New Study Shows LGBT Population Suffers Higher Rates of Poverty

[FreeState]

http://queersunited.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-study-shows-lgbt-population-suffers.html

Main Findings:

• After adjusting for a range of family characteristics that help explain poverty, gay and lesbian couple families are significantly more likely to be poor than are heterosexual married couple families.



• Notably, lesbian couples and their families are much more likely to be poor than heterosexual couples and their families.



• Children in gay and lesbian couple households have poverty rates twice those of children in heterosexual married couple households.



• Within the LGB population, several groups are much more likely to be poor than others. African American people in same-sex couples and same-sex couples who live in rural areas are much more likely to be poor than white or urban same-sex couples.



• While a small percentage of all families receive government cash supports intended for poor and low-income families, we find that gay and lesbian individuals and couples are more likely to receive these supports than are heterosexuals.

[bluedawg12]

1. Not too surprised, the dominant culture restricts opportunity

and assaults self esteem for young people.

Hardly a nurturing and caring environment needed to be healthy and succeed.

But then, that is their intention isn't it?

Here's what else they said:

"They find clear evidence that poverty is at least as common in the LGBT population as among heterosexual people and their families. This ground breaking study shatters a common stereotype that all gays and lesbians are affluent.

The report discusses various possible reasons for the economic disparity, ie: employment discrimination, lack of access to marriage, higher rates of uninsured, and less financial support from family members."

Here are some ways to help from the webs site:

http://queersunited.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-study-shows-lgbt-population-suffers.html

Resources/Tips for helping out underprivileged queers:

Donate to Queers for Economic Justice or a local LGBT homeless shelter.

"Clothes are for closets" - donate some old clothes, or sheets, to an LGBT homeless center.

Donate some canned goods and products to a Queer community center that serves underprivileged LGBT people.
...........

Thanks Free State, this is hard to read stuff, but important. :hi:

That's why the bullsh*t about GBLTQ's having tons of disposable income, able to blend in and not facing real bigotry are a flat out lie.

:grr:

[The Doctor.]

3. That is a highly valid observation.

Those that have deep emotional scars from a hostile era of development would much more likely find themselves fighting for clarity and direction through the trauma. After someone has to salvage their ego, pick up bare shreds of self-esteem from relentless assaults on their very identity, so much of the very fundamental confidence required to succeed has been torn from them that even simple happiness is out of reach... let alone success.

This makes a sort of sense entirely. Of all the gay men and women I've known, the ones who are well-adjusted tend to be content and at least moderately successful. Those also happen to be the ones who either had a loving support structure around the time they 'came out', or very advanced coping strategies.
This also goes some way towards explaining why it is that the 'gays are affluent' stereotype developed in the first place. Those that were unabashed would have had two things; - advanced coping mechanisms and/or support, and a much higher likelyhood of social visibility. The latter because, well... people did make a bigger deal over 'open' gays these last few decades. All by itself, being well-adjusted lends itself to success, but there's more to the creation of the stereotype. There is also the point that those who do become successful don't have to worry as much about discrimination crippling their lively-hood. Therefore, it is certainly much less of a risk to live openly. Naturally, this creates the impression that 'gays are affluent' because most people can only identify gays who are affluent.

Now, I might have simply called the adoption of the stereotype 'small-minded'... but every single gay man I've personally known is well above average intelligence... so that stereotype didn't seem so far-fetched to me.

Present company no exception. ;)

[roughsatori]

2. The meme that is pushed is that white gay men are so privileged and rich.

Yet I can never find a rich guy to date.


It is an attempt to re-enforce the difference of the "other." True universal health care would be a great help to people of all genders, orientations, etc. If your sick and poor, you don't have a chance.

[TEmperorHasNoClothes]

4. I am surprised

Most of the gay people and families I know well educated, have professional careers and don't fall into these categories. I guess I need to widen my horizons and open my eyes more.