Why Black Queer and Trans Americans Need More Than Marriage Equality

The Fighting Injustice to Reach Equality (FIRE) initiative of Center for American Progress recently released a report, Jumping Beyond the Broom: Why Black Gay and Trans Americans Need More Then Marriage Equality,  highlighting the social, economic and health disparities of black queer and transgender people as compared to the general American population, as well as both the white queer population and the heterosexual black population.  The results indicated that even in light of increasing civil liberties in some states, black queer and transgender populations are disproportionately more likely to experience economic, social and health related hardship.  For example, the data showed that black queer and transgender youth are more likely to experience homelessness and that families headed by black same-sex couples were more likely to raise children in poverty. 

In response to these and other findings, the report made policy recommendations to better protect the health of the black queer and transgender population by addressing economic insecurity and related disparities as social determinants of health care. However, the report notes that more high-quality data is needed to create a targeted policy agenda aimed at improving the hurdles to greater equality.  The report recommended the following:

Improving Economic Insecurity

■ Adopt inclusive family policies and safety net programs
■ Pass housing anti-discrimination laws
■ Take a comprehensive federal approach to gay and transgender youth homelessness
■ Make consumer financial protection a priority
■ Pass employee nondiscrimination laws
■ Support queer and transgender entrepreneurs
■ Legally recognize same-sex relationships
 

Addressing Low Educational Attainment

■ Adopt school safety policies
■ Enforce existing federal civil rights laws
■ Review school discipline policies
 

Addressing Health and Wellness Disparities

■ Implement the Affordable Care Act
■ Work toward health equity
■ Examine domestic violence among same-sex couples

Read the official write-up and the full report on the Center for American Progress website: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/01/black_lgbt.html