisis management professionals must recognize the importance of language and communication in their field.
- Emergency and crisis management professionals must recognize the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community and take steps to address their specific needs. This includes creating inclusive emergency response plans, preventing discrimination and marginalization in their field, working with LGBTQIA+ organizations and community groups, and recognizing the importance of language and communication.
Explore further
