Many LGBTQQIA+ newcomers in Canada face unique challenges due to social inequalities and intersecting forms of oppression, such as anti-LGBTQQIA+ stigma, racism, and xenophobia. Different studies on LGBTQQIA+, racialized, and immigrant communities have demonstrated that pre-existing social inequalities and oppression have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which have had negative health impacts on these communities. For example, LGBTQQIA+ individuals, compared with cisgender straight people, experienced a higher rate of mental health challenges during the pandemic. Losing access to in-person LGBTQQIA+ community spaces and connections—which help protect against anti-LGBTQQIA+ stigma—was also challenging. For immigrants and refugees, pre-existing anti-immigration sentiments were heightened, with many newcomers experiencing difficulty finding jobs and fear of discrimination. Immigrants were also disproportionately affected by pandemic-related job loss. Rates of unemployment were higher among immigrants than among Canadian-born workers throughout the pandemic. Additionally, the international travel ban separated many immigrants from their homes and loved ones, which contributed to decreased mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic itself also strongly affected immigrant communities. Many immigrants who were employed during the pandemic worked in farms or food processing facilities that were often unsafe and did not provide employees with protective equipment, resulting in high rates of COVID-19 transmission. Although existing studies separately demonstrated health inequalities experienced by LGBTQQIA+, racialized, and immigrant communities, there is a lack of intersectional research that has explored how COVID-19 impacted LGBTQQIA+ im/migrants and refugees, particularly newcomers in Canada. This report focuses on key COVID-19 related findings for newcomer LGBTQQIA+ communities.
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