TransGriot Tour Of Houston TBLG Friendly Churches Continues

One of the things I get a little sick of in the trans and SGL community is people blanket bashing churches. 

While some of them like Grace KKKomunity Church and Second Baptist deserve derision and our community's contempt for their ongoing Bible bashing, do not forget there are not only liberal progressive churches in Houston, but churches that have no problems opening their doors wide to our community, and liberal progressive ministers who see the trans human rights struggle as the next human rights one and want to be on the correct side of history..

And do not forget many of those liberal progressive ministers stood with us during the HERO fight a few months ago and still are.

What I decided to do was to check out the various churches in Houston that are LGBT friendly and check our their services, worship styles, et cetera so that I have some real world knowledge of which ones to recommend to people and newly out people who are looking for a church home.

I checked out Progressive Open Door Community Church (AKA the POD) last weekend for their inaugural  Transgender Outreach service.   This weekend since I now live right down the street from it, I'll be checking out Resurrection MCC's 11 AM service. 

And yes Pastor Lura, I'll be hitting Grace Lutheran Church in the Montrose area before 2014 is history.

If you local TransGriot readers are aware of trans or SGL friendly churches you think I should hit, drop their name, address and time they have their services so I can check them out

As for you peeps at Resurrection MCC, see y'all in a few hours.

Can Y'all Stop Hatin' On Trans Women For The 2014 Holiday Season?

I wrote posts in 2009, 2011 and 2013 asking this question, and in light of the fact we're getting ready to start another holiday season, just thought I'd ask the question one more time.

Can y'all stop hatin' on trans women for the holidays?

I know the TERF's are incapable of doing it because it's programmed into their intolerant of trans women DNA, so no point in even directing this question at them.  

But for the rest of the planet that is capable of love and compassion for their fellow human beings, can y'all refrain for one month from killing or injuring my trans sisters or at the very least, making disparaging transphobic remarks?

For the 2014 holiday season, I would like for not one transperson anywhere in the world to be killed or injured.

For the 2014 holiday season I'd like to not have to read or hear about hate speech or misgendering comments about us coming from friends, frenemies and foes

For the 2014 holiday season, I'd like to not have to see any anti-trans comments from religious leaders.
 
For the 2014 holiday season I'd like to not see a positive story about us on the Net have a comment thread attached to it with an avalanche of hateful, ignorant and transphobic comments.

And as a holiday gift to us, for the 2014 holiday season, can we trans women around the world simply be able to live our daily lives without drama?

Yeah, it's wishful thinking, but I'm going to at least say it so it has a fighting chance of actually happening.

Why You Haven't Seen As Much Writing On The Blog Lately

One of the things about a move in addition to getting familiar with a brand new neighborhood, is also having to reestablish everything that was disrupted prior to you moving.

While I'm getting adjusted to my new Heights area digs and gradually learning where everything I need is located, one thing that got disrupted was my writing schedule.

I'm still working to reestablish regular internet access after discovering to my horror that I have little to no wifi access in much of my apartment.   I have to sit on the porch of my landlord's home to get a solid connection, and with the weather being unseasonably cold the first week I was living here, that limited my writing to taking a ride to the downtown public library location and waiting to get access to the public computers one hour at a time.

I have a wireless router that was given to me as a backup that would solve much of my problem, but have to get the account for the router transferred to moi so I can take over paying for it

There are times when I come up with something in the middle of the night, and instead of typing it out immediately and having it up for you to read in the morning, I now have to jot it down on a notepad and transcribe it..  

That can be problematic on windy days..  

So anyway TransGriot readers, I thank you for your patience while I work hard to solve the access problem.  I want to get back to doing what I love in terms of cranking out quality posts and news about the trans community for your perusal just as much as y'all like hearing what I have to say..

Shut Up Fool Awards-Post Turkey Day 2014 Edition

It's the day after Turkey Day, and some of you are probably at the nearest mall grabbing up stuff on sale or are resting because you had way too much to eat and drink yesterday.

But as you know, it's Friday, and it's time to call out this week's fool, fools or group of fools, that made themselves look like turkeys for Thanksgiving with their ignorance and stupidity for the whole world to see.

So let's get busy!

The special Jive Turkey 2014 Award goes to every retailer who forced their employees to come in for work yesterday just to get a jump on the holiday buying season..   

Honorable mention number one is Rep. Peter King (R-NY) ,who parted his lips to suggest that President Obama invite child killing Ferguson cop Darren Wilson to the White House.

I''d need a new post to point out how stupid and clueless he sounds for even suggesting that.

Honorable mention number two is Texas state Rep Dan Flynn (R) who has filed an unconstitutional bill to create a 'Joint Legislative Committee On Nullification'

Um dude, you lost the Civil War.  Get over it.   But this is the crazy you unleashed when those of you who didn't vote and were able to chose not to do so.

Honorable mention number three is incoming Texas state Rep Molly White (R) who had two abortions,but is hypocritically going to push in this upcoming session to restrict other Texas women's access to the procedures she's had.

Honorable mention number four is soon to be ex-Ferguson killer cop Darren Wilson for a too long list of stupid comments.

Honorable mention number five is every fool who trampled or fought with someone during the after Thanksgiving sales.   It ain't that serious people.

Honorable mention number six is Julius Hatfield, the Southeast Bullitt County fire chief in Bullitt County, KY just south of Louisville.   Bullitt County is where many of the bigots ran when Louisville got 'too ethnic' for them    He was recorded by a Bullitt County sheriff's deputy's body camera after an accident on I-65 in September that involved a white motorist and a Black family from Ohio as saying 'We ain't taking no n*****s".

His department is under investigation for misappropriation of funds by the  state of Kentucky, so he may get what's coming to him anyway.


This week's Shut Up Fool Award is to St Louis County DA Bob McCullouch for not doing his job in indicting Darren Wilson, and then blaming everyone except the person in the mirror during his Monday press conference for his doing everything possible so that a Wilson indictment for the murder by po-po  of Mike Brown wouldn't happen.

Your actions in this case are why African-Americans continue to have little faith in the criminal justice system, especially on cases like this.

It's also why Ferguson experienced more rioting within hours after your announcement of the non-indictment

Just shut up racist fool and refrain from even saying anything else again about this case.

Happy Thanksgiving 2014!

Happy Thanksgiving Day TransGriot readers!

Turkey Day 2014 has turned out to be a little different than I expected it to be.   In addition to now living in a new place, I moved into it just last Monday.  

I'm also now looking at the stress inducing prospect of having to break bread with the two transphobic relatives who caused the drama in the first place.

Well, I'm planning on breaking bread elsewhere on Turkey Day because the crap they put me through is still too raw emotionally for me to be able to sit across the table from them. 

But for those of you in non-stressful family situations, be it with chosen or blood family, hope you are having a wonderful holiday full of good grub while surrounded by good people. 

Despite how it happened, I am thankful today for the roof over my head and the local, national and international help that made it a reality.  I'm thankful for relatively good health, my friends and supportive family, and all those people that I've met during this amazing year.

Happy Thanksgiving people!

TransGriot 2014 NFL Picks Week 13

Today is Thanksgiving Day and the start of Turkey Day weekend for those of us in the USA.

You TransGriot Canadian readers got your Turkey Day grub on last month.

So we get to do so by eating mass quantities of food and checking out NFL football on the television.       

Well, if I had a TV, I would.  But that's another story.   One of the drawbacks of moving just before a holiday.   But then again I'll be able to get one on sale Friday.

And it's probably a good thing I didn't have a TV last Sunday, otherwise I may have thrown stuff at it in reaction to another frustrating Texans loss.

Anyway, had another amazing week of picking NFL games, but definitely didn't see Oakland finally winning one against all peeps, the Kansas City Chiefs.    But unfortunately Mike had an even better 13-2 one than my 11-4  and I'm running out of time to catch him.

Well, Week 13 is now here and everybody's playing games for the rest of the season.   16 games to pick, mine's will be in underlined bold print.   

Week 12 Results

TransGriot    11-4
Eli                 8-7
Mike             13-2

2014 NFL Season Record

TransGriot     112-63-1
Eli                   107-68-1
Mike              121-54-1

NFL Week 13

Thanksgiving Day Games
Detroit  over Chicago
Philadelphia over Dallas
Seattle over San Francisco

Sunday Early Games
Indianapolis over Washington
Houston over Tennessee
Cleveland over Buffalo
San Diego over Baltimore
NY Giants over Jacksonville
Cincinnati over Tampa Bay
St Louis over Oakland
Pittsburgh over New Orleans
Carolina over Minnesota

Sunday Afternoon Games
Arizona over Atlanta
New England over Green Bay

Sunday Night Game
Denver over Kansas City

Monday Night Game
Miami over NY Jets

All They Needed To Do To Keep Ferguson From Burning...

Was indict Darren Wilson.

But because whiteness and white supremacy was at work in this whole sorry affair, they didn't, and now you have another series of protests and riots breaking out in the city of Ferguson and elsewhere around the country

But it was clear that the fix was in when a biased prosecutor with a history of not  indicting police officers involved in shooting of civilians did everything possible to ensure that justice was not done in this case.  

And meanwhile, another African-American family is burying their son who was taken away from them by a racist cop, and then have to watch as FOX Noise and the rest of the media demonize their child.   And you wonder why I and a lot of other African-Americans today are singing along to NWA's lyrics today.

Yes, the POTUS has spoken and appealed for dialogue.   The Department of Justice is now investigating.  But we're tired of talking about our kids dying at the hands of white po-po's, and seeing vigilantes and those offices walking the streets with shyt-eating grins on their faces after they get acquitted by grand juries or juries more inclined to nullify than indict and punish their fellow white peeps.  .

Yeah right, the justice system worked.   But tell that BS to the parent who lost their child at your hands and you show absolutely no remorse for it. 

As Dr, King once said, "A riot is the language of the unheard."  Can you hear us now?

There have been protests in other cities including Houston over the non-indictment, but what we need to happen right now is the police departments of this country to stop treating African-Americans as live fire targets, and stop hiring bigots and giving them badges to patrol our neighborhoods.

First Annual Transgender Outreach Service At The POD

The Progressive Open Door Christian Center during this TDOR 2014  season has really stepped up under the leadership of Deaconess Dee Dee Watters its advocacy for the trans community of Houston.

Dee Dee was one of the peeps that helped push for the passage of the HERO, and the POD and Pastor Freedom Gulley was one of the progressive congregations and ministers speaking in favor of the passage of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance.

In addition to hosting a well attended Wednesday TDOR service for the second consecutive year, it also hosted  it's first annual Transgender Outreach Service that featured the Rev. Carmarion Anderson and Rev. Raymond Walker III.

I was happy to be there in attendance for yesterday's  service along with other members of the local trans community and our allies, and hope it grows next year.

In addition, at this Transgender Outreach Service that featured the trans reverends speaking and the trans deacon and deaconess of the POD, a resolution  was read at the service that not only declared the POD as a safe worship space for the Houston trans community, they committed their church to being an inclusive and outspoken advocate for the Houston trans community and the trans human rights movement and deplored the acts of anti-trans violence aimed at us.. 

It also committed the POD to having this trans outreach service every year at this time.  I will post the language to the declaration when I receive it so you can do the same for your faith community.

But it is nice to know that at least one Black church in the Houston metro area has stepped up to say boldly that trans people are children of God who are part of our kente cloth community.

The POD in its message of radical inclusiveness is also boldly proclaiming they will have no problem saying it to their fellow Christians who seriously need to hear that message.

Because like many of us in the Houston trans community, I'm tired of the current status quo of either trans hate speech or silence from the pulpit on trans human rights issues that far too many congregations get from their pastors these days.

Houston Trans Woman Attacked, And I'm Pissed About It

Because of the anti-trans hate speech coming from the kneegrow hate ministers of the Baptist Minsters Association of Houston and Vicinity in relation to the HERO passage battle, and it being greeted with silence from other local Black ministers and Black media outlets not called TransGriot, I was beginning to wonder when it would result in Houston area transpeople being attacked or God forbid, killed because of it.

Unfortunately, I got my answer Thursday.

According to an About magazine article, a  gang of seven people attacked Thailand Warr, who is also known as the popular Houston based female illusionist DeyJzah Opulent Mirage,  in the lobby of her Southwest Houston high-rise condo complex as she was preparing to get into a waiting cab for a performance at the Houston Improv.

She was confronted by a group of five Black men and two Black women, all in their late teens to early twenties, who she said smelled of marijuana.   She sustained injuries to her head, upper body and breasts, along with scratches across her chest when they tried to expose her breasts.

I'm attempting to get in contact with Ms. Warr and find out how she's doing along with the rest of the Houston area TBLG community.  If there are any efforts organized that need some additional love from y'all locally and nationall, I'll let you know ASAP.

But right now I'm going to focus the rest of this post on the kneegrow ministers that have been priming the pump for anti-trans violence to erupt with their hate speech as many Houston Black church leaders, our leading organizations like the local NAACP and Urban League, and media outlets like KCOH-AM and KMJQ-FM among others say nothing to condemn the sellout pastors..

Well, if y''all won't say anything, Moni will.

I and the Houston Black transgender community, in a year in which we lost 11 trans people of color in the USA, and with ten of them being African-American, are beyond sick and tired of the cricket chirping silence coming from the Houston Black church about these murders and assaults on trans people when y'all always have a fracking opinion about other crap as demonstrated in the HERO battle you know nothing about

And the fact this attack happened to Ms Warr on November 20, the day we memorialize our lost sisters, wasn't lost on me or anyone else in the trans community and our allies.

What angers me still further is because of your hatred, (yes, hatred) of transgender, gay and lesbian individuals, you real life Uncle Ruckuses have entered into an unholy alliance with Dave Welch and his conservative Republican friends to attempt to kill a much needed human rights ordinance we have NEVER had for our city. 

The attack on Ms Warr is a prime example of exactly why we need the HERO to be implemented without further delay.

And I have nothing but contempt for you for doing so and allowing yourselves to be the useful fools fronting this effort to kill HERO.

Thailand Warr is one of the few anti-trans assaults we are aware of.   How many more have transpired since you started your rhetorical attack on the Houston trans community that we are not privy to and the victims have declined to report them?

Yes, I'm grateful that Ms Warr survived the attack and I pray for her speedy recovery.  I hope the ignorant wastes of DNA who did this face justice.  But I blame the Baptist Ministers Assn. of Houston and Vicinity for sowing the anti-trans seeds at the behest of their massas in the white conservative led Pastor's Council that have now borne poisonous fruit in Ms Warr's life.

The next trans person that gets attacked by a gang of people inside Beltway 8 may not be so fortunate.

Where you at Houston Black church?    Where are your voices of condemnation for this attack Houston NAACP and Houston Urban League for starters?   Where are you Houston Black Area Democrats?  

And where are you Majic 102 and KCOH-AM?   Both of your stations can provide platforms for the sellout ministers and HERO opponents to speak and demonize the Houston African-American trans community, but you can't (or won't) provide a platform for us to rebut the scurrilous and demonstrably false charges aimed at us?

I' eagerly await the answers to those questions along with our allies

Reclaiming My Inner Diva Again

Yesterday afternoon I was waiting from my bus downtown to take me back to my new crib in the Heights.   

One of the things I have been battling in addition to my transphobic aunt and uncle is the misgendering I endured while I was there for the last four years. 

It had a much deeper effect on me that I expected    I'd stopped getting my nails done (and some of that was for fiscal reasons) and was having more of those unpretty episodes than I cared to admit.

Lately I wasn't feeling like the fly Black woman of trans experience  I've been evolving into for the last 20 years, and that was bothering me as well.

While I was waiting for the bus, I noted this fly sister with a cinnamon brown skin tone strutting north up Travis St in her nice dress, black patent pumps with bare legs, and perfect makeup and nails.

I'm always on the lookout for sistahs who got it going on in terms of their feminine presentation to see what lessons I can learn and implement in my own routine.  While checking her out noticed that she had the white uneven skin patches around her feet and the back parts of her shapely legs of vitiligo.

She held her head high and kept strutting up that sidewalk as if she was the finest thing walking in Downtown Houston that particular moment, and frankly, girlfriend had curves to go with it. 

She did teach me a lesson that I took home that afternoon   Some of us trans women get so beat down with all the negativity we experience, it sometimes causes us to question our hard won femininity and try to tone it down to please others. 

The only person I have to please is myself.    Now that I'm taking my first steps back to being on my own, I'm going to do a better job of rocking my inner diva.  

Not just for me, but hey, I have competition.   My little sisters ain't playing, they are bringing their A+ beauty games to the transfeminine party, and I have younglings that look up to me as a role model now.

Some of my trans sisters in my age group are no slouches either when it comes to projecting the types of women they want to present to the world either.

So yeah, gotta role model what aging gracefully looks like.    So where's the nearest nail shop to my new place?

Shut Up Fool Awards-TDOR Weekend 2014 Edition

This weekend all over the planet our trans community and our allies are pausing to remember our trans brothers and trans sisters around the world who have lost their lives due to anti-transgender violence.

These Transgender Day Of Remembrance events have be held around the world around the November 20 date of  TDOR and continue through Sunday in many locales including Houston.

The HTUC organized TDOR will take place tomorrow at the AD Bruce Religion Center on the University of Houston campus starting at 6:30 PM, and there will be a Transgender Outreach Service Sunday featuring Rev Carmarion Anderson at Progressive Open Door Christian Center on the TSU campus. 

Whether it's TDOR or whatever other event, my usual Friday TransGriot business of calling out fools happens.   So let's get to it.

Special Drop Dead Fools award for all the peeps who murdered my trans sisters around the world who so far have eluded prosecution for it or got a slap on the legal wrist. 

May you rot in hell for what you've done, and may it be sooner rather than later.

Honorable mention number one goes to the as yet still unidentified Norfolk, VA school official who let loose a racist tweet that called young Black men a 'nightmare' for fathers of young white women.

It led to a Monday walkout of Black students at Booker T Washington HS. 

I think you got it twisted.  It is white men of who are a nightmare for young Black men.   As the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael brown.


Honorable mention number two is Don Lemon.   He regurgitated more of his bitter CNN Lemon-aid when he made a victim blaming comment to a woman who has accused Bill Cosby of rape



Honorable mention number three is Kentucky's junior senator Rand Paul, who claimed that no one in Congress has done more for minority and ethnic rights than he has.

After I laugh my ass off at the incredible ignorance of that statement, may I point out Senator Paul, that you are not even close to being Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) who too a beatdown from the Alabama State Gestapo Police at the Edmund Pettus Bridge for voting rights and was a Freedom Rider. 

So have several seats in the House and Senate chambers and never part your lips to say something that stupid again.

Honorable mention number four is one in which we go to the Houston area for and roast Kelley's Country Cooking.   Instead of standing up for 19 year old Blake Butler after a homophobic customer wrote on their receipt, “Don’t want to listen to a f*ggot through my whole meal,” the restaurant's manager instead APOLOGIZED to the homophobe. 

WTF?  Do fries go with that homophobia?   

Another sterling example of why HERO is necessary.

This week's Shut Up Fool Winner is incoming Nevada Speaker of the House Ira Hansen

Remember when I urged peeps to run, not walk to the polls and many of you sat your asses at home anyway?  

Well, this is what your lack of attention to your civic duty got elected in Nevada.   A longtime unrepentant racist who has a long history of homophobic, racist and sexist statements will now that the GOP has control of the House.has the political power to mess with the lives of many Nevadans he doesn't like.

Hansen let loose with this latest racist statement that Democrats 'have a master-slave relationship with simple minded darkies'

Again with the plantation references.   And you wonder why I call the Republican Party the political arm of whiteness and white supremacy.   They keep proving it every day.

Ira Hansen, shut up racist fool!

Black Trans Women Have 'Privileges Over A Woman?' LMAO

I was sent by one of my readers this copy of one of the letters to the editor section of ESSENCE.  She asked my thoughts about Betty Buccaneer's negative comments about the recent cover shoot in which Laverne Cox was one of the four gorgeous women on it along with Alfre Woodard, Nicole Beharie, and Danai Gurira.

First, here's that TERF's comments before I properly eviscerate them

I found Laverne Cox's image on the cover disrespectful to Black women   I support trans women in their quest for civil rights but I do not support them occupying women's spaces. There are serious inequalities in this country that come with being female. I cannot and will not accept someone who was born a man having privileges over a woman.

Moni laughs,  cracks knuckles, assumes optimum typing position.

First up, I called Ms. Buccaneer a TERF because this so reeks of trans-hating TERF feminazi crap that even Stevie Wonder can see it . 

Y'all really need to get some more creative assumed names, or better yet, attach your real names to your transphobic crap and own it.

|Assuming you even are a Black woman, and that's highly unlikely since the only people I see front and center as leaders in the TERF movement are white, the Black women cis and trans I know have applauded the ESSENCE cover and I have yet to see any prominent African American women expressing the view that you have.

Frankly, I applaud Ms. Cox for making history once again and being on that ESSENCE cover with three accomplished women.   It sends the message that trans women are women, and Black trans women are part of the kente cloth fabric of the African-American community.  

You don't like that, too damned bad bad.

What, you jealous because the fabulous Ms Cox  was on the cover of TIME, now is on the cover of ESSENCE and you'll never will be?  And at the rate Laverne is piling up honors this year, probably won't be the last time she's honored with an ESSENCE cover.

FYI to you Ms. Buccaneer (or whatever your REAL name is), Laverne is only the first OUT trans woman who has appeared on the cover of ESSENCE.    Tracy Africa Norman appeared on five ESSENCE covers back in the 80's    

So keep on hatin', transhater.

As for your fake support of trans rights you claimed in the short letter.  You either support trans rights or you don't without equivocation.

We have no room in our international trans human rights struggle for lukewarm, squishy alleged 'allies' because we have serious issues that we need to tackle and solve.

What are those issues?   A 26% unemployment rate, off the charts anti-trans murders and violence aimed at us, and ignorant comment like yours and from sellout kneegrow ministers that help fuel that anti-trans violence. 

You're either ride or die with us human rights wise as fellow African-Americans or you aren't. 

'Serious inequalities with being female'?   Tell me and Black women cis and trans something we don't know already.   Try walking in out Black female pumps, Miss Thang.   You couldn't handle ten seconds of it without crying white women's tears and running to clutch those pearls.

And there you go again TERF with that 'male privilege' thang.   That died the nanosecond we started undergoing HRT and we morphed into our female bodies.    So you can stop telling that lie, too. 

Laverne, like all trans women, was born as an infant.   You become and grow into the roles of a man or a woman, and Laverne is one fabulous looking sister any cis or trans woman with common sense would enjoy counting as one of her friends.  

Thank you for playing, and we have lovely parting gifts for you.  


TransGriot Note: TERF=Trans Exterminationalist (or/Exclusionary) Radical Feminist

TDOR 2014 Musings

TransGriot Note: A TDOR post I composed for the Task Force blog

Today is the 15th anniversary of the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which was conceived by Gwen Smith in response to the misgendering in gay and straight Boston media to the November 28, 1998 murder of of African-American trans woman Rita Hester.

As of this writing, Hester's killer has yet to be apprehended, and Smith organized a vigil that happened in San Francisco and Boston in 1999, and it didn't take long for the TDOR to go national and eventually international    

This TDOR 2014 finds me as one of the people still around that noted when the initial TDOR started in 1999 and has participated in TDOR events in Long Island, NY, Louisville, San Antonio, and Houston to reflect upon how this event has grown over the past 15 years.   

The TDOR is a time that remember our lost trans brothers and trans sisters that were tragically taken away from us from November 21 of the previous calendar year to November 20 of this year.  

One of the things that really angered me this year in addition to the 11 trans people we lost in the United States and all of them were trans women of color.  One  one of our lost sisters was just 8 years old.   Many of our fallen sisters predominately POC's under age 40, and Brazil continues to be unfortunately the world leader in trans murders.

But shifting back to the TDOR. it is an opportunity for the trans community to raise awareness that we exist and these murders are happening.  It gives us an opportunity to partner with our allies, community build, grieve for our dead, and steel ourselves for the ongoing task to ensure that we do the necessary work to make the TDOR's unnecessary.   Many locales also wrap trans educational events around the TDOR memorials.   Some are sponsored by churches, or take place on college campuses.

The work that we need to do to create that better world that will hopefully make TDOR's unnecessary is to educate people about trans lives.   We advocate for trans human rights protective laws at the local, state and federal level to drive home the message that we are part of this community, too.

We agitate for effective policing when our people are murdered.   We push for swift capture of the perpetrators of anti-trans violence, and when they are captured by law enforcement, stiff punishments while educating the law enforcement community how to respectfully treat deceased and living trans people  We also insist from the media respectful treatment of our deceased brothers and sisaters as they comer these stories.  

TDOR's are not just for the dead and all the people who loved and treasure their memories.  They are more for the living/   The Transgender Day of Remembrance reminds us on one level that there but for the grace of God go us, and that we never forget the people whose lives were tragically take.   It also is a powerful exhortation to do all that we can in  conjunction with our allies to advance the human rights of the trans community at large and make a better world for ours and future generations of trans people.

TransGriot 2014 NFL Picks Week 12

It was a Sunday full of upsets that nearly sent me to another below .500 record but I ran the table in the afternoon and Sunday and Monday night games to salvage a 8-6 record out of it.

One of those games I didn't get right was the Texans beating the Cleveland Browns.  It featured JJ Watt scoring his second offensive touchdown of the season on a marvelous catch.

Watt is the first defensive lineman since 1948 to score at least 4 touchdowns in a season, and there may be more of them in store for the hardest working d-lineman in the NFL before this season is over.

Yeah, he's earning every penny of that new extended contract that makes him the highest paid defensive end (for now) in the league.

NFL Week 12 is upon us, and this is the last week of the season in which teams get a bye week.  This time it's the Steelers and Panthers that get to have a seat and watch everyone else play.

That means only 15 games to pick this week.and I have to make up ground on Mike fast instead of just mirror his weekly record.. My picks for this week as usual in underlined bold print.

Week 11 Results

TransGriot     8-6
Eli                 5-9
Mike             9-5

2014 NFL Season Record

TransGriot     101-59-1
Eli                    99-61-1
Mike              108-52-1

NFL Week 12

Thursday Night Game
Kansas City over Oakland

Sunday Early Games
Cleveland over Atlanta
Philadelphia over Tennessee
New England over Detroit
Green Bay over Minnesota
Indianapolis over Jacksonville
Houston over Cincinnati
NY Jets over Buffalo
Chicago over Tampa Bay

Sunday Afternoon Games
Seattle over Arizona
San Diego over St. Louis
Denver over Miami
San Francisco over Washington

Sunday Night Game
Dallas over NY Giants

Monday Night Game
New Orleans over Baltimore

Houston TDOR Service With Soul At The POD

Last night I was honored to be the keynote speaker for Progressive Open Door Community Church's and Trans Women Of Color United For Change's second annual Transgender Day of Remembrance service at the POD.

It was attended by 50 people last night, and the service organized by Dee Dee, who is an ordained deaconess in the POD, featured a predominately trans cast participating in the service along with allies.

The program was emceed by Makai Bowie, who is an ordained trans deacon at the POD, and in addition to my keynote, it featured an interpretive dance by Kay Crowel, remarks from ally P.K McCary on being an ally, Dee Dee Watters' play 'In The Eyes Of A Mother'  in which she portrayed a mother grappling with the loss of her murdered trans child, Tierra Ortiz-Rodriguez giving the prayer,  and ally Minister Marcia playing Amazing Grace on her violin and as the names were read by Roxanne Collins, Jude Fang, and Xavier Darden.  

Mother AJ Bowie represented the veterans, and she is also the mother of a trans child.

The service concluded with a benediction from Pastor Freedom Gulley, and an announcement that there will be a Transgender themed service at 12 PM Sunday at the POD featuring my Lone Star sis from Dallas, Rev. Carmarion Anderson.

For those of you in the Houston area wishing to check it out, the POD is located at 3530 Wheeler St on the expanding Texas Southern University campus. 

Houston TDOR 2014 Events

Like everywhere else on the planet, H-town and our TBLG community will be memorializing our fallen trans sisters with events scheduled around the official November 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Resurrection MCC is hosting the third of a series of four Wednesday events facilitated by Houston trans community educator and activist Lou Weaver entitled Transformations:  Honoring Trans Awareness Month

The previous panels took place on November 5 and 12, with the final one after today's event taking place on December 3.

The panels are being facilitated by Weaver, and this empowering series of workshops is in honor of Trans Awareness and Ally Month!

Joined by wonderful guest presenters and co- sponsored by such ground- breaking community organizations as TENT and Equality Texas, Lou will host this enriching series featuring trans storytelling, advocacy training, and community healing! We begin with Gender 101 and conclude the Wednesday following Transgender Day of Rememberance. Networking encouraged!

They will be in the Resurrection MCC Gathering Place starting at 7:00 PM, and the church is located at 2025 W. 11th St.  You can email RevKristen@ResurrectionMCC.org for further information.

Also happening tonight is a TDOR event organized by activist Dee Dee Watters at the Progressive Open Door Christian Church. 

The POD will celebrate the lives of our fallen transgender sisters and brothers. This night will include spoken word, poetry and much more followed by refreshments.

What is the Transgender Day Of Remembrance (TDOR)?

The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform.

Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence.

We'd love to see you and a friend there!

I'll be speaking at it, and the event starts at  7:00 PM.  The POD is located at 3530 Wheeler Street in the shadows of the Texas Southern University campus.  

Dee Dee Has also organized a Transgender Day of Resources event at the Montrose Center that will take place November 23 from 10:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM

Wanna get on Hormones (HRT)? Wanna get your Name Changed? Wanna get Plastic Surgery? Do you have questions about being transgender or gender non confirming? Join me at Transgender Day Of Resources & Healthy Living!

Free giveaways! Free Consultations! Free Screenings! Free Workshops! Please RSVP to get your Free lunch! RSVP is not required to attend the event and get free service this is for ALL Transgender Men, Transgender Women and Gender Non Confirming persons no matter one's race, age, financial status!

Here's the link see you there please tell all transgender and gender non confirming persons about this event its Free! Free! Free!
Please tell a friend!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transgender-day-of-resources-healthy-living-tickets-13981008573

And finally the HTUC TDOR event will take place on November 22 on the UH main campus.  It will be in the AD Bruce Religion Center starting at 7 PM

It kicks off with a reception and social gathering with refreshments provided by HRC Houston with the TDOR program following at 8 PM  with opening remarks, a choir performance, and scheduled speakers. Names, locations, and a short description of each trans-hate murder from the last year is then read.

Philly, Are You Planning To Recognize The 50th Anniversary Of The Dewey's Sit In?

Ever since I was first sent notice of it by Dr. Susan Stryker, I was excited to learn and talk about the Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit In and Protest that involved African-American gender variant kids in April- May 1965.

Every since this came to light, there have been attempt to whitewash and gaywash the protest and erase the African-American gender variant kids completely out of the story,.

And I'm not having it.

This is one of the first instances of a protest centered around gender identity issues that involved people of color  

And that is worth celebrating, especially with the 50th anniversary of this event looming

I hope that on April 25, 2015 that we will see at that site where  Dewey's once existed members of the Philadelphia LGBT community coming together to commemorate this event in trans history

That's right I said trans history.  The protest was driven by Dewey's refusal to serve young patrons dressed in  'non-conformist clothing.'   This was a first ever protest that was sparked by gender variant issues and an ultimately successful one.

So Philly, hope you're planning a nice event on that date.

Trans Lives Matter

We have had in the United States this year 11 trans murders since June.   That's too many, but pales in comparison to what our Brazilian sisters have endured this year.

Trans Lives Matter is the message undergirding all of the TDOR events taking place this week around the November 20 TDOR date.    We're sick and tired of the unemployment and underemployent.   We're  sick and tired of the disrespect coming from all direction from family members to the greater society.   We're beyond sick and tired of being harassed, assaulted and murdered for being who we are.

It's past time to #StopTransMurders here and abroad.   It's also past time for people to recognize that trans lives matter.   Trans lives are part of the diverse mosaic of human life.   Trans lives are just as worthy of existing on this planet as you cis people who arrogantly hate on us.

And another November 20 is here for us to send that message. 

Calling Your Butts Out White GL Community, Doesn't Make Me 'Anti-Gay

Been chuckling as I read the comments in some of the threads at Towleroad and other blogs discussing the now concluded unnecessary drama  PRIDE Houston initiated with their dismissive reaction to the request to move the 2015 Houston Pride Parade from Juneteenth back to its original last Saturday in June date.

The Towleroad ones were especially revealing because the blog's comment threads have a reputation of being a hotbed of anti-trans bigotry and white gay male privilege.

To those who aimed hateful comments at me and live inside Beltway 8, all I have to say to you hypocrites is when I called out Max Miller and his fellow hate ministers on this blog during the HERO debate, you couldn't stop singing my praises enough.

Leadership is not just saying what people want to hear or is popular at that moment.   Leaders also have to tell it like it T-I-S is with issues that may be unpopular.   We have to sometimes be willing to be the lone voice articulating that unpopular view against the mainstream groupthink.  

And as my longtime readers know,  I have no problem doing that.   My TransGriot electronic platform when it comes time to calling folks out who need it is an equal opportunity offender.   Just as I have no problem calling out whiteness and white supremacy wherever and whenever it shows its pointed hooded head, neither do I have a problem calling out the trans community when they screw up or my own people when they are being transphobic or homophobic.

So for you white GL peeps who got indignant because my Black trans behind stated the obvious about PRIDE Houston's initial arrogant refusal to change the problematic parade date, got mad because I sounded the alarm about the potential PR problem, blew up the PRIDE Houston spin lines they attempted to put  out there and urged people to show up for that Thursday meeting, too bad.

If they had done the right thing in the first place, those posts wouldn't have been necessary to write   Bet you'll think twice next time before you dismiss any leaders of LGBT Houstonians of color as 'silly', 'not affiliated with any group'  or disrespect them.  

Neither will you dismiss the power and reach of this blog when amplified by social media.  You'd be surprised to find out the peeps in H-town who read TransGriot and forward posts when appropriate.

Calling your butts out when you frack up doesn't make me 'anti-gay'.  As a member of this  rainbow flag waving community I will praise you when you do things right.   But I will be just as quick to call you out when you are going down a wrong path that has the potential to negatively impact the entire community  and impede human rights progress.

Moving Day 2014

Unlike the last time in 2010, when I moved from Louisville back to Texas, this one is different in a lot of ways.    It's a shorter distance, there was unnecessary drama that triggered it, and I'm leaving the 'hood.

I'm moving to the Houston Heights, AKA the Heights.   It dates back to 1891 and was one of Houston's first suburban neighborhoods when it began to grow and expand from its original square mileage on the road to becoming the 720 sq mile diverse international city we know and love.   It was incorporated as its own city in 1896 and kept that status until Houston annexed it in 1918

I officially started the moving process yesterday by picking up the key from my landlord and moving my clothes I was able to take with me during Operation Extract Moni into it.  I notified my landlords I was exercising my option and planned on signing an initial six month lease to see it I like the area.

I'll get my desktop, books, CD's and DVD's when I have tables and bookshelves to put them on.   That's probably gonna happen soon because I have a trip to New York coming up and my sweater coat I was able to get away with for the Chicago and Dallas trips isn't gonna cut it up there in early December .

While I'm not happy about the transphobic family drama that precipitated this move, the end result is that for the first time since September 2001 I will be living in my own space.   And speaking of space, major thanks to Sahel and her family for opening their lovely home to me as I waited for the previous tenant to vacate my apartment. 

While it's larger than the rooms in the three houses I've been living in for the last almost decade and a half, it's still a small space that I will have efficiently and creatively decorate to make it my own

It's also one in which I get to figure out the next chapter of my life and how I want it to play out.  I know what I want to do, it's just making the plan and putting in the hard work to get there

New neighborhood means new opportunities to make lifelong friends.  It's a new part of the city I get to explore.   I've always wanted to live in the Heights, and now is my chance to do precisely that since I am definitely an Inside the Loop kind of girl.

So while I was in a melancholy mood about it yesterday, and the cloudy, rainy H-town weather didn't help, it's a new day, the sun is out, and it's time to get started getting acclimated to my new place and new neighborhood. 

Thanks to everyone out there who made it possible

BTAC 2015 Dates

The dates for the 2015 Black Trans Advocacy Conference have been announced, and once again it''l be right on the doorstep of my birthday.    BTAC will happen from April 27-May 3, and it will once again be at the Doubletree Campbell Center in Dallas, TX.

For those of you flying into DFW airport for the 2015 BTAC, great news for you in that DART's light rail Orange Line now runs to and from DFW .    You can ride it all the way to the Lovers Lane Station near the hotel

And the DART East Olive St Transit Center dropoff point for Megabus in Dallas is a short two. block walk downtown to the stations in which you can catch the Orange and Red lines headed to the hotel area.

So for those of you looking for local transit options to get you to the host hotel and back to the airport or bus , they are available.

As for the conference, The National Black Trans Advocacy Conference & Awards Gala (BTAC) is a distinct educational and empowerment program event, home to nearly 300 plus trans and gender non-conforming individuals, our family, friends, community allies and corporate partners from across the country who are focused on advancing black trans equality.

BTAC is a unique life changing (5) day program that furthers education, provides linkage to resources, community building and organizing, leadership development and celebration of diverse identities.

BTAC is host to over 50 workshops, seminars, CE courses, general sessions, open-forum discussions, and guest speaker presentations bringing together community educators and leaders to address the critical issues of access and parity in our society. The conference is provided free and is open to the public to gather, educate, learn, build and grow together in unity.
BTAC featured programs and events:

(5) Days of Empowerment
Black Trans Community Summit
Career Services & Job Fair
Health & Fitness Expo
Transgender Advocacy Awards Gala
Mr & Ms Black Trans International Pageant
Black Diamond Ball
Family Day in the park.
TransManifest - Live
Minority Business Expo
Hats Off Luncheon
InterFaith Summit
TRANSFORMATIONS Health & Fitness Competition
...And More

So yeah you have time to make plans to get to Dallas and hang out with your peeps from Texas and around the nation at the Doubletree Campbell Center.  

And yeah, that's my birthday weekend, so I'm planning to be in the BTAC house again.

Deadline: April 1, 2015
Registration: http://btac.blacktrans.org/
Scholarship: http://blacktrans.org/attendee-scholarship.html

Miss International Queen 2014 Is..

For the first time ever is from Venezuela.

22 year old Isabella Santiago beat out  21 contestants from 18 nations to win the tenth edition of the Miss International Queen Pageant in Pattaya, Thailand on November 7.

Santiago is the first ever Miss International Queen winner from her nation that has regularly tasted success in Miss Universe competition around the globe but until now had never had someone win, much less placed in this prestigious pageant for trans feminine women that started in 2004.

She is the second straight contestant from South America to take home the Miss International Queen crown., and you have to wonder despite the controversial comment of Gabriela Isler when the head of Venezuela's Miss Universe organizing body will finally relent and allow trans women like Ms. Santiago to compete for their nation in the Miss Universe pageant system.

Congratulations, Isabella!

Thai Modeling Agency Starts Trans Division

The long stylish line of trans models gets an assist in extending its legacy for another generation from Thailand.

With an ever increasing list of trans models coming out like Andreja Pejic, Ines Rau and Geena Rocero,  others are getting steady work including our sis Isis King,

LeaT brpke new ground by signing a deal to become the face of the global beauty brand Redken, while Rau became the first trans woman since 1991 to pose for Playboy.

The Bangkok based  Apple Modeling Agency, one of the leading and largest agencies in Thailand, announced on November 11 they were launching a transgender model division that already has 18 girls on its books.

Director of the Apple Agency Siwaporn Hotarapawanond stated the agency has three physical types of trans models.  "First is the transgender model who is all natural.   Second, the transgender model who has had breast surgery only.   Third, the transgender who had complete surgery." 

Here's an interview drag queen Pangina Heals conducted with ten of the Apple trans division models as they participated in a photo shoot for Thai based Lips Magazine.

This seems to be the tipping point moment when trans feminine women in photo shoots or ripping the runways is not seen as a exotic element, but a fact of life in the fashion world. 

'We have three physical types of transgender models,' said Siwaporn Hotarapawanond, director of the agency.
'First, the transgender woman who is all natural. Second, the transgender who had breast surgery only. Third, the transgender who underwent the complete surgery.'
Transgender models are fast becoming a
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/thailand-launches-worlds-first-transgender-modeling-agency141114#sthash.dB5swmax.dpuf

Chic Is About To Get Susan Luccied Again

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland has put out an online fan ballot of its 2015 nominees that you can vote on. 

Top 5 from the fan ballot will be added to the ballot of electors that will determine who makes it into the 2015 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Class.

Once again one of my fave bands Chic is one of the nominees, along with Bill Withers, the Marvelettes, NWA, the Spinners, War,  Sting, Kraftwerk, Green Day, Lou Reed, Nine Inch Nails, The Smiths, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

But despite being nominated in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and now 2014. it looks like Chic is on their way to getting Susan Luccied again.  

In the fan voting Bill Withers and War are just out of the Top 5 in 6th and 7th place with Chic down in 11th place out of the 14 nominees on the fan ballot.  

We'll see if that changes in the next few weeks or the Hall of Fame electors finally wake up and give Chic their long deserved spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

And Now There Are Eleven- RIP GIzzy Fowler

And with  the November 20 TDOR date looming, it is my sad duty to inform you that  we've lost another transsister to anti-trans violence.

This time we go to Nashville, TN and its north side Bordeaux neighborhood for the latest sister we will be memorializing on November 20.   Her name was Gizzy Fowler, and the 24 year was found shot to death in a private driveway at 3904 Lunn Drive.

Fowler's body was lying next to the open door of her car, a white 2006 Buick LaCrosse on November 12.  Neighbors reported to Nashville PD hearing a gunshot around 4 or 5 AM CST, and were prompted to call the police because the homeowner had recently passed away due to natural causes..

Fowler is now the  eleventh trans woman of color since June to be murdered in the US, with the most recent one being Ashley Sherman in Indianapolis.    And as you probably guessed, the Nashville media did a piss poor job in initially covering the story.

Anyone with information concerning this killing has been asked to call Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME, or through an electronic tip by texting the word “CASH” along with the message to 274637 (CRIMES) or online at www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com

Rest in Peace Gizzy!   Know that your trans brothers and trans sisters, and all who loved you will not rest until the person who committed this crime is captured and swiftly brought to justice.

Trans*H4CK Boston Happening Now!

While some of us are gathered in Dallas for the Facing Race Conference, at this moment there are teams of people in Boston busily working at the Harvard Innovation Lab attempting to create apps and programs to solve real world trans social justice problems.

It's Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler's latest edition of Trans*H4CK, his innovate melding of technology and social justice into an hacking event.

I had the pleasure of witnessing the first wildly successful one in Oakland, and there was another one held in conjunction the the Trans 100 unveiling in Chicago earlier this year.    Now Dr. Z has brought it to Beantown and the Harvard Innovation Lab, and you can follow what's happening at the #Transh4ck  hashtag.

My sisters Angelica Ross,  Lourdes Hunter and Allyson Robinson are also in the Trans*H4CK Boston house as well.

You can bet that today's tech panel discussion will be an informative and enlightening one, and it will be  interesting to see what apps come out of this edition of the tech social justice event.

And can't wait to find out what locale Trans*H4CK hits next.