The discussion surrounding LGBT rights is and will always be a Human rights’ discussion. However, supporting transformation on increasing inclusion, some research has been made on the positive economic impacts of broadening LGBT rights.
For instance, Vu (2021) examines “the relationship between the social inclusion of LGBT people and technological innovation”, having found that the exclusion of LGBT people and the limitation of their rights has a robust causal negative effect on innovation. The mechanisms behind this result relate to human capital accumulation (the value of abilities that influence labor productivity, such as education (Amadeo, 2021)) which is fostered in more inclusive societies. Moreover, more tolerant people “toward homosexual acts” are associated with higher levels of technological innovation. Mary Badgett has also studied this topic and published in 2020 a book called “The Economic Case for LGBT Equality”, where myriad arguments are presented advocating that granting equal rights to the LGBT people yields better economic outcomes.
In a world where economic arguments seem, many times, the most important driver of change, this association between LGBT rights and the economy seems to be important so as to prompt changes toward more inclusion.
Sources:
- Amadeo, K., 2021. What Is Human Capital?. [online] The Balance. Available at: <https://www.thebalance.com/human-capital-definition-examples-impact-4173516>
- Badgett, M., 2020. The economic case for LGBT equality. Beacon Press.
- Vu, T., 2020. Does LGBT Inclusion Promote National Innovative Capacity?. SSRN Electronic Journal.
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Nova School of Business and Economics
