The Economic Case for Greater LGBTI+ Equality in the United States
Ensuring equality for LGBTI+ individuals is a human rights imperative, but it also
makes a lot of economic sense. Inclusion enables LGBTI+ individuals to achieve their
full employment and labour productivity potential, benefitting not only their economic
and social well-being, but also society as a whole. Yet, robust evidence supporting
the economic case for greater LGBTI+ equality is still scarce due to challenges in
accurately measuring the size and life situation of the LGBTI+ population. This report
bridges this gap by using a unique set of microdata from the United States. The report
begins with an overview of the share of US adults identifying as LGBTI+, their geographic
distribution and key demographics. It then evaluates the extent to which LGBTI+ Americans
face discrimination, assessing how this population fares, including in the labour
market. Finally, utilising the OECD long-term model, the report quantifies the potential
increase in GDP resulting from closing the unexplained LGBTI+ gaps in employment and
labour productivity. The findings highlight significant economic gains, although they
capture only a portion of the potential benefits. Notably, the broader societal impacts,
such as the advancement of women's empowerment through the disruption of heteronormative
standards, are not quantified.
Published on June 28, 2024