FEMA does not prioritize aid for LGBTQIA+ individuals in wake of disasters

The context

On October 7, a user on X (formerly Twitter) posted a video clip showing an online meeting of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The clip is accompanied by the quote, "We should focus our efforts on LGBTQIA people... they struggled before the storm."

This post, which was shared amid cleanup efforts from Hurricane Helene, suggests that FEMA prioritizes delivering aid specifically for LGBTQIA+ individuals rather than addressing the needs of all affected people. The post garnered over 30 million views within 24 hours, and the same video was also featured on Fox News that day.

However, the social media post is misleading and lacks context, as the FEMA meeting addressed disaster relief for LGBTQIA+ individuals specifically, and it is not representative of FEMA's emergency assistance policy in its entirety.

What we found

The original video, "Helping LGBTQIA+ Survivors Before Disasters: Preparedness and Mitigation Considerations," was published on FEMA's YouTube channel in March 2023. It shows a roundtable co-hosted by FEMA, the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and Out for Sustainability (Out4S) representatives from various sectors. The goal was to discuss disaster aid for LGBTQIA+ individuals, not to narrow the focus of disaster aid to this community alone.

The post on X also cited the video statement, "FEMA relief is no longer about getting the greatest good for the greatest amount of people… It's about disaster equity." While FEMA is indeed adopting an equity-based approach to disaster aid, this strategy is not exclusive to LGBTQIA+ individuals.

On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order to advance racial equity and support disadvantaged communities. This order directed federal agencies to assess equity concerning race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. Consequently, FEMA's initiative is not limited to the LGBTQIA+ community but encompasses all disproportionately disadvantaged and vulnerable populations in the United States.

In line with this order, FEMA has implemented initiatives to enhance access to its response, recovery, and resilience programs for a broader range of individuals. According to the FEMA website, these initiatives include expanding eligibility criteria for Critical Needs Assistance, broadening the types of documentation survivors can use to verify home occupancy and ownership, and increasing home repair assistance for individuals with disabilities caused by disasters.

Hurricane Helene has sparked a wave of misinformation, including a false assertion from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed at a Michigan rally last week that funds designated for undocumented immigrants have depleted FEMA resources for hurricane relief. In response, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told ABC News that Donald Trump's false claims are a "truly dangerous narrative."

The verdict

This video is from a FEMA meeting to discuss specific support for the LGBTQIA+ community in the wake of disasters. It is not representative of the organization's disaster response plan in its entirety or an indication that LGBTQIA+ individuals are prioritized for relief.