A new study by The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law finds that 21.6% of LGBT people in the U.S. experience poverty, compared to 15.7% of cisgender straight people. Among LGBT people, poverty rates differ by sexual orientation and gender identity with transgender people and cisgender bisexual women faring the worst. Nearly one in three (29.4%) transgender people and cisgender bisexual women fall below the official poverty threshold.
“LGBT people are more likely to be people of color, young, and disabled — all social statuses and characteristics that are known to be independently related to poverty rates,” said study author Bianca D.M. Wilson in a press release posted to the William Institute’s website. “However, some LGBT groups, such as gay men, are more likely to have higher levels of education, fewer children, and live in urban areas, which can help protect them from poverty. Even when we control for these factors, we find LGBT people are still more likely to experience poverty than their cisgender straight counterparts.”
If you’re interested in reading the full report, you can find it here.