In a world where people with disabilities are often not recognized or accommodated, there is a disparity in access to steady employment and income between those who live with disabilities and those who do not. Within the LGBTQ community, this disadvantage is often compounded by a person’s gender identity, sexual identity and race. According to the 2018 Annual Report on People with Disabilities in America from the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability, only 36% of people living with a disability reported being employed, compared to 77% of people without a disability (Institute on Disability, 2019). Evidence shows that the lesbian, gay and bisexual population is more likely to suffer from a disability than the general population, and that lesbian and bisexual women in particular have higher rates of asthma, arthritis and obesity (American Journal of Public Health, 2011). In addition, 39% of respondents to the 2015 US Transgender Survey (USTS) reported having a disability compared to only 15% of the US population (2015). 
This has major implications when it comes to disabled LGBTQ people’s ability to earn income, as many people within this group will face added barriers to employment on top of the discrimination they face based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Furthermore, many LGBTQ people with disabilities may struggle to maintain employment, as they may face difficulty in gaining access to the services necessary for them to successfully perform their job tasks. This shows that more advocacy work needs to be done to ensure equal access and opportunities are afforded to sexual and gender minorities with disabilities and to address disparities in outcomes.