For some inexplicable reason, many people have the idea that homosexuals are always rich or part of the upper class. As with all other stereotypes, this one is not based on reality either. The gay community is a perfect example of the fact that all types are needed. In fact, according to Lee Badgett, a professor of economics and director of the Williams Institute linked to the UCLA School of Law, his research found that gay Americans are more likely to be poor than heterosexuals.
There can be many reasons for this, but one that stands out is the fact that gay couples are not accepted by the government in many states. That means that certain benefits for the poor are simply not available to LGBT couples. Ironically, the heterosexual population does not take this seriously because, in their opinion, all homosexual people are rich.
Another reason is the fact that there are no federal laws that protect gay people from discrimination. Only 21 states have laws against discrimination against the LGBT community. Gay men and women can lose their jobs due to discrimination, and in most states there is nothing to protect them from this. Obviously, those who cannot be protected will lose their jobs much more easily and that explains the poverty.
The fact that gay people cannot marry also plays a role. The law works within a framework in which married couples receive financial assistance to support children. If you cannot get married, you do not qualify for this support. This places gay couples with children in a worse situation than their heterosexual peers.
On the other hand, some straight homophobes took the information above to show that gay people have an ulterior motive for getting married. They claim that homosexuals only want to marry to reap the financial benefits. That’s kind of ironic if you think about it. The argument clearly agrees that gay people are worse off financially and then goes further by suggesting that gay people should not have the same rights as straight people when it comes to financial benefits. The sad truth is that the entire campaign against same-sex marriage is based on theories, dogmas, and philosophies, while children with same-sex parents suffer.
It should be clear from the above that gay rights also stumble financially. Money is another obstacle to being gay and this time there is no moral to defend this type of discrimination. As an example, I used financial benefits as practiced in the US, but it looks the same in most other countries.