'Redefining Realness' Out Today!

I received my autographed copy of it just as Creating Change was cranking up in H-town, and finally had a chance to spend Monday evening settling into a quiet well lit corner and reading Janet Mock's book Redefining Realness.

It's an interesting read that seamlessly discusses her personal story growing up in challenging circumstances as a mixed race trans kid in Honolulu, Oakland and Dallas for a minute.   The interesting twist to this memoir is that trans community stats are weaved into it that reflect what she's discussing at that time and in that particular chapter of the book.

It's an innovative way to tell your personal story, and once I started turning pages in it I couldn't put it down. . 

Janet's highly anticipated book will be released today, and I hope this becomes a New York Times Best Seller.  

We'll see how that plays out.  Janet will also be doing a tour in support of this book, and I can't wait until she hits Houston. 

Janet's Latest MHP Appearance

Y'all know how much I love my little sis Janet Mock and already have my copy of Redefining Realness.   The rest of y'all can preorder it or buy it when it comes out February 4.

While I was busy at Creating Change, she made another #nerdland appearance on the Melissa Harris-Perry show to chat about the new book and other subjects.

 

Carmen And Laverne On Katie Show Today

Looks like 2014 is going to get off to a fast, positive start for #girlslikeus media wise.

While the Katie show has already been cancelled after its two seasons on the air,  the shows that have already been taped still have to being broadcast.

One of the shows in the can and scheduled for broadcast will involve Carmen Carrera and Laverne Cox.

These two lovely ladies will be gracing our television screens today.   Katie will be discussing in Laverne's case of course her groundbreaking role in Orange Is The New Black and the realities that trans people have to face.   

Carmen will talk about her transition fears, her blossoming career as a model and the fan sponsored petition to have her walk the runway as a Victoria's Secret Angel.

If you wish you find what local station in your area broadcasts the show and at what time for your market (in Houston it's broadcast at 3:00 PM CST on KTRK-TV Channel 13), you can click on this station finder link to do so. 

Janet Mock's 'Redefining Realness' Due In February

Despite the fact I get a chance to converse with her from time to time when both our busy schedules allow it, I'm still like many of you megaexcited that her book Redefining Realness is being released one month from now on February 4.

These are some of the early reviews about her book.

“Of the book’s many strengths, the most notable is its political bite. Mock defies the historically apolitical confines of the transgender memoir…[and] take[s] the uninitiated, non-transgender reader with her.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Undercurrents of strong emotion swirl throughout this well-written book…An enlightening, much-needed perspective on transgender identity.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Redefining Realness is loving, searing, and true.”
—Jennifer Finney Boylan, New York Times bestselling author of She’s Not There

“Redefining Realness is a classic American autobiography. Like Richard Wright and Maya Angelou, Janet Mock brings us into a world we may not know.”
—Barbara Smith, author of The Truth That Never Hurts

“Redefining Realness is a riveting, emotional, crisply written testimony. I couldn’t put it down!”
—Laverne Cox, actress, advocate and star of Orange Is the New Black

“Redefining Realness overflows with the everyday magic of survival and resiliency.”
—Susan Stryker, author of Transgender History

I'm looking forward to reading it, and hope you will pick it up when it hits your fave local bookstore.  If you have local independent bookstores, support Janet and them by purchasing it from them or hit your fave online retailer or chain bookstore to do so as well.

Let's do our part to push this book toward the New York Times Best Seller List.

Also looking forward to seeing her in H-town when her book tour finally makes it to my part of the country

Help Some Latina Trans Sisters Get To Creating Change 2014

As those of us on the Houston Host Committee already are keenly aware of, Creating Change 2014 will start January 29.  People will be coming from all over Texas, the country and the world to get to the Hilton Americas Hotel to enjoy our Houston hospitality and Creating Change Texas style. 

These ladies of the Trans Latin@ Coalition want to join the 4000 people we are anticipating will be there for Creating Change, but need a little help to get there.   Yours truly and my peeps on the Host Committee want to meet them.

We are trying to support 9 women from the national TransLatin@ Coalition to get to the Latino Institute at Creating Change. We have lodging for 9 women and 4 flights donated. Please make a donation to support these amazing women from local communities across the country who advocate for transgender Latin@ immigrants in the US. Donations will be matched by a donor up to $1,000 -

http://www.unionfuerza.org/home

We appreciate your support for our sisters attend this important national LGBT Latin@ day-long training.

Hope to see you in a few weeks, ladies. 

It's Tona's Birthday Today

And I wasn't letting this day pass without at least giving her a TransGriot blog shoutout.

Tona Brown continues to be an inspiration to not only her generation of trans people, but mine as well.  Her talents as a classically trained professional musician and vocalist have given her a career spanning North America and Europe.   In 2011 this Virginia native became the first trans person to sing for a sitting US president.  I hope one day she realizes one of her big dreams of singing in a major concert hall. 

She's the founder of the AIDA String Ensemble, is a motivational speaker and host of the YouTube show 'Conversations With Tona Brown', of which from time to time I post her videos here. 

And the cool thing Tona is you made it through another busy year!

Happy birthday Sis!   May your birthday be filled with abundant blessings, smiles as wide as Texas and 2014 see every dream you've ever had realized.  
 

Jenna Talackova Gets Canadian ELLE Shoot

In case you're wondering what Jenna Talackova is up to these days after successfully fighting to open up the Miss Universe pageant system to trans contestants, she's simply handling her business and making things happen in her life and modeling career.

The now 25 year old girl like us is set to appear in a photo shoot for Canadian ELLE in January
:
"I can’t believe I’m posing for them,” Talackova said in a behind the scenes video posted on the Canadian ELLE website.

“It’s been a dream — I put them on my vision board and it happened!”

In addition to the Canadian ELLE photo shoot which will appear in the January 2014 issue,  Talackova is also working on an eight episode reality TV series for E! Canada set to start January 19 entitled Brave New Girl.

Talackova is also involved in efforts along with other international trans activists to get the World Health Organization (WHO) to remove transsexualism from the list of mental disorders in the ICD manual that has currently started the revision process that is scheduled to be completed by 2015. 

So what's next for Talackova?   Whatever she decides to do, seems like she's had much success so far in making it a reality with the ICD revision fight to be determined.

Fallon's Upcoming GQ Article

For those of you interested in all the latest news concerning our fave WMMA fighter, Fallon Fox will have an article appearing about her in the January 2014 issue of GQ magazine. 

Things have been quiet so far from ever since sore winner Ashlee Evans-Smith flapped her gums and unleashed some transphobic comments that Fox responded to after their featherweight title bout in October.

Hopefully 2014 will be a much better year for our fave girl like us WMMA fighter and people will focus more on her talent than her trans status. .

Looking forward to seeing the article myself when it hits my local newsstand.

TransGriot Update:  It's up at GQ's website:  Here's the link to the article.  

Love The Body You're In

How many times have all of us (myself included) over the years said either one or many of the comments echoed in this graphic?   For those of us on the transfeminine end of the spectrum, we have said all of the above and we can add a few more not included in this graphic when our trans going gets rough.   

I wish I'd been born a cis woman. 
I am too tall. 
I hate my double digit shoe size.  
I'm not feminine enough.
I hate being trans*
(Insert other trans themed comment here)

The point I'm making is that we trans women have body image issues just like our cis feminine counterparts.   Some of those body issues are far too common ones expressed by all women cis and trans, while others are exclusively our particular transfeminne cross to bear. 

But the cure for those body image issues is pretty much the same.  It's getting comfortable in your own skin, understanding that gender identity is between your ears, and confidently projecting and expressing to the world acceptance of your gender identity.

It goes a long way toward helping one love the body they are in.  The point also needs to be repeatedly driven home until it becomes a mantra that women come in all shapes, sizes and genitalia configurations.

You are perfectly imperfect, so get busy loving the body you're in.  

Joanne Cassar Honored In Malta

I've documented in these electronic pages the seven year long battle of girl like us Joanne Cassar to have her right to marry recognized by a Maltese government that fought her every step of the way. 

It was a fight that eventually ended up in the European Court of Human Rights, became an election issue in the March  2013 Maltese national elections and with the change of government ended in her favor.

The new Labour government as part of the ECHR case settlement with Cassar introduced legislative changes in Maltese law that recognizes the full human rights of a trans person in the gender they transition to, including the right to marry. 

December 13 was Republic Day in Malta, the day in 1974 that substantial constitutional changes occurred that transformed the former British colony to an independent nation.   On that day Maltese citizens are given Republic Day Honours for their contributions to Maltese society, and this year's group of Gieh ir Repubblika recipients includes Joanne Cassar.

Joanne Cassar was honored for her perseverance since 2006 in this marriage fight, which resulted in not only a personal victory for her, but in the process made Malta a fairer society.

Congratulations Joanne on this well deserved honor and your battle that not only was a victory for you and other Maltese trans people, but will possibly have an impact on the rest of the world when it comes to trans marriage rights cases

Trans Flight Attendant Elected To Presidency Of Her Union Local

When I was in the airline business, there were rumors that we had four trans flight attendants working for our carrier at the time I was becoming the first out Black trans person working at Continental Airlines in 1994.

One of those flight attendants was allegedly based in Honolulu, while the other three were alleged to be flying routes out of our other domestic bases besides Houston.  Depending on where they were based, they may have crossed my path because I worked the departure gates at IAH and I have no idea if they worked my flights or not because they didn't reveal their status to my very out self.   

So as a former airline person I was happy to hear about the groundbreaking and historic win of girl like us flight attendant Audrey Gauthier.   Back on November 1 she was elected president of CUPE Local 4041, and represents Air Transat flight attendants based in Montreal

With that win she became the first open trans person to elected to lead a union local in Canada and possibly the world.   But Gauthier downplayed the historic achievement. 
l
“I’m proud to be the first transsexual member elected president of a local, and for LGBTTI rights it’s something that’s important, but our members don’t really see me as different. They just see me as a woman, period,” she said.  

Gauthier.added, “I was elected to unite people. My goal is to build a strong relationship between the local and our component.”

Congratulations and may you have much success in accoplishing that goal as you fly the friendly Canadian skies. 
    

Fallon Fox Fights For A CFA Title Tonight!

It's been a long hard and at times bumpy road for her to get to this point, but later tonight at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, FL unbeaten Fallon Fox (3-0) will take on Ashlee Evans-Smith (1-0)  for the CFA featherweight title.

This championship match will be broadcast on AXS-TV and the winner will not only claim the championship of the CFA tourney but take home $20,000.

If AXS-TV posts the video of it to YouTube, I'll get it up on the blog as quickly as possible.

Y'all know I'm rooting for the 'Queen of Swords' in this one and I hope she emerges from this WMMA battle victorious.  

best of luck tonight, Fallon!

Titica Named UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador

I've talked about award winning girl like us Titica, who is a rising music star in her native Angola.   She has performed for Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and garnered quite a following in the world of kuduro, the indigenous music that mixes techno and rap.

Her 2012 Kora nomination in the best female artist in southern Africa category is a testament to her fame spreading beyond the borders of her heavily Catholic nation and its reach into other parts of southern Africa.

It's why UNAIDS recently tapped her to become its official Goodwill Ambassador for Angola.  

Titica follows former Miss Universe Leila Lopes and Angolan national women's basketball team star Nacissela Mauricio in being the faces for the UNAIDS sponsored HIV-AIDS prevention campaigns urging people to get tested and wear condoms.  

Because Angola was embroiled in conflict form 1975 until 2002 with a few interludes, its borders were relatively closed to its Southern African neighbors.  One of the interesting side effects of that war induced isolation is one of lowest prevalence rates of HIV-AIDS infections on the African continent at 2.1-3.4% in contrast to its neighbors Namibia, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that have some of the highest rates.

But because Angola has increasingly opened its borders to those neighboring countries, that prevalence rate is starting to rise along with the new AIDS infection rates and deaths from the disease.  Angola is one of the few African nations in which HIV-AIDS infections and deaths have risen in the last ten years, which is why UNAIDS has been working with popular Angolan cultural figures to get their message out and change that.

UNAIDS is also concerned the Angolan government head in the sand denial they have SGL people in their country having sexual relations with each other and their numbers are rising is only exacerbating the problem. 

They are also trying to reach Angolan youth with their prevention message along with the trans and SGL community in Angola, and Titica is well positioned and eager to do her part to reach those groups.

She said when speaking about her new appointment as the UNAIDS goodwill ambassador, "I myself have suffered much humiliation. I have been beaten and picked on for who I am.  But I am ready to lead by example to fight against stigma and discrimination in my country and beyond." 

UNAIDS hopes that Titica is the person they need in Angola to break down barriers, erase stigma and help them slow down and reduce the numbers of HIV-AIDS cases there. 
  

Laverne Cox on FXX's 'Totally Biased'

Y'all know I have much love for Laverne Cox on these TransGriot electronic pages. 

Because it happened while Computer Prime was in the shop, I'm only just getting around because of the other breaking community news to finally posting the video from her September appearance on FXX's Totally Biased show with W. Kamau Bell in which she discussed her breakout role on Orange Is The New Black and other subjects.

Enjoy the video

 

Happy Birthday, Jazz!

October 7 is already a busy day for me birthday card wise because I have two cousins who were born on this date.  So is six time Grammy award winning singer Toni Braxton, actress Nicole Ari Parker, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, baseball player Evan Longoria and (yuck) Russian president Vladimir Putin.  

October 7 is also the birthday of my trailblazing little sis Jazz, who turned 13 today  

Jazz has been an inspiration not only for the trans kids of her generation through her award winning advocacy, she's inspired me and my generation by allowing us to peek into her life at different time periods courtesy of her various media interviews, the I Am Jazz documentary, speeches and the two Barbara Walters interviews.   Jazz also fought a two year battle with the US Soccer Federation to get them to craft policies so transkids like her can play soccer.

Jazz has been one of the reasons along with our other transkids we trans elders have fought so hard to ensure that our trans younglings like her have a better world to grow up in and have laws on the books to protect their human rights.

We want our trans younglings to have the unfettered ability to just focus on making their dreams come true when they get to adulthood just like everyone else in this society.

And yeah, I'm still looking forward to meeting her although we keep missing connections.   Was bummed when I found out she and her mom were recently transiting Hobby Airport on their way back home mere hours after I'd arrived and gotten back to H-town after my West Coast trip for Trans* H4CK.   

And hint hint Jazz, I will be here in January for Creating Change 2014 in Houston.

But back to the birthday post.  

Jazz, you are a blessing to us, your family and the trans community and I and your trans elders have much love for you.  Hope you are having a wonderful birthday chock full of blessings, laughter, smiles and unconditional love.

May you have more of them to come!

Fallon Fox Interview On 'No Holds Barred' Radio

Our fave WMMA #girllikeus Fallon Fox has her big CFA championship fight coming on Saturday night. 

The unbeaten (3-0) 'Queen of Swords' will be taking on Ashlee Evans-Smth (1-0) at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, FL.  Winner departs the octagon with the CFA featherweight title and a nice $20,000 check for her trouble.  This is an interview Fallon conducted on the No Holds Barred podcast with Eddie Goldman

Fight will also be broadcast live in the US on AXS-TV.   Go 'Queen of Swords'!   Handle your business! 

Laverne And Janet On HuffPo Discussing #Girls Like Us Relationships

Two of my little sisters got together to give America the blessings of their collective wisdom on relationships while being #girlslikeus in the wake of the Mr. Cee mess.

Janet wrote this September 12 commentary on her blog, Diamond Stylz has already commented on it via her video blog, and I'm still debating if I need to wade into this mess after these ladies basically broke it down.

But enough jibber-jabber.  Here's the video from their recent HuffPo Live appearance with Marc Lamont Hill moderating.

Laverne's On MHP Tomorrow

Laverne Cox will be hanging out in #nerdland with Melissa Harris-Perry tomorrow morning to talk about her role in Orange Is The New Black

Happy for my sis, who deserves all the media attention and love she can get for her groundbreaking role on this series and hope it leads to more acting work for her.

This is her first appearance on the Melissa Harris-Perry show and I'll definitely will be watching.  I also hope this is just the first of many more appearances in #nerdland for her.. 

Carmen And Koko Xtravaganza's Fascinating Lives

The cool thing about being the TransGriot is I do from time to time get to meet, talk to and even become friends with some of the peeps that I look up to and idolize.  

And some of them feel the same way about moi.  

When the Transsistahs-Transbrothas Yahoo group I started in 2004 was in its pre-Facebook prime, one of the people I met as a result of it was Koko Xtravaganza.  

Koko in addition to being a professional musician and choreographer is a member of New York's legendary house of Xtravaganza.

Koko also has a fascinating girls like us life story that I need to sit us both down for trans historical purposes and do a TransGriot Ten Questions interview about.    


Koko has recently started a blog to do just that in terms of documenting that life history for future generations.  She tells me at times how much she has admired me for standing up for our community's human rights for 15 years, and the feeling is mutual how much I admire her..  I'm just as impressed about her musical talents and when Koko talks about some of the tours she's done with groups like the Gap Band and The Isley Brothers.

You long time TransGriot readers know I how much love I've had for over two decades for Carmen Xtravaganza.  I first learned about her courtesy of a 1988 Village Voice article I stumbled across at a Houston newsstand.  

The legendary house mother of the House of Xtravaganza was one of my trans feminine role models when I was in info gathering mode, frustrated about my pre-transition 1980's life and pondering when to pull the trigger on my transition I was increasing cognizant of it needing to happen for my own peace of mind and happiness.

I recently hooked up with her via Facebook a few months ago and from time to time when neither of us are busy doing our own things we are chatting and getting to know each other.  I was also happy to discover she's launched a website in which she discusses some of her groundbreaking life as an actress, model and historical icon in the ballroom community. 

And yeah, speaking of that groundbreaking life, while she's discussing that book, I need to sit Carmen down and have her as the subject for a TransGriot Ten Questions interview.

Koko and Carmen have been friends for nearly 25 years and are jointly putting together a presentation that discusses both their unique girl like us lives in addition to having performance elements highlighting their talents.  Their target audience will be colleges and CBO's in the United States and around the world.  It will be comprised of both women speaking, videos and musical/theatrical performances by them.

Looking forward to seeing it when it finally happens for my sisters and also looking forward to finally meeting both of you and giving you one of my famous TransGriot hugs when our paths finally do cross.  

Laverne's 'Orange Is The New Black' HLN Interview

Laverne Cox is on HLN talking about her role on the Netflix series 'Orange Is The new Black' in which she plays (gasp) a transwoman.