Why Black Gay and Transgender Americans Need More than Marriage Equality [Report]

Center for American Progress released a new report on black gay and transgender communities and why the focus should be on more than just marriage.

By Jorge Rivas Jan 20, 2012

On Thursday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) launched the Fighting Injustice to Reach Equality (FIRE) Initiative in conjunction with the release of the report, "Jumping Beyond the Broom: Why Black Gay and Transgender Americans Need More than Marriage Equality," which makes policy recommendations that could eliminate the social, health, and economic disparities faced by gay and transgender people of color.

"Despite significant gains in securing basic rights for LGBT Americans over the past decade, the quality of life for black gay and transgender Americans has remained virtually unchanged,"  Aisha Moodie-Mills, CAP Advisor on LGBT Policy and Racial Justice said in a statement.

"Marriage equality is vital to overall progress, but marriage alone is not a silver bullet to reduce the disparities black gay and transgender populations face."

According to the report families headed by black same-sex couples are more likely to raise their children in poverty, black lesbians are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases, and black gay and transgender youth are more likely to end up homeless and living on the streets.

The report lays out policy recommendations for addressing economic insecurity, low education attainment and wellness disparities that could improve the lives of gay and transgender people of color.

On Thursday evening Colorlines.com’s very own news editor Jamilah King moderated a panel at the launch of CAP’s FIRE Initiative to discuss the new report. Watch the video of the panel below and visit the Center for American Progress to download the full report.