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LesBi Honest: The Ladies are at a Disadvantage

LesBi Honest: The Ladies are at a Disadvantage

In February, Out Front reported on the economic welfare of the LGBT population. (Read it online at ofcnow.co/economics.) One of the findings revealed that despite the fact lesbians in same-sex relationships earn a higher personal income than women in opposite-sex relationships — $8,000 more a year in 2011 — lesbians still earn less than gay men.

And from 2008 to 2011, that income gap between lesbians in same-sex relationships compared to women in opposite-sex relationships shrunk by $2,000.

The results reflect a trend felt locally in Colorado. A recent Denver Post article reported in May that pay for women in Colorado dropped to 78.3 percent of men’s wages in 2012.

The Williams Institute, a think-tank based in Los Angeles at the University of California Law, released a new study in August utilizing Gallup data that found women within the LGBT community report lower levels of prosperity, connectedness, and contentment when compared to other demographics.

Dr. Gary Gates, distinguished scholar at the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy, stated in a press release that the findings were consistent with previous studies, adding that “analyses of the Gallup data confirm that LGBT adults, particularly women, frequently report lower levels of health and well-being when compared to their non-LGBT counterparts.”

The study, based on interviews with more than 80,000 American adults, created an index that measured various categories of well-being including physical health, social stability, community involvement, and having a sense of purpose.

According to the report, only one in four LGBT Americans said they are thriving physically, compared to one in three for heterosexual Americans. This ratio is cultivated largely by LGBT women, as the difference in health between LGBT men and straight men was statistically negligible.

There was also a large gap in community well-being between LGBT and non-LGBT Americans — again the gap was driven largely by LGBT women. Only 31 percent of LGBT women said they felt safe, secure, and involved with their local community, as compared to 40 percent of
straight women.

Finally, when it comes to purpose-driven welfare revolving around personal goals, daily activities, strengths, and having an inspirational leader, only 32 percent of LGBT women reported having a strong sense of purpose compared to 40 percent of non-LGBT women.  The percentage of LGBT males who reported having a strong sense of purpose was equal to that of heterosexual males at 33 percent.

Again, the gap between the LGBT population and the straight community was driven by women.

The Williams Institute emphasized that geographic and demographic variables were taken into account when calculating the well-being index, and that the study provides clear evidence that stigma and discrimination are still a large part of the everyday life of an LGBT American, especially for LGBT women.

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