Many of us are aware of the gender pay gap — even after all these years, women still earn, on average, only $0.82 for every dollar that men earn. Unfortunately, this is far from the only pay gap in the US. And, as with other wage gaps, LGBTQ+ people of color face the biggest gap.
You can probably make some educated guesses as to why this gap exists, but I will back up some of those assumptions with facts and give advice for LGBTQ+ people to get what they truly deserve.
What does the LGBTQ+ pay gap look like?
In 2021, the Human Rights Campaign conducted a survey of the LGBTQ+ community to examine the LGBTQ+ pay gap. They had over 6,000 respondents who were able to tell them a lot about the state of our workforce. They found that, on average, LGBTQ+ workers earn 90 cents for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ workers.
The study splits this gap even further, failing to deny that race and ethnicity play a key role in how big the gap actually becomes. Here’s what they found:
- LGBTQ+ workers from Asia/Asia-Pacific earn the same as non-LGBTQ+ workers.
- White LGBTQ+ workers earn $0.97 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ workers.
- Latinx LGBTQ+ workers earn $0.90 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ workers.
- Black LGBTQ+ workers earn $0.80 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ workers.
- Native Americans working with LGBTQ+ earn $0.70 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ workers.
Of course, race is not the only factor. Gender identity also plays a huge role in how big the pay gap is. Here is how some genders are experiencing this gap:
- Men who identify as LGBTQ+ on average $0.96 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ people.
- Women who identify as LGBTQ+ on average $0.87 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ people.
- Average non-binary, gender-queer, gender-fluid, and bi-spiritual workers $0.70 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ people.
- Trans men on average $0.70 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ people.
- Trans women on average $0.60 for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQ+ people.
This pay gap has pushed many LGBTQ+ workers well below the poverty line. Nearly one in five LGBTQ+ people live in poverty, with black and Hispanic transgender people more likely to live in poverty than transgender people of any other race.
Read more: 9 Strategies to Reduce the Gender Pay Gap
Why is there an LGBTQ+ pay gap?
The LGBTQ+ pay gap exists for much of the same reason women, regardless of their race or identity, experience the pay gap: flagrant discrimination.
Discrimination in the workplace
In 2021, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law conducted a study that examined how LGBTQ+ workers are treated in their workplaces. Nearly half of those surveyed (46%) said they had experienced unfair treatment at work at some point in their careers.
This intense discrimination not only left LGBTQ+ people out of work, but also resulted in those who did find work earning less money—all while feeling unsafe in their work environment. If LGBTQ+ people can’t even trust that their employer respects their identity, they may find it difficult to approach management about pay inequality for fear they might lose their job.
Lack of research in the LGBTQ+ community
Until the Human Rights Campaign started doing their surveys, there wasn’t really much research done on how much LGBTQ+ earn. So until now it has been difficult to even acknowledge the existence of a wage gap.
How to Get Fair Pay as an LGBTQ+ Worker
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Report Discrimination
In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in a case in which Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) was expanded to include protections for individuals who are discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. It’s a long way to say that you have every legal right to report discrimination you experience from your employer or co-workers regarding your orientation and gender identity.
Low wages, overtime, and other compensation based solely on how someone identifies themselves are expressly prohibited by this ruling. If you believe you have experienced such discrimination, you can file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). You will want to keep a record of discrimination or practices so that you can show your lawyer or agent when they contact you about your complaint.
Payment Negotiations
There are no hard and fast rules on how to negotiate your salary, but everyone has the right to do so.
I know this is much easier said than done.
And let’s do something right now: it’s not going to be easy. That’s why Harvard Business School negotiation professor Deepak Malhotra helps students learn how to negotiate even in the face of adversity.
Some basics of negotiation include:
- Stay polite – If you are rude, you will most likely not get what you ask for. Be polite but direct. The employer will most likely prefer that you get straight to the point.
- Prove why you deserve a higher salary – You cannot ask for a higher salary just because you want it. You must have concrete evidence of why you deserve a higher pay. Do you have additional experience that makes you particularly valuable? Any certificates or awards?
- Consider all the benefits on the table – When you accept a job, you are not only agreeing to a base salary. You also accept any health insurance and retirement benefits. Make sure this is included in your thoughts on a potential pay rise.
- Be prepared for counter offers It will be a negotiation so you have to expect a certain level of compromise. Get to work with a goal and seriously consider whether you are ready to leave if you cannot achieve this goal.
Read more: How to negotiate anything (even if you’re shy or afraid)
Consider working in some states
Do I think any LGBTQ+ person should move from the state or city they love in order to get paid fairly? Of course not. Can it help you potentially earn more if you do? Unfortunately yes. Geography matters a lot to the LGBTQ+ community.
Among the states with the lowest LGBTQ+ inclusiveness is Alabama, with a very low LGBTQ+ population and some archaic laws still in place for LGBTQ+ and HIV positive people.
At the other end of the spectrum are states like Vermont, Nevada, New York and Oregon, which have larger LGBTQ+ populations and have anti-discrimination laws.
Read more: Top 10 LGBTQ+ Friendly Cities for Millennials and Gen Z
How allies can help close the wage gap
The fight for fairness in the workplace not only should not, but cannot, come from LGBTQ+ people alone. Allies of the LGBTQ+ community can take the necessary steps to help their fellow members earn what they truly deserve.
educate yourself
It is not the duty of community members to train allies, although many choose to do so. Learning about the issues facing the LGBTQ+ community is the first step in understanding how you can help.
You can read an overview of some of the financial challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community in our article: 7 financial challenges the LGBTQ+ community is facing (and a few resources to help).
Support an increase in the minimum wage
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One of the many benefits of raising the minimum wage is more equal pay. This means that industries normally filled with underrepresented communities, such as the food and hospitality industries, will have to pay a living wage to all workers, regardless of their race, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.
To help raise the minimum wage, visit raisetheminimumwage.com. There, you can learn more about the grassroots movement that is trying to raise the federal minimum wage to $15.
Create a variety of jobs
The best thing Allies who own their own companies can do is to encourage diversity and inclusion in their companies. The Human Rights Campaign has a couple of suggestions that employers can follow to make their workplace inclusive:
- Have a non-discrimination policy that states that employees will not be discriminated against because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Implement your own fair pay policy that provides for a livable minimum wage.
- Provide only comprehensive benefit packages that provide convenient and inclusive health care policies for the LGBTQ+ community.
- Pay attention to what you pay people. By doing this annually, you may feel some of the unintentional biases you may have.
Summary
The LGBTQ+ community faces a pay gap, and unfortunately and unsurprisingly, the biggest gap is among people of color. Inequality arises from years of discrimination in the workplace and the lack of policies that protect LGBTQ+ people.
Know that this pay gap should not be normalized and that anyone who believes they are facing discrimination because of their gender identity or sexual orientation can report it to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Featured Image: Popartic/Shutterstock.com