This Online Group Shames Homophobic And Sexist Behavior In 50 Posts (New Pics)

Given all the problems they have, you might be surprised that wealth creation, according to new research from Merrill Lynch, is actually happening at a faster pace among diverse communities, including the black, Latino, and specifically, the LGBTQ+.

The study focused on "affluent households," which, according to the three reports from Merrill Lynch, means US households earning more than $125,000. Affluent gay, lesbian, and transgender households saw their net worth skyrocket by a whopping 76% since 2015. (For comparison, the average "affluent" home saw its wealth grow by 53% during this time frame.)

"As a gay financial planner, I have seen the difference in family dynamics between my hetero clients and LGBTQ+ clients," David Rae wrote in Forbes. "About one-third of LGBTQ+ respondents said family members did not support them. While I believe acceptance is improving, it is not a given."

"LGBTQ+ Americans tend to get married later, and if they have children, they tend to have them later in life. Additionally, the cost of starting a family for LGBTQ+ individuals is usually much more expensive on average. That being said, for same-sex couples who don't have children, there is a lot more money to go around, which can make it easier to live a fabulous gay lifestyle while at the same time still building wealth."

It's also important to point out that the LGBTQ+ community is still highly diverse, with members at the top and bottom of the income and wealth spectrums.

Merrill conducted an in-depth study to help understand the financial planning needs of the LGBTQ+ community. The study also explored the financial challenges that members of the LGBTQ+ community overcame. 'Diverse Viewpoints: Exploring Wealth in the LGBTQ+ Community' is just one in a series of studies that Merrill has commissioned.

"There is fear throughout the LGBTQ+ community about growing old alone," Rae said. "I could easily make a joke here about the fear of looking old, but this is a serious issue for many in the LGBTQ+ community. As a group, we face many challenges as we age."

"One pertinent question is, 'Who will look after us as we age.' LGBTQ+ folks are a third more likely to be concerned about paying for long-term care costs when compared to the general public. For one thing, long-term care is extremely expensive. Also, there is pervasive discrimination within many elder care facilities, both from residents and staff. These issues can be even more problematic for the transgender community and those living with HIV. I've spoken with many gay and lesbian seniors who have essentially gone back into the closet in their retirement communities."

The US Department of the Treasury says that gay married couples make more money than lesbian couples, and both gay and lesbian couples make more than opposite-sex married couples.

"It is pretty easy to explain how gay and lesbian married couples can make more money per year and at the same time be paid less for equal work," Rae said. "The proportion of dual-income households among gay and lesbian couples is higher than that of opposite-sex couples. You may have two lesbians earning less both because they are female and lesbian, but if both work full-time, they, on average, make more than the so-called nuclear family where the husband works and the wife stays home (don't shoot the messenger, I'm just pointing this out)."

However, in many places around the world people from the LGBTQ+ community still have to hide and even flee persecution for simply being who they are.

"Among 84 million people who are currently forcibly displaced worldwide, LGBTQ+ persons are particularly vulnerable and marginalized," the UN said in a statement in May. "Fleeing persecution and socio-economic exclusion, they often reside in countries that do not provide strong human rights protections or actively discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity."

"The structural vulnerabilities that LGBTQ+ persons face are intensified by their situation as migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, or internally displaced persons," the statement continued.

"Persecution from State and non-State actors, as well as socio-economic exclusion fueled by stigma, discrimination, armed conflict, natural disasters, and climate change force many persons of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) to flee their homes in search of a safe environment, where they can live authentically and fully exercise their rights."