The Gay Poor

A new study helps kill a stereotype:

Nationally, 24 percent of lesbians and bisexual women are poor compared to 19 percent of heterosexual women. 15 percent of gay and bisexual men nationally are poor compared to 13 percent of heterosexual men.

Researchers theorized gays and lesbians could be more vulnerable to poverty because of employment discrimination, lack of insurance, less family support and no access to marriage and the more than 1,100 rights and benefits it affords.

Denying the economic, psychological and spiritual support of civil marriage is an act of active harm to a minority. If it were any other group of people, conservatives would be the first to point this out.