Houston Black Trans Men, Time For Y'all To Step Up And Lead

A few days ago Dee Dee and I were discussing an e-mail she had received in which a local magazine was looking for Black trans masculine men to highlight in an upcoming issue that was going to discuss local LGBT leaders.

While there are several out Houston trans masculine leaders we thought of immediately such as Lou Weaver and Dr. Colt Keo-Meier, we were hard pressed between the two of us to come up with any unapologetically out H-town African-American trans men.  Of the two we came up in Tye West and Tajir Hawkins, Tye has moved away.

Besides myself and Dee Dee, there are others here in H-town like video blogger Diamond Stylz and Atlantis Capri.   While Dee Dee and I are probably the most recognizable H-town Black trans feminine faces because of the HERO fight and our frequent appearances at City Hall, collegiate and civic panel discussions and other events, what she, I and other Houston Black trans women are irritated about is the lack of visibility of Houston's Black trans men.

The education of the Houston Black community about trans issues can't be just the sole responsibility of me, Dee Dee and other Houston Black trans feminine people.  While I understand some of you brothers may not wish to get involved in politics, or wish to stay nondisclosed about your trans status, the bottom line is that the Republican Party and their assorted faith-based haters are coming for you and our entire community just like they tried and failed to do in the 2015 Texas Legislative session.

Don't think for a nanosecond if Rep. Debbie Riddle (R) and her Teabagging legislative buds get their way in 2017 and succeed in criminalizing Texas trans people's ability to live our lives, that by hiding y'all won't be negatively affected by that unjust legislation.

Just like us, you are currently affected by the HERO repeal that the suburban Forces of Intolerance and Texas GOP relentlessly demonized trans women to bamboozle 61% of Houston voters into voting against their own human rights and ours.

And we could have used your help my trans brothers in fighting that.

Just a warning my H-town trans brothers.  We are getting fed up with repeatedly and unapologetically putting our butts on the line for the human rights of our community while many of you hide in the shadows.

As the Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr once stated, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Well, we're at one of those moments of challenge and controversy.  Where do you Houston trans brothers stand?

Yes, there are things you Houston Black transmasculine peeps can do to support the efforts of your trans feminine sisters while remaining nondisclosed.   But the one thing your Black trans sisters really need you to do at some point is have one or several of you trans brothers who call Houston home to consistently step up and be the unapologetically visible Black trans masculine leaders we need inside Beltway 8 like Carter Brown and the men of BTMI are in their cities across the country.

It is past time for you, my Houston area Black trans brothers, to do your part in standing up for the human rights of all trans Houstonians. We need that to happen now more than ever, especially when the discussion cranks up again at Houston City Hall to pass HERO 2.0 in the near future.

If you fail to do so, I will tell y'all straight to your faces to STFU the next time I hear any complaints coming from a Houston based trans man, especially if he is a nondisclosed one. about how Black trans women get all the media attention and how 'nobody talks about their issues'.

The best way you ensure your voices are heard my brothers, is to be standing tall at the mike and talking about them.  But you can't do that from a closet.

It's nation time, Houston Black trans men.  Time for y'all to step up and answer the leadership call at this crucial point in our history.  Will you answer that call?