- The LGTBI population receives lower salaries: 11% earn less than ā¬1,000 compared to 7% overall.
- Lesbian women and trans people suffer the greatest impact from aesthetic and structural prejudices.
- Expert Laura Encina points out that families in the group earn 18.7% less on average.
The financial expert Laura Encina analyzes the LGTBI wage gap in Madrid this April 2026, denouncing that sexual identity and orientation continue to hinder the economy of thousands of people. According to the latest socioeconomic reports, factors such as direct discrimination and promotion difficulties perpetuate financial inequality that especially affects lesbian women and trans people.
The economic reality of the group in data
Income inequality is not a perception, but a proven statistical reality. At the end of 2025, the report “Lgtbi+ State 2025: Socioeconomic Report”, developed by Felgtbi+ and the University of Salamanca, showed worrying figures for the Spanish labor market.
Encina highlights that, while 7% of the general population receives a salary of less than ā¬1,000 per month, this figure rises to 11% within the group. This precariousness responds to limited access to high-paying sectors and a lack of safe spaces that allow the full professional performance of LGTBI people without fear of reprisals or lawsuits for their private life.
The critical impact on lesbian women and trans people
Within the LGTBI wage gap, lesbian women and trans people face double or triple discrimination. Unemployment among the trans community is alarming, exceeding 45% across the board and reaching a tragic 80% in people over 45 years of age, which places them in a position of extreme vulnerability.
In the case of lesbians, Encina points to intersectionality. Added to the obstacles that all women suffer in the workplace are prejudices against androgynous or masculine aesthetics that deviate from the heteropatriarchal norm. This aesthetic bias directly influences hiring and promotion opportunities, limiting its economic growth.
Prejudices and glass ceilings for GBT men
Even in profiles where visibility is greater, such as that of gay and bisexual men, the gap persists. Current studies indicate an average salary difference of 7% compared to their heterosexual colleagues. Although there is social acceptance in creative sectors such as fashion or interior design, in traditional corporate environments many men feel the need to hide their reality.
This psychological pressure not only affects mental health, but also conditions authority and presence in senior management positions. The lack of references in technical or industrial sectors means that talent is concentrated in specific niches, reducing the group’s global salary negotiation capacity.
The path to financial freedom
The expert’s conclusion is clear: financial inequality translates into a lack of real freedom. LGTBI families earn on average 18.7% less than heteronormative families, which makes saving, investment and access to housing difficult. For Encina, included in the list Forbes Business Pride Leaders 2025, breaking this cycle is the highest priority to achieve effective equality.
