Life Power Now - for gay men

A recently published report by the Williams Institute at the University at the University of California Los Angeles concludes that gays and lesbians and their families are no less affected by poverty than heterosexuals. The report concludes that the myth of gay and lesbian affluence is just that – a myth. Lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals are as likely to be poor as are heterosexuals, while gay and lesbian couple households, after adjusting for the factors that help explain poverty, are more likely to be poor than married heterosexual couple households. Further, poverty rates of children in gay and lesbian couple households are strikingly high.
Poverty in the United States is a persistent problem and LGB people and families are not immune. Policies that promote equal treatment of LGB people and in the workplace and in access to marriage may improve LGB family incomes and lift some families out of poverty. Policies designed to support all low-income people, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, minimum wage, or TANF, will be particularly important for reducing poverty among LGB people. Advocates, policy makers, administrators, and caseworkers interested in reducing poverty and assisting poor families would do a better job if they question and then revise procedures and policies that assume all poor people are heterosexual.

Read full report (pdf-format)