The negative financial impact caused by the coronavirus pandemic is disproportionately felt by the LGBTQ community in the U.S., new research released Thursday shows.
Data collected by the Human Rights Campaign in partnership with PSB Research, paints a grim picture for LGBTQ individuals during the coronavirus crisis, as it brings to light the economic and emotional toll of COVID-19 on the often marginalized community.
While both LGBTQ people and the general population are experiencing unprecedented levels of unemployment, a higher percentage of LGBTQ individuals (30%) are more likely to have reported a reduced number of work hours, when compared to the general population (22%), according to the research.
One in five LGBTQ individuals (20%) say that their finances are “much worse” today than what they were a year ago, compared to 11% of the general population. They also have a more pessimistic view of their financial future — they are twice as likely to think they are going to be much worse off a year from now.
Increasing the level of uncertainty, LGBTQ individuals are less likely to see President Trump as a trusted source of information — only 14% of them trust the current administration.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on many unfortunate realities we face in our society, as the virus has delivered disproportionate impact across various communities, including LGBTQ people,” Peter Horst, the CEO of PSB, a global research and analytics firm, said in a statement.
PSB conducted an online poll of 1,000 adults in the U.S. from April 15-16.
The data released Thursday builds on previous research that suggested that the health of members of the LGBTQ community — economic, as well as physical and mental health — was especially at risk amid the pandemic.
In a brief released last month, the HRC noted a greater risk of health complications of LGBTQ people in the U.S. since they are more likely to live in poverty and lack access to adequate medical care, paid medical leave and basic necessities during the pandemic, compared to the general population.
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The HRC Foundation — the organization’s educational arm that advocates LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices — estimates that there are nearly 14 million LGBTQ adults and 2 million LGBTQ youth living in the United States.
The new data delineates the overall adverse economic impact of the pandemic on the community, which is “unfortunately not surprising,” according to HRC president Alphonso David.
“This new data bears out our initial predictions that LGBTQ people were likely to face greater economic hardship, and is more proof that the most marginalized communities are the most at risk," he said.
David also underlined the increased risk faced by racial minorities within the larger LGBTQ community.
"We have seen the health impact of this virus on communities of color, and we now have the data to show how the LGBTQ community is struggling. For those of us at the intersections of these identities, it is even more profound. We must take this moment to fight for the resources to ensure that communities most impacted can weather this storm,” he said.