TransGriot

Canadian Air Travel Regulation Changes Concern Trans People On Both Sides Of The Border

2012-01-31T00:00:00.040-06:00

Air travel is a stressful enough situation for trans people to endure, especially when we have combinations of identity documents that may or may not match our current gender presentations for various reasons.

Mercedes Allen has a post up at her Dented Blue Mercedes blog which comments about a Canadian regulatory change in the Aeronautics Act pushed through by Harper government ministerial fiat that may affect the trans communities on both sides of our shared border.

The air travel regulation change happened July 29. It has trans Canadians concerned and has the potential to cause problems for transpeople of other nations either flying to, from or transiting Canada if they possess documents that don't reflect their gender presentation.

Sec 5.2(1)(c) of the ID screening regs of Aeronautics Act "An air carrier shall not transport a passenger if the passenger does not appear to be of the gender indicated on the identification he or she presents."

Hmm. That's problematic to say the least. What if you're from a province that will not allow you to change gender markers on your ID without surgery? There are also a few US states that will not allow you to do so either, but that is mitigated somewhat by the State Department regulations allowing us to obtain passports with a proper gender marker without surgical intervention.

The regulation's unintended (?) discriminatory consequences need to be pointed out to Transport Canada.

Another Obama Administration 'Crumb'- HUD Housing Nondiscrimination Rule To Be Enacted

2012-01-30T14:00:00.001-06:00

The rainbow fixated on gay marriage only detractors of President Obama or busy selling out to the GOP were loud about hollering 'crumbs' every time the administration made regulatory or policy changes that positively impacted this community.

Well, here's another 'crumb' they can gripe and mumble incoherently to themselves about.

The Federal Housing Administration announced today in a press release they have released the final text of HUD's new nondiscrimination rule that will prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in several HUD programs including Title VIII based public housing and FHA backed loans.

It was also announced during the just concluded Creating Change conference in Baltimore by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.

According to HUD the new nondiscrimination rule will:

Requires owners and operators of HUD-assisted housing, or housing whose financing is insured by HUD, to make housing available without regard to the sexual orientation or gender identity of an applicant for, or occupant of, the dwelling, whether renter- or owner-occupied. HUD will institute this policy in its rental assistance and homeownership programs, which include the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance programs, community development programs, and public and assisted housing programs.
Prohibits lenders from using sexual orientation or gender identity as a basis to determine a borrower’s eligibility for FHA-insured mortgage financing. FHA’s current regulations provide that a mortgage lender’s determination of the adequacy of a borrower’s income “shall be made in a uniform manner without regard to” specified prohibited grounds. The rule will add actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity to the prohibited grounds to ensure FHA-approved lenders do not deny or otherwise alter the terms of mortgages on the basis of irrelevant criteria.
Clarifies that all otherwise eligible families, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity, will have the opportunity to participate in HUD programs. In the majority of HUD’s rental and homeownership programs the term “family” already has a broad scope, and includes a single person and families with or without children. HUD’s rule clarifies that otherwise eligible families may not be excluded because one or more members of the family may be an LGBT individual, have an LGBT relationship, or be perceived to be such an individual or in such relationship.
Prohibits owners and operators of HUD-assisted housing or housing insured by HUD from asking about an applicant or occupant’s sexual orientation and gender identity for the purpose of determining eligibility or otherwise making housing available. In response to comments on the proposed rule, HUD has clarified this final rule to state that this provision does not prohibit voluntary and anonymous reporting of sexual orientation or gender identity pursuant to state, local, or federal data collection requirements.

The rule will be published in the Federal Register and will take effect 30 days after its publication.

The Muppets Strike Back At Fox Noise

2012-01-30T12:00:00.000-06:00

Remember the ridiculous assertion that Faux Business news commentator Eric Bolling made that the Muppets were 'communist', 'anti Big Oil' and 'brainwashing kids against capitalism' last month?

Well, the Muppets have struck back.

And naw, it isn't brainwashing kids to let them know that the almighty business sector at times will stoop to cheating, theft, crony capitalism and unethical behavior in the name of making profits.

2012 Team USA Women's Olympic Soccer Watch- Clean Sheet To Title

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

The highly anticipated showdown between the USA and Canada for the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament championship last night had a disappointing result for much of the record pro-Canadian sellout crowd of 25,427 at BC Place Stadium.

It was another dominating day at the office for Team USA, another USA win on Canadian soil and their third straight CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament title with the 4-0 win.

It didn't take Team USA long to get on the scoreboard as Alex Morgan scored her first goal of the evening only four minutes into the first half. Abby Wambach followed it up with a pair of goals in the 24th and 28th minutes to propel the FIFA number one ranked squad to a comfortable 3-0 halftime lead. Morgan contributed another goal in the 56th minute as the USA kept up the pressure on their northern neighbors all night.

The win allowed the USA to complete this CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament without giving up a goal while blistering opposing nets 38 times in five matches. It also increased their record to 5-0-1 in matches played against Canada on their side of the border.

Shoot, save some of that firepower for London.

Can't wait until the chase for the Olympic threepeat starts in July..

Transphobic Actions At A Tennessee A'Gaci?

2012-01-30T01:00:00.006-06:00

One of the things I was concerned about when the bigot eruptions started happening at the governmental level in Tennessee last year is that the legislative bigotry they were peddling would filter down to the unwashed masses in the rest of the state.

I had good reasons to be concerned in light of some highly publicized Volunteer State incidents such as transwoman Forresta Bee being publicly disrespected at a Nashville radio station party at LP Field to another transwoman being arrested after a protest at a Tennessee drivers license facility to a state legislator trying to pass an unjust transphobic bathoom bill.

The reactions to the overt and covert hatred peddled by Republican politicians has been heard loud and clear in the Volunteer State, and now in the wake of the increasing transphobia I received this e-mail from an African-American transwoman living in the state.

She recounted a less than pleasant experience she and a gay friend endured recently at the A'Gaci location at the Stones River Mall in Murfreesboro, TN.

***

My name is Paris Pinkerton andI’m 22 year old transgender woman who lives in Middle Tennessee. Last Saturday (January 21),a friend and I went shopping at the Stones River Mall. We ended up experiencingdiscrimination in A’Gaci that day, which is a department store that’s locatedinside of the mall.

Once we arrived at the Stones River Mall, we both wentinside A’Gaci and started shopping. I found a few items that I wanted tobuy so I walked to the cash register to pay for the items I had selected. Myfriend was standing right beside me while I was at the register, and I keptnoticing that one of the cashier’s had a look of disgust on her face. She wastelling me how cute my purchases were, but she kept eying my friend who is aflamboyant gay male.

After Imade my purchases, I put on the items inside of the store and walked out withmy friend. We shopped in the mall for a couple of hours until we got tired and decided to leave, and proceeded to exit the mall through A’Gaci.

I saw a childhood friend while I was exiting the store and westarted talking. My childhood friend was actually working at the cash registerinside of A’Gaci during that time, and I noticed that her manager (Alicia) waslooking at me while standing next to a security guard. After our conversationwas over, her manager (Alicia) called my friend and I over to where she wasstanding. That’s when the security guard informed me that we were banned fromthe store. I asked why and the manager refused to give me an answer, and justkept insisting that we leave.

Notlong after that, the security guard left and I asked the manager if I couldspeak to her manager. She informed me that the store manager was not there, andthat’s when I asked her why I was being banned from her store. This time,she told me that there was a misunderstanding. I told her that I thought shewas discriminating against me, because of the fact that I’m an African-Americantransgender woman. However, she denied that was discrimination and that Iwasn’t banned. I was still upset at how she approached me so disrespectfully,that I demanded to speak to the store manager (Amy). She informed me that shewouldn’t be in until Monday, and that I could talk to her then. I called themanager (Alicia) back, because I forgot to ask for the store manager’s (Amy)name. She told me that her name was Amy, and that she had spoken to after myfriend and I had left. She also went on to tell me that they had both made thedecision to go ahead and ban us from the store.

The following week, I called the A’Gaci store manager(Amy) and explained what happened to her. She pulled the report, and told methat I was banned because I caused a scene by accusing her manager ofdiscrimination. She started being rude and getting loud whenever I told herthat I did not cause a scene in the store. I let her know that her manager andthe mall security singled my friend and I out by humiliating us in front ofeveryone, and that I was just taking up for myself. She went on to say thatthey have the right to ban whoever they want, and that she stands by hermanager’s (Alicia) decision. That’s when I asked for corporates number, whichshe did give to me.

Shortly after my discussion with the store manager (Amy),I called corporate and was directed to the A’Gaci district manager. I explainedwhat had transpired, and that I was a paying customer, as well as an awardscard member in her store. That’s when she told me her team had handled thesituation incorrectly, and that she was sorry. She went on to say that shedidn’t want to lose me as a customer, however I informed her that I wouldn’tshop at a store that allowed their employee’s to openly discriminate againstwhile still remaining hired. She told me that she was not able to fire themanager that had discriminated against me, but she could train her employee’show to handle situations better. I told her that I didn’t think that wasenough, and she told me that loss prevention would be contacting me later inthe week to discuss the matter.
The week has already passed,and I have still have not heard from the A’Gaci district manager or lossprevention. With that being said, I know that my rights were violated in A’Gacithat day and it’s sad that I still have not received a concrete reason why I wasbanned from the store.

I think that everyone should boycott A’Gaci, becausethey allow their employees to openly discriminate against customers who are part of the LGBT community!

***

For those of you who wonder why I go ballistic when I hear some transpeople ignorantly assert that we don't need public accommodations language in any trans human rights legislation, situations like these are the reason why.

But back to this post. Ms. Pinkerton has a point. Why is she being banned from a store for simply doing what anyone else would have done in her situation? Wouldn't you if you felt you were being disrespected and discriminated against not only be pissed about it, but demand answers as to why as a loyal customer of the store was being treated that way?

I suspect she's correct in presuming by the A'gaci management actions she is being unfairly treated, and there may be a strong undercurrent of homophobia and transphobia undergirding why this is happening to her and her shopping companion.

It's a things that make you go hmm question that Paris, the Tennessee TBLG community and all inquiring justice seeking minds deserve a straight (pardon the pun) answer to.

At the least, Ms. Pinkerton and her companion deserve an apology.

2012 Team USA Women's Olympic Soccer Watch- USA vs Canada Final

2012-01-29T12:00:00.000-06:00

The only thing that was settled on Friday night were which two teams were going to represent CONCACAF in the upcoming Olympic women's soccer tournament. There's still a little matter of determining who will win this 2012 Olympic Qualifying tournament

As the experts and fans predicted before it started, the final will be contested between the FIFA world number one ranked USA squad and the FIFA world number seven ranked homegirls from Canada.

They faced each other in the 2008 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying finals and it took a penalty kick shootout to decide it. They also faced each other in the Beijing Olympic quarterfinals with the USDA emerging victorious in that instance and know that they will probably see each other again in London.

It's probably going to be just as tight in this one. Team USA scored 34 goals in this tournament while Canada only gave up two while scoring 16. Nine of them were courtesy of the tournament's leading scorer in Christine Sinclair.

Who said they didn't have anything to play for? Team USA has never lost a match on Canadian soil, has played Canada five times north of the border and is 4-0-1.

The fun will be televised on NBC Sports Network starting at 7 PM CST and looking forward to an exciting a closely contested game.

GOProud Stuck On Self-Hating Stupid

2012-01-29T00:00:00.004-06:00

Saw this from Wonder Man and had to shake my head at the delusionally colossal stupidity that oozes out of this press release from GOProud, the organization of gay conservafools that used to have Andrew Breitbart on its board of directors.

The press release has this line in it amongst others that had me doubling over in laughter

“After last night’s Republican debate one thing is clear: any one of the four remaining GOP Presidential candidates would be a dramatic improvement over the failed Presidency of Barack Obama. All Americans, gay and straight, are living in the disastrous Obama economy.

Oh really, GOProud? President Obama and his policies are the reason this country isn't in a second Great Depression that the disastrous fiscal and tax policies of the previous Republican occupant of the Oval Office set in motion
.
Failed presidency? I don't think so. You have him confused with your boy George Walker Bush..

You sellouts are trying to say with a straight (pun intended) face that Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum, who all have anti-gay platforms would be better for the rainbow community than the POTUS who has delivered and then some for this community while facing vehement opposition from your conservafriends?

President Obama damned sure has been the best president ever on trans issues and is undeniably the most gay friendly one that has ever sat in the Oval Office.

GOProud, keep thinking your wallets are more important than your human rights and kissing up to the people who oppress and disrespect you.

It's what your organization does best and you're too stuck on self-hating stupid to see it..

Moni's Coming To Arizona

2012-01-28T20:00:00.002-06:00

The University of Arizona that is.

I've been invited to speak there on February 28 from 7-9 PM MST with the title of the discussion being TransGriot: Blogging at the Intersection of Race and Gender

It'll be at the Gallagher Theatre at the UA Student Union and is sponsored by ASUA Pride Alliance, the Women's Resource Center, and African American Student Affairs as part of their Black History Month.activities

I'm honored you gave me this opportunity, you know I'm looking forward to it, and I'll have a lot to talk about when I arrive.

I'm also looking forward to continuing a tradition I started when I began doing speaking engagements and add another collegiate coffee mug to my collection. At any college campus I'm invited to speak on, I make sure I get a university coffee mug from it..

Get to add a University of Arizona one to my collection.

As those of you who regularly read this blog know, in many ways African American transpeople were (and still are) key players in shaping the trans human rights push, were pioneering leaders, and even broke ground in some cases. I get to have fun not only discussing that, but my six years chronicling those intersections of race and gender at TransGriot and helping facilitate discussions about them.

Hope to see, meet and greet many of you UA students and Tucson area peeps there who read TransGriot, and I'll provide you with more details about the event as it draws closer.

Trans Themed Commercials IV

2012-01-28T12:00:00.003-06:00

As I find them on YouTube, I'll continue to post trans themed commercials on TransGriot from around the world and especially the uplifting ones when I run across them.

Thai Wacoal bra ad with Thai trans women models

Israeli commercial

White House Hosting TBLG Conferences Across US

2012-01-28T10:15:00.002-06:00

In case there were any doubts among trans and SGL people in our ranks that the Obama Administration is the most rainbow community friendly one in US history, the White House announced yesterday that it was embarking on a series of conferences across the country from February to June 2012.

The stated purpose according to a press release is so that the public can “hear directly” from the administration on efforts “to ensure health, well-being, security, justice, and equality for LGBT Americans.”.

The first according to a Washington Blade report is slated for Philadelphia on February 16 in conjunction with the White House LGBT Conference on Health being held there.

The events are a collaboration between the White House Office of Public Engagement and other offices and agencies and will cover topics such as housing and homelessness, safe schools and communities as well as HIV/AIDS prevention

The White House will make more details public about the TBLG conferences as this evolves and other conference locations and dates are confirmed.

2012 Team USA Women's Olympic Soccer Watch- We're Going To London

2012-01-28T01:00:00.002-06:00

It was a London or bust game contested against with a team they had never lost to.

In this critical semifinal CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying match with a scrappy Costa Rica the two time defending Olympic champions had to work for their 3-0 win.

They were clinging to a 1-0 halftime lead courtesy of a Tobin Heath goal in the 16th minute and the Ticas had two solid scoring chances to tie the game in the 20th minute and the 27th minute. One was saved by Hope Solo while the other clanged off the crossbar.

Costa Rica kept up the pressure in the second half and American fans in BC Place didn't get a chance to exhale until Carli Lloyd scored in the 72nd minute and Alex Morgan did so in the 89th minute to clinch their spot in London.

They'll meet Canada in the tournament final who clinched their spot in the Olympics with a 3-1 victory over Mexico in the other semifinal. .

Shut Up Fool Awards- Creating Change 2012 Edition

2012-01-27T12:00:00.050-06:00

The National Gay and lesbian Task Force hosts an annual National Conference on LGBT Equality that's better known in rainbow activist circles as Creating Change.

the 2012 edition of the event started on the 25th and runs through this weekend in Baltimore, MD.

One of the keynote speakers for it is NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous.

That keynote speech happened last night and I hope you peeps who are there in Charm City for Creating Change have a wonderful time, get your learn on, get reacquainted with old friends, make new ones and are fired up and ready to push for rainbow community human rights when you're done.

I'll just have to hook up with y'all at a later rainbow community conference or event.

Now to move on to my usual Friday TransGriot business of calling out the fool, fool or group of fools that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the only change they were creating was of the negative variety.

This week's SUF nominees were Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, John Aravosis, Ron Paul, Sen Rand Paul (R-KY), John Boehner (R-OH), Eric Cantor (R-VA), Orly Taitz, a group award for Fox Noise and GOProud and Tim Scott (R-SC)

This week's winner is racist Arizona governor Jan Brewer (R)

She made an azz out of herself with her finger wagging display of disrespect aimed at the POTUS, and now she's been caught in the racist lie she weaved claiming the POTUS was 'thin skinned' and 'angry' about her book .

A book which BTW was languishing in sales purgatory until this conveniently staged photo-op.

She also claiming now she 'felt a little bit threatened by him' Yeah, right. What next Jan? You gonna start crying 'white women's tears' all over the Conservasphere and in the media?

Jan Brewer, shut up fool!

2012 Team USA Women's Olympic Soccer Watch- London Or Bust

2012-01-27T05:00:00.005-06:00

It really doesn't matter that so far the FIFA world number ranked Team USA won its group in dominating fashion, outscored its opponents 31-0, have never lost a match in a domed stadium, on Canadian soil or is 7-0-0 against Costa Rica.

All that matters is that 7 PM CST semifinal match they are playing in a few hours against Group A runner up Costa Rica.

It's simple. Win the match and you're going to London. Lose and like the FIFA number 2 ranked Germans you'll be watching the Olympic women's tournament go on without you in a few months.

In Team USA's case their chance to threepeat as Olympic champions dies with an upset loss.

No pressure.   But as ESPN's NFL analyst Herman Edwards famously said, that why you play the games. And when you do, the unthinkable can happen like the Ticas catching the USA on a bad day, beating them and going to the Olympics at our expense.

They already had that nightmare scenario play our during FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying two years ago when Mexico upset them in the semifinals. They still had a chance to qualify via the two leg playoff against Italy and did so.

In this Olympic tournament scenario there is no last ditch chance to qualify. It's either win tonight or you'll be sitting at home this July.

In the other pressure packed semifinal matchup host nation and FIFA seventh ranked Canada takes on Mexico for the other CONCACAF Olympic berth.

Team USA is determined to make sure the upset for the ages doesn't happen and they end that semifinal match in Vancouver with a win and one of the two CONCACAF Olympic berths in their possession.

We'll see what transpires on the BC Place Stadium turf in a few hours.

.

NAACP President Ben Jealous' Creating Change Keynote Speech

2012-01-27T00:00:00.001-06:00

The 2012 edition of Creating Change kicked off on the 25th. Since Creating Change is happening in Baltimore this year, the headquarters city of the NAACP, last night NAACP President and CEO Benjamin T. Jealous was on hand to give the keynote speech for Friday's evening plenary session.

If and when I find a transcript of it or a full video for his plenary speech, I'll post it to the blog.

More Conservafool Disrespect Of The POTUS

2012-01-26T12:30:00.002-06:00

Yeah, I'm waiting to see what the latest excuses are going to be from all the wingers about this incident with Arizona's Jan Brewer (R) disrespecting President Obama by sticking her finger in his face.

She's lucky there's an election in November. The POTUS knows the GOP with their 'Great White Hope' strategy is desperately trying to do anything to trigger him and create any incident or scandal they can exploit all the way to November 6.

As for her weak azz excuse trying to justify it?    He's 'thin skinned'? Seriously? Seems like to only thin skinned person on the tarmac yesterday was Janice Kay Brewer. .

African-American voters are really tired of right-wing racist disrespect of this president. We know this president has been subjected to unprecedented levels of disrespect from the left and right in addition to death threats and at least two attempted assassinations already going back to the when he became the Democratic nominee for president.

We plan on getting even by sticking our fingers in the face of the GOP this November.   It'll be the extended middle one, right after we do our part in casting enough votes to get him reelected to office and give him a Congress he can work with at the same time.

Rev. Al And Joe Madison Debunking Newt

2012-01-26T01:15:00.000-06:00

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