What it's like to be LGBTQ in rural U.S. may surprise you

USA Today map defines 'majority rural' as states in which people in a 
 majority of counties live in rural areas (click the image to enlarge it)

Pop culture frequently depicts rural LGBTQ people as miserable and eager to leave for the city. Real life is a bit different, according to a newly published study of the 2.9 to 3.8 million LGBTQ people living in rural areas, Susan Miller reports for USA Today. The report was conducted by the Movement Advancement Project, a think tank that examines LGBTQ issues.

"Rarely do we see images of LGBTQ people in rural areas, and when we do they are portrayed as the only one there and stick out like a sore thumb or a target of violence," said report author Logan Casey. "It’s a stereotype that’s not the case."

LGBTQ people like living in the country for the same reasons others do, according to MAP Executive Director Ineke Mushovic: connection to the land, family roots, or love of the country life, Miller reports. But life can still be harder for them in rural areas.

"When an LGBTQ individual does feel the sting of rejection in a rural setting, the repercussions can be amplified in ways not seen in big cities, the report notes. For example, if people are excluded from their faith community for being gay, they could face difficulty finding work in a tight-knit town if a church member is a potential employer," Miller reports. "And religious exemptions laws – which let someone cite a religious belief as a reason not to enforce a law – can loom large in smaller settings with fewer services. That is why the passage of non-discrimination protections for work, housing and public accommodations is so crucial, Mushovic said."

Rural LGBTQ people can face health care obstacles too; according to an American Association of Retired Persons survey cited in the MAP report, only 11% of LGBTQ people age 45 and older have access to an LGBTQ health center in rural areas, compared with 57% in urban areas, Miller reports.

On the other hand, Casey said, the tight-knit nature of rural communities can work in an LGBTQ person's favor: when someone stands up for them, others are more likely to follow, Miller reports. Read the full report here.