Continuing the conversation on President Obama’s LGBT Rights Broken Campaign Promises, yesterday Melissa Harris-Perry invited Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality, writer and activist Kate Bornstein, and NYC Council candidate Mel Wyman to discuss the Miss Universe transgender contestant issue, Chaz Bono, and Amanda Simpson, along with the question, “What is it with this issue of needing to label people?”

Wyman said “labels fractionalize us and limit us,” and looked forward to “the next level, really talking about human rights, beyond the labels, bringing us together on a much broader scale.”

Keisling reminded us that “transgender people are just normal people in most ways, but nature loves diversity.”

Harris-Perry brought up frightening stats on transgender homelessness, housing discrimination, and  school harassment and discrimination, physical assault, and job loss.

Keisling brought up the fact that 41% of trans people, according to a study, have attempted suicide, and stated, “our political fight is really a fight for people’s lives.”

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Tagged as: Amanda Simpson, bono, chaz, chaz bono, explores, gender, in america, kate bornstein, lgbt, mara keisling, mel, mel wyman, melissa, melissa harris, melissa harris perry, miss universe, national center for transgender equality, perry, social issues, Transgender, wyman

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