A new study released Friday debunks the gay affluence myth, showing higher poverty rates for same-sex families compared to opposite-sex married couples.
As reported on mydesert.com, the report conducted by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law is a first-of-its-kind look into poverty among lesbian, gay and bisexual people.
“I think the big take-away is just reminding people that gay people are everywhere,” said M.V. Lee Badgett, research director at the Williams Institute and the study's author.
“To most people, I think it's a surprise because they're used to hearing from conservative groups and gay marketers about the affluence.”
The data, Badgett said, undermines “the persistent myth that the gay community is monolithically affluent.”
Among the report's findings:
One in five children living in a same-sex household is poor compared to one in 10 for children in opposite-sex married families.
Nationally, 24 percent of lesbians and bisexual women are poor compared to 19 percent of heterosexual women.
15 percent of gay and bisexual men nationally are poor compared to 13 percent of heterosexual men.
Researchers theorized gays and lesbians could be more vulnerable to poverty because of employment discrimination, lack of insurance, less family support and no access to marriage and the more than 1,100 rights and benefits it affords.
The Williams Institute is a national think tank dedicated to research on sexual orientation law and public policy. The report relied on data by the 2000 U.S. Census, the National Survey of Family Growth and the California Health Interview Survey to calculate poverty rates for LGBT people.
Locals found the report both surprising and not.
Greg Rodriguez, who is a stay-at-home dad of two sons with special needs, said the gay affluence myth likely stems from the stereotype of gays as “DINKS” — double income no kids.
“We're from all different stripes,” the Palm Springs resident said. “We go through exactly the same things their family is going through.”
But Rodriguez knows if his husband, John, dies, he'll have to bear greater tax burdens an opposite-sex couple won't.
The General Accounting Office has identified 1,138 rights and benefits to civil marriage that include survivor and Social Security benefits and the tax-free transfer of property between spouses.
“Gay parents have to do everything that straight parents do with one hand tied behind their back,” Badgett said.
Given the report's findings, the researchers urge more attention be paid to collecting data on sexual orientation, which in turn could be used to educate policy makers.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/2009...8/-1/newsfront
Well according to this study, its not true.
Interestingly enough though, i remember seeing a study a few weeks back that said gay men and women were actually spending more during this economic crisis on going out and having a good time with their friends in comparison to straight people who were choosing to stay home because they couldnt afford to go out.
Regards,
Lee
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