ST. LOUIS, Missouri — When chef Rob Connoley closed his award-winning St. Louis restaurant, Bulrush, last year, business was thriving. But Connoley, who is gay, said Missouri’s growing number of anti-LGBTQ+ laws made it impossible to stay. He has since relocated to Oregon, joining others who have left the state over its political climate.
New research suggests that Missouri’s policies targeting LGBTQ+ residents are costing the state both people and revenue. The Movement Advancement Project estimates that between $362 million and $879 million in household income has already left Missouri due to residents relocating. A survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality found that nearly half of transgender people in Missouri have considered moving, and 5% have already done so.
Local business leaders warn that the exodus is hurting the state’s economy. “When people feel unwelcome, they take their skills and families elsewhere,” said Tracey DeMarea of the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
A 2023 Wells Fargo analysis found that states with higher LGBTQ+ inclusion had stronger economic growth. Missouri’s lawmakers, however, continue to propose dozens of restrictive bills each year, prompting growing concerns from chambers of commerce about the long-term impact on talent recruitment and investment.
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