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VIDEO: "Melissa Harris-Perry Show" on Black Gays and NC Amendment 1

The Melissa Harris-Perry Show on Sunday was required viewing. One segment discussed Black voters and gay rights in the context of the hateful Amendment One, which would define marriage as "between one man and one woman" and ban recognition of same-sex marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships. The panel segued into a much-needed discussion on economic and social justice for Black LGBTs.

The panel included Colorlines.com Editorial Director Kai Wright, Center for American Progress' Aisha Moodie-Mills, North Carolina NAACP President Rev. William Barber and Family Equality Council's Jennifer Chrisler. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...

National LGBT Groups Issue Joint Letter on Trayvon Martin Killing

More than 20 national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights groups have issued a joint open letter on the killing of Trayvon Martin. The organizations have described the killing of the unarmed 17-year-old as a "national call to action" and urge state, local and federal authorities to find answers.

An Open Letter: Standing Alongside Trayvon Martin’s Family and Friends

The tragic killing of Trayvon Martin is a national call to action. Our hearts go out to Trayvon’s family and friends for the loss they have experienced. We stand in solidarity with them as they demand answers and justice. We represent organizations with diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender constituencies.

Many in our community have been targets of bigotry and bias. We have a great deal of experience grappling with the role bias plays in violent crimes against our communities. We well know the stories of young people targeted for violence just because of who they are: Rashawn Brazell, Lawrence King, Ali Forney, Deoni Jones, Brandon White, Matthew Shepard, Angie Zapata, Sean Kennedy and countless others.

Trayvon’s killing is a wakeup call to the enduring cancer of racism and racial profiling. The pain his family continues to endure transcends communities and unites us all. Every person, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, must be able to walk the streets without fear for their safety.

Trayvon’s killing is tragic and the stark reality that racial bias played a role in his death has alarmed our nation. Questions must be asked. Answers must be sought. And justice must be served. We join our voices to the chorus of so many others to demand that local and federal authorities find those answers. We stand in solidarity with Trayvon’s family and friends as they seek justice for his killing. In the timeless words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Signatories:

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
Equality Federation
Family Equality Council
Freedom to Marry
GLAAD
GMHC
Human Rights Campaign
Immigration Equality
International Federation of Black Prides
Lambda Legal
LGBT Progress at the Center for American Progress
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)
National Coalition for LGBT Health
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Stonewall Democrats
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
PFLAG National
Pride at Work
Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
The Trevor Project
UNID@S

REPORT: 2 Million Children with LGBT Parents Face Legal Obstacles

A new report on children raised in LGBT households has been released by the Family Equality Council, Center for American Progress, Movement Advancement Project, National Association of Social Workers and the Child Welfare League of America. "All Children Matter: How Legal and Social Inequalities Hurt LGBT Families" has been described as the "most comprehensive" analysis of the many laws and policies that impact children of same-sex parents, reports the AP.

A growing multitude of American children [are] being raised by gay and lesbian parents, often without all the legal protections afforded to mom-and-dad households. Increasingly, the welfare of these children will be a core part of gay-rights strategies, as evidenced by a comprehensive report [released] Tuesday. Compiled by an alliance of advocacy and child-welfare groups, it summarizes how laws and social stigma create distinctive challenges for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender families.

"There are myriad ways that our families are discounted by government at all levels, and children are hurt the most," said Jennifer Chrisler of the Family Equality Council, one of the three groups authoring the report.

The report estimates that about 2 million children are being raised by same-sex parents. The report builds on data released by the Census Bureau on same-sex couples, income, education and housing.

Among the obstacles faced:

—Many government safety net programs use definitions of family tied to marital status which may exclude same-sex partners.
—Because of lack of legal recognition for their unions, gay and lesbian parents can face heavier tax burdens, higher costs for health insurance, and diminished financial protections in the event of death or disability.
—When same-sex parents separate, one parent may lose custody or visitation rights, even in cases where he or she had been a child's primary caregiver.

Overshadowing all these problems is "pervasive social stigma," notes the report.

The AP notes: "The families are striking for their diversity —encompassing many low-income and minority households, and spread across about 96 percent of America's counties." New data show that same-sex couples raising children are more than likely to be Black and live in the South. These are also states that offer the least legal protections for same-sex couples and families. This was in our special for the October 2011 EBONY: "Making It Work: Black Same Sex Couples Raising Kids in the South."

Read the report HERE.

Watch a video PSA on the report AFTER THE JUMP ....