The Impact of the Fall 2020 COVID-19 Surge on LGBTQ Adults in the U.S.
A new report from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law explored the experiences of LGBTQ people during the pandemic. Researchers analyzed data collected between August and December 2020 by Axios-Ipsos and found that LGBTQ adults, especially LGBTQ people of color, suffered disproportionate health and economic consequences of the pandemic. The study showed that 15 percent of LGBTQ people of color tested positive for COVID-19, compared to seven percent of non-LGBTQ white peers. LGBTQ people of color were also nearly twice as likely to experience unemployment or struggle to afford necessities as compared to non-LGBTQ white adults. Additionally, the study showed that nearly one-third of LGBTQ people of color personally reported knowing some who died of COVID-19, compared to one-fifth of white LGBTQ people and white non-LGBTQ people.