New research shows concrete ways to increase voter engagement among LGBTQ women
Washington, DC (December 16, 2019) — New research from Project LPAC and Lake Research Partners shows there is significant opportunity for candidates and advocacy groups to gain political support from LGBTQ women. This research, the first in-depth examination of LGBTQ women's political engagement, also points to specific ways to motivate and engage the country's estimated 6.4-million LGBTQ women heading into the 2020 election cycle.
“For the first time, we understand how to excite people across our community about political engagement as a result of this trailblazing work,” said Stephanie Sandberg, Executive Director of Project LPAC.
Project LPAC’s new research shows what we could previously just speculate: that LGBTQ women are a distinct political demographic, with their own priorities that can be addressed by candidates and progressive political organizations in a targeted way.
Findings include:
While LGBTQ women are politically engaged, and value voting and collective action, especially around issues of representation, they’re less likely to vote than LGBTQ men, creating an opportunity for targeted GOTV outreach.
They are more likely than LGBTQ men to become politically involved in response to learning about LGBTQ discrimination, and are more likely than LGBTQ men to donate their time and money to issues and causes they care about.
They prioritize a unique set of issues above LGBTQ men and the adult population as a whole. These issues include LGBTQ equality, healthcare and prescription drug prices, and the environment and climate change.
LGBTQ women strongly believe that women, and LGBTQ women in particular, are underrepresented in government, even though they themselves believe that they are best equipped to tackle important policy issues.
The research also found differences among LGBTQ women when it came to ethnicity, age, and gender identity. For example:
LGBTQ women of color were more likely to prioritize electing candidates who look like them.
Younger women were more likely than older women to support electing non-binary,
transgender and LGBTQ candidates to office.
Trans or gender nonconforming survey respondents were more likely to be involved locally, but not vote in federal elections -- another opportunity for engagement.
For more information please contact Matt Fouracre at matt@teamlpac.com; or find the most important findings here.