Issue
The United Nations requested input on the distinct and overlapping forms of violence and discrimination faced by LBQ women worldwide. The information will inform a thematic report that the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity will present at the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2026.
Impact
Williams Institute research finds that LBQ cisgender women experience more violence and discrimination, and poorer health outcomes, than GBQ men and heterosexual cisgender women. One nationally representative study showed that almost half of LBQ women reported being physically or sexually assaulted in adulthood, and three-fourths of LBQ women experienced at least one discriminatory event in the year prior to data collection.
Summary
Scholars provide social science research on the experiences of violence and discrimination among LBQ women and girls in the U.S. In addition, they discuss how systemic factors, such as disparities in economic security, interactions with law enforcement, and intersecting racial and ethnic identities, increase vulnerability to violence and discrimination among sexual minority women.