As Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner, MD, celebrated Pride Month, she called attention to the unique financial challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and urged for enhanced efforts to improve financial wellness within this demographic. Treasury Steiner, who is the first openly LGBTQ+ state treasurer in Oregon, expressed her commitment to this cause. According to a statement released by the Oregon State Treasury, she underscored the systemic disparities that often put LGBTQ+ individuals at a financial disadvantage.
In her remarks, Treasurer Steiner emphasized, "I want to wish everyone a happy Pride Month and urge public officials and business leaders to bring down the financial barriers people who identify as LGBTQ+ often face." She touched upon various economic obstacles, ranging from lower earnings to higher poverty rates compared to non-LGBTQ+ populations, which signify a gap that must be addressed for achieving true financial equity. Treasurer Steiner supported her discussion with research findings, which indicate a particularly strenuous financial landscape for those within the LGBTQ+ community.
Basic Rights Oregon's executive director, Kyndall Mason, provided context to Treasurer Steiner's remarks by shedding light on the specific economic hardships LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians contend with, including educational, housing, employment discrimination, and costly medical care. Mason told the Oregon State Treasury, "At Basic Rights Oregon, we hear every day from the community that these costs take a toll on their physical and emotional well-being." Their ongoing collaboration with state leadership like Treasurer Steiner aims to nurture a more prosperous future for Oregon's marginalized groups, inclusive of queer and transgender citizens.
From improving access to health care, including gender-affirming procedures, to endorsing inclusive workplaces and ensuring the representation of LGBTQ+ voices in leadership, Treasurer Steiner pinpointed various strategies for uplifting financial stability within the community. Alongside these initiatives, the Oregon Financial Empowerment Advisory Team, led by Steiner, has rolled out educational resources and savings programs through a partnership with the state's 211info network and the Human Rights Campaign's "Worth It" program. These efforts, aiming for universal financial empowerment, are seen as imperative steps toward leveling the playing field for all Oregonians.
Statistical data from the Williams Institute asserts that Oregon holds the nation's highest percentage of adults who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Moreover, the LGBTQ+ demographic is reported to be twice as likely to depend on Medicaid and generally earns less on average, a financial picture that grows even more dire amid potential healthcare cuts previously proposed by Republican lawmakers. Recognizing these disparities, the State Treasury remains dedicated to facilitating equal access to financial tools and instruction, ensuring that the journey toward fiscal wellness and security is an attainable one for the LGBTQ+ community in Oregon.
