U.S. Latino LGBT Population Estimated At 1.4 Million

The Williams Institute released a report titled "LGBT Latino/a Individuals and Latino/a Same-sex Couples" which analyzes the Latino LGBT population in the United States. There are several interesting facts included in the report, starting with an overall estimate of the size of the population at 1.4 million. (That's a lot of hot papis!)

The report has been received with interest in the Latino media:

According to the research, areas with higher concentrations of Hispanics have more LGBT Latinos, the leading states being Texas, Nevada and California. Those same states, unfortunately, are states that tend to have fewer legal protections for LGBT people.

"While sometimes less visible in popular representations of LGBT people and families, Latinos make up a sizable portion of the LGBT population, and they tend to live in Latino, as opposed to LGBT, communities," said co-author Gary J. Gates. 

The survey also indicates that of the 1,419,200 LGBT Latinos in the US, it's estimated that roughly 30 percent of same-sex couples who live together also live in populations with high volumes of Latinos. Though, of those couples, a full 63 percent are interracial; one of the partners not being Latino. 

LGBT Latinos have a higher rate of unemployment (14 percent) than "straight" Latinos (11 percent); though more LGBT Latinos have college degrees (26 percent) compared to their heterosexual counterparts (14 percent). And LGBT Latinos earn a higher median income.

Another important contribution to understanding the LGBT community from the Williams Institute!