Ask most people what the biggest issue facing African-American gays and lesbians is, and they might answer, "Marriage equality" (after all, it's always in the headlines). Wrong, according to the Center for American Progress. The organization has released a report, "Jumping Beyond the Broom: Why Black LGBT Need More Than Marriage," that puts the focus on a range of more urgent policy issues.
The release coincides with the launch of the center's Fighting Injustice to Reach Equality Initiative, which works to eliminate the social, health and economic disparities that gay and transgender people of color face.
According to recent data cited in 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 LGBT youths are more likely to end up homeless and living on the streets.
To be clear, it's not that marriage equality isn't important, but these statistics suggest that some of the high-profile gay-policy priorities that have garnered the most attention and advocacy might be distracting from other serious concerns.
Read more at the Center for American Progress.