While the stereotype that waiters and bartenders are commonly gay persists, evidence that LGBTQ+ individuals are overrepresented in the restaurant industry is lacking. Still, it stands to reason that LGBTQ+ people in Michigan’s service industry — and all industries — could benefit more than the general population from raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
First, more LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. live in poverty than their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts: specifically, 22% versus 16%. Another indicator is the so-called LGBTQ+ wage gap, identified by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which reveals LGBTQ+ people earn 90 cents on the dollar compared to non-LGBTQ+ people. Transgender women fare the worst, at 60 cents on the dollar. But while raising hourly wages might sound like a winning strategy, some business owners are sounding the alarm.
Today, activists are collecting signatures to allow voters to decide whether the One Fair Wage ballot initiative becomes law, thus raising the minimum wage in Michigan incrementally to $15 per hour by 2027. Pride Source spoke with two LGBTQ+ individuals involved in the matter: one leading the charge, one advising caution.
The Organizer: “There’s so many different things that intersect when it comes to wages.”
If a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in Michigan sounds familiar, that may be because petitions to do just that were circulating...
Select an option below to continue reading this premium story. Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading. Get unlimited access From as low as $12.95 /mo.