The Economic Case for LGBT Equality

Why Fair and Equal Treatment Benefits Us All

By: M. V. Lee Badgett

Narrated by: Samantha Desz

Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

An economist demonstrates how LGBT equality and inclusion within organizations increases their bottom line and allows for countries' economies to flourish

We know that homophobia harms LGBT individuals in many ways, but economist M. V. Lee Badgett argues that in addition to moral and human rights reasons for equality, we can now also make a financial argument. Finding that homophobia and transphobia cost 1 percent or more of a country's GDP, Badgett expertly uses recent research and statistics to analyze how these hostile practices and environments affect both the US and global economies.

LGBT equality remains a persistent and pertinent issue. The continued passing of discriminatory laws, people being fired from jobs for their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, harassment and bullying in school, violence and hate crimes on the streets, exclusion from intolerant families, and health effects of stigma all make it incredibly difficult to live a good life.

Examining the consequences of anti-LGBT practices across multiple countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, India, and the Philippines, Badgett reveals the expensive repercussions of hate and discrimination, and how our economy loses when we miss out on the full benefit of LGBT people's potential contributions.

©2020 M. V. Lee Badgett (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Badgett's logical arguments and copious evidence will resonate with business leaders and policy makers, and human rights activists will appreciate her good-faith efforts to reassure them that the economic and moral arguments for reform are complementary. This cogent account makes a persuasive case that everyone benefits from LGBTQ equality." (Publishers Weekly)

"The denial of LGBT equality is morally wrong. Lee Badgett's superbly researched book also shows the immense economic losses that result from this inhumanity. Eye-opening in its global scope, The Economic Case for LGBT Equality is a must-read for all business leaders and policymakers." (Janet Yellen, Distinguished Fellow, Brookings Institution)

"Lee Badgett is the premier economist working on LGBT issues today - and perhaps ever. In this tough-minded, far-ranging, and accessible volume, she crisply articulates the benefits of LGBT inclusion across multiple domains, including education, employment, and health. Along the way, she illuminates why advocates of LGBT rights should embrace economic arguments, which support rather than supplant their moral claims." (Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law, New York University School of Law)

Stunningly Good in Every Way

Every aspect of this effort is top quality. Honestly, I expected to benefit from and learn from this book, but I didn't expect to enjoy it; I thought it would be a wonky, academic text with little attention to the needs of the readers or listeners. I was wrong. Badgett's writing is like butter. The book is focused and brilliantly organized; the ideas are complex, but I swear a young child would understand because Badgett is such an engaging communicator. She is precise and clear -- at the same time that she is comfortable and unhurried. The last time I was this impressed was with Banerjee and Duflo's recent brilliant book (dropping just after their Nobel Prize); I know this sounds hyperbolic, but I experienced Badgett's book to be every bit as good. I found myself loving the way that she would craft a sentence (Wow, how did she fit that complicated idea into that simple, enjoyable sentence?!). Desz' narration is so good that she seemed to be the voice of the author. Her intonation seemed perfectly tuned to the author's intent throughout. I expect this book to age well. Research marches on and the data will drive us in new directions, but Badgett's work will remain a touchstone. This is a classic.