The road of progress is never straight. The queer community has made much progress over the last few years. Even with as much progress as we have made, there are still 28 states in which sexual orientation and gender identity can be grounds for termination without recourse.
Add that some states are making it legal to deny their queer citizens basic services based on religious principles. While the argument has been dumbed down, it is about more than cakes and pizza.
Here are four things more expensive for the queer community and what we can do about them.
1. Having a Family
According to the Human Rights Campaign, private agency adoptions can cost between $5,000 and $40,000. Many same-sex couples must pay for second adoptions, which costs an additional $2,000 and $3,000.
For queer couples who want biological children, the costs are higher, especially if they cannot bear children. Surrogacy can cost between $70,000 to $150,000 per child.
Be clear about what you want. Budget appropriately for expenses and add a 10 percent cushion. Find out if your employer and your health insurance will help cover you chosen option.
2. Long-Term Care
For many older queer people today, a family was not Plan A. Thus they must rely on themselves. The average annual cost for a basic nursing home is about $80,000, according to Genworth's 2015 Cost of Care Survey. This cost can eat up a lifetime of savings fast.
Because the Equality Act is still making its way through Congress, many long-term care facilities do not currently offer sexual orientation and gender identity protections. This limits the number of facilities to which queer people can go for our unique needs.
Ensure your long-term care facility of choice includes policies and training that meet your unique needs.
3. Career Advancement
While open discrimination wanes, soft discrimination remains. Someone who's not part of the "boys’ club" doesn't get the same time and attention of their boss as someone who is.
Neuroscientist and data analyst Vivienne Min did a study that showed gay white men in the U.K. must spend about $54,000 gaining more degrees and experience to keep up with their straight white male peers.
Look for anti-discrimination policies, LGBT ERGs and leadership diversity of companies to which you seek employment.
4. Housing
In some states, queer people can be refused housing because of our sexual orientation or gender identity. Living in more accepting places gives some of us a higher sense of security but usually at a cost.
With the risks of being refused housing, evicted or physically harmed, queer people in these states need larger emergency savings accounts.
It is incumbent for queer people to assess our situation and plan accordingly. Starting a family, choosing a career, planning for retirement and deciding where to live affects everyone. For queer people, such costs are higher and may be prohibitive to our wants and wishes.
