Despite evidence showing a higher social acceptance of the LGBT community, a new study of Gallup data from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law is claiming that LGBT Americans—particularly women—report a significantly lower sense of financial well-being when compared to their straight or non-LGBT counterparts.
According to the report, nearly four in ten non-LGBT adults indicated that they were thriving in their financial lives compared to less than three in ten LGBT adults. The women of the LGBT community reported even more dire results: the gap among women was 12 percentage points between LGBT and non-LGBT adults, amounting to 39% thriving among non-LGBT women compared to 27% among LGBT women. This was a much larger gap than that of men, where an 8 percentage point difference was reported, amounting to 40% thriving for non-LGBT men and 32% among LGBT men.
Even more, the study indicated that these differences persist even when demographic and geographic characteristics were taking into account, including gender, age, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, state of residence, and population density.
“The results of this survey are consistent with other widely respected research institutions who note that LGBTQ people continue to experience disparities in health, wellness, and financial security,” said Porter Gilberg, Executive Director of the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach. “It is also incredibly significant to highlight that LGBTQ women are facing the largest brunt of these inequalities and that other research indicates that outcomes remain even poorer for transgender women and LGBTQ people of color.”
Based on 2,964 interviews with LGBT adults and 81,134 interviews on non-LGBT adults, the results are consistent with another recent research analysis and, according to author Gary J. Gates, highlights the need for more research to understand the relationship between health and well-being and sexual orientation and gender identity.
Other important findings included:
- On an overall Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index scaled from 0 (worst) to 100 (best), LGBT respondents had an average score of 58 compared to 62 among non-LGBT individuals.
- Just over a quarter (26%) of LGBT adults were thriving in measures of their physical well-being compared to a third (33%) of their non-LGBT counterparts.
- LGBT adults were less likely than non-LGBT adults to indicate that their social lives (35% versus 41%), communities (32% versus 38%), and sense of purpose (33% versus 37%) were thriving.
- LGBT women were particularly disadvantaged when compared to non-LGBT women with regard to thriving in their physical well-being (24% versus 36%), community well-being (31% versus 40%), and sense of purpose (32% versus 40%). LGBT men were not very different from their non-LGBT counterparts in these measures.
“While our community has made tremendous social and legal advantages in the last few years, it’s vital to remember that we are a community and people that have experienced decades of trauma, inequality, stigma, and discrimination including false arrest, physical attack, loss of family of origin, and the denial of survivors benefits for same-sex couples,” Gilberg said. “This history has a profound impact on our mental wellness, financial stability, and overall sense of safety and security. LGBTQ people are vibrant, resilient, and essential to our communities. However, we must not forget the work that lies ahead to bring full social and legal equality to LGBTQ people everywhere.”
To read the full report, click here.