Thursday, May 1 is the annual celebration of International Workers’ Day – also known as May Day – which honors the struggle of workers all around the world.   

During one of the most challenging periods in recent memory, the LGBTQ movement has reached an inflection point. As a result of a hostile administration, and lawmakers determined to use our community as a wedge issue, attitudes and policy towards queer and trans folks are regressing. At the same time, critical programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP, are facing billions in potential cuts, and inflation continues to worsen economic inequality. This May Day (International Workers’ Day), we must take the opportunity to fill the gap between these two fundamental issues and demonstrate that the fight for economic justice includes all peoples, including LGBTQ folks and their families. 

Although it sounds obvious, LGBTQ people are workers too. In 2022, approximately one in three LGBTQ Americans were making less than $30,000 a year, meaning that one third of our community members are living in poverty. This income inequality is further accentuated by race and gender. A 2023 report found that queer and trans people of color faced poverty rates of 24.7%, almost double that of white LGBT people, and four points above their non-LGBT counterparts. The poverty rate for LGB women, on average, was five points above straight women. For transgender people, a recent survey found that 34% are living in poverty. These statistics present the clear economic struggle for many LGBTQ folks, especially those at the intersection of other marginalized identities. 

Understanding that poverty is a problem disproportionately impacting the LGBTQ community, we must incorporate advocacy for policies that support all workers into our larger strategy for queer and trans liberation. In this critical moment, that strategy includes two key goals: demanding equal economic opportunity for working families and protecting existing social safety net programs.  

NCLR is committing to this advocacy by leading LGBTQ and allied organizations to advocate for the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, which would raise the minimum wage to $17 an hour within five years. Earlier research found that a $15 minimum wage would affect around 1,450,00 LGBTQ workers, some of whom would see immediate wage increases and others that would benefit from the ripple effects. The act would also phase out lower wages for tipped workers, supporting queer and trans restaurant workers who are overrepresented in the industry (20%). Read our letter to Congress in support of the Raise the Wage Act here. 

Additionally, NCLR is taking a stand against attempts to decimate Medicare, SNAP and other essential programs. Along with partner organizations at The National LGBTQ Anti-Poverty Action Network, we are working to share resources with our community to pressure members of Congress into preventing cuts to services that everyday people rely on, including the 25% of LGBTQ families that live in poverty.  

This advocacy is only the beginning. The fight for the working class goes far beyond defending existing programs. Housing instability, healthcare inaccessibility, union busting, and poor working conditions are just a few of the many issues facing both LGBTQ people and workers at large. It’s critical that we build a long-term vision for our movement that goes beyond the courtroom.  

As we celebrate May Day, we are urging the greater LGBTQ community to take this opportunity to build solidarity with all workers and to support economic justice for all. When the powers that be seek to drive wedges between us, we must remember that our strength is in our common struggle for safety and liberation. The people united will never be defeated.  

Happy International Workers’ Day!