Enfrentando a crise pelas margens: Experiências de pessoas LGBTI + durante a ‘primeira onda’ da pandemia de Covid-19 no Rio de Janeiro e em São Paulo

In this article, we discuss experiences of LGBTI+ people living in the states
of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo during the 'first wave' of the Covid-19 pandemic in
2020. Drawing on theory in the fields of disaster, crisis response, gender, sexuality and
queer studies, we developed a qualitative research approach using Foucaultian
Discourse Analysis and Thematic Analysis for understanding experiences,
conditions,and discourses. Through semi-structured interviews we revealed how
pre-existing structural conditions increased exposure of LGBTI+ people to impacts of
the pandemic, while official government crisis responses failed to account for their
specific needs. Feelings of insecurity and instability increased during the pandemic,
with discriminatory speeches by the Federal government exacerbating these
vulnerabilities. Furthermore, we observed inequalities within LGBTI+ communities,
related to race, gender and class, leading to unequal vulnerabilities and coping strategies
according to the specific conditions of the people interviewed. Specialized services for
the LGBTI+ population suffered severe interruptions, causing social movements and
organized groups to create or intensify their own responses, separate from or even in
spite of the State. Although LGBTI+ communities demonstrated the possibility of
resistance and self-organisation, we emphasize the omission of responsibility of public
authorities in the Covid-19 pandemic had significant consequences. We recommend that
responses to crises must have the direct participation of LGBTI+ people in their
planning, execution and evaluation to help facilitate more inclusive risk reduction
strategies.