Fast Facts: LGBT
DBP has compiled some key facts and findings about the LGBT community, how organizations are supporting that community and other compelling data from some of our recent research and publications.
U.S. Buying Power
Eighty-seven percent of LGBT adults and 75 percent of non-LGBT adults in the US said they would “consider a brand that has equal benefits for LGBT employees” and advertisements targeted at LGBT audience positively affect the purchasing decisions of 47 percent of LGBT adults.
Almost one in four LGBT adults in one year switched to a product of service because the new company supported the LGBT community, and 71 percent of lesbian and gay people remain loyal to a brand that is sympathetic to LGBT issues even if the brand is costlier or less convenient.
Workplace…Much work still to be done
81 percent of heterosexual employees reported that they feel that LGBT people “should not have to hide who they are at work.” However, more than half of these same straight employees said they would feel uncomfortable hearing an LGBT co-worker talk about his or her social life.
OVER HALF of LGBT employees hide their sexual orientation at work.
ONE in FOUR LGBT employees report hearing derogatory jokes or negative comments such as “that’s so gay” while at work.
⅕ of LGBT workers report looking for a job specifically because the environment at the current job isn’t accepting of LGBT identities. Close to one in 10 successfully left a job for the same reasons. “Successfully left” is an important modifier because it means that these people were able to find gainful employment elsewhere, to the detriment of the employer they left, who lost a qualified employee.
Cultural Context: The Intersection of Race and Sexual Orientation
Whereas 16 percent of white same-sex couples in the U.S. have children under the age of 18, the picture changes significantly for African American samesex couples, of whom 40 percent are raising children.
LGBT African Americans overall have higher rates of unemployment than non-LGBT African Americans (15 percent vs. 12 percent)
LGBT African-American families with children earn about $16,000 less per year than African-American opposite-sex families with children.
Focus on: Transgender
97 percent of transgender people report being harassed on the job.
47 percent report an adverse employment outcome, e.g, not being hired, being fired, or not getting an earned promotion.
26 percent of transgender people report being fired at some point in their career.
19 percent report being homeless at some point in their life.
15 percent of all transgender people — across all races — live below the poverty line compared to 7% of the general population
LGBT Around the World
Throughout Europe, being gay or lesbian is legal. However, there is an “East/West” divide on further LGBT rights.
In May of 2017, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.
In Japan, the LGBT market is worth an estimated US $600 billion.
Guyana is the only country in South and Latin America where homosexuality is illegal and punishable by prison.
In 2013, Uruguay passed the same-gender marriage laws by a large majority.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Canada.
South Africa is the only country in Africa where same-gender marriage is legal.
Originally published at www.diversitybestpractices.com.
