COVID-19 vaccines and the LGBTQ+ community

I have a confession: in late 2020, when the first COVID-19 vaccines were approved by the FDA, I was hesitant to get one myself. Despite working in public health and believing strongly in vaccines to keep our community healthy, I was anxious about putting something in my body that seemed so new. I thought: “What if the vaccine is dangerous?” “What about long-term side effects?” I am part of the LGBTQ+ community. Our history may help explain why I hesitated. Are LGBTQ+ people more hesitant to get the vaccine? In March a New York Times article reported that LGBTQ+ people are more hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. A research study from the Human Rights Campaign reported mixed findings: while LGBTQ+ people overall are more likely to get vaccinated, certain subgroups, such as LGBTQ+ people of color and bisexual women, are less likely to get vaccinated. LGBTQ+ people have good reason to be hesitant about vaccines. Historically, this population has experienced — and continues to experience — discrimination in multiple settings, including in healthcare. At the same time, this population is more vulnerable to COVID-19 (see this study and an earlier blog post I wrote). LGBTQ+ people who are also people of color may be even more hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, because of trauma and oppressions based on multiple intersecting marginalized identities that set the stage for mistrust in healthcare and medical research. We can include racism, transphobia, biphobia, and ho...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Coronavirus and COVID-19 Health Health care disparities LGBTQ Vaccines Source Type: blogs