Washington, D.C. — More than 51 percent of all disabled LGBTQI+ adults in the United States reported experiencing some form of discrimination in 2024, according to new data from the Center for American Progress. This discrimination rate is nearly double what nondisabled LGBTQI+ adults reported experiencing.
The latest findings from CAP’s biennial LGBTQI+ Community Survey weigh the state of America’s LGBTQI+ community in 2024. This analysis unpacks survey data related to the unique barriers and discrimination that LGBTQI+ disabled adults experience in public services, education, employment, housing, health care, and more.
Key findings from the survey include:
- 51 percent of disabled LGBTQI+ adults in the United States reported experiencing some form of discrimination in 2024.
- 1 in 5 disabled LGBTQI+ adults reported experiencing discrimination in school settings—more than four times the rate for adults who are neither disabled nor LGBTQI+.
- 33 percent of disabled LGBTQI+ adults reported a household income of less than $30,000 per year, compared with only 15 percent of nondisabled LGBTQI+ adults.
- Disabled LGBTQI+ adults were nearly 2 1/2 times more likely to report receiving unemployment benefits than their nondisabled LGBTQI+ peers.
- 31 percent of disabled LGBTQI+ adults reported postponing or not accessing medical care when they were sick or injured due to disrespect or discrimination from doctors or health care providers.
- 14 percent of disabled LGBTQI+ adults reported facing housing discrimination—nearly five times the rate for adults who are neither disabled nor LGBTQI+.
Executive orders from the Trump administration and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) layoffs have significantly undermined protections against disability and LGBTQI+ discrimination. To counteract the damage, this report offers a number of specific policy recommendations—including expanding access to Medicaid; protecting civil rights enforcement across federal agencies; protecting access to transgender medical care; passing the Equality Act; and passing a federal bill to eliminate Section 14(c).
The report’s analysis relies on data from a nationally representative group of 3,360 people over age 18, 1,703 of whom identify as LGBTQI+. The survey was conducted in partnership with nonpartisan research group NORC at the University of Chicago.
“Disabled LGBTQI+ Americans face so many unique barriers when navigating health care, employment, housing, and more,” said Mia Ives-Rublee, senior director for the Disability Justice Initiative at CAP and co-author of the report. “These policy recommendations are a crucial starting point to address the overlapping barriers identified by the survey data.”
“Ensuring safety and inclusion for disabled LGBTQI+ in the United States will require bold, intersectional policymaking that centers the experiences of this community and recognizes that equity can’t be achieved via a single-issue approach,” said Haley Norris, LGBTQI+ policy analyst at CAP and co-author of the report.
Read the report: “The State of Disabled LGBTQI+ People in 2024” by Mia Ives-Rublee, Casey Doherty, and Haley Norris
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Mishka Espey at [email protected].