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Published on National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (http://www.thetaskforce.org)

Selling us short: How Social Security privatization will affect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans

Date

August 9, 2005

Short Description

There has been much talk of and several attempts to privatize Social Security. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans will be disproportionately harmed by the privatization of Social Security.

Summary

In a society rife with anti-LGBT discrimination, Social Security is a crucial and stable form of support. Here’s why:

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers often:

  • Do not have full legal recognition and support for their families;
  • Can still be legally fired because of whom they love;
  • Earn less, on average, than their heterosexual counterparts.

LGBT elders are more likely to:

  • Find federal programs inaccessible, ineffective or irrelevant because of homophobia and transphobia;
  • Receive substandard care, be denied care, or be disparaged by their physicians and social workers because of their sexual orientation;
  • Risk automatic disclosure of their birth gender under the Real ID Act, which threatens transgender elders with discriminatory or inappropriate treatment.

Privatization would be disproportionately devastating to LGBT Americans.

Report Type

Report