Report

The Relationship between LGBT Inclusion and Economic Development

Macro-level evidence
August 2019

This study applied legal and economic data from 132 countries to the Global Index on Legal Recognition of Homosexual Orientation scale to assess how economic harms caused by limiting LGB rights relate to the macroeconomy. It was published in World Development in August 2019.

AUTHORS
Highlights
Countries that offer more rights to lesbian, gay and bisexual people enjoy significantly higher per capita GDP than those who trail in LGB equality.
Nations that foster exclusion of LGB people cause substantial harms to their economies.
Just one additional point on the legal rights scale is associated with an increase in real GDP per capita of $2,065.
The Relationship between LGBT Inclusion and Economic Development