U.S. LGBT Black Population Estimated At Approximately 1 Million

Previously I had blogged about the Williams Institute report about the U.S. Latino LGBT population and today I want to discuss a similar report about the U.S. African-American LGBT Population. One of the main results is that 3.7% of African American adults identify as LGBT. This is slightly higher than the latest estimate that 3.4% of the overall American adult population is LGBT.

A summary of the other results of the report is:

The report finds overall higher unemployment rates (15 percent v. 12 percent) and lower proportions with a college degree (23 percent v. 26 percent) among LGBT African-Americans, when compared to their non-LGBT counterparts. However, these disadvantages are not present among African-Americans in same-sex couples. Twenty-five percent of African-Americans in same-sex couples have completed a college degree, compared to 22 percent of African-Americans in different-sex couples. In addition, 71 percent of African-Americans in same-sex couples are employed compared to 68 percent of their counterparts in different-sex couples. LGBT African-Americans are also less likely than their non-LGBT counterparts to have health insurance.

African-American same-sex couples raising children, report household median incomes $15,000 lower than comparable African-American different-sex couples ($47,300 vs. $63,020). Female African-American same-sex couples, which comprise 58 percent of all African-American same-sex couples, earn over $20,000 less than male African-American same-sex couples. LGBT African-American females and African-American females in same-sex couples are three times more likely to report military service than their non-LGBT counterparts.

Additionally, the Williams Institute analyzed Census Data and estimates that in Washington, D.C. nearly 10 percent of the Black population identifies as LGBT. No wonder they call the District "Chocolate City" eh?