Caldwell’s Touchpoint Committee focuses on outreach to the LGBTQ+ community and education of our congregation. This 2021 series explains how various social justice issues affect the LGBTQ+ community and, more specifically, LGBTQ+ people of color.
Hunger and Food Insecurity in the LGBTQ+ Community
- More than 1 in 4 LGBT adults (27%), approximately 2.2 million people, experienced a time in the last year when they did not have enough money to feed themselves or their families, compared to 17% of non-LGBT adults.
- 18% of LGB adults reported that they or someone in their family went without food for an entire day in the past 30 days.
- 14% of LGB adults reported running out of food for their families and not having money for more in the past 30 days.
- 9% of LGB adults reported that they ate less than they believed they should in the past 30 days.
- 6% of LGB adults reported going hungry in the past 30 days.
LGBTQ+ individuals around the world have been suppressed for generations, simply because of who they love or how they express themselves. It is undeniable that the modern world has become far more accepting of the community and its members, but celebratory pride parades and rainbow flags don’t change the fact that LGBTQ+ Americans are still facing so many obstacles, including an increased risk of experiencing hunger, food insecurity and homelessness.
Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people face high rates of poverty, joblessness, and homelessness, rendering this population vulnerable to experiencing food insecurity.
LGBT adults living in the U.S. are nearly twice as likely to be experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic than non-LGBT adults, according to new survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Of the more than 64,000 people who responded to the bureau’s latest Household Pulse Survey, just over 13% of LGBT adults reported living in a household that experienced food insecurity in the past seven days, compared to 7.2% of non-LBGT adults.
In the United States, 1 in 9 people (11.1%) is food insecure. Food security is defined as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life and, at minimum, includes the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, and the assured ability to acquire food in a socially acceptable way. People who are able to meet these standards on a daily basis are considered food secure, and those that cannot are considered food insecure.
Food insecurity disproportionately affects certain groups of people, including those living in poverty, people who are under or unemployed, and people who are experiencing homelessness. Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) people (individuals whose gender identity is different from their sex assigned at birth) are a diverse group of people who experience some of the highest risks for food insecurity. Based on the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS), TGNC people are 4 times more likely to have incomes below $10,000/year, are 3 times more likely to be unemployed, and 2.5 times more likely to experience homelessness in their lifetimes, compared to cisgender (gender identity is concurrent with sex assigned at birth) counterparts.
LGBTQ seniors are 60% more likely to experience food insecurity than non-LGBTQ peers. The effects of employment discrimination, certainly for seniors, over a lifetime can be a serious factor for additional vulnerability to hunger.
The burdens of poverty and hunger weigh particularly heavy on folks in the LGBTQ community who are highly visible—including transgender and gender nonconforming people—and those who are also members of other marginalized communities, who are subject to intersecting and overlapping systems of oppression in our society—including queer people of color, and women.
Food Assistance Programs
SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a federal initiative designed to help hungry Americans put food on the table. As of January 2021, nearly 44 million people were enrolled in the program. LGBTQ+ people make up a large percentage of those involved.
In the general population, local food assistance programs, such as food pantries, are valuable resources to alleviate food insecurity. A majority of U.S. food pantries (67%) are run by faith-based institutions, which could pose a great threat to food insecure TGNC people. State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRA), or “religious freedom laws” allow institutions, including food pantries, to deny services to select community members based on religious beliefs. These laws allow food pantries to deny TGNC people support and thereby further jeopardize food access to this population.
For LGBTQ+ people of color, government food programs, which are race-neutral on their face, are difficult to access due to policy barriers rooted in racist notions about the people who use them. For example, SNAP has work requirements for those who are aged 18-49. They’re expected to work 20 hours a week—and if they do not they can only get SNAP assistance for 3 months out of a 36-month period. So, policy rules like work requirements are rooted in the perceived notion of moral failings and poor personal shortcomings of the people that use these programs, and those can have some racialized undertones. It is this concept that “certain people are unwilling to work or need to be coerced to work,” and it hearkens back to those false narratives about welfare queens that are still used today.
What can we do?
We need to destigmatize poor LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and all people who use these programs. Racial bias, homophobia, transphobia, and the demonization of poor people are built into many of these programs. We need to reform these kinds of policies and reframe the narrative around hunger and poverty toward the issue of rights and dignity. We need to get to a place where no one is treated as “other,” no one is outside the circle of concern, and we do not have policies that create categories of people who are deserving and undeserving of assistance.
https://moveforhunger.org/learn/Hunger-in-the-LGBTQ-Community
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-020-08684-8
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbtq-experiences-food-bank/
Poverty and Economic Injustice
Previous articles in this education series have discussed the court system, healthcare, homelessness, unemployment, and discrimination in the workplace. Each of these issues is part and parcel of the larger picture of poverty and economic injustice in the LGBTQ+ community.
We know that the health, well-being and quality of life of LGBTQ+ individuals is notably impacted by the economic systems in which they live. Bias, absence of legal protections, workplace discrimination, and lack of access to affordable healthcare are just some of the obstacles they face. When we deny LGBTQ+ people marriage equality, protection in the workplace, and other civil rights and family benefits afforded to the rest of Americans, we contribute to higher poverty rates and perpetuate the alarming economic injustice suffered by the LGBTQ+ community. Sadly, civil rights for LGBTQ+ people are rarely discussed in policy debates surrounding poverty. Although the U.S. census now counts same sex couples in its data, improved government research, review, and revision of data collection methods are needed to ensure accurate information is obtained for the LGBTQ+ community.
We must acknowledge the facts:
- Employment discrimination, along with discrimination in housing and healthcare, impedes an LGBTQ+ individual’s ability to achieve and sustain economic security.
- Nutrition, housing assistance, Medicaid, and unemployment benefits are critical to LGBTQ+ people’s economic security.
- Equal access to the institution of marriage provides legal and economic security, including access to partner health insurance, tax subsidies, Social Security benefits, and other economic safety nets which were previously unavailable to LGBTQ+ couples.
- The expansion of civil rights and protections for the LGBTQ+ community advances social equality and economic prosperity.
In June of 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act that protects sex discrimination in the workplace also applies to gay, lesbian, and transgender workers. Unfortunately, sex discrimination may still go unchallenged in the areas of housing, healthcare, education, and financial lending, so the essential elements of economic security will continue to be unattainable for many in the LGBTQ+ community.
A 2019 study from The Williams Institute titled, “LGBT Poverty in the United States,” shows that LGBTQ+ people of color are more likely to live in poverty than White people, and have statistically higher poverty rates than their same-race cisgender heterosexual counterparts. For example, 30.8 percent of queer Black people are living in poverty, compared to 25.3 percent of Black people outside the community. It also found that LGBTQ+ people who suffer from economic insecurity are more likely to be young people of color who identify as bisexual or transgender and are experiencing a disability.
Advocacy for progressive equal rights initiatives will contribute greatly to the reduction of poverty and economic injustice in the LGBTQ+ community. We must urge government agencies, non-profit, and private organizations to recognize and include the particular hardships of the LGBTQ+ community in their work. Low-income LGBTQ+ communities are not well served by mainstream anti-poverty organizations or by LGBTQ+ service and advocacy groups. “Our community knows what poverty looks like,” says Meghan Maury, policy director at the National LGBTQ Task Force. She welcomes “the creative solutions queer and trans people have built to address systemic oppression. From policy solutions that would change our tax code to cooperative solutions to housing access…. LGBTQ people living in poverty …..are already working to create change in their lives.”
Additional Resources
LGBTQ Poverty in the United States National-LGBT-Poverty-Oct-2019.pdf (ucla.edu)
Addressing LGBTQ Poverty and Economic Justice for All Intersecting_Injustice – The Social Justice Sexuality Project
Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations Economic Well-Being – Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
https://www.colorlines.com/articles/lgbtq-people-color-more-likely-live-poverty-whites
Unemployment, Underemployment, and Discrimination in the Workplace
LGBTQ+ are among the most disadvantaged employees in America. Nearly half of the LGBTQ+ community conceals their sexual orientation and gender identity from the workplace. Only 25% of LGBTQ+ employees in the US report that their place of business provides an inclusive and safe working environment. Unfortunately, accurate data can be scarce since many LGBTQ+ employees are fearful of discrimination. Sample sizes are often limited and do not represent the entire population. It is imperative to be aware of the problem in order to do something about it.
Discrimination and mistreatment in the workplace
The US is one of 81 countries that prohibits discrimination in the workplace because of sexual orientation; however, with very few laws in place to protect the LGBTQ+ community, many individuals face mistreatment and even harassment in the workplace each day. LGBTQ+ women and LGBTQ+ people of color face even more discrimination than LGBTQ+ men and white employees. The transgender community reports the highest levels of discrimination including gender specific bathrooms and deliberately being addressed by incorrect pronouns. Transgender people of color are among the most discriminated for both race and gender identity.
Unequal benefits
The LGBTQ+ community is at a disadvantage when it comes to benefits in the workplace. Three in twenty LGBTQ+ females and six in twenty LGBTQ+ males report that their opportunities for internal promotions and advancements were hindered by their sexual orientation or gender identity. This results in lower annual salaries and reduced long term company benefits.
It is an employer’s responsibility to make sure that their company’s health care plan will cover each of its employees, but many insurance policies do not offer the appropriate healthcare coverage to protect LGBTQ+ employees. Hormone treatments for transgender individuals, fertility treatments, and HIV/AIDS treatments are just a few of the benefits often overlooked. Mental health care coverage is essential as well, yet many insurance plans lack adequate coverage.
Parental leave is also an overlooked issue in the LGBTQ+ community. The parental leave policies for the U.S. are one of the worst in the world, and although many businesses are implementing significant and progressive changes, the LGBTQ+ community continues to face challenges. Parental leave in this country tends to favor birth mothers, leaving non-birthing parents and co-parents less opportunity to bond with their child.
Economic security
Research shows that LGBTQ+ people are more likely to struggle economically and experience higher rates of poverty and food insecurity. There are many reasons for this struggle, and it can start as early as elementary school. When LGBTQ+ children face discrimination and bullying in school, their education is impacted which can scale all the way up through college. This hinders employment opportunities that provide job security, health insurance, and retirement benefits. The way that the LGBTQ+ community is treated in early childhood education can affect them throughout their entire life.
Research shows that a high percentage of the LGBTQ+ community is employed in the restaurant industry. This industry can be lucrative in some areas, but often do not provide healthcare benefits. Urban areas, while typically more diverse and inclusive, are too expensive to live without economic security. Suburban and rural areas are less expensive, but generally do not provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ employment.
Pay Gap
Equal pay in the LGBTQ+ community continues to be an issue. As a whole, the US employers pay cisgender white males on a much higher pay scale than any other marginalized group of workers. Women, LGBTQ+, people of color, LGBTQ+ people of color, and especially trans people of color, are victims of the ever growing pay gap in this country. On average, the annual salary for an LGBTQ+ employee is 8%-29% less than their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. A recent report shows that during COVID, employers reduced the work hours of transgender people of color by 58%, compared to the general population which saw a 23% reduction of hours.
The Equality Act
The Equality Act is a bill that passed the House on 2/25/2021. This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. Specifically, the bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation. The bill expands the definition of public accommodations to include places or establishments that provide (1) exhibitions, recreation, exercise, amusement, gatherings, or displays; (2) goods, services, or programs; and (3) transportation services. The bill allows the Department of Justice to intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on account of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill prohibits an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individual’s gender identity.
Although the Equality Act was a significant step in the right direction, there are still many shortcomings for LGBTQ+ employees. For one, the bill does not protect employees at businesses with less than 15 employees. Also, without local anti-discrimination laws and protection acts, some communities are receiving very little support for The Equality Act, resulting in expensive lawsuits and emotional distress.
Solutions
There are many progressive actions employers can take to support our LGBTQ+ community. The first and most important is awareness. Employers need to be aware of the pay gap and discrimination amongst employees. If discrimination in the office is present, there are many local organizations that can provide sensitivity training, such as Catapult in Charlotte, NC.
Employers are also encouraged to use pronouns in their email signatures. Not only does this practice make sure that correct pronouns are used for all employees, but it shows support to those whose pronouns may not match their assigned birth sex. Participating in the community’s local PRIDE celebration is also a great way to make LGBTQ+ employees feel accepted. Sponsoring an event and having the business’ name displayed at the PRIDE celebration shows support for the organization’s current LGBTQ+ workers, and also lets the LGBTQ+ community know that the company is a protected place of employment.
Without education, awareness, and action, change will not happen – and without change, our LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ people of color will continue to face unemployment, underemployment, and discrimination in the workplace.
Additional resources
https://www.catalyst.org/research/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-workplace-issues/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0019793919843508
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/even-ruling-workplace-still-unequal-lgbtq-workers-n1231419
HIV and AIDS
KEY TERMS
HIV– (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Learning the basics about HIV can keep you healthy and prevent HIV transmission
AIDS- (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) A chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body’s ability to fight infection and disease.
PrEP- pre-exposure prophylaxis (the taking of a prescription drug as a means of preventing HIV infection in an HIV-negative person). “the use of antiretroviral drugs for PrEP can offer some protection against HIV infection”
UNDETECTABLE– An undetectable viral load is where antiretroviral treatment (ART) has reduced your HIV to such small quantities that it can no longer be detected by standard blood tests. People living with HIV who have an undetectable viral load cannot pass HIV on through sex. Being undetectable does not mean your HIV is cured.
I remember it well, April 29, 2019 changed my life and outlook forever. I had been dealing with a nagging cough and cold for about 2 weeks, which I attributed to allergies. I decided to visit my Primary Doctor, to see if it was possible to get my usual allergy shot early. After the usual prodding, poking, breathe in, breathe out, etc., my Doctor suggested a rapid HIV Test. I laughed and said I didn’t see a reason for that. He didn’t share in my laughter, so I knew things were serious. After a swab of the mouth and a 30-minute wait time, I found out I was indeed HIV Positive. WOW, how did this happen to me at the age of 44? I sat there; the Doctor talked but I heard nothing he said. My mind flashed to all the knowledge I had about HIV/AIDS. I thought about the documentaries I had watched about the “Gay Cancer of the 80s” that started in San Francisco. I thought about the Friends, especially Black Men, who died from AIDS in the late 90s and early 2000s. I managed to survive that wave of infection, only to end up positive at the age of 44, in the year 2019. Regardless of my poor choices, life must go on and I’ve made the choice to live it to the fullest.
Since the treatment for HIV has advanced, we really don’t hear as much about the virus or AIDS as we use to. However, HIV/AIDS is still a major issue in our country, state, and city. The most recent published statistics showed in 2019, there were 6,665 people living with HIV in Charlotte (Mecklenburg County). In 2019, 270 people were newly diagnosed with HIV. The top five North Carolina counties with the highest HIV prevalence rates (ages 13 – 65) were Mecklenburg (31.0 per 100,000 persons), Edgecombe (31.0 per 100,000 persons), Cumberland (26.0 per 100,000 persons), Durham (25.7 per 100,000 persons), and Guilford County (23.5 per 100,000 persons). Charlotte-Mecklenburg leads in the number of cases and new infections in North Carolina.
The Infection Rates among African Americans are equally alarming and overwhelming:
-In 2019, African Americans were 8.1 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection, as compared to the white population.
-African American males have 8.4 times the AIDS rate as compared to white males.
-African American females have 15 times the AIDS rate as compared to white females.
-African American men are 6.4 times as likely to die from HIV infection as non-Hispanic white men.
-African American women are 14.5 times as likely to die from HIV infection as white women.
As a Church Family, Caldwell can play a role in reducing these rates and assist those living with HIV and AIDS.
-Take the time to educate yourself about HIV/AIDS and share the information with others.
– Be supportive of anyone who shares their status with you, but don’t treat us like a charity case.
– Continue to provide an open and welcoming space for ALL People
– Look for opportunities to volunteer with Organizations that service those living with HIV/AIDS such as: The Powerhouse Project, RAIN Charlotte, Carolinas Care Partnership, NC AIDS Action Network, The House of Mercy.
RESOURCES and REFERENCES
https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/
https://aidsvu.org/local-data/united-states/south/north-carolina/charlotte/
https://www.facebook.com/ThePowerhouseProject/
https://www.thehouseofmercy.org/
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my submission, whether it was intentional or something you just stumbled upon by chance. I also want to thank the Touchpoint Committee for providing this outlet and Caldwell for the constant support. If you have any questions or want to know what it’s like to live with HIV, please know I am an open book! Just ask!
Blessings,
Quan Rutledge-Wade
The Covid-19 Pandemic
“As COVID-19 sweeps the world, hundreds of thousands of people have contracted the virus, and every community has been affected. The LBGTQ community in the U.S. – along with many communities around the globe – will face unique challenges due to its economic and health care situations.” – Human Rights Campaign
Many LGBTQ+ people are employed in sectors that will be heavily impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. LGBTQ+ people also face significant economic disparities compared to their non-LGBTQ+ peers, which means they will more often lack the resources they need to stay afloat during the COVID-19 crisis.
LGBTQ+ people work in highly affected industries
LGBTQ+ people are more likely to work in jobs in highly affected industries, often with more exposure and/or higher economic sensitivity to the COVID-19 crisis. HRC Foundation’s analysis of data from the 2018 National Opinion Research Center’s General Social Survey (GSS) found the top five industries in which LGBTQ+ adults in the United States are most likely to work. Making up about 40% of all industries where LGBTQ+ people work, the top five are comprised of:
1. 2 MILLION who work in restaurants and food services (15%)
2. 1 MILLION who work in hospitals (7.5%)
3. ALMOST 1 MILLION who work in K-12 education (7%)
4. ALMOST 1 MILLION who work in colleges and universities (7% of LGBTQ+ adults)
5. HALF A MILLION who work in retail (4% of LGBTQ+ adults)
These statistics suggest that more than 5 million LGBTQ+ workers in these industries could be heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These 5 industries, for comparison, only make up 22% of the industries where people who are non-LGBTQ+ work.
LGBTQ+ people are more economically challenged
Nearly one in ten LGBTQ+ people are unemployed and are more likely to live in poverty than straight and cisgender people, meaning they cannot always afford the health care that they need or afford to engage in preventative health care measures. According to a 2019 Williams Institute analysis of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, about one in five LGBTQ+ adults in the United States (22%) live in poverty, compared to an estimated 16% poverty rate among their straight and cisgender counterparts. In particular, the poverty rates of transgender adults (29%) and cisgender bisexual women (29%) in the U.S. tower over those of other groups. Furthermore, Black (40%) and Latinx (45%) transgender adults are more likely to live in poverty than transgender people of any other race.
In addition to higher rates of poverty, HRC Foundation’s analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) found that one in five LGBTQ+ adults have not seen a doctor when needed because they could not afford it. To make matters worse, Black LGBTQ+ adults (23%), Latinx LGBTQ+ adults (24%), and all transgender women (29%) are most likely to have avoided going to the doctor because of costs. These high rates of unemployment and poverty may be linked to discrimination. Despite recent advances in equality, LGBTQ+ individuals and families across the country continue to experience discrimination across their lives including at work. The Center for American Progress reported that anywhere from 11% to 28% of LGBQ people reported they lost a promotion because of their sexual orientation, and 27% of transgender workers reported having been fired, not hired or denied a promotion due to their transgender identity. Discrimination like this leads to an increased risk for poverty and economic struggle among the most vulnerable in the LGBTQ+ community.
LGBTQ+ people still fight every day to have their families recognized, and thousands of LGBTQ+ families — including families being led by same-sex couples that are raising 2 to 3.7 million children across the U.S. — live in states without explicit protection from discrimination. This systemic discrimination results in an increased risk for poverty and housing insecurity, and it exacerbates health disparities and social isolation among the LGBTQ+ community’s most vulnerable. Same-sex couples raising children are twice as likely to be living near the poverty line. For single LGBTQ+ parents, the risk is even higher. For families living at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities, this daily, systemic discrimination not only degrades individual dignity, but threatens their financial bottom line.
Health coverage gaps exist
Being able to afford and access medical care is essential to testing for COVID-19, as well as treating the symptoms of the disease. However, LGBTQ+ people are more likely than their non-LGBTQ+ peers to lack health coverage or the monetary resources to visit a doctor, even when medically necessary. According to HRC Foundation’s analysis of the 2018 BRFSS, 17% of LGBTQ+ adults do not have any kind of health insurance coverage, compared to 12% of non-LGBTQ+ adults. Furthermore, 23% of LGBTQ+ adults of color, 22% of transgender adults, and 32% of transgender adults of color have no form of health coverage. This can lead to avoidance of medical care even when medically necessary, and to severe economic hardship when medical care is ultimately accessed.
What can we do?
We can help by encouraging and supporting responses to COVID-19 taken by the government, policymakers, and the private sector that actively consider the unique situations of LGBTQ+ people in their plans for addressing this crisis.
This especially includes those within the LGBTQ+ community who are most marginalized. For example, responses to COVID-19 must consider older LGBTQ+ adults struggling to access care and satisfying basic needs in social isolation, or homeless LGBTQ+ youth struggling to find meal stability during changes in school operations. These responses must also consider the unique needs of LGBTQ+ people of color and transgender people who are more likely to live in poverty or forego care due to costs.
Lastly, policymakers must prioritize making paid leave more accessible to all workers. Without access to paid leave, too many Americans who take unpaid leave are thrown into financial chaos and struggle to cover everyday expenses like groceries and rent without a steady income – especially during a public health crisis. As more American gain access to paid leave, we must ensure that the paid leave needs of LGBTQ+ working people and their loved ones are fully considered and equally protected.
We can also help by supporting organizations who are doing this work, such as:
Time Out Youth: https://www.timeoutyouth.org
SAGE – Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders: https://www.sageusa.org
There’s Still Hope: https://www.tshcharlotte3.org/
Additional resources
https://www.hrc.org/resources/covid-19
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/lgbtq-community-sees-severe-impact-covid-19-pandemic/story?id=74787096
https://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/how-covid-19-is-impacting-the-lgbtq-community
https://journalistsresource.org/home/covid-19-lgbtq-research
Aging
Aging and the LGBT Community
“Conservative estimates suggest that there are more than 3 million LGBT people aged 55 and older in the U.S.—1.5 million of whom are 65 and older. This over-65 segment will double in the next few decades as millions of Americans enter retirement age. Unfortunately, due to a lifetime of discrimination, many LGBT people age without proper community supports, in poor health, and financially insecure.
Additionally, many LGBT elders encounter aging providers ill-equipped to meet their needs. Worse, rarely do policy makers account for the unique or disproportionate needs of LGBT elders. This means that the lifetimes of discrimination that many LGBT older people have survived continue into later life.” diverseelders.org
LGBT elders face a daunting number of challenges in today’s society. Here are just a few of the many concerns:
POVERTY AND REDUCED ECONOMIC SECURITY
Many LGBT older adults do not take advantage of the myriad of services available to them. They are less likely than their cisgender, heterosexual peers to reach out to providers, senior centers, meal programs, and other entitlement programs because they fear sexual orientation- or gender identity-based discrimination and harassment. This, in turn, affects their financial stability when they spend for services they should get for free.
A lifetime of employment discrimination also results in earnings and Social Security payments that are lower than non-LGBT individuals, leading to fewer financial resources and a disproportionately high poverty rate among LGBT seniors. In addition, trans older adults are more likely to experience financial barriers than non-trans older adults, regardless of age, income, and education. A host of variables, including inequity with regard to state law and marital status, make financial decisions especially challenging.
HEALTH DISPARITIES
LGBT elders deal with significant health disparities in almost all areas related to physical and mental health, including high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and more. It has been reported that 50 percent of trans individuals have taught their medical providers about transgender care. Approximately 20 percent of LGBT individuals avoid medical care out of fear of discrimination. In some instances, an LGBT elder might only seek assistance for emergency care, which can be costly not only to their health but also their financial security.
Another challenge lies in the area of caregiving. LGBT caregivers face unique obstacles, from healthcare laws that privilege biological families to a lack of resources for LGBT-specific needs. Since LGBT individuals are twice as likely to age alone and four times less likely to have children, LGBT elders become caregivers more often than their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts.
HOUSING
Older LGBT individuals and couples often experience discrimination when seeking rental housing and senior housing. When they are admitted into a senior housing development or facility, they are frequently discriminated against by property managers, staff, other residents, or service providers, making the experience of living there miserable or even life-threatening. And with regard to assisted living complexes and nursing homes, 88 percent of LGBT older adults expressed a desire for long term care facilities that are culturally competent, which are difficult to
find. Sadly, many LGBT seniors consider “going back into the closet” when looking for long- term care solutions.
SOCIAL ISOLATION
Social connectedness keeps older adults healthy and helps them live longer. Social isolation is a challenge for many LGBT elders around the country as they deal with stigma and discrimination in their daily lives and in our country’s aging system. They are twice as likely to live alone, 3–4 times less likely to have children, and many are estranged from their biological families, making them vulnerable to social isolation. Accessing safe and friendly services can also be difficult for LGBT older adults who don’t live in major cities. Consider this sobering fact: the health risks of prolonged isolation have been equated with smoking 15 cigarettes daily.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Although LGBT older adults have experienced decades of bullying, discrimination, and verbal and physical abuse, they are resilient. Having seen gains in federal rights in the areas of marriage and adoption, and with almost half of all states having passed legislation to eradicate discrimination in employment and housing, there is hope for the future. Some LGBT seniors are living vibrant, full lives across the U.S. and around the world.
Caldwell is a great resource for social connectedness, which makes us part of the needed support system. If we have relationships with agencies who provide services to senior adults, we can ask and encourage them to review their policies and procedures and provide training to staff about being a welcoming agency. We can vote for legislators who will advocate for LGBT people in the various systems related to aging in our community, in our state, and in our country, and petition them to do so after they are elected. We can volunteer to call an LGBT senior adult once a week through the SAGEConnect program (https://www.sageusa.org/resource-posts/join-sageconnect/). Let us continue to be strong, active, and vocal advocates and allies in the struggle.
Additional Resources
https://justiceinaging.org/aging-as-lgbt/
https://www.lgbtagingcenter.org/
https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/aging
https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2018/07/national-study-finds-lgbt-seniors-face-tougher-old-age/
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbt-aging/
Religious Trauma
“Sexual orientation is not a sin. Gender identity is not a sin. We are all created in the image of God. For me, more than anything else—this statement is what I want to hear from our religious leaders. I want to hear the unambiguous pronouncement that people who are same gender loving, bisexual, transgender, non-gender conforming folk, otherwise and queer—are God’s wondrous gift. I want to hear that we are not God’s mistake.” – Rev. Ray Bagnuolo, What LGBTQ People Need to Hear from Christian Leaders
Religious Trauma
The professional clinical definition of trauma is an emotional response to an experience within one’s life that is deeply distressing and disturbing. It may disrupt normal functioning within several areas of an individual’s life including work, relationships, and social interactions such as religious activities. The emotional responses may include post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, abandonment, and suicidal ideation. We should keep in mind that memories of past traumatic religious experiences and resulting emotional responses enter the church with individuals as we invite and welcome our siblings from the LGBTQ+ community.
Microaggressions Within the Church
In the search for a place to worship God safely and openly, some people find themselves in the midst of a church claiming to be affirming while at the same time experiencing microaggressions. A microaggression is a comment question or action that may be subtle or unintentional discrimination but is insulting to members of a marginalized group. Some people who identify as LGBTQ+ have experienced microaggression in churches that claim to be affirming and welcoming while their underlying beliefs communicate a message of “hate the sin but love the sinner.” Acceptance is often conditional as long as they do not behave in a manner that is “too gay.” While some religious leaders and congregants are well intentioned, the emotional impact is just as traumatic.
Emotional Conflict
LGBTQ+ Christians who love and want to walk with God deal with some common conflicts as they seek comfort in living in their true selves while also finding support in the church and reassurance of God’s love and acceptance. Examples are:
- Constant feeling of needing to adopt the traditional norms of church or hiding their true identity to avoid further rejection.
- Accusations of destroying traditional ideas of church and family.
- Treated with indifference
- Pressure to explain and justify the reality of being both gay and Christian
- Repeated coming out process in each new setting
- Anxiety and stress in concealing their identity until they are ready to come out
- Loss of a connection and rejection from family and past churches
- Criticism from others within the LGBTQ+ community to reject the “unloving” religious institution when being a Christian is an essential part of their identity.
LGBTQ+ People of Color and Organized Religion
“Homophobia is prevalent in communities of color and it is deeply rooted in the religiosity. According to the Pew Research Center (2015), of the 79% of African Americans who find religion to be very important, 58% of evangelicals believe homosexuality should be discouraged, with 50% of African Americans in agreement overall (Quinn, Dickson-Gomez, & Young, 2016). Historically, houses of worship in black communities allowed us to keep our sanity as a people. Christianity has been the bedrock in black American history of liberation for more than 400 years. Black slaves adopted Christianity into a faith for survival and mobilization. Theological and spiritual discrimination is driven by fear, blame, and disconnection, and it is often a powerful incubator for social issues such as diversity, AIDS, and LGBTQ homelessness.” – Advocating for LGBTQ People of Color by Antar Bush, MSW, MPH
What Can We Do?
We can start by being a more trauma-informed congregation. Being trauma informed considers past traumatic experiences of others, the emotional responses to those experiences, and the role it may play in their interactions with others. Ideas for continued consideration and deeper discussion for Caldwell to continue in its commitment as an affirming church while keeping God at the center of everything we do are:
- Collectively revisiting scripture interpretation and narratives concerning homosexuality and gender identity to assist in resolving religious conflicts that can have an impact on coming out and natural identity expression
- Support groups to teach emotional strategies for dispelling shame, guilt, fear, and the pressure to redefine identities.
- Continued representation on the Session
- Preserve partnerships with community LGBTQ+ groups and practices while encouraging new relationships
- Inquire directly from our LGBTQ+ members, visitors, and community partners and encourage leadership related to ideas that create, increase, or improve activities and programming
- Small group ministries
- Visual environmental representation of a safe space encouraging natural expression
- Storytelling
- Teaching cultural codes
- Narratives and rituals that validate experiences and create supportive relationships
- Awareness that Identity is an ever-unfolding process
- Share our own stories about our religious journeys
- Reinforce a comfortable environment that encourages self-exploration and identity construction through storytelling, teaching cultural code, and setting boundaries
- Continue to be moral and social advocates
- Walk with them even outside of the church, for example:
- Drive them to therapy, doctor’s, and support group appointments
- Immerse ourselves into their culture to gain awareness and knowledge
- Participate together in social activities
- Identify and be a part of breaking down barriers
To begin an empathetic journey with people of who have been traumatized in their religious experiences as they try to find safety and comfort in the church and within God’s embrace, we should take into consideration the following ideas:
- Trauma isolates – Caldwell can nurture a sense of belonging.
- Trauma humiliates – Caldwell can validate and affirm
- Trauma disgraces – Caldwell can elevate
- Trauma dehumanizes – Caldwell can help restore humanity
Homelessness
“Stigma and discrimination create or exacerbate housing instability for LGBTQ people across their lives: from family rejection of LGBTQ youth, to discrimination in the rental market and mortgage industry, to harassment at senior living facilities.” – Adam P. Romero, Federal Policy Director and Arnold D. Kassoy Scholar of Law at the Williams Institute
LGBTQ individuals face alarming challenges when trying to find secure, affordable housing. Poverty is one of many contributing factors. LGBTQ adults, as a whole, have at least 15% higher odds of being poor than cisgender, straight adults. In the LGBTQ community, poverty is especially prevalent among racial minorities, bisexuals, women, transgender individuals, and younger people. As a result, this population also sees lower rates of home ownership and higher rates of homelessness, and encounters widespread discrimination in housing, mortgage lending, and homeless shelters and services.
In shelters, LGBTQ youth and adults face harassment and violence, staff who are not equipped to appropriately serve the LGBTQ community, and sex-segregated facilities in which transgender people are housed according to their sex assigned at birth (which leads many transgender people to go unsheltered instead). During the COVID-19 pandemic, having safe and stable housing could not be more important. People of color and the LGBTQ community, irrespective of age, are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases and be at a higher risk of COVID-19, but only a handful of states prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, lending, and homeless services.
These facts are disturbing, but there is hope. Some positive changes are taking place. On Dec. 1, 2020, a key part of House Bill 142 reached sunset, ending a years-long moratorium that blocked cities and towns in our state from protecting their LGBTQ residents through local non-discrimination ordinances. And LGBTQ elders are being celebrated at places like the Grace Ridge retirement community in Morganton, NC, where administrators and staff have undergone SAGECare Training to create safer living spaces for LGBTQ seniors in the later stages of life.
Caldwell must continue to move forward, leveraging our resources to prevent and combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and develop networks and partnerships focused on fair housing initiatives.
For more information:
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/LGBT-Housing-Apr-2020.pdf
Domestic Violence
“By telling Plaintiff that her existence is not as valuable as that of individuals who engage in ‘opposite-sex’ relationships, the State is not just needlessly endangering Plaintiff, it is expressing State-sanctioned animus toward [them]…”1 Judge Linda McGee
Court: LGBTQ people can finally get domestic violence protections in NC
On January 4, 2021, an NC judge ruled same-sexed couples can no longer be excluded from the protection of North Carolina Legal Code Chapter 50B, which includes the Domestic Violence Protective Order (DVPO). “Prior to this ruling, North Carolina had been the only state in the country that did not allow emergency protections for individuals experiencing abuse by a same-sex partner who they are not married to or divorced from.”2
Why is this judicial decision so important? Until last month, an LGBTQ victim of domestic violence who did not, or had never lived with their partner, was not considered in a relationship as defined by the language in the previous version. The former statute could sometimes be applied loosely if the couple lived together, because the offence could be categorized through their domestic living situation. In those cases, the victim would be compelled to stand before the court and deny their sexual orientation if they wanted protection of the court.
Same-sex couples who did not fit into this box could seek a civil no-contact order, which applies to harassment or stalking. These orders are typically much more difficult to prove, and therefore not granted as broadly as the DVPO.
It has been difficult road for LGBTQ individuals who not only faced discrimination based on their sexual orientation, but who could not seek the unique protections the DVPO offered. These protections include access to counseling services, emergency relief and shelter, mandatory weapons surrender by the alleged abuser, access to enforcement order if the abuser violates, and protection from discharge, demotion, or denial of promotion in employment while the victim seeks remedy3.
There is still more to do. It remains to be seen whether administrative documentation and presiding judges will evolve to accommodate transgender victims of domestic violence. For example, if a judge chooses, they will address a victim by their legal name, ignoring their chosen name. For domestic violence victims, the stress and pain of telling their story in a public courtroom is difficult. A transgender abuse victim must also face additional humility when the legal system does not acknowledge their chosen name and pronouns.
Will LGBTQ individuals of color benefit from this legal enhancement? There is no simple answer. Since these individuals are less likely to seek remedy through courts, hospitals and law enforcement, in the short term, this law likely will illuminate another gross disparity in the treatment of LGBTQ people of color. For more insight into the challenges the LGBTQ community of color faces when confronting intimate partner violence, visit the LGBTQ Violence in Communities of Color WOCN, Inc network.
To learn more, check out the following links.
1 LGBTQ people can finally get domestic violence protections in NC, court rules
2 NC Judge Rules LGBTQ Couples Can Now Receive Domestic Violence Protections
Healthcare
“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhuman.” Martin Luther King Jr., 1966
DID YOU KNOW:
Systematic discrimination and oppression against members of the LGBTQ community is weaved into our history and culture, and the damage has been far-reaching. Discrimination, rooted in homophobia and transphobia, has long-term effects. For people of color in this community, there are additional barriers, particularly as they relate to equitable healthcare. To counter the damage, it is essential for LGBTQ and activists to challenge the level of healthcare provided to this marginalized group.
LGBTQ people, and particularly LGBTQ people of color, are frequently denied equitable access to quality healthcare, as well as emotional and physical wellness resources. The stigma attached to the LGBTQ community can be toxic, and often results in denied or inadequate care. Transgender patients are routinely marginalized, experience gender insensitivities, denial of services, and even verbal abuse during healthcare visits. Many transgender individuals avoid seeking service for fear of mistreatment.
Compared to their white counterparts, LBGTQ individuals of color are less likely to receive preventive health services and often receive lower-quality care. They also have worse health outcomes for certain conditions. To combat these disparities, advocates say healthcare professionals must explicitly address homophobia, transphobia, and racism in administering healthcare.
By acknowledging these issues, understanding what our role is, seeking insight into our own influences, and fostering communication with our LGBTQ community, and particularly with people of color within that community, we can do our part to help create healthcare equity.
Some resources for further education:
http://centerforhealthprogress.org/
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/
https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/resources-for-transgender-care
Caldwell’s Touchpoint Committee focuses on Caldwell’s outreach to the LGBTQ community and education of the congregation. If you have any questions and/or would like to join Touchpoint, please contact Lisa Raymaker at lnr114@gmail.com.
Gun Violence
“The volatile combination of a lack of strong laws to prevent gun violence and animosity towards the LGBTQ community increases the dangers faced by LGBTQ people.” – Human Rights Campaign
From the Pulse shooting in Orlando in 2016 to youth suicides and anti-trans violence across the country, gun violence has taken an enormous toll on the LGBTQ+ community.
Murder/hate crimes
According to a 2015 study published in the American Journal of Medicine, Americans are 25 times more likely to be murdered with a gun compared to people in other developed countries. Transgender and gender non-conforming people have been uniquely impacted by gun violence. Since 2013, nearly two-thirds of fatal violence toward transgender and gender non-conforming people involved a gun. The overwhelming majority of those victims were black women under the age of 30.
The epidemic of violence against LGBTQ+ people, disproportionately against transgender women of color, is staggering. In 2018 alone, over 1,300 reported hate crimes were motivated by bias against LGBTQ+ people. These incidents make up one in five hate crimes. In 2018, reported hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ individuals increased by 11 percent over the prior year, including a 41 percent increase in reported crimes directed against an individual for their gender identity. The Southern Poverty Law Center also found that the number of anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups increased by 43 percent in 2019.
Bias-motivated crimes based on race, religion, nationality, disability, and gender remain at troublingly high levels, and LGBTQ+ people hold many of these identities as well. Among reported hate crimes, racially motivated crime remains the most common, with nearly half of race-based hate crimes targeting black people. 16% of the trans population in the U.S. is estimated to be black. 79% of known trans homicide victims were black.
Suicide
According to CDC data, two-thirds of firearm deaths in the U.S. are suicides. For those using a gun, 90 percent of suicide attempts are fatal, while only 4 percent of attempts are fatal for those not using a gun. Data shows that this has particular impact for the transgender and adolescent members of the LGBTQ+ community. According to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, 40% of transgender people report having attempted suicide in their lifetime, nearly nine times the national average. Furthermore, one-third of LGBTQ+ youth report having contemplated suicide, nearly three times the national average.
Intimate partner violence
Intimate partner violence is also a major concern for the LGBTQ+ community, with particular vulnerability in the transgender and youth communities. According to the FBI, in an average month, 50 women are shot to death by intimate partners in the U.S. More than half (54%) of transgender people responding to the 2015 Survey experienced some form of intimate partner violence, including acts involving coercive control and physical harm, and LGBTQ+ youth experience dating violence at twice the rate of their non-LGBTQ+ peers.
What can we do?
There is no single solution to stopping gun violence in the United States. Efforts to curb gun violence by other countries shows that a comprehensive approach must be taken in order to effectively reduce and prevent gun violence.
We can help by supporting legislation that would:
- require background checks for all gun purchases, and not just those from licensed dealers
- allow the FBI additional time to conduct background checks that cannot be completed instantly (The shooter at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC, was able to procure his weapon by exploiting a gap in the current law that allows gun sales to proceed if a background check cannot be completed within 3 business days.)
- limit access to assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and “bump stocks,” which are attachments for semi-automatic weapons that increase firing speed, effectively simulating the abilities of a fully automatic weapon or machine gun
- limit the ability of those with a history of domestic abuse to access guns
- appropriate funding for the Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health to conduct research on gun violence
We can help by supporting organizations who are doing this work, such as:
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: https://www.bradyunited.org/
Everytown for Gun Safety: https://www.everytown.org/
Giffords Courage to Fight Gun Violence: https://giffords.org/about/
Additional resources
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/gun-violence-and-lgbt-adults/
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/gun-violence-sgm-us/
https://www.lambdalegal.org/blog/20160614_gun-violence-is-an-lgbt-issue
The Court System
“It is absolutely imperative that every human being’s freedom and human rights are respected, all over the world.” – Johanna Siguroardottir
The United States has witnessed a remarkable shift in LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. In just the past few years, LGBTQ+ individuals have won the right to marry; they have hit a record high in representation on television and have seen the first openly gay major presidential candidate begin his campaign. Another historic decision was the Supreme Court ruling in 2020 that the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ+ employees from discrimination in the same manner as race, religion, national origin, gender, and now, sexual orientation and gender identity.
However, challenges still remain. Homophobia and misunderstandings of the laws afforded the LGBTQ+ community still exist. In many cases, the laws have just not yet caught up to where we presently are in time.
For example:
- The law still does not recognize same sex couples the same as opposite sex couples at times.
- LGBTQ+ individuals are much more likely to be arrested than cisgender, heterosexual people.
- LGBTQ+ people are incarcerated at three times the rate of cisgender, heterosexual individuals.
- Black LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately homeless, which may contribute to confinement in facilities.
- In domestic violence court, the men and women sit on opposite sides of the court room for safety and other concerns. What happens when it is two women or two men?
- Judges call trans people by the wrong names. Often, the courts do not recognize trans or non-binary identities.
- In cases of same sex couples having a child, unless they are legally married, only the actual birth mother’s name will go on the birth certificate. The only way to legally be a parent is biology, marriage or adoption. In a birth with a woman and a man, the man’s name will go on the birth certificate even if the couple is not married.
Again, many laws have just not caught up yet, and because of this, the LGBTQ+ community continues to experience legal and court challenges.
For additional resources and ways to become involved with advocacy, please visit the web sites listed below: