Differences in Cancer-related Crowdfunding between Transgender or Gender Diverse and Cisgender LGBTQ+ Cancer Campaigns: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus (LGBTQ+) cancer survivors are at risk of financial hardship due to multilevel factors amplified by anti-LGBTQ+ stigma. Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) cancer survivors may experience greater financial hardship than cisgender lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, but data on LGBTQ+ individuals is often reported in aggregate. We describe differences in crowdfunding experiences between TGD and LGB cancer crowdfunding campaigns to address this gap in TGD cancer-related financial hardship literature. Methods: We used a mixed methods approach to evaluate LGBTQ+ cancer crowdfunding campaigns from GoFundMe’s website, coded as TGD or LGB. Campaign data (amount raised, funding goal, etc.) were compared using summary statistics and independent t-tests. Qualitative content analysis described campaign text. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated by theme. Results: A total of N=538 LGBTQ+ cancer campaigns were included, of which 175 (32.5%) were TGD campaigns, 295 (54.8%) were LGB, and 68 (12.6%) used broad LGBTQ+ language and could not be classified into one category. TGD campaigns raised 61% of funds raised by LGB campaigns ($7,782 [$5,842 - $9,723] vs $12,724 [$10,525 - $14,924], p<0.0001). TGD campaigns had more mentions of perceived stigma in healthcare spaces and fewer mentions of caregiver support. Conclusions: TGD cancer campaigns earned significantly less money than LGB campaigns, suggesting that TGD cancer survivors may face more challenges in using community-based financial support mechanisms to mitigate financial hardship. Structural stigma and transphobia may be impacting the amount of funds raised by TGD cancer survivors through crowdfunding.