Millions of Americans welcome this time of year – Pride Month – with great anticipation and excitement. It is when, for 30 days, many enjoy parades and parties, rainbows and rhinestones to celebrate LGBTQ+ people and all they offer to our culture and community.
The lives of millions are enriched by the inspiring celebrations and cultivation of the LGBTQ+ spirit. They are our brothers and sisters, daughters and sons, aunts and uncles, cousins and nephews. LGBTQ+ people are people.
Unlike other parts of our country, Washingtonians are fortunate to live in a state that mandates equal rights and protections to all members of society. In 2006, the Legislature added sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected classes for a range of areas from employment, real estate transactions and insurance coverage. By the numbers, our corner of the country scores highly on most aspects of equality and inclusion.
Washington, where 5.2% of the population identifies as LGBTQ+, is one of only 23 states (plus the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands) that consider sexual orientation and gender identity as a protected class. Neither the federal government nor the remaining states fully protect the millions in these classes from discrimination in different aspects of life – including housing and accommodation (map of states).
It’s a scary – and, frankly, sad – thought that so many people are exposed to bias and discrimination in their lives. An attempt by Congress to solve the disparity had some support with the Equality Act passing the House in 2021 but it has yet to receive serious consideration in the Senate.
Many real estate experts believe the passing of this act into law could open the floodgates to more housing, employment and education opportunities for LGBTQ+ people. And, unfortunately, to many, our divided political environment will withhold those millions from equality on a federal level.
The portion of American adults who identify as LGBTQ+ is 7.2%, double the figure since 2012. That’s 24M Americans, including 19.7% Gen Z and 11.2% Millennials who identify as LGBTQ+. Overall, there are 1.2M same-sex households in our country – nearly double the number since 2008.
The legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015 helped to improve homeownership opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community. One report says 29% of LGBTQ+ people have children and that 22% of married same-sex couples are raising kids.
“We are only eight years into the legalization of [nationwide] same-sex marriage and are now beginning to see signs that more LGBTQ+ people are becoming parents,” said Ryan Weyandt, founder and CEO of the LGBTQ Real Estate Alliance (Alliance). “This is leading to an emphasis on their children’s well-being and education when choosing where to live.”
While our nation is more open to people of all stripes living as neighbors, acceptance levels still need to improve. A survey of Alliance members reports 66% believe there has been an improvement in societal acceptance levels of the LGBTQ+ community over the last five years.
We can be more productive when cultures and beliefs are molded into one community, and real estate professionals who identify with the LGBTQ+ community are doing their part.
Most prospective buyers use one of the large real estate search engines and filter their criteria to narrow the number of potential homes to check out. However, members of the LGBTQ+ community could not also include real estate pros who share their perspectives on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – until now.
The Alliance, with more than 3000 industry members, has always been at the forefront of promoting inclusivity and it recently launched a real estate website for all consumers. LGBTQplusHomes.com connects buyers and sellers to Alliance members while providing important content and member profiles (including me!). It’s another measure of progress in helping to boost the 50% LGBTQ+ homeownership rate in our country. (The overall rate in the U.S. is 66%.)
The path to homeownership is challenging for all consumers but adding layers of bias – both intended and implicit – can be overwhelming for people who identify as LGBTQ+. The Center for American Progress reported that 29% of LGBTQ+ people experienced some kind of housing discrimination or harassment in a housing setting in the past year. Supporting those results, the National Fair Housing Alliance has reported a rise in same-sex housing discrimination complaints against gender identity and sexual orientation.
To make matters more challenging, many state lawmakers are pushing for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that could further slow a leveling playfield for many on the housing front. Through the first five months of this year, about 490 pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation have been introduced in what USA Today characterized as an “onslaught” against a class of people. Even the discussion of these proposals can negatively impact the financial stability of LGBTQ+ people and prompt many of them to move to friendlier parts of the country.
This in turn has led to an effort by LGBTQ-friendly leaders to push back. The Alliance, for one, has proposed the Article 10 Rule, which is a nod to Article 10 of the National Association of Realtors® Code of Ethics, which reads:
Realtors® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Realtors® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
The Alliance is asking that Realtor groups halt their support of government leaders and influencers who support anti-LGBTQ+ proposals. Some (but certainly not all) groups have agreed to refrain from making contributions or showing their support for these changemakers.
The real estate industry is making strides to be more inclusive to LGBTQ+ buyers and sellers of homes – but more needs to be done to remove barriers to ownership.
The Alliance, including members like me, can help to ensure everyone is treated equally. In addition to providing trusted representation during the home-buying and -selling process, consumers can expect access to professionals who support the LGBTQ+ community. Whether they be lenders, inspectors, specialist contractors or attorneys, buyers and sellers can trust working with Alliance members.
On top of that, John L. Scott Real Estate – my affiliated brokerage – is a true believer in providing housing for all. The third-generation, family-owned brokerage started its business more than 90 years ago in Seattle and has blossomed into an influential presence throughout the West with 100 offices and some 3000 licensed brokers. John L. Scott takes pride in being a leading voice for Fair Housing as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
I couldn’t be more proud to be members of the John L. Scott team and LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance family of industry professionals. Together, we create a more inclusive and supportive environment. I hope I can help open new doors for you in the near future!