Food Insecurity and SNAP (Food Stamps) Participation in LGBT Communities

G. Gates

This research brief analyzes data from three national population-based surveys that include measures of LGBT identity or being part of a same-sex couple along with measures of food insecurity or participation in SNAP. Both descriptive and multivariate analyses are used to show that LGBT communities and those in same-sex couples, particularly those raising children, experience disproportionate levels of food insecurity and higher participation rates in SNAP. This elevated risk of food insecurity and participation in SNAP remains even when possible differences in demographic characteristics between LGBT and non-LGBT individuals like gender, age, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment are taken into account.