According to
The Williams Institute and posted on
The Advocate, here are 10 Facts About America's Gays:
- 9 million LGBT people live in the U.S., 3.8 % of the adult population.
- LGBT people are racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse: 1 in 4 are people of color and same-sex couples have identified themselves on the Census in 99% of U.S. counties.
- A substantial percentage of LGBT people are raising children: 1 in 5 same-sex couples and 6% of children in foster care are being raised by LGB people.
- LGB people are serving in the Armed Forces: 71,000 are currently serving, and there are over 1 million LGB veterans in the U.S.
- 70,000 same-sex couples have gotten married in the U.S.; another 90,000 have entered into civil unions and domestic partnerships.
- The annual divorce rate for same-sex couples and different-sex married couples is similar — about 2%.
- LGBT people are not more affluent. Gay men earn 10% to 23% less, on average, than heterosexual men. Children of same-sex couples are twice as likely to live in poverty.
- Rates of hate crimes and employment discrimination against LGBT people are similar to or higher than for other protected groups. Until the Williams Institute, no one analyzed this data on a per capita basis, taking into account the smaller size of the LGBT population.
- "Don't ask, don't tell" has cost taxpayers over $500 million since it started being enforced in 1994.
- If all 50 states and the federal government recognized marriage for same-sex couples, the federal budget would benefit by over $1 billion each year.
Half a
Billion dollars wasted on Don't Ask, Don't Tell. fücking awesome....