Source: NPR
A new study from the think tank Movement Advancement Project points to the large population of LGBT individuals that reside in rural America – not just in big cities or coastal cities, contrary to popular belief, say researchers.
Researchers found that between 2.9 million and 3.8 million LGBT individuals live in rural America, which is more than 20 percent of the total LGBT population in the U.S.
“They are a fundamental part of the fabric of rural communities across the country,” said Logan Casey, a policy researcher for the Movement Advancement Project, as reported by NPR.
While LGBT people face the same obstacles that other rural Americans face, such as not having access to adequate health care, housing and being exposed to the drug epidemic, the report points out that they additionally face the challenge of discrimination.
Researchers say it’s important to invest in improving rural communities and opportunities in order to protect the especially most vulnerable populations, which have few options if they are turned away from a clinic, or job, for being LGBT.
Read Full Story: NPR