You should read this.
A study cosponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Black Justice Coalition demonstrates that African-Americans have most at stake in the same-sex marriage debate.
You can download the report itself here. Press release here, cross-posted from postqueer since non-lj-ers have reported not being able to access it there.
>>>First-Ever In-Depth Study of Black Same Sex Households In U.S
Reveals High Parenting Rates; Income Disparities
Black Couples Have Most at Stake In The Same Sex Marriage
Debate, Census Analysis Shows
"This study disproves the myth that all gay people are White,
wealthy, and have unstable relationships without children," said
Task Force Executive Director, Matt Foreman
New York, October 6, 2004 - A groundbreaking
study released today by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Policy Institute and the National Black Justice Coalition shows
that Black lesbian couples are raising children at almost the same
rate as Black married couples, and that Black same-sex couples
raise children at twice the rate of White same-sex couples. They
also earn less, are less likely to own a home, and are more
likely to hold public sector jobs. For all these reasons, Black
same-sex couples have more to gain from the legal protections of
marriage, and more to lose if states pass amendments banning
marriage and other forms of partner recognition.
The study, titled Black Same-Sex Households in the United
States: A Report from the 2000 Census, is the first to analyze the
demographics and experiences of Black same-sex households captured
by the 2000 U.S. Census, the largest random sample dataset
available on same-sex couples.
"As this landmark report makes clear, gay African-Americans are
an active, involved, vibrant, and integral part of our
communities. African-Americans make up 13% of the U.S. population. Black
same-sex couples are 14% of all same-sex couples in the U.S. We
are you," said H. Alexander Robinson, Strategic Director of the
National Black Justice Coalition.
Black Same-Sex Households in the United States analyzes Census
data on age, immigration status, language, disability, income,
employment, home ownership, residential patterns, family
structure, military service, and educational attainment for Black
same-sex households. It compares Black same-sex households to White
same-sex Households, Black married opposite-sex households,
interracial same-sex households, Black opposite-sex cohabiting
households, and Black single-parent households. The study reveals
important and sometimes startling facts, including:
-Three in five Black female same-sex households (61%) are
comprised of mothers raising children. Black lesbian couples are
raising children at nearly the same rate as Black married
opposite-sex couples (69%).
-Black same-sex couples earn about $20,000 less per year than
White same-sex couples and are less likely to own the home they
live in.
-Black same-sex couples are more likely than White gay couples
to hold public sector jobs, which may provide domestic partner
health insurance. Eight of the 11 state anti-gay marriage
amendments on the ballot on November 2 ban or threaten domestic partner
benefits provided through state and local governmental entities.
-Black same-sex couples are almost as likely as Black married
opposite-sex couples to report living in the same residence as 5
years earlier, a key indicator of relationship stability.
"These facts underscore the hypocrisy and wrong-headedness of
the Bush Administration's aggressive attempts to deprive same sex
couples equal marriage rights while touting its multi-million
dollar 'African-American Healthy Marriage Initiative' as a way to
strengthen the African American family," said Matt Foreman, the
Task Force's Executive Director. "This report clearly shows that
denying the protections that come with marriage
disproportionately hurts the ability of gay and lesbian African American couples
to save money, provide for their children, buy a house, or
prepare for retirement."
Black men and women in same-sex households are about 25% more
likely than White men and women in same-sex households to have
public sector jobs. Many municipalities and state governments now
offer domestic partnership health insurance to employees in
same-sex relationships. Because most of the anti-gay marriage
amendments currently under consideration in the U.S. go beyond banning
same-sex marriage and either ban or threaten domestic partner
health insurance, such initiatives are a disproportionate threat
to Black same-sex couples and their children.
An additional finding with important policy implications is that
Black men and women in same-sex households report serving in the
military at high rates despite the risk of losing their income
and benefits because of the ban on lesbian and gay people serving
openly. In fact, partnered Black women in same-sex households
report veteran status at nearly four times the rate of Black women
married to a man (11% vs. 3%). This finding is significant given
that Black women are discharged from the military under "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell" at rates far exceeding their representation
among servicemembers: although they make up less than one percent of
the military, they represent three percent of all discharges
under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
"Anti-gay leaders and organizations have long sought to divide
the Black and gay communities, speaking as if there are no Black
lesbian and gay people experiencing discrimination under key
family policies. In fact, this study clearly identifies a large
population of Black same-sex couples in the U.S., more than half of
whom are raising children. These families should be offered the
same protections and opportunities to benefit from state and
federal programs designed to promote family formation, stability,
home ownership, and other values that contribute to community
strength and the common good," Mr. Robinson concluded.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute is a
think tank dedicated to research, policy analysis, and strategy
development to advance greater understanding and equality for
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
The National Black Justice Coalition is an ad hoc coalition of
African-American gay and lesbian leaders committed to the
development of policies and programs that seek to end discrimination in
our communities.
Black Same-Sex Households in the United States: A Report from
the 2000 Census was written by Alain Dang and Somjen Frazer.
Census data were provided by Lopez and Cheung, Inc. The study is
available at http://www.thetaskforce.org/library.
You can download the report itself here. Press release here, cross-posted from postqueer since non-lj-ers have reported not being able to access it there.
>>>First-Ever In-Depth Study of Black Same Sex Households In U.S
Reveals High Parenting Rates; Income Disparities
Black Couples Have Most at Stake In The Same Sex Marriage
Debate, Census Analysis Shows
"This study disproves the myth that all gay people are White,
wealthy, and have unstable relationships without children," said
Task Force Executive Director, Matt Foreman
New York, October 6, 2004 - A groundbreaking
study released today by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Policy Institute and the National Black Justice Coalition shows
that Black lesbian couples are raising children at almost the same
rate as Black married couples, and that Black same-sex couples
raise children at twice the rate of White same-sex couples. They
also earn less, are less likely to own a home, and are more
likely to hold public sector jobs. For all these reasons, Black
same-sex couples have more to gain from the legal protections of
marriage, and more to lose if states pass amendments banning
marriage and other forms of partner recognition.
The study, titled Black Same-Sex Households in the United
States: A Report from the 2000 Census, is the first to analyze the
demographics and experiences of Black same-sex households captured
by the 2000 U.S. Census, the largest random sample dataset
available on same-sex couples.
"As this landmark report makes clear, gay African-Americans are
an active, involved, vibrant, and integral part of our
communities. African-Americans make up 13% of the U.S. population. Black
same-sex couples are 14% of all same-sex couples in the U.S. We
are you," said H. Alexander Robinson, Strategic Director of the
National Black Justice Coalition.
Black Same-Sex Households in the United States analyzes Census
data on age, immigration status, language, disability, income,
employment, home ownership, residential patterns, family
structure, military service, and educational attainment for Black
same-sex households. It compares Black same-sex households to White
same-sex Households, Black married opposite-sex households,
interracial same-sex households, Black opposite-sex cohabiting
households, and Black single-parent households. The study reveals
important and sometimes startling facts, including:
-Three in five Black female same-sex households (61%) are
comprised of mothers raising children. Black lesbian couples are
raising children at nearly the same rate as Black married
opposite-sex couples (69%).
-Black same-sex couples earn about $20,000 less per year than
White same-sex couples and are less likely to own the home they
live in.
-Black same-sex couples are more likely than White gay couples
to hold public sector jobs, which may provide domestic partner
health insurance. Eight of the 11 state anti-gay marriage
amendments on the ballot on November 2 ban or threaten domestic partner
benefits provided through state and local governmental entities.
-Black same-sex couples are almost as likely as Black married
opposite-sex couples to report living in the same residence as 5
years earlier, a key indicator of relationship stability.
"These facts underscore the hypocrisy and wrong-headedness of
the Bush Administration's aggressive attempts to deprive same sex
couples equal marriage rights while touting its multi-million
dollar 'African-American Healthy Marriage Initiative' as a way to
strengthen the African American family," said Matt Foreman, the
Task Force's Executive Director. "This report clearly shows that
denying the protections that come with marriage
disproportionately hurts the ability of gay and lesbian African American couples
to save money, provide for their children, buy a house, or
prepare for retirement."
Black men and women in same-sex households are about 25% more
likely than White men and women in same-sex households to have
public sector jobs. Many municipalities and state governments now
offer domestic partnership health insurance to employees in
same-sex relationships. Because most of the anti-gay marriage
amendments currently under consideration in the U.S. go beyond banning
same-sex marriage and either ban or threaten domestic partner
health insurance, such initiatives are a disproportionate threat
to Black same-sex couples and their children.
An additional finding with important policy implications is that
Black men and women in same-sex households report serving in the
military at high rates despite the risk of losing their income
and benefits because of the ban on lesbian and gay people serving
openly. In fact, partnered Black women in same-sex households
report veteran status at nearly four times the rate of Black women
married to a man (11% vs. 3%). This finding is significant given
that Black women are discharged from the military under "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell" at rates far exceeding their representation
among servicemembers: although they make up less than one percent of
the military, they represent three percent of all discharges
under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
"Anti-gay leaders and organizations have long sought to divide
the Black and gay communities, speaking as if there are no Black
lesbian and gay people experiencing discrimination under key
family policies. In fact, this study clearly identifies a large
population of Black same-sex couples in the U.S., more than half of
whom are raising children. These families should be offered the
same protections and opportunities to benefit from state and
federal programs designed to promote family formation, stability,
home ownership, and other values that contribute to community
strength and the common good," Mr. Robinson concluded.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute is a
think tank dedicated to research, policy analysis, and strategy
development to advance greater understanding and equality for
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
The National Black Justice Coalition is an ad hoc coalition of
African-American gay and lesbian leaders committed to the
development of policies and programs that seek to end discrimination in
our communities.
Black Same-Sex Households in the United States: A Report from
the 2000 Census was written by Alain Dang and Somjen Frazer.
Census data were provided by Lopez and Cheung, Inc. The study is
available at http://www.thetaskforce.org/library.