A new study focusing on raising the minimum wage says that hiking the federal wage to $10.10 an hour would reduce the poverty rate for gay male couples by 30 percent, and lesbian couples by 25 percent. The study, conducted by the Williams Institute, states at last 20,000 people in same-sex couples would be "lifted out of poverty" under the higher minimum wage.
A hike in the minimum would have particularly strong impact on our community; the study says black gay couples, gay couples with kids--who are often black, FYI-- as well as gay people with disabilities, young gays and lesbians ages 18-24, those without a high school diploma or gay couples living in rural areas would benefit the most.
Previous studies have indicate LGBT people in the U.S. have an average poverty rate of 15 percent, which would translate to about 1.3 million or more living in poverty.
Read the full article and study HERE.
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