Financial Inequities Faced by The LGBTQ+ Community

Pride Month marks the celebration of the culture and strength of our LGBTQ+ communities, and while there is much to celebrate, there is much to become educated on as well. During Pride Month, take time to celebrate our LGBTQ+ communities, but take time to educate yourself and reflect as well.

Over the past decade, the LGBTQ+ community has experienced some important strides in terms of civil rights, however the community is still faced with a number of challenges and inequities, including those within financial matters. For example, according to a 2018 survey from Experian, 62% of LGBTQ respondents said they had experienced financial problems because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Challenges they faced included housing discrimination, wage discrimination and lack of career advancement. The same survey found that 11% of LGBTQ+ respondents reported discrimination that lead to higher housing costs. According to HUD, (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) there are only 23 states that have laws preventing housing discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. According to an article, “some states only protect against housing discrimination for either gender or sexual orientation, but not both.”

Inequities in housing are not the only financial concerns faced by the LGBTQ+ community, research conducted by Prudential found that the LGBTQ+ community experiences more financial concerns across the board in comparison to the general population.

Prudential also found that there is a notable income gap between members of the LGBTQ+ community in comparison with the general population.

These examples are only scratching the surface of the financial inequities that are faced by the LGBTQ+ community. While there have been strides in the civil and legal rights for the LGBTQ+ community, there is still much to be fought for. Take this Pride Month to continue to educate yourself on these matters so that you can do your part in fighting for a more equitable future, and to celebrate the resilience and pride of the community.