The Economics of Being Seen: Unpacking LGBTQ+ Economic Disparities and the Need for Inclusive Data

The podcast features economist Lee Badgett, co-founder of the LGBTI+ Economic Power Lab, who underscores the critical importance of having LGBTQ+ economists involved in research to accurately interpret data and formulate relevant questions concerning the economic well-being of sexual and gender minorities. Badgett argues that lived experiences within these communities provide invaluable insights for understanding complex economic patterns and ensuring that research addresses issues that truly matter in people's lives. This perspective is crucial for moving beyond mere numbers to tell a meaningful story about the economic realities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals.\n\nThe discussion delves into specific economic disparities, highlighting nuanced differences within the LGBTQ+ community. Gay and bisexual men, for instance, are shown to earn less than heterosexual men. Conversely, lesbian and bisexual women sometimes earn more than heterosexual women, though still less than straight or gay men, emphasizing the complex interplay of gender and sexual orientation. Transgender individuals, particularly trans women, face the most severe economic disadvantages, including significantly higher poverty rates and lower household incomes. Bisexual women are also identified as a particularly vulnerable group with elevated poverty rates. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that LGBTQ+ people of color experience greater economic risk compared to their white LGBTQ+ counterparts, and often compared to cisgender heterosexual individuals of the same racial background, underscoring the critical role of intersectionality.\n\nBadgett advocates for robust data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) through national surveys, preferring this method over administrative data for its broader scope in capturing lived experiences. She notes positive trends in SOGI data collection in English-speaking countries and Latin America, and the adoption of third-gender categories in some South Asian nations. The podcast also touches upon a significant "gender revolution," citing data that indicates a substantial percentage of Gen Z identifies as non-binary or transgender, highlighting an urgent need for research into these evolving demographic shifts. Practical recommendations include moving beyond basic non-discrimination policies to implement more creative solutions, such as providing assistance for entrepreneurship, improving access to credit, and offering targeted skills training to overcome systemic barriers.\n\nBeyond illuminating inequalities for LGBTQ+ people, this research offers broader insights into how gender and sexual orientation intersect with economic outcomes. For example, studies suggesting that "masculinity" in the workplace can positively influence economic success across all genders open new avenues for understanding gender's role beyond traditional binaries. The call for more LGBTQ+ and feminist economists signifies a paradigm shift towards more inclusive and representative economic analysis. This approach is vital for informing policies that can adapt to a rapidly changing society, especially as younger generations increasingly express diverse gender and sexual identities, shaping the future workforce and consumer landscape. Ultimately, the goal is to foster economic justice and opportunity for all, recognizing the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities.

we bring curiosity about uh about these differences and we bring some some knowledge from our own lives from the lives of people that we know um that are a a good starting place for thinking about research questions that are important that'll matter in people's lives and for um and for interpreting data

gay men we see earn less than uh heterosexual men do uh as do bisexual men um but when we look at women when we look at lesbians and bisexual women sometimes we see that they actually earn more when you compare them to heterosexual women

the groups that have the worst outcomes um tend to be transgender people they have very high poverty rates they have lower household incomes and earnings than do cisgender people and bisexual people sometimes do especially bisexual women they have much higher poverty rates than do uh cisgender heterosexual women

when you're looking at people of color who are LGBT they they are in a worse they appear to be in in a more vulnerable economic position

in the US we've been working with uh with all the statistical agencies to push them to include questions on sexual orientation on gender identity on those surveys because that's the way that we can see these patterns of of economic differences

I'm a bigger fan of survey data just because I feel like it can uh it can give us a lot more access to what people's lives look like

most of the data that we most of the surveys that we have um and use for all these kinds of studies suggest that LGBT people LGB people not so much transgender people have higher levels of Education than do heterosexual people but when you look at data that follows uh people younger people over a longer period of time longitudinal data um we don't see that pattern

masculinity is very helpful for not just for men cisgender men but for Trans men trans women and cisgender women as well um people do better when they are you know more masculine uh in the workplace

Young people like 18 to 29 the the Gen Z folks 5% of them one in 20 say that their gender identity is different from the sex assigned at Birth

a lot of the policies that matter for LGBT people are policies actually that matter for everybody so the minimum wage will matter a lot for the well-being of lgbtq people um because a lot of them end up in low-wage jobs

non-discrimination policies that were the the things that we think of most often um and they those are absolutely essential for uh for educating employers and their co-workers and opening up opportunities for people

starting with non-discrimination policies is is a really important thing but it is just a starting point in my opinion