• Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
24/7 Health News
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

Food insecurity during COVID-19: 2SLGBTQ+ people talk about challenges and support

September 13, 2022
in Article
Food insecurity during COVID-19: 2SLGBTQ+ people talk about challenges and support
Approximately one-third of 2SLGBTQ+ young people who participated in a nutrition study noted that they did not have any support systems in place to help them with their nutritional needs during the pandemic. (Shutterstock)

Many people grow up without enough food to eat, even within Canada; a G7 country with one of the world’s most advanced economies. The Government of Canada defines food insecurity as the “inability to acquire or consume” a diet that is adequate in quality and quantity, or “the uncertainty that one will be able to do so.”

Living with food insecurity negatively impacts both mental health and diet-related chronic disease.

Table of Contents

  • A social justice issue
  • COVID-19 study
  • A theme of financial supports
  • Food insecurity is an important issue

A social justice issue

Food insecurity is a social justice issue. It is intimately tied to the social determinants of health, including income, employment and working conditions, education, gender and racism. This places people who are part of historically marginalized groups at greater risk of food insecurity. This includes Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and other sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQ+) groups.

Cis-heteronormativity, or the assumption that all people are straight and identify within binary gender norms, leads to many of the social issues that impact food security for 2SLGBTQ+ people. For example, there is a social epidemic of homelessness for 2SLGBTQ+ youth in the United States.

Two people sitting and having a serious conversation
In Canada, the leading cause of homelessness for 2SLGBTQ+ youth is reported to be family violence, which has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(The Gender Spectrum Collection), CC BY-ND

According to the National LGBTQ Task Force, the reasons many youth leave their homes are rooted in homophobia, transphobia and stigma. Many 2SLGBTQ+ youth have families that do not accept them and are faced with violence both at home and at school.

In Canada, the leading cause of homelessness for 2SLGBTQ+ youth is reported to be family violence, an issue that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 study

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has not only worsened family violence, but it has also led to food shortages, social isolation, job losses and new economic vulnerabilities. All of these factors negatively impacted food insecurity as a whole for many people. Evidence shows that food insecurity in Canada increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, usually for historically marginalized and stigmatized groups.

Two young people in front of a cutting board in a kitchen, with one holding broccoli
Some study participants spoke of family members or partners who helped ease their financial burdens during the pandemic.
(Pexels/Ketut Subiyanto)

The aim of my qualitative research study was to explore the food experiences and nutritional supports of self-identifying 2SLGBTQ+ Canadians during the mandated health protection orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this study — carried out at Mount Saint Vincent University — 70 people responded to an online open-ended questionnaire. Approximately one-third of participants noted that they did not have any support systems in place to help them with their nutritional needs during this time. This is despite the fact that many believed that having supports from nutritional experts and dietitians would have been, in the words of one participant, “insanely helpful.”

“I would have liked to see a nutritionist, but COVID didn’t really allow for that. My partner has been very supportive and pays for most of the bills.”

A theme of financial supports

Some participants spoke in terms of financial supports. A few said they felt privileged to be able to work from home. Some participants spoke of family members and partners who helped ease their financial burdens stemming from things such as job layoffs and increasing food and rent prices.

For example, one participant said,

“She, my partner, makes a living wage and I don’t so that’s been a big change for me. Pooling our income has allowed me to eat much ‘better’ more nutritionally dense foods, and foods I want to eat.”

Another participant said,

“I didn’t have to pay for my own food. That was the main support. I was living with my family and my parents paid the grocery bills which removed almost all nutritional concerns for me.”

Other participants, however, did not have such family supports to help them with the financial burdens that impacted their access to food. They talked about the high costs of nutritious foods, as one participant said:

“It has been costly to maintain healthy foods.”

Some of these participants had used government supports and food banks to help them. However, these were not always solutions for the participants.

“Food banks don’t have the proper food that I need when I couldn’t afford food, however I was able to get a grant during that time which helped pay for my food for a month.”

Although food banks can help in many ways, this participant noted food banks were not always a solution for them. In many countries, food banks may also be affiliated with religious organizations. This can have implications for some 2SLGBTQ+ people. Other researchers noted that religious-run food banks in America created barriers for trans and gender nonconforming people to accessing help due to fear, minority stress and anti-LGBT discrimination.

Food insecurity is an important issue

This study was not designed to capture the scale of food insecurity in 2SLGBTQ+ groups in Canada, nor to make generalities about their experiences. The study does, however, offer a starting point to discuss this issue with government and health leaders.

A few participants even highlighted the need for more research to explore the connections between income, food insecurity, food banks and the nutritional needs of 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.

The Conversation

Phillip Joy receives funding from Mount Saint Vincent University.

ShareTweetSharePin
Next Post
Free preventive care under the ACA is under threat again – a ruling exempting PrEP from insurance coverage may extend nationwide and to other health services

Free preventive care under the ACA is under threat again – a ruling exempting PrEP from insurance coverage may extend nationwide and to other health services

Most Read

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

December 15, 2022
morning back pain

Morning Again Ache Trigger Is Not the Mattress

October 11, 2021

Why Circadian Rhythms Matter for Your Health

July 30, 2024
lower back pain relief exercises

5 decrease again ache aid workouts

October 11, 2021

4 steps to building a healthier relationship with your phone

January 28, 2025
3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

October 15, 2021
Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

December 14, 2022
bleeding in gum

When The Bleeding in gum Is Severe ?

October 11, 2021
Good Night Sleep

6 Causes of Good Evening Sleep

October 11, 2021
Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

January 3, 2023
Biden is getting prostate cancer treatment, but that’s not the best choice for all men − a cancer researcher describes how she helped her father decide

Biden is getting prostate cancer treatment, but that’s not the best choice for all men − a cancer researcher describes how she helped her father decide

May 20, 2025
Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

October 12, 2021

COVID vaccines: how one can pace up rollout in poorer international locations

October 5, 2021

This Simple Hygiene Habit Could Cut Your Risk of Stroke, New Research Reveals

February 1, 2025

Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study

October 12, 2021
Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

December 16, 2021
Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

December 1, 2021
Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

December 30, 2022
woman covered with white blanket

Exploring the Impact of Sleep Patterns on Mental Health

August 4, 2024

Maximize Your Performance – Sync with Your Circadian Rhythms

August 9, 2024
Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

April 29, 2024
Backlash to transgender health care isn’t new − but the faulty science used to justify it has changed to meet the times

Backlash to transgender health care isn’t new − but the faulty science used to justify it has changed to meet the times

January 30, 2024
News of war can impact your mental health — here’s how to cope

Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know

December 2, 2022
As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

December 14, 2022
GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

December 16, 2022
Nutrition advice is rife with misinformation − a medical education specialist explains how to tell valid health information from pseudoscience

Nutrition advice is rife with misinformation − a medical education specialist explains how to tell valid health information from pseudoscience

January 28, 2025
FDA limits access to COVID-19 vaccine to older adults and other high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules

FDA limits access to COVID-19 vaccine to older adults and other high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules

May 21, 2025
Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

December 22, 2022
Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

December 2, 2022
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

July 6, 2022
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS

  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS