Groundbreaking report from broad coalition explores barriers to good jobs for LGBT workers of color
SAN FRANCISCO, Ca.— According to a new report released today, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) workers of color are among the most disadvantaged workers in the United States. Due to discrimination coupled with a lack of workplace protections, unequal job benefits and taxation, and unsafe, under-resourced U.S. schools, LGBT people of color face extraordinarily high rates of unemployment and poverty.
A Broken Bargain for Workers of Color, with Out and Equal Workplace Advocates as key partners, is a companion to the recently released report, A Broken Bargain: Discrimination, Fewer Benefits, and More Taxes for LGBT Workers, co-authored by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), the Center for American Progress (CAP) and its FIRE Initiative, Freedom to Work, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), in partnership with Color of Change, the Leadership Conference Education Fund, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the National Action Network, the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), SEIU and Out and Equal Workplace Advocates. [pullquote]“America has passed numerous laws and policies based on an understanding that protecting the interests of workers and their families is good for the economy and good for the country. It is time for those protections to extend to LGBT workers of color,” said Jeff Krehely, Vice President and Chief Foundation Officer at the Human Rights Campaign.[/pullquote]
“While there are federal laws protecting people of color from job discrimination, there is still no federal law protecting LGBT people. This report demonstrates that LGBT people of colorface significant unemployment rates, and I believe that a fully inclusive ENDA will make a significant difference. Discrimination is never acceptable, and Out & Equal is proud to partner in releasing this report at such an important time in our movement’s history,” said Selisse Berry, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates.
LGBT PEOPLE ARE MORE RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE THAN THE U.S. POPULATION AS A WHOLE
A Broken Bargain for LGBT Workers of Colorpresents the latest demographic information about LGBT workers of color, including:
- About one-third of LGBT people are people of color. In a 2012 Gallup poll, one in three LGBT respondents (33%) identified themselves as people of color, compared to 27% of non-LGBT respondents. In all, there are an estimated 5.4 million LGBT workers in the United States, of which 1.8 million are people of color.
- The geographic distribution of LGBT workers of color mirrors that of people of color as a whole. Census Data show LGBT people of color are more likely to live in areas with significant numbers of other people of color.
- Large numbers of LGBT workers of color are raising children. Data from the 2010 Census show that LGBT people of color are more likely to be raising children than white LGBT people. MAP estimates that between 780,000 and 1.1 million children are being raised by LGBT people of color.
- LGBT youth of color are at high risk of becoming homeless. An estimated 20-40% of homeless youth in the U.S. identify as LGBT or believe they may be LGBT. Research also shows that African American and Native American young people are overrepresented among LGBT homeless youth, as well as the broader homeless population. One study found that among homeless youth who identify as gay or lesbian, 44% identified as black and 26% as Latino.
- LGBT workers of color are at significant risk of being unemployed. LGBT people of color have higher rates of unemployment compared to non-LGBT people of color. In addition, unemployment rates for transgender people of color have reached as high as four times the national unemployment rate.
- LGBT workers of color are at significant risk of poverty. Research shows that LGBT people of color, and particularly black LGBT people, are at a much higher risk of poverty than non-LGBT people. For example, black same-sex couples have poverty rates at least twice the rate of black opposite-sex married couples (18% vs. 8%).
“Contrary to popular stereotypes, LGBT workers are more racially diverse than the general population, making it critical to address the unique obstacles they face,” said Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition. “Bias and prejudice based on race, sexual orientation, and gender identity/expression intersect to the detriment of LGBT workers of color.”
LGBT Workers of Color Confront a Dual Burden of Social Stigma and Discrimination
A Broken Bargain for LGBT Workers of Colorexamines how LGBT workers of color face unique challenges related to their race and ethnicity and their sexual orientation and/or gender identity in three areas:
- Educational Barriers: LGBT youth of color are among the children who are most at risk of dropping through the cracks of the U.S. educational system. The reasons include: unsafe and under-resourced schools, a lack of support for LGBT students, and a “school-to-prison” pipeline that results in significant numbers of LGBT students of color entering the juvenile justice and correctional systems.
- Hiring Bias and On-the-Job Discrimination: Barriers such as unwarranted background checks, inadequate or non-existent non-discrimination protection for LGBT workers, and the lack of mentorships and on-the-job support make it difficult for many LGBT workers of color to find good and steady jobs that provide them with the economic security they need to support themselves and their families.
- Unequal Pay, Benefits and Taxation: LGBT workers of color receive unequal pay and unfair access to job-related benefits, leaving them with less to care for themselves and their families—even if they are doing the same jobs and working just as hard as other workers.
Common-Sense Solutions Can Reduce Unfair Barriers to Success for LGBT Workers of Color
“Fixing the broken bargain for LGBT workers of color will help ensure that they are treated fairly no matter where they work, that they receive the same compensation for the same work, and that they can access important benefits available to other workers to protect their health and livelihood,” said Tico Almeida, President of Freedom to Work.
A Broken Bargain for LGBT Workersoffers detailed recommendations for action to fix the broken bargain for LGBT workers of color by the federal, state, and local governments, as well as colleges, universities, and employers. Recommendations include:
- Eliminate or reduce educational barriers for LGBT youth of color by passing the federalSafe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) and the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) in an effort to reduce discrimination and bullying in schools.
- Eliminate or reduce bias and discrimination against LGBT workers of color by passing federal legislation to ban employment discrimination nationwide on the basis of gender identity/expression and sexual orientation.
- Secure equal pay and benefits for LGBT workers of color by increasing federal and state protections against wage discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression and increasing access to good jobs with good benefits for LGBT workers of color.
“America has passed numerous laws and policies based on an understanding that protecting the interests of workers and their families is good for the economy and good for the country. It is time for those protections to extend to LGBT workers of color,” said Jeff Krehely, Vice President and Chief Foundation Officer at the Human Rights Campaign.
About Out & Equal
Founded in 1996 by Chief Executive Officer, Selisse Berry, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates (commonly known as “Out & Equal”) is the world’s leading organization dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workplace equality and inclusion. Out & Equal believes that people should be judged by the work they do, not by their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Out & Equal mobilizes tens of thousands of employees, managers and executives via a network of regional affiliates and the world’s largest Employee Resource Group Registry. Through LGBTCareerLink,an online job search and career development service, Out & Equal serves diversity-friendly employers and LGBT job seekers. Through trainings and webinars, Out & Equal educates diversity friendly employers on both the basics and best practices in the field. Out & Equal is best known for the hallmark annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit that convenes over 3,000 LGBT, HR and diversity professionals to advance this movement. The 16th anniversary Workplace Summit will be held in San Francisco, CA from November 3 – 6, 2014. More information is available online at www.OutandEqual.org.
About the Co-Authors
The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values. CAP’s FIRE Initiative works to eliminate the social, economic, and health disparities faced by LGBT people of color.
Freedom to Work is a national organization committed to banning workplace harassment and career discrimination against LGBT Americans through public education, policy analysis, and legal work.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
The Movement Advancement Project is an independent think tank that provides rigorous research, insight and analysis that help speed equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. www.lgbtmap.org
The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black LGBT people. NBJC’s mission is to end racism and homophobia. As America’s leading national Black LGBT civil rights organization focused on federal public policy, NBJC has accepted the charge to lead conversations in the Black community to strengthen the bonds and bridge the gaps between the movements for racial justice and LGBT equality.
[From a News Release]
