LGBTQ People Of Color In Rural USA

A new report shatters stereotypes of LGBTQ people of color living in rural America. The report conducted by Movement Advancement Project (MAP) entitled “Where We Call Home: LGBT People of Color in Rural America” examines the unique challenges of LGBTQ people of color in rural America & highlights distinct experiences across different communities of color. David Johns, Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) stated, “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & same gender loving (LGBTQ/SGL) people of color are central to the fabric of rural life in America.” Ineke Mushovic, Executive Director of the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) concludes, “Rural communities have always been home to people of color & LGBT people of color but their lives & needs are often unexamined or overlooked. LGBT people of color are more likely to live in poverty, more vulnerable to discrimination & less able to respond to its harmful effects. Comprehensive nondiscrimination laws are vital to improving the lives of LGBT people of color in rural America—as is blocking & rescinding religious exemption laws that allow employers & taxpayer-funded service providers to discriminate.” When LGBTQ people of color in rural areas face discrimination they may have fewer alternatives for culturally competent providers & fewer opportunities to find a job. With religious exemptions not only may employers & health providers reject people simply for being LGBTQ, a provider or employer with racial bias may also choose to reject LGBTQ people of color, claiming the rejection is because the person is LGBTQ not because they are a person of color.
Read Report: lgbtmap.org
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