How to Support the Sexually Marginalized During the Pandemic

Within the first 72 hours of California’s “Safer at Home” order, four of my bookings were postponed or canceled. As a freelancer whose income largely depends on keynotes, panels, speaking engagements and appearances, I hunkered down and prepared to take this economic ass-whooping like a champ. Creators, independent contractors, exotic laborers and gig workers understand all too well that momentum is a precarious force. Sometimes you run into a speed bump. There should be a whole section on this entitled “Feast or Famine” in our unofficial orientation guide.

I toggled between social media platforms to get a general sense of what other freelancers were experiencing. As expected, I read several tweets that hinted at livelihood disruption.

It was also no surprise that the low-income, disabled (including the mute and hearing-impaired), immunocompromised, undocumented, and black and brown queer and trans folk were disproportionately impacted by the outbreak. Many of us were trapped in the throes of socioeconomic disparity long before the country found itself in the clutches of COVID-19.

Food insecurity, scarcity of financial resources and a lack of affordable housing have always been pervasive presences in our lives. Most of us have never trusted top-down government solutions to meet us at our point of need. We’ve always relied on one another, our allies/accomplices and grassroots efforts to pull us through times of crisis.

I implore our solid allies/accomplices to be deeply intentional about showing up for us during this difficult transition. I’ve been asked what can be done to help queer and trans people of color (QTPOC) artists, creators, gig workers, freelancers and sex workers get through the COVID-19 pandemic. This essay serves as a jumping-off point.

I’ll start with QTPOC sex workers, or exotic laborers, because they’re the most vulnerable demographic—especially if they’re black and/or undocumented. Not only are they often plagued by social stigma, poverty, racism, xenophobia, transphobia/homophobia, heavy surveillance by law enforcement, mass incarceration, harassment and the growing threat of violence, but as off-the-books workers they don’t qualify for paid sick leave, unemployment benefits or the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which is riddled with red tape.

As if FOSTA-SESTA hadn’t presented enough barriers for sex workers/exotic laborers, they’re now faced with the difficult decision of whether to risk contracting the virus—because their occupation makes social distancing impossible—or canceling their dates. Most of their clients are making the choice for them, which sinks them deeper into poverty.

If you’re someone who has frequent encounters with sex workers, strippers or other exotic laborers, consider asking them if they have an OnlyFans account or any other platform that gives you virtual access to them. If they do, subscribe to their page (which is often secure and discreet), and be sure to tip them well.

When I was young and homeless on the streets of Hollywood, sex workers were my guardian angels. They fed, clothed and housed me at some of my lowest points. When you support a sex worker, chances are you’re indirectly supporting other vulnerable community members. In fact, one of my good friends recently pledged 50 percent of her OnlyFans tips to help other trans women of color who are struggling during the pandemic. Her commitment absolutely blew me away. (I wasn’t crying or anything; I just had something in my eye.)

Perhaps you’re not interested in services from QTPOC exotic laborers but want to support them platonically, along with activists, freelancers, creators, independent contractors and gig workers. Here are some additional steps you can take.

We’re hardworking people and will take a hand-up before a handout any day. Hire QTPOC artists, graphic designers, web designers, writers, editors, social media strategists, producers and engineers to take care of your digital needs. Prioritize us for jobs that can be done remotely. Do you need a secretary or someone to handle your personal answering service? Look no further than a QTPOC candidate. You’re going to pay someone anyway; why not give a QTPOC the opportunity to thrive?

For those facing mental health challenges, however, this may be a difficult time to do our best work. The best way to support QTPOC as a no-strings-attached ally is to send direct aid—that means money—via Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Patreon or personal GoFundMe pages. Many of us list our handles in our social media bios, and your contribution(s) will help with rent, bills, medicine (many of us don’t have health insurance), food, hygiene and household products.

You can try purchasing items online and have the order shipped to people in need, but many online-market servers have been crashing. You’re more likely to score a post-quarantine meet-and-greet with Beyoncé than snag a delivery slot. May the odds forever be in your favor.

Are you a beast at budgeting and financial planning? As QTPOC receive cash donations to support them through self-isolation, your free advice could be crucial in helping us maintain sustainable pandemic-era lifestyles. A little goes a long way, and considering that we don’t know how long we’ll be under mandatory isolation, we need to be as fiscally responsible as we can.

Some of you may prefer donating to a nonprofit organization for tax purposes. Before you whip out your checkbook for the first organization on your Google Search results page, make sure the most vulnerable among us are central to the organization’s mission. The same distrust many of us have for government agencies can also be directed at large nonprofit organizations. QTPOC typically get the crumbs that fall from the budget, if we get anything at all. Consider donating to a grassroots 501(c)(3) whose CEO isn’t paid a high-end six-figure salary. You’ll know you’ve found the right organization when its leadership roles are filled by QTPOC. A few examples are the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Princess Janae Place, Trans Latina Coalition, Mirror Memoirs, Casa Ruby, APAIT, the Okra Project, Gender Justice LA, the Baltimore Safe Haven and Brave Space Alliance.

To be fair, not every large nonprofit abandons QTPOC in our time of need. Those that have been true advocates for our cause may want to consider paying QTPOC community leaders and activists to take over their Instagram Stories or Facebook Live accounts throughout the week and allow them to do what they do best: educate, uplift and reignite hope. Comb through that budget and reach out when you’re ready. The same can be said of magazines and mainstream media platforms. If any group knows how to keep the high-vibrational energy flowing despite the low-frequency vibes saturating our reality, it’s QTPOC creators, influencers, artists and media personalities!

We get it. Not everyone has an organization or corporation to pull from—or, for that matter, a trust fund or a savings account. If you don’t have extra money to give but still want to help, consider donating your services. If you’re a legal professional or advocate, you could offer advice to QTPOC who run the risk of being evicted. While some states and regions impacted by COVID-19 have announced a temporary moratorium on rent evictions (which is basically like placing a Band-Aid over a bullet wound), many QTPOC may not know their rights or have anyone to advocate for them.

A freelancer who’s having a dispute with a client over a pre-pandemic contractual agreement may need your help. Perhaps someone whose occupation is considered an “essential service” fears becoming ill but doesn’t want to quit and lose their income. What would you recommend they do? Legal issues are a great strain on anyone’s mental health, and having your support could lighten the load.

Speaking of mental health, QTPOC who are struggling right now may require counseling or other forms of social support. If you’re a licensed therapist or someone experienced in trauma-informed intervention, offer up a Zoom, Skype or FaceTime call and lend your ear and an open heart. It’s a good rule of thumb to check on anyone in your life during difficult times, especially those who are disabled, chronically ill, homeless or incarcerated. That call could literally save their life.

While we’re discussing incarceration, Cook County Jail in Chicago reported that 134 inmates tested positive for the coronavirus as of March 31. As if being locked up isn’t hard enough, the pandemic is ripping through jails and prisons with no mercy. This is an even scarier time for incarcerated QTPOC, who often experience disproportionate violence and abuse, and a letter from a pen pal (you) could truly lift their spirits. SWOP Behind Bars and similar programs can help you get started.

In addition to corresponding with QTPOC in jail or prison, if you’re a skilled writer you can help someone apply for fellowships or grants. That would not only help us economically, but it’s an opportunity for up-and-coming QTPOC leaders to hone their leadership skills and build toward their future.

We all know that part of our week in isolation—when we realize we’re low on food and need to make a trip to the grocery store. The next time you go, keep disabled, immunocompromised and elderly QTPOC in mind and ask if you can pick up their medication from the pharmacy or grab some groceries to help them get by. Protect them and yourself by dropping items off on their doorstep; the two of you can hug it out later.

While the “hug out” has to wait for now, the workout doesn’t. If you’re a personal trainer, yoga instructor or general fitness enthusiast, invite others to join you while you live-stream your workout routine, yoga session or meditation practice. For QTPOC, self-care is an act of resistance. Physical activity is a great way to release stress, anxiety and toxins from our bodies—and facilitating that for us would be a profound act of love.

At this point I’m sure some of you are thinking, How do I know which QTPOC in my life are in need of support? or What if I don’t know any QTPOC personally? My final recommendation represents the epitome of QTPOC allyship, support and grassroots advocacy: Develop a mutual-aid network, or MAN, dedicated to meeting the needs of QTPOC activists, freelancers, artists, independent contractors, gig workers and exotic laborers.

A MAN is a grassroots cooperative that aims to fill in the gaps and build a collaborative economy from the ground up in order to achieve a common goal.

Before I knew exactly what a MAN was, I’d accidentally formed one in response to the current administration’s attack on Central American asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. First I went on social media and expressed my frustration that migrant women, children and families were being met with tear gas at the border. Then I contacted a few of my friends who were equally heartbroken by the turn of events and wanted to get involved. I’ve never driven in my life, but I asked if they were willing to load up a few of their cars with food, water, clothing, diapers, hygiene products, medicine and tents and head down to Mexico with me. Once they agreed, I went back to social media and started raising money and asking for non-monetary donations from everyone I knew who wanted to help.

We posted drop-off locations all over West Hollywood and the surrounding Los Angeles area. Thrift stores donated items, a friend who owns a gay bar gave us several cases of juice and soda, and another friend donated endless boxes of sanitary napkins from her organization. We loaded up all five vehicles and went down to Mexico to disburse the resources we’d collected and make additional purchases for families.

While there, we learned that queer and trans Central American migrants were being assaulted and abused in their caravans on the way to Mexico and weren’t safe among the general population. We made drop-offs at the main camp where the asylum-seekers were being held and then connected with a mutual-aid network in Mexico to help us get resources to the LGBTQ caravaners who were being housed at several undisclosed sites for their own protection.

MANs are about solidarity, not charity. The people who receive aid are often empowered to give back in ways that are beneficial to their network. A MAN can be designated for a particular neighborhood, city or state; it can even be nationwide. These networks promote diversity and attract advocates from all walks of life who share the same passion, purpose and thirst for the greater good.

Check out this resource (infrastructure included) on how to form a COVID-19-oriented MAN in your area, but be sure to visit the Mutual Aid Hub first to avoid duplication of effort. The more people in a given MAN, the greater the impact!

I’m tempted to end this essay on a hopeful note. Yes, the quarantine will eventually end, this fraught era will turn into a history lesson, the headlines will move on to a different calamity, and we’ll do what we always strive to do: persevere. But the trauma COVID-19 inflicts on society’s vulnerable will take much longer to heal. That’s why it’s everyone’s responsibility to support and uplift these communities now, when they need it most.