Today’s post includes Unemployment information and Unsafe at Work information.
I am retired from my job/career/long-time work. I chose to be with my wife, rather than be separated when she has to be out of the country. I am no longer an active union member with the university employees as I once was, but I am now a proud member of South Bay Pride at Work, the LGBT union.
A flyer P@W prepared for Occupy San Jose tells why our LGBT community IS the 99%. Of course, no one group includes everyone, but here are some facts about LGBT folks that will make you think and will provide information for you to discuss with family and friends. Today I address unemployment and work safety. Part 3 will address the cost of not being free to marry.
Unemployment:
- Of members of same-sex couples in Alameda County (East Bay San Francisco Bay Area) raising children, 26.8% were unemployed (Source 1)
- Transgender people are twice as likely to be unemployed as the general population (Source 2)
- Transgender people of color are four times as likely to be unemployed as the general population (Source 2)
Unsafe at Work:
- One in four LGBT employees reported discriminatory treatment in the workplace in the past five years. 42% have faced workplace discrimination at some point in their lives (Source 2)
- Nearly 40% of LGBT employees who are open about their identity at work reported discrimination on the job in the past five years – 56% in their lifetimes (Source 2)
- 78% of transgender employees reported facing discrimination at work (Source 2)
- According to a 2007 Gallup study, 89% of Americans believe LGBT people should have equal job opportunities. (Source 4)
- In a 2004 Hart Research Poll, 65% of those surveyed believe it should definitely be illegal to fire someone because he or she is transgender (Source 4)
- In 30 states, it is legal to fire someone because of their sexual orientation (Source 4)
- In 37 states, it is legal to fire someone because of their gender identity/expression (Source 4)
Sources of Information:
2. http://wiwp.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Sears-Mallory-DiscriminationStudy-Jul-2011.pdf
3. http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu//pdfLGBPovertyReport.pdf
4. http://wiwp.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Badgett-EconomicValuesSSCouples-Oct-2010.pdf
You can find out more about Pride@Work at this link:
My next post on this issue will be one on the cost of not being free to marry. It paints a picture that does not match the oft-shared view of the LGBT community living lavish lifestyles with no kids or responsibilities and lots of disposable income.
__________________
Here’s my regular message at the end of each post…
Immigration Equality, Out4Immigration and Love Exiles Foundation are the three groups working on our issue – and the three groups who receive whatever money comes in from sales of my book, Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law, Findhorn Press, 2011.
To follow Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law, go to its Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Torn-Apart-United-by-Love-Divided-by-Law/116343758442046
Read an excerpt of my book at this link: http://bit.ly/eIyGxh
Order online from the publisher at this link:
http://www.findhornpress.com/relationships-43/torn-apart-392.html
Elizabeth Gilbert wrote the foreword to my book. She is an ally in our fight and has suffered from the immigration situation herself as part of a binational relationship. Though she and her boyfriend were able to marry, they know what the drill was and they advocate for LGBT binational families. We like that!
Remember, too, you can follow me and what I am doing and thinking and reading on twitter @tornapartbook
