Leonie Dorado Becomes Bolivia's First Out Trans Television Host

I like to remind our baby trans  and seasoned trans peeps that when you come out as trans, your family expands, not contracts.  You gain siblings not only here in the US, but around the world.

It's because of that when trans persons are making history elsewhere, it's something that we celebrate around the world.

Meet 26 year old Leonie Dorado.   She thought she'd be pursuing a career in music as a singer and piano player, and is currently working on a degree in modern music at Bolivia's National Conservatory of Music.

But sometimes life throws you curveballs that you didn't expect.  For Leonie, that was an offer to get into journalist and co-host the Aby Ayala TV television program.   She jumped at the chance to do so, and in the process, has become the first openly trans person on television in Bolivia's history.

She wants to use her television platform to educate her viewers about the issues she and other TBLGQ+  people experience there, and judging by this comment, she's off to a great start. .

"The LGBT community is a group of millions of people who demand human rights, labor rights, rights to have their lives respected.  This is what has moved me to be part of the project," said Dorado. 

 She also said this in a message to her Facebook followers during Pride Month.

"It's exciting to live on a day like today, which since 1969 marked the beginning of the liberation movement calling for progress in government policies and decisions on human rights," she wrote. "The most relevant thing in my life is not the fact that I am trans, I consider it to be one of the least important things about me. Let's bet to strive to develop our capabilities to be brilliant in what we decide to dedicate ourselves, to bet on our dreams and go for them, to appreciate the best in others, to leave a world something better knowing that at least one life has been encouraged more freely thanks to ours." 

Congrats on the new journalism gig, Leonie.   Think you're going to be great at it. 

.

I Am America

I met her during a BTAC a few years ago, and was delighted to hear her song 'American Pie' a few years ago, 

Here's Shea Diamond again with her latest video 'I Am America'.  I'm playing it on the 4th of July because frankly, some of y'all need the effing reminder that trans and gender non conforming peeps exist, and we too, by dint of being born in the US, are American citizens who deserve all the human rights afforded to us under the US Constitution. 

Enjoy her latest song, and  Happy Independence Day!

Dutch YouTube Makeup Guru Comes Out As Trans

Nikkie de Jager would have rather kept this part of her life her business, and make the announcement she made at a time and place of her choosing.  Unfortunately someone took the ability to do that away from her. 

As NikkieTutorials, the YouTube makeup guru and 11 year video blogger has over 13 million subscribers, and a fiance who loves her named Dylan.

But as I and your trans elders know all too well from our trans history, when you are a non disclosed trans person, trying to keep it that way and living your best life, unscrupulous haters will try to use your desire to keep the knowledge that you're part of Team Trans against you. 

Nikkie revealed in a video blog that she was being hounded by blackmailers who found out about her trans history, and threatened to reveal she was trans feminine to the media.

She decided to make the announcement she was trans in order to regain some of her personal power back.




Welcome to our international trans family Nikkie!  Yes, I wish that she could have done so at a time and place of her choosing, but I;m glad she did.

So will all the trans younglings who just found out they have another trans possibility model to look up to and emulate.

MJ Off Broadway

Y'all know I absolutely love MJ Rodriguez from POSE, and if you've watched seasons one and two of the show we've discovered that she has an amazing singing voice. 

Now that we're anxiously awaiting Season 3 of POSE,  until they start filming it Rodriquez is keeping herself busy with other acting projects like playing Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors
That Pasadena Playhouse production of the musical play started on September 25, and also stars George Salazar.  It's running through October 20 for you Cali folks who wish to see it. 

MJ and George Salazar were on CBS' The Late Late Show With James Corden performing the Suddenly Seymour song from the play, and here's the video from it to brighten your day

POSE Renewed By FX For A Third Season!

The Emmy nomination voting opened on June 10, and don't be surprised if you see some folks from POSE snatching trophies when the Emmy Awards are finally broadcast to add to the GLAAD Media Award they received. .

POSE received a double dose of good news as it starts its second season.  It's Season 2 debut episode 'Acting Up'  not only got more viewers and higher ratings than last year's opening, it was announced by FX that POSE has been already renewed for a third season

We also are blessed with two more episodes in POSE season 2 for a total of 10.   It's also #MustSeeTransTV with the five major trans characters and trans actors playing them.

What that third season will look like we'll find out later, but season 2's opening with its time jump to 1990 has already ensured it will exceed the bar it set in Season 1.

Congrats to the cast of POSE, and hope that this year's season leads to some well deserved awards for your performances 

Ten Positive Trans Moments In 2018

Borrowing the idea from my fab homegirl Eden Lane, but expanding on it. 

The question she asked on her Facebook page is what moments stood out for you in 2018?   I'm going to narrow it to the moments, in no particular order, that stood out for me that trans people had a hand in. 

1.  Three more trans state legislators elected.

VA Del. Danica Roem is no longer the only trans person currently serving in a US state legislature.  When the New Year commences, she will be joined by two new state legislators, Lisa Bunker and Gerri Cannon in New Hampshire, and Brianna Titone in Colorado that will increase our total of trans state legislators to four. 

Bunker (left) and Cannon were part of a blue tsunami in the Granite State that flipped both houses of the state Legislature, both congressional districts, and the Executive Council back to Democratic control

Titone was also part of that midterm election blue wave.  She won a close race in Colorado's HD-27 to flip that district from red to blue and make history in the Centennial State as its first openly trans elected state rep.

Note that all these trailblazing trans legislators are members of the Democratic Party.

2. Angela Ponce competes in Miss Universe 2018.

Angela Ponce made history by not only capturing the Miss Spain-Universe crown, she became the first out transperson to compete at the world's premiere beauty pageant since it was opened to trans women in 2012.

While some haters emerged as usual, Ponce shook them off with class and dignity.

She also captured the world's hearts as they followed her journey to Bangkok to compete.  Although she didn't make it to the 20 semifinalists on stage, she was given the honor of walking the stage during that world wide broadcast.

3.  Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler named to the EBONY  Power 100

Was proud to note that our trans brother Dr Kortney Ryan Ziegler was named to the EBONY magazine Power 100 list.  That's a BFD in the Black community to be named to this list by one of the iconic publications in our community. 

It's also another example of the Black Trans Excellence that is part of our DNA.

Ziegler produced the award winning documentary Still Black: A Portrait Of Black Transmen and is contemplating doing more documentary projects focused on our community in 2019.


4. The all trans models Marco Marco fashion show.

One of the highlights of and the most talked about events during the fall edition of New York Fashion Week was the Marco Marco show.   All 34 models ripping the runway, be they trans feminine, trans masculine or gender nonconforming, were from our community.

It was historic and empowering not only for our community, but for the people participating in it.

Will be interesting see if more trans models show up at the spring NYFW shows as a result of this show.

5.  POSE debuts.

This FX show was one I was eagerly awaiting the debut of in June because it featured trans people in front of and behind the camera.

A record five trans women, MJ Rodriquez, Indya Moore, Dominique Jackson, Hailie Sahar and Angelica Ross were cast for principal roles.  Janet Mock and Our Lady J are writers and producers.  Leiomy Maldonado coordinates the dance numbers.

During the entire first season of POSE, other trans actors like Trace Lysette, Laith Ashley, made guest appearances on the show.   I was also struck at times how many of the episodes hit home emotionally for me because they touched on subject that many trans peeps are familiar with.

POSE has received rave reviews, and was renewed by FX for a second season.

6.  Nicole Maines gets role on Supergirl

I was thrilled to find out that Nicole Maines, one of our real life community superheroes, had been tapped to play the trans superhero Dreamer on the CW show Supergirl.

Maines is playing Nia Nal on the show, a young cub reporter who Kara Danvers takes under her wing and mentors as was done for her by Kat Grant. 

She comes out as trans to her boss James Olson, and as season 4 progresses, is becoming increasingly aware of her superpower to predict the future via her dreams.

I'm parked in front of the TV on Sunday nights watching her.

7.  TransGriot wins GLAAD Media Award

Have to include myself on this list since I did make some trans history this year.   In April I became the first trans blogger to win a GLAAD Media Award in the Outstanding Blog category. 

It was my third nomination, and I beat out some stiff competition to get it.

And it definitely looks wonderful on my trophy shelf.

8. Another successful BTAC conference in Dallas

The 7th annual Black Trans Advocacy Conference that ran from April 23-29 in Dallas was once again a success. 

It broke its all time attendance record that was set last year.  There was a new BTIPS king and queen crowned.   BTAC had its most gender non conforming attendees ever, and was a memorable week in the Lone Star State for the peeps in attendance.

It even got news coverage in the Dallas Morning News this year.
For those of you who wish to check it out for yourselves in 2019, the dates for the 8th annual event will be April 23-28 at the Wyndham Dallas Suites- Park Central

9.. Raquel Willis named an OUT Magazine Executive Editor 

I have much love and respect for my fellow writer Raquel Willis.  I was pleased to hear the news that she was tapped to become an executive editor at OUT magazine last month after several years with the Transgender Law Center. 

She's just another sterling example of Black Trans Excellence personified

So looking forward in the New Year to see what happens for her and what exciting changes happen at OUT during her tenure.

10.  You survived and thrived as a trans person

The last one is dedicated to everyone in this community here and around the world.  You survived and thrived in a world that is being maliciously hostile to us.

You persisted in living your best life, and doing whatever it took to make the world better for our trans younglings     Sometimes it was the trans younglings showing us trans elders the way and being unapologetic about it.

We still have work to do to get the message out there that trans rights are human rights, we won't be erased, and we will fight with every fiber of our beings to make 2019 a better year for trans kind than 2018 was.
 

Good Luck Alexandra!

The Massachusetts primary election is today, and Trans America has its eyes on the Massachusetts 3rd Congressional District race. 

In that crowded field of Democratic candidates vying to replace the retiring Rep Nikki Tsongas (D) is Alexandra Chandler.

If she wins in the primary today, she not only make Massachusetts political history by becoming the first out trans person in the state to win a congressional major party primary, she would get a step closer to becoming the first out trans person ever to be elected to Congress

Good luck Alexandra!   Hope you make history tonight!

Meet Marvia Malik, Pakistan's First Trans News Anchor!

As the Trump misadministration and their white fundie allies try to force transpeople back into the closet and strip us of what human rights coverage we've managed to achieve, other countries on this planet are moving forward on trans rights issues and making history.

Pakistan is an Islamic nation in which transpeople have been ostracized, shunned by family members, treated as a joke and at times violently attacked with a frequency only exceeded in Brazil. 

But like here in the States and in other countries, the Pakistani trans community is getting landmark legal wins that are helping to open hearts and minds in the country. 

Our trans cousins in Pakistan are celebrating as one of their own, Marvia Malik, became the first transgender news anchor in their nation.   The 21 year old Malik is no stranger to breaking barriers in her nation.  She recently became the first openly trans model to walk a fashion show runway there.

But her passion is journalism, and the private Kohenoor broadcast network based in Lahore decided to take a chance and hire her.

"I have made history in my country, and I vow to use my profession as anchor to help change the general attitude of our society towards transgender people."

"Our community should be treated equally and there must not be any gender discrimination. We should be given equal rights and be considered ordinary citizens, instead of third-gender," she said in a BBC interview.

She added: "My family knows I have modeled and they know that I work as a newscaster. It's the age of social media and there's nothing that my family doesn't know. But they have still disowned me."

She is grateful for the opportunity, and went through three months of training before she made her first on air broadcast.  Malik has done so well that the station has hired a second trans person as a copywriter   The owner of the station, Junaid Ansari, made it clear that Malik was hired for her journalism talent, not because she was transgender. 

Malik's determination to be a change agent is echoed by Farzana Jan, the head of Pakistan's Trans Action Alliance.   Jan is hopeful that Malik will not only be a positive role model, but be a catalyst for further positive change in Pakistan.

"Thank God, one of us is going on television in a serious job," Jan said. "Previously we've been presented as a joke. I hope and I believe this will help us get our rights, our protection and our respect".

Your trans cousins around the world hope that what you have expressed comes true in Pakistan. 

Congratulation to Marvia, and hope she has a long problem free career as a television anchor.   

Trans Peeps Rocked The 2018 Oscars

Despite being in a moment in this country in which the humanity and human rights of trans people are under attack by the Trump Misadministration and their white fundie allies, the opposite is happening in Hollywood as trans people become a more visible and active part of the motion picture industry

Trans excellence was on display during last night's Oscars, with Janet Mock and actress Daniela Vega rocking the Oscar red carpets to kick the night off and us waiting to see in trans director Yance Ford's name would be called to collect his first Oscar.

Vega would also make history as the first ever openly trans presenter during the Oscars main ceremony.  She introduced Sufjan Stevens, whose song 'Mystery of Love' for the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack was nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar.

She would later in the evening join her castmates on stage as the movie she was the lead actress in, A Fantastic Woman, won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film.

That made her the first openly trans actress to play a trans character in an Oscar winning film.



So yeah Hollywood, your not so subtle hint to not only hire trans actors and actresses for trans roles, but consider letting them have an opportunity to play cisgender characters as well

Attention then turned on this night to trans masculine director Yance Ford to see if he would make more trans Oscar history on a night that was turning into an amazing one for transkind. .

He had already made Oscar history back in January when he became the first openly  transgender director to be nominated for an Oscar.

Ford already had four previous documentaries under his belt, but his fifth one Strong Island, was up for the Best Documentary nomination



Unfortunately it was not to be his night, as the documentary Icarus got the Oscar in Ford's category..

I have no doubt we will see this gifted filmmaker again on a Oscar stage, and hopefully it will be to make an acceptance speech as he gets to hold that stateutee in his hands

But it sure would have been nice to see #BlackTransExcellence rewarded last night

Congrats to Daniela and Yance for making history and repping our community well.  It was also nice to see my sis Janet ripping the red carpet to shreds.

Will be interesting to see what transpires at next year's Oscars.

Trans Man Named As A Rhodes Scholar!

If you are named as a Rhodes Scholar, you have achieved something academically that few people in this country and around the world accomplish in getting one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world/

Only 32 American college students every year are named to receive a Rhodes scholarship, which covers all expenses for two to three years of study at Oxford University in England starting next fall..

The US 2018 Rhodes Scholars awardees were named recently and for the first time in the US, an out trans man was among the 32 people named to receive one.  There were also ten African Americans named, the most in a Rhodes Scholar class ever.

Thanks to Marisa Richmond for alerting me to this latest amazing nugget of trans history and sterling example of #TransExcellence.

Calvin Runnels is a senior biochemistry major at Georgia Tech University from Baton Rouge, LA.  He is not only is maintaining a 4.0 GPA, but has also become the second out trans person ever to be named a Rhodes Scholar. 

"I was absolutely floored when they called my name," Runnels said in a Georgia Voice interview.  "I had been steeling myself to congratulate two of my new friends from the other 13 finalists --— all of whom, I think, would have been exceptionally deserving of the scholarship.  Most of all, I'm excited to get to know the other 31 Rhodes scholar-elects who received the good news yesterday, as well as all the other scholars from around the glob; I think we all have an incredible amount to learn from each other."

Pema McLaughlin was the first out US trans person to become a Rhodes scholar, and that happened according to the Rhodes Trust in 2016.  Other famous American Rhodes scholars are former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), former UN Ambassador Susan Rice,  ABC This Week host George Stephanopoulos, singer Kris Kristofferson and MSNBC host Rachel Maddow.

Runnels is not only a well rounded student at Georgia Tech, he's also keeping being named a Rhodes Scholar in perspective.

“What I think it means, and the way I’m trying to frame it in my mind, is that I don’t want to view getting this scholarship as my peak accomplishment of my life,” he said. “I want to think of it as an affirmation of the things I have done so far and also as a call to duty to make a difference in the world and try to do great things from here on.” 

Runnels is planning to study for a doctorate in biochemistry, and it will be interesting to see what transpires in his life post Oxford..

A Historic 2017 Election Night For Transkind

Today is the first anniversary of, well you all know what tragically happened on this day.

But last night's elections were part of a Democratic tsunami that saw them regain control of the Washington state Senate, come close to taking back the House of Delegate in Virginia, sweep the executive offices in VA, keep the New York City mayor's chair, and flip the governor's mansion in New Jersey back to the Democrats.

That 2017 Democratic political tsunami also helped several trans candidates rack up historic wins.

Andrea Jenkins became the first trans person of any ethnic background to win a city council seat in a major city when she won her War 8 set with a whopping 73% of the vote..

As impressive as Jenkins win was, she could soon be joined on the Minneapolis City Council by Phillipe Cunningham who is also poised to make history.

Cunningham took on a 20 year incumbent who is also the current council president in Barb Johnson. After the first round of voting in Minneapolis' ranked choice system was only trailing her in this race by a mere 120 votes.   The winner of the Ward 4 council seat will be determined either today or in the next few days. 

Should Cunningham win, it would not only be a political earthquake level win in Minneapolis, he would become the first Black trans man in the US to be elected to public office and, like Jenkins, the first of any ethnic background to be elected to the city council of a major city.

And as many of you are already aware of, Danica Roem slayed her legislative dragon in Bigot Bob Marshall, and it wasn't close.   She beat him by ten percentage points 55%-45% to win her landmark VA 13 House of Delegates race.

There were some other trans folks who rn for office in 2017 who didn't capture the headlines, but were ultimately successful in their runs for public office 

Tyler Titus ran for and won one of the four open seats on the Erie, PA school board last night, becoming the first out trans person to win elective office in the state of Pennsylvania.

In a concrete example of every vote counts, Stephe Koontz won her race for the Doraville, GA City Council Position 3 seat by a mere six votes.

If seven of her voters had stayed home, we wouldn't be calling her Councilmember-elect Koontz today

Out west in California, there was another historic election happening with a trans candidate at the center of it. 

Lisa Middleton became the first out trans candidate to run for and win a non judicial race ( Judge Vicky Kolakowski made that history in Alameda County back in 2012) when she won a seat on the Palm Springs, CA City Council.   One of the people who endorsed Councilmember-elect Middleton was former US Senator Barbara Boxer. 

It was also a big night for Trans United Fund, who backed Roem, Jenkins, Cunningham and Browde, and had two huge breakthrough political wins with a possible third one being determined as you read this. .

TUF was on the ground in Virginia, Minnesota and New York for over a year.  The largest independent It was critical in Phillipe's Ward 4 race and may be the decisive factor should he win this race against 20 year incumbent and Council President Barb Johnson. 

The phone banking, fundraising, mailing, the canvassing all powered by a trans led political organization and its coalition partners with the goal of building and growing sustained trans political power.

It wasn't all wonderful news on this November 7 night for trans political candidates.  Chrissie Browde narrowly lost her race in New Castle, NY by a mere 264 votes.  Hope she tries again in another election cycle.

Thanks to all of the people who stepped up in this cycle to run for office in their various locales and all the folks who helped them get across the finish line.  Whether you were successful or not as a tran candidate in 2017, the message that you undeniably sent was that we are part of our various communities, and we aren't going away. 

Another message you sent to our right-wing opposition was that pushing anti-trans hate for electoral advantage may not be a wise political strategy.  A growing list of Republican ex-politicians including Pat McCrory (NC), Debbie Riddle and Gilbert Pena (TX), Lee Bright (SC) and now Bob Marshall are real time examples of transphobia costing you your political career. 

You also sent a positive message to our trans kids that helps expands their horizons concerning what is possible for a trans person born in the US. 

You 2017 trans candidates whether you spectacularly won or narrowly lost, sent the message to our trans kids that one day, should you decide you wish to go into politics, you too can run and win public office.

And that's what makes this an important and historic election night for trans kind.