Paying an Unfair Price: The Financial Penalty for LGBT Women in America
Women in America have made significant progress over the past 50 years—in the workplace, where women now comprise roughly half of all workers; in public office, where women have served as Speaker of the House and as Secretary of State; and in schools, where women now
enroll in college in greater numbers than men.
Despite these gains, serious challenges remain for women in the United States. Women are still paid less than men. They are more likely to be in low-wage and minimum wage jobs, and they hold just 5% of Fortune 500 CEO positions. More than one in seven women live in poverty, and of those living in poverty, two in five live in extreme poverty. The economic picture for women of color is even bleaker, with lower wages, higher rates of unemployment, and even fewer women of color in positions of power. Women disproportionately have to take leave from work (often without pay) to care for children or aging parents, and incidents of violence against women remain persistently high.
Women who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT)a have the same concerns as other women. They worry about finding and keeping good jobs, saving for the future, taking care of their children and families, and making ends meet. But America’s 5.1 million LGBT women face added challenges and worries not just because of their gender, but also because of who they are and whom they love.
Discrimination and stigma, combined with the struggles faced by all women, make LGBT women and their families especially vulnerable. Anti-LGBT laws, together with inequitable and outdated policies, mean that LGBT women are forced to pay an unfair price in reduced incomes and added costs for everything from healthcare to housing. Making matters worse, the burden falls most acutely on those who can least afford it: LGBT women raising children, older LGBT women, LGBT women of color, LGBT immigrants, and those LGBT women and families who are already living near or below the poverty line.
Even at a time when the public is showing increased understanding and acceptance of LGBT people and their relationships, the unique concerns and struggles of LGBT women are largely absent in the national conversation. This report focuses on the economic challenges facing LGBT women across the nation in three critical areas: jobs, health and family. It also offers recommendations for change.
