Op-Ed: Empowering LGBTQ+ rights is vital for U.S. interests

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As the Trump administration moves forward with plans to gut U.S. foreign assistance programs, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, now also serving as acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), said the moves are necessary to ensure that every dollar spent abroad “furthers our national interest.”

One area of USAID’s work that critics point to as “wasteful” is the agency’s LGBTQ program. But those characterizations are shortsighted and shrouded in misinformation about the nature and impact of programs that support LGBTQ people in many developing countries.

Projects that supported LGBTQ entrepreneurs in Serbia or political participation by LGBTQ leaders in Guatemala, for example, have been singled out as inappropriate uses of taxpayer dollars. In fact, these efforts comprise a critical part of the U.S. foreign policy toolkit and help ensure that more prosperous and stable societies exist to advance U.S. interests abroad.

For one, the U.S. has a core interest in promoting economic development in other countries to reduce conflict and political instability, and there is a strong link between societies that are inclusive of LGBTQ people and economic growth. When individuals can receive an education, access appropriate healthcare, and obtain employment without fear of discrimination, all citizens can maximize their participation in the national economy. Inclusive economies also attract foreign investment because companies are drawn to contexts where they can recruit and retain the most talented employees. Stimulating economic growth and investment by U.S. companies abroad yields benefits for everyone.

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A study conducted by the Williams Institute, in which we examined data from 175 countries, found that nations that are more accepting of LGBTQ people tend to have a higher per capita GDP. Likewise, another study of legal and economic data from 132 countries found that one additional right for LGBTQ people is associated with an increase of nearly $2,000 in GDP per capita.

Conversely, countries that enable discrimination against LGBTQ people experience real economic costs. Research by the World Bank in the Balkans and India has estimated that countries can experience a loss ranging from 0.5 to 1.4 percent of GDP when LGBTQ people are excluded from the economy due to discrimination and stigma. While these figures may seem relatively small, a two percent GDP loss over time is associated with a recession and less overall economic resilience.

What’s more, countries with weaker economies, including those that discriminate against LGBTQ people, can create push factors that drive migration—whether to avoid economic hardship or escape persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Using foreign aid to promote the economic empowerment of LGBTQ people is thus vital for creating stable conditions that advance U.S. interests from trade to migration.

Inclusive societies are also associated with other outcomes that bolster U.S. national security, like democracy and the rule of law. In the same study of social acceptance of LGBTQ people worldwide, we found that countries that are more accepting of LGBTQ people tend to be stronger democracies, meaning they are more likely to hold free and fair elections, maintain checks and balances, and respect civil liberties.

On the other hand, other research finds that countries that are more oppressive towards LGBTQ rights tend to have higher levels of corruption and more restrictions on freedom. In other words, U.S. foreign aid that reduces anti-LGTBQ stigma and exclusion can help strengthen democracy, promote values that align with America’s interests, and counter the influence of adversaries like China and Russia.

It’s essential to remember these results represent correlations, meaning that U.S. foreign assistance to support LGBTQ inclusion may not always lead to guaranteed results for America’s strategic partners. However, few outcomes in foreign policy can ever be assured. Investment in LGBTQ people—representing just four cents of every $100 spent by countries on foreign assistance—offers a cost-effective way to help promote strong, prosperous democracies that enhance U.S. national security and advance our core interests globally.

Ari Shaw is a researcher at The Williams Institute.

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