HRC Report Sheds Light on Economic Impact of COVID-19

A new report from the Human Rights Campaign is shedding light on the disproportionately devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LGBTQ Americans.

The report, released with the help of PSB Research, sourced data from an online poll of 1,000 adult Americans earlier this month. The findings are illuminating: While many Americans are dealing with a loss of income amid the pandemic, thirty percent of LGBTQ respondents reported cuts to their work hours compared to twenty-two percent of cisgender, heterosexual respondents.

When asked how their personal finances are faring, 20 percent of LGBTQ participants said they are “much worse off” than this time last year, while just 11 percent of the general population answered the same way. Forty-two percent of LGBTQ people also said they have adjusted their household budgets due to COVID-19 compared to thirty percent of cishet (cis/hetero) people.

Across the board, more than one-tenth of LGBTQ (12 percent) and cishet (14 percent) respondents reported becoming unemployed amid the pandemic.

“It is unfortunately not surprising to see that the LGBTQ community is facing adverse economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said HRC President Alphonso David.

“This new data bears out our initial predictions that LGBTQ people were likely to face greater economic hardship and is more proof that the most marginalized communities are the most at risk. We have seen the health impact of this virus on communities of color, and we now have the data to show how the LGBTQ community is struggling. For those of us at the intersections of these identities, it is even more profound. We must take this moment to fight for the resources to ensure that communities most impacted can weather this storm.”

HRC and PSB Research also found that queer Americans are more likely to be taking active steps to learn about and prepare for the pandemic. While less than half (45 percent) of cishet people said they have conducted their own research about COVID-19, sixty percent of LGBTQ people reported already doing so.

More than half of queer people also trust COVID-19 guidance from public health experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compared to 35 percent and 46 percent of the general population, respectively.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on many unfortunate realities we face in our society, as the virus has delivered disproportionate impact across various communities, including LGBTQ people,” said Peter Horst, CEO of PSB Research. “ It’s yet another reminder of the importance of allowing data to speak the truths we need to hear in order to address our challenges, seize our opportunities, and move forward together as a nation.”

Read the full report here.