Melissa Harris-Perry Brings Transgender Issues to MSNBC

Melissa Harris-Perry, one of the newest additions to the MSNBC lineup, did something pretty groundbreaking by dedicating a good portion of last Sunday's show to trans issues. Guests included author Kate Bornstein, Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality, and NYC's first openly trans candidate for city council, Mel Wymore. Breaking down the discussion, the Advocate' s Julie Bolcer says :

"In a wide-ranging and substantive conversation, the panelists talked about the pervasive discrimination and violence faced by transgender individuals in the United States. According to a study released last year by NCTE and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, some 90% of transgender respondents had experienced harassment at work, 19% had contended with homelessness, and 41% had attempted suicide, more than twice the percentage among people diagnosed with chronic depression."

 You can watch the whole segment here .

Harris-Perry's show is always well worth getting up early on a Sunday for, but this one even more so when you consider that trans issues don't have much visibility outside LGBT press, and even then they are pushed to the margins.