On Sunday, MSNBC Host Melissa Harris-Perry dedicated more than half of her show to discussing the everyday challenges LGBT Americans face when trying to participate fully in their communities. Perry, who hosts the self-titled Sunday morning political-talk show, interviewed author Kate Bornstein, Mara Keisling, executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality, and Mel Wymore, a candidate for the New York City Council to talk about gender identity and expression as well as the need for greater understanding acceptance and awareness about transgender people.

 “Transgender people are just ordinary people in most ways. We are just real people who need to work, need to raise our children, need to go to school, need to be in Miss Universe Pageants,” said Keisling.

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Harris-Perry also mentioned the tragic story of CeCe McDonald, a transgender woman who is currently incarcerated for killing a man while trying to defend herself from him an a group of attackers.

Later in the show, Harris-Perry invited Kai Wright, editorial director of Colorlines.com, to join the panel to discuss President Barack Obama’s “evolution” on LGBT issues, including the administration’s decision not to issue an executive order on non-discrimination for federal contractors to the new rules that prohibit any organization receiving federal HUD dollars from discriminating against tenants based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

GLAAD applauds Melissa Harris-Perry for raising visibility about the continued discrimination LGBT people face and urges the media to continue to shine light on the stories that reflect the true diversity of our country. 

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