Queer at sea

LGBTQIA+ seafarers are at significant risk of harassment and discrimination, as they often work with people whose home countries criminalise same-sex marriage.

*Global Sexual Orientation Laws, ILGA World 2020*

The international maritime union Nautilus takes the right approach. According to Danny McGowan, secretary of the Nautilus Equality and Diversity Forum and chair of the Maritime UK Pride in Maritime Network, they want to see: “companies offering reassurance to LGBT+ seafarers that the company has their back when and if they have to travel to different jurisdictions with different laws and different beliefs.”

Danny has a great point. To find out more about the Pride in Maritime Network, our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee went to the Pride in Maritime Network event last month. Hosted by Maritime UK, the event was a breath of fresh air and a crucial safe space. Even feeling comfortable to wear rainbow socks was something that would have not been accepted in this industry not that long ago.

Maritime UK and the Shipowners’ Club made sure to emphasise the safe space. Members of staff shared personal stories of coming out at work, and it was incredible that people felt so open to share.

*Opportunity Green at the Pride in Maritime event*

Opportunity Green’s Project Assistant Blanaid said: “It was great to learn more about the actions other organisations are taking to address the lack of LGBTQIA+ representation in maritime. Diversity in general is certainly lacking in the shipping industry and it’s important to continue creating spaces like these to facilitate valuable conversations and knowledge exchange.”

And our Legal Officer Isa said: "It is great to see that these issues are starting to be taken seriously by a sector that has so far lagged behind. The event provided for a safe space to share personal stories and encourage further action."

Pride in the Sky

The aviation industry has a similar network in place. Partnering with the National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA) based in the United States, the European Pride in Aviation Network is ‘passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in the European aviation industry.’ They offer hands-on training and expert advice, as they believe a diverse environment leads to increased innovation.

Queerness in the climate crisis

As a not-for-profit fighting for climate justice, it’s important that Opportunity Green is aware of the inextricable link between the LGBTQIA+ community and the climate crisis. Did you know that the green colour in the LGBTQIA+ rainbow flag stands for nature? That’s because the justice for LGBTQIA+ people in the climate world is lacking.

But the flag is not the only connection. After the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Washington DC, queer and trans staff at climate organisation 350.org wrote that if climate activists’ idea of climate justice did not include ‘justice on all fronts,’ including queer liberation, then that idea is not climate justice. Jeff Feng’s dissertation highlights these intersectional societal and climate problems.

Plus, Dr Cate Sandilands explains that our understanding of the natural world was one based on heterosexist and homophobic formulations. The idea that mother nature is a drag queen makes so much sense. As Pattie Gonia said in a TEDxLondon Podcast ‘Climate Curious:’ “When I think of queerness it’s so much more, beyond sexuality, queerness is the oddity in this world to problem solve no matter what. To almost be different and to bring beauty and brilliance to that through their difference.”

Climate change affects everyone. But it does not affect everyone equally. The Butterfly Conservation rightly states that oppressed minority groups like the queer community are often subject to the brunt of environmental issues, and are more dedicated to solving them.

The IPCC actually reported that people who already face marginalisation are especially vulnerable to the climate crisis. Climate justice is so intertwined with other social issues such as racism, classism, and sexism. Stripping back all the complicated aspects of climate change, what remains is competition for scarce resources. Those with less availability to those resources will naturally be affected more.

We cannot do this topic justice without discussing the instrumental role of the Black queer community. Usually, the climate solutions we come across in the West are from white environmentalists. There are so many Black queer organisations and individuals that do crucial work in tackling the climate crisis, yet those voices are often washed out by larger, more Eurocentric organisations.

Protection of ancestral lands for the Black community is only the first step to a just future, and understanding the link between homophobia, racism and the climate crisis is imperative for effective solutions. Jeannine Kayembe-Oro founded the Black Queer Femme Led Climate Solutions to address this and has made this powerful film about the story and lived experiences of Black land stewards and culture bearers Donna Dear and Paulette Greene.

What does the Gay After Tomorrow look like?

Going back to the climate crisis and the transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy sources, a just transition will be crucial.

It’s difficult to define ‘just transition’ in one sentence as it means different things to different industries. Put simply, a just transition means facilitating a move from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy ensuring all members of the community can function in the new set-up. That must include people from labour intensive industries to the queer communities most affected by homelessness.

We must amplify the voices of the queer community in tackling the climate crisis. They are crucial to understanding the solutions and ensuring a just transition. Here are just a few we love:

Sophia Benrud (they/she)

Dean Jackson (they/them)

Pinar Sinopoulos-Lloyd (they/them)

Pattie Gonia (they/she/he)

Asha Carter (she/her)

Stephen Shelesky (he/him)

Jeannine Kayembe-Oro (she/they)

Jenny Bruso (she/they)

Isaias Hernandez (he/they)

If you are LGBTQIA+ and you would like to share a story in relation to the climate crisis, please email it to admin@opportunitygreen.org and we would be honoured to amplify your voice.

We’re working hard to increase the diversity and inclusion of our team by implementing anonymous applications and positive action according to the Equality Act 2010. If you are part of the LGBTQIA+ community and are interested in working with us, please keep an eye out for our vacancies.