Since it was established in 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives LGBT Equality Caucus has seen significant progress towards its goal of "achieving the full enjoyment of human rights for LGBT people in the United States and around the world."
However, buried deep beneath the legal arguments which have made same-sex marriage a reality in 37 states and which are expected to take place before the Supreme Court of the United States next month, are statistics that include 1.6 million homeless youth each year—40 percent of whom identity as LGBT, the 2.9 million LGBT adults who reported not having enough money to feed themselves or their families, the transgender individuals four times as likely to have a household income of under $10,000 or the over 20 percent of same-sex couples under the age of 25 who are living in poverty.
These were just some of the numbers shared by panelists at the first Equality Caucus briefing of the 114th Congress held March 4 in Washington D.C. "The Economics of Equality" was hosted by incoming Vice-Chair of the Equality Caucus Rep. Mike Quigley ( IL-05 ). Joining Quigley were panelists who included Chicago House and Social Service Agency CEO Rev. Stan J. Sloan, Williams Institute at UCLA Law School Distinguished Scholar Dr. Lee Badgett, Center for American Progress LGBT Research and Communications Project Director Laura Durso and Columbia Law School Center for Gender & Sexuality Law Senior Fellow Urvashi Vaid.
Each of the panelists now serve on the LGBT Poverty Collaborative formed in June 2014 that has—according to Quigley's office—proposed "a two-year program to increase a focus on poverty within the LGBT community as a policy priority of the LGBT movement."
"As a result of recent progress, there's a common misconception in the country that individuals who identify as LGBT tend to be well off, have political power and all this despite the facts," Quigley said in his opening remarks. "There have been remarkable moments of progress in the LGBT community in the past few years however these victories stand in stark contrast to the economics of equality. The facts show that poverty and income inequality disproportionately impact the LGBT community in our country."
A press release from Quigley's office summarized some of the issues raised by the panelists.
"Studies show that in some cases people in the LGBT community are more likely to be poor or food insecure than their heterosexual counterparts," Badgett said. "These disturbing patterns demonstrate a real need for research funding to get to the bottom of these trends. I thank Rep. Quigley for inviting the LGBTQ Poverty Collaborative to speak on these issues, calling attention to the economic inequality this community faces."
"The failure of our laws to protect LGBT people in finding a job, obtaining safe housing, and getting a quality education contributes to economic instability within the LGBT community, particularly for women, transgender people, and people of color," Durso noted. "Policies that fight inequality and boost opportunity such as comprehensive non-discrimination, expanding Medicaid coverage, and improvements to vital safety net programs are needed to help all people, including LGBT people, have secure futures."
"With the help of the entire LGBTQ caucus, our hope is that we can move toward policies and funding that is needed to conduct the research and to provide the services that are needed to help people break the cycle of LGBTQ poverty," Sloan said.
