[1][2] The two identities, either by themselves or in tandem, can complicate questions of discrimination (in workplaces, schools, or otherwise) and can effect access to resources such as accommodations, support groups, and elder care.
[1][7][8] According to the Movement Advance Project in 2019, an estimated 3 to 5 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the United States have a disability.
[14] Academics writing about queer theory and disability studies have drawn from one another's work, as both examine what society deems as normal and how those people outside of that definition are treated.
[3] In 2019, the organization also removed "gender identity disorder", referring to transgender people, from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems.
[3][4][24] Although many gay liberation activists celebrated its removal, others were blase or wary about aligning the wider community with psychiatric associations or providers.
However, the law purposefully excluded homosexuality, bisexuality, and "[t]ransvestitism, transsexualism...[and] gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments" from the act's definition of disability.
[6] In 2017, Kate Lynn Blatt became the first trans woman who was allowed to sue her employer under the ADA for not accommodating her gender dysphoria.
[27] LGBTQ+ individuals with disabilities are subject to higher rates of childhood bullying[28] and lack of comprehensive sex education.
[28] LGBTQ+ individuals with disabilities who are assisted by family or caregivers may have more difficulty finding time to be intimate with or have sex with their partners.
[29] People who cannot drive or require assistance while traveling may have more limited opportunities to attend LGBTQ+ support groups, community spaces, or events.
[29] Limited travel opportunities may lead some disabled LGBTQ+ people, especially those living in socially conservative areas, to pursue online or long-distance relationships.
[30] Alternatively, LGBTQ+ individuals may avoid seeking needed medical care, such as STI testing,[31] or accessing disability services because of prejudiced comments or treatment by their healthcare providers.
[34] For people who are unsure of their sexual or gender identity, caregivers or assistants may be unwilling to discuss the topic with their client.
[8] Limited opportunities for employment may drive some disabled LGBTQ+ people to remained closeted at work, to avoid being fired.
[38] A 2020 study of American lawyers found that nearly 60% of respondents who were both LGBTQ+ and disabled reported having experienced discrimination in the workplace related to their identities.
[9][40] Not all LGBTQ+ community spaces, for example, have accessible buildings or parking, sign language interpretation, Braille signage, or TTY services.