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The majority of LGBTQ Americans say they have experienced some form of harassment or discrimination due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, according to a report by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and National Public Radio.
The survey, a nationally representative sample of 489 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer adults, found that more than half of them experienced slurs (57 percent) or offensive comments (53 percent). Most of those surveyed also reported that they or an LGBTQ friend or family member has been threatened or harassed (57 percent), sexually harassed (51 percent) or has experienced violence (51 percent) on the basis of their sexuality or gender identity.
“Lots of work has been done about what people think about discrimination in America. This [survey] goes into great detail about people’s personal experiences of discrimination across many areas of life,” Casey explained.
For Casey, one of the most important findings is “how pervasive people’s experiences of violence and harassment are.” For example, a third of LGBTQ Americans report that they or an LGBTQ friend or family member has experienced verbal harassment while using a bathroom.
“LGBTQ people’s day-to-day experiences are still structured by discrimination, harassment and prejudice,” Casey said.
In addition to individual slights and aggressions, the report noted large portions of LGBTQ people confront institutional discrimination. At least one in five of those surveyed said they have been discriminated against in the process of applying for a job (20 percent), being paid equally or considered for a promotion (22 percent) or buying or renting a home (22 percent), the survey found.
In terms of education, among those in the LGBTQ community who applied for or attended college, 20 percent said they had experienced discrimination because of their gender identity or sexual orientation while applying or while at college.
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