A resurfaced video of a FEMA seminar has sparked fury after panelists were criticized for suggesting disaster preparedness policies should be tailored to transgender migrants.
The March 2023 discussion, titled 'Helping LGBTQIA+ Survivors Before Disasters', saw FEMA's Pride group's director of education Reilly Hirst discuss the concerns 'migrant transwomen' have in seeking shelter.
She suggested that trans migrants might struggle to find accommodations at faith-based shelters, 'because of the way theyve been responded to in the past'.
FEMA's approach to disaster management has come under scrutiny following its response to Hurricane Helene, which saw at least 230 people killed and thousands more displaced across the south east.