Alexander Goodrum-Gone Ten Years

I'd been in Louisville just over a year on this date when Dawn told me the shocking news that Alexander John Goodrum was dead a few days short of his 42nd birthday on October 3.  

I had the sincere pleasure of meeting him during the 1999 Creating Change conference that took place in Oakland, and it was one of the first times since becoming a national activist I'd met one of our African-descended trans brothers and had a chance to talk about trans life and issues from their perspective. 

Alexander was a Chicago native and had been an activist in GLBT organizing and social justice issues since 1980 in Chicago, San Francisco and after moving there in 1996 in Tucson.   He'd been doing some trailblazing work for the trans human rights community and he was one of my early role models.  He was also one of the first people I met who identified with the bi end of it.

In addition to being a dynamic speaker, Goodrum also founded TGNet Arizona, was a board member on the Tucson GLBT Commission, and the Funding Exchange's OUT Fund, which allocates an annual grant named after Goodrum to LGBT community organizing projects.

Goodrum was instrumental in getting Tuscon to include gender identity in their non discrimination law in 1999, and wrote this paper that appears on the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA)  website entitled Gender Identity 101-A Transgender Primer  

But what I and many folks in the national community didn't know about Alexander was he was dealing with some major personal issues that would unfortunately drive him to take his life on the morning of Saturday, September 28, 2002 while under observation at La Frontera Psychiatric Hospital in Tucson.

I couldn't make it to that October 5 memorial service that day, but there isn't a time when I don't think about that handsome smiling guy I met in Oakland that people called 'Bear' and wonder where our community would be on our human rights march if he were still around. 

It's been ten years since his untimely passing, and I definitely want to make sure we never forget this African descended trans man who was a major player in our Black trans history 

2nd Annual Black Transmen,Inc Conference Coming Soon

I was pleased to hear about the first one when it occurred earlier this year in Dallas with Rev. Louis Mitchell doing an inspiring keynote address for it.  The 2013 event not only has a date but a bigger hotel close to the DART light rail lines to help you get around Big D and experience what the city has to offer.  

Save the date because the transbrothers are getting together on the other end of I-45 for their 2nd Annual Black Transmen,.Inc Transgender Advocacy Conference and Dinner in Dallas.  

For the second year in a row the transbrothers are planning a conference as big as the Lone Star State from March 13-March 18 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dallas - Campbell Centre .   Had some scheduling conflicts that kept me from attending the initial one (and was pissed about it)  but will do my best to keep the calendar open and clear for that weekend.

But I'll let my transbrothers toot their own horns about this fast growing and sure to be well attended event.

***.
 
Welcome to Our 2nd Annual Black Transmen, Inc Transgender Advocacy Conference! We are anxious to meet you in Dallas, Texas once again for an amazing and life changing experience. We would like to extend a special invitation and welcome to our sister group Black Transwomen and look forward to building with you as well. This is our time to meet, unite, discuss, learn and celebrate.

Plan for an event of a life time for couples, youth, singles, families and allies to transmen and the SLGBTQIH community worldwide. "Become the change you want to see in the world"

General Conference Information:

(4) Day Empowerment Event Schedule. Featured Topics on: Identity, Culture, Religion, Family, Health, Wealth, Careers, Education, Business, Legal, Community and Youth Services
Registration: http://blacktransadvocacy2013.eventbrite.com/

Conference Tracks:

Black Transmen, Inc Leadership Training (staff only)
SLGBTQHI Alliance & Community Training
Trans Health Fair & HIV/AIDS Education, Prevention and Testing
Trans Career Services & Job Fair
Trans Youth Seminar
Transmen Seminar
Transwomen Seminar
Trans Aging Adult Seminar
Spouses Seminar

Conference Events:

Annual Black Transmen, Inc Awards Dinner Ball (Formal Attire)
For Men: www.menswearhouse.com
TransManifest- Live! Performances from the SLGBTQ community.
Black Transmen, Inc Mini Ball featuring* All Trans Categories*
Pre & Post Conference Events will also be scheduled
More Events Will Be Posted!

Travel Discount Information:

Our Host Hotel $89 Night! Double Tree: Code BTA
http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/D/DFWCNDT-BTA-20130313/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG
American Airlines: Code A6733DE www.aa.com
Avis: Code D256983 www.avis.com
Amtrak: Code X79L-957 www.amtrak.com
Get on the Bus: Enjoy A Bus ride from your local area! Contact us to be added to the list.

2012 OUT On The Hill-What Now, Black LGBT Family?

Another exciting edition of OUT on the Hill has concluded and our Black LGBT family has scattered to our various locales around the country until we gather inside I-495 next September.  

As we traveled by plane, train, bus and auto back to our hometowns with those conversations fresh on our minds, it's now time for the real work to be done that we discussed in the various sessions, conversations we had at receptions, in the hotel bars, over lunch and dinner and even our various hotel rooms.

As we got to Own Our Power inside the Beltway as Sharon likes to remind us to do, the big question now becomes what will we do individually and as part of our Black trans and SGL community to exercise the power that we spent time learning to own?  

The first thing on our Black LGBT Own Our Power list is a no brainer.   Get Trans and SGL people  registered and get your LGBT souls to the polls on November 6 (or sooner in my case as a Texas resident). We need to make sure that we get 4 more years for POTUS 44 and give him a Congress he can work with.  We also know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this president is the best ever on trans issues and has done some groundbreaking things for the SGL community as well.

We also have to not only continue to uplift trans people, but put our trans brothers in that leadership spotlight as well.  Remember some trans people are trans guys, and I was glad to hear that during OUT on the Hill 2013 the trans men will have a Town Hall like we did during this just concluded event.

I also challenged trans people in the Town Hall to run for office so that we can start writing the legislation we need and stop begging to be included in it.  Later that night LZ Granderson point blank asked me when I was going to lead by example and run for office in Texas, which is something my cousin asked me just before I left for DC.  That conversation LZ and I had falls under The Black Trans Revolution Will Not Be Televised territory.

Segueing into Black Trans Revolution items, since there's never been a trans themed forum at the CBCF-ALC, I'd love to see that happen as well in 2013 with trans men and trans women making up that panel along with allies. 

There's a thirteen city LGBT Economic Empowerment Tour cosponsored by the SBA and NBJC that is slated to hit Atlanta, Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Newark, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Oakland/San Francisco, Washington DC and Houston that we'll need to get the word out about.   This 'Many Faces One Dream initiative to tap into the economic power of SGL and trans people and those budding entrepreneurs and business owners amongst us is going to be an important component for the Black LGBT community's ability to own our economic power.  .

We also need to do the work to ensure that when we have the next LGBT themed forum at the 2013 CBCF-ALC, it's not just us in the room attending it.

Finally, we need to in the eleven and a half months until OUT on the Hill 2013 arrives on the scene bigger, badder, better and Blacker than ever talk up OUT on the Hill at every opportunity and encourage our people to go and be part of the amazing experience of seeing and talking to trans and SGL leaders from 18-80.  

And yes, we need to continue to network, forge partnerships and uplift each other in order to help our Black LGBT community survive, grow and thrive.  

There's probably other things that people will come up with in the wake of this conference, but what needs to happen now Black LGBT family is that we roll up our sleeves and get to work accomplishing some of the short term and long term things thoughtfully discussed during OUT on the Hill 2012.

2012 OUT on the Hill-Day 4 Recap

Another beautiful day on Washington DC, but it's one with a hint of sadness for me because it's the last day of OUT on the Hill. 

It's also the last day of the CBCF-ALC which has its traditional 7 AM Prayer Breakfast.  This year it was featuring Bishop Noel Jones and Kim Burrell and Valerie and Carmarion attended it as the NBJC reps.

While that was going on at the Convention Center,  the NBJC General Session started at 9 AM as I anticipated the start of the 10:15 AM Blogger's Roundtable that includes myself, LZ Granderson, Danielle Moodie-Mills of threeLOL, Kimberley McLeod of ELIXHER, Derrick McMahon of the Anti-Intellect Blog, and Huff Po contributor Darnell Moore.

This was a continuation of the conversation that was started at the CBCF-ALC yesterday that was also focused on the topic of 'How the LGBT Equality Movement Has Impacted Black America and the Media Landscape.'   There was some interesting conversation concerning that topic before we broke for our lunchtime keynote speaker, the Deputy Director of the US Small Business Administration Eugene Cornelius. 

We also had a pleasant problem during this lunch that is the result of the rapid growth of OUT on the Hill.  For a breif moment we had a few more people than seats in the Delaware Room. but the NBJC staff and volunteers quickly solved that problem. 

And yes, Eugene is family.   He not only challenged us to own our economic power, but was part of an interesting discusssion moderated by Maurice Jamal that discussed the upcoming LGBT Economic Empowerment Tour that will be cosponsored by the NBJC/and SBA.

With the afternoon session came a dilemma for me.  Now that my panels were completed, I was a spectator and had to choose which one I attended because all three had interesting topics.

I eventually split time between the Healthy Bodies, Healthy Communities one and the Stemming The Tide of Aggression one before we headed into the OUT on the Hill closing session.   

With the closing session's end also signaling the end of OUT on the Hill 2012 activity at the host hotel, there was still a community mixer at FAB Lounge in the Dupont Circle area starting at 7 PM that I skipped so I could catch up on my blogging. 

Before she split for the CBCF-ALC dinner that the FLOTUS was attending, Sharon Lettman-Hicks did give us a sneak peek at one of the events that will take place during the 2013 OUT on the Hill

There will be a transman town hall similar to the one that we transwomen had this year.  It will also be NBJC's tenth anniversary next year with an OUT on the Hill that promises in just its fourth year to be bigger and better event than it was in 2012 .

And I definitely want to be participating in it next year.

Ads In DC Trans Respect Campaign Launched

I talked about it last month when the Washington DC Office of Human Rights decided in reaction to the string of ugly anti-trans incidents and murders in the District to launch a first of a kind anti-trans discrimination campaign.

This first of several posters of DC trans and gender variant people who are spokespeople for this campaign were released.  The one featuring DC transwoman Kisha quotes her saying, "I love wandering through Smithsonian museums, eating on H Street with friends, and going to shows at Howard Theatre."

It mentions the tagline for the campaign: "I’m a transgender woman and I’m part of DC. Please treat me the way any woman would want to be treated: with courtesy and respect."

The poster then points out discrimination based on gender identity and expression is illegal in the District of Columbia under its Human Rights Law and provides a website and phone number (202) 727-4559 to get more information.or report anti-trans discrimination

The formal launch for the campaign happened last night with an event attended by DC Mayor Vincent Gray.

“This District is committed to ensuring that all people are protected from discrimination, and that includes discrimination against the transgender and gender-non-conforming communities,” said Mayor Gray. “This landmark campaign from the Office of Human Rights is an important piece of a larger effort by my administration to ensure all residents have equal access to employment, housing and public services and accommodations regardless of gender identity or expression.”

As for the spokesmodel's thoughts on the campaign, Kisha approves of the message and thinks it will have a positive effect on the city..

"I think it’s going to have a great impact," she said. "The fact that it is going to be right there in your face. People will see transgender people. They’re going through everyday life, everyday struggles — the same as straight people, rich people, everyone. Getting the message out there … is going to be great."

The rest of your transpeeps around the country think it's great, too.   Major props to the DC Office of Human Rights and DC Mayor Vincent Gray for making it happen.

Black Trans Brothers-What Can We Black Trans Women Do To Help You Own Your Power?

Ever since I transitioned, it's been necessary as a trans woman of African descent to paraphrase Barbara Jordan, to do more than just talk about the injustice and oppression we trans women of color have to constantly fight against and work to eradicate it..

I've had to along with other African descended transwomen step up to a leadership role in fighting anti-trans discrimination and oppression.  I'm proud and happy to see as our trans seniors begin the process of advising us.   I'm pleased to see our younger generation of trans women begin to step up to those leadership positions and be trans human rights warriors around the country as well.      

But it's not just us.  We've had African descended transmen who have stepped up to the national leadership ranks such as the late Alexander John Goodrum, the late Marcelle Cook-Daniels, Kylar Broadus, Louis Mitchell, Imani Henry, Carter Brown and blaze some historic trails while doing so.

But even elements of the trans masculine ranks recognize they can and should do more to help us African- descended trans women equally shoulder the leadership burden in terms of uplifting the entire African descended trans community.    

One of the things I'm looking forward to discussing while I'm at Out On The Hill next week is discussing what can we in the African descended trans feminine do to help our trans masculine brothers own their power.

While we know the brothers can, are quite capable of and we have no doubts will handle their business, we can help them avoid some of the pitfalls we Black transwomen encountered as we continue to seek to own our power and exercise it on the behalf of our community.  

It would also be a good thing as African descended trans women if we get familiar with some of the issues unique to African-American transmen.

I'm ready and willing to open this electronic platform to my African descended trans brothers to signal boost what they are writing in their blogosphere and get that needed conversation jump started.

And of course, when it comes to the elements of the ongoing conversation that will fall into The Black Trans Revolution Will Not Be Televised territory, we'll have those discussion amongst ourselves.   

So tell us Black trans men.  What can we do to help you own your power?   The sooner that conversation happens, the sooner the results of it will be mutually beneficial to all of us, the African-American community and all the other communities we African descended transpeople intersect and interact with.  

NBJC Newsletter-Out On The Hill 2011 Recap Edition

The latest edition of the NBJC Newsletter is out, and if you're wondering why I'm so excited for the third edition of Out On The Hill to begin September 19-22, check out this one recapping the events of Out On The Hill 2011.   You may even see a certain blogger from Texas in a photo or two

And no, it's not too late to register for Out On The Hill.   If you do, you'll be glad you did.   

I'm taking part in two panel discussion during this edition of Out On The Hill in addition to finally getting to meet Laverne Cox after we missed each other while I was in New York.  

And yes, NBJC family, I'm deliriously happy I get to spend quality time with you once again and everybody else inside I-495 (AKA the Capitol Beltway).

And while I'm there I have an activism related announcement I'll be making during that weekend, so stay tuned.

See y'all September 19-22.

The Thing We All Have In Common Is We're Trans Women

One of the things that needs to stop in the African-American trans feminine community is allowing outsiders or people inside the community to drive wedges between girls like us in order to keep us divided and realizing the collective power we have as a group.

In some cases the divisions we create are done by ourselves to our fellow transwomen. 

People in one group will assume I don't want to have anything to do with people in the other groups because I'm an activist.   That's not the case.  I not only want to meet and talk to you, if you treat me with dignity and respect, I'll reciprocate and do the same thing for you.

It may surprise y'all to learn that I would like to meet Sidney Starr one day.  One of the reasons is I saw a tweet my young transsister posted a few weeks ago about how she used to be ashamed of being a transwoman and now she's proud of being a girl like us.

That blew me away that a girl as beautiful as her would have the same shame and guilt issues all of us deal with at one time or another in our transition journeys.  I'm interested in hearing her story and what it's like to walk in her pumps.

The genesis of this post was a conversation Tona Brown and I had about this subject yesterday in terms of the various cliques and the misunderstandings that crop up between us.   I've been aware for some time of the different groups and cliques of African descended transwomen, and ever since I started this blog one of my goals has been to do my best to bridge that gap between those of us in the pageant, ballroom, activist, crossdresser, stealth, club and yes, escort worlds.

But if you peeps aren't willing to meet me halfway or are 'scurred' to talk to me and my activist friends, how can I accomplish that goal of bridging the gap?  I and the activist community can't help you if we don't know what the issues unique to your group are.

If you've perused this blog, you'll note I have posts covering some of the major pageants and some ballroom stuff.  I really need to do more of them because there are many women involved in the pageant and ballroom worlds that are making history, who are great at what they do, have as much status and love in their communities as I do in the activist realm and their stories need to be told to the audience that reads TransGriot.  And yes, I admire what you do as well and I'm looking forward to one day meeting various people involved in the pageant and ballroom world..  

I'm in contact with some folks, lurking on the FB and Twitter feeds of others and admire the hard work you're putting in to get to that legendary status on the ballroom and pageant runways   Many of you are also carrying yourself with class and dignity while doing so.

One of the points I also need to make is that there is movement between the various categories under the trans umbrella.  I've observed more than a few people in my time interacting with the various sections of the trans community that started in the drag, crossdresser, pageant or ballroom ends of it, had their gender epiphany and eventually ended up with round trip tickets to Bangkok getting gender realignment surgery. 

I observed a few people use the pageant, drag and ballroom ends of it to not only do their gender transition, but use the prize money they earned to pay for it.

I think about what my trans life would have been like if I didn't have the blessings of a two parent home, a middle class upbringing, blood and chosen family and friends who love and support me and a college education.  

The escort life isn't (and never was an option) for me, but neither am I going to sit in judgment of those who are in it because I realize that even with college educations, 26% of us transpeeps are unemployed or underemployed.   We are facing unacceptable levels of anti-trans violence aimed at us amongst other issues that affect all of us. 

If we put our heads together we can begin to resolve those issues to the benefit of all of us.  No matter what clique we belong to, we all want to be true to ourselves, live quality lives, be proud of who we are and be the best persons we can be. 


I want us to laser beam focus on the fact that whatever our differences brought on by the cliques we hang out in due to class, education, generational issues, et cetera, the one thing that unites all of us at the end of the day and should squash all the bull feces amongst us is that we're all Black transwomen and we're hated on one level or another by some extremely misguided people primarily because we are trans.

Let's focus on the thing we all have in common, and work to build community from there.   I've been willing to try if you are.   There are others willing to follow my lead if you're willing in your various groups of the community to meet us halfway.

Black Trans History Compilations

Thanks for the love y'all have been sending me concerning the recent post I wrote concerning cult actress Ajita Wilson . I found it interesting that she was a #girllikeus and possibly the first trans Jet Beauty of the Week.

While I'm in the midst of a travel day (and see you in a few hours New Yorkers) thought I'd give y'all some more of our history to peruse.

Jowelle De Souza Trini Trans Pioneer

A Look At African American Trans Traliblazers

Black Trans History-Althea Garrison

We Black Trans People Need To Know Our Black Trans History

The Story of Carlett Brown

The Interesting Story Of Gerald Trenton

Sharon Franklin Brown's Story

Musing About Carole Small
Musing About Avon Wilson's Blended Life

Hampton Case in Ohio Update

I posted last week about the Hampton trans murder case in Ohio and my pissivity over the almost immediate deployment of the Black trans unwoman meme' in the initial reports by several Cincinnati media outlets.  

The local media in addition to immediately misgendering her, assumed Hampton was engaged in sex work, which pissed me off still further

Well, interestingly enough, there's a story that came out yesterday in GLBTNewsCincinnati.com by Worley Rodehaver about this latest trans murder based on an interview with a person purported to be a relative of Hampton's named Terri.

According to the article, Hampton had just had a fistfight with a transphobe who called her names, and the cismale she vanquished was being teased by other males for being beat up by a 'fag'.

Terri says another female relative was with Hampton and went inside a carryout.   Sometime during that period she was in the carryout Hampton was shot, and as we are aware of later died after being taken to the hospital

Terri is also quoted in the article as saying about Hampton “He always had to fight (literally) because of who he was. He lived in a bad area of town around young males who are in gangs and sell drugs.” 

“What I am concerned about is the State of Ohio does not have any Hate Crime Laws regarding sexual orientation or gender identity.”  Terri concluded, “I hope the Cincinnati Police Department will find this person/s and bring them to justice. 

Terri, that's the same thing we transpeople are hoping and praying for as well, that your relative get justice. 

Another thing we African-American transwomen are hoping for is the media actually pays attention to and starts consistently using the AP Stylebook guidelines on respectfully reporting on trans people.   

We transwomen of color are extremely sick and tired of the first words coming out of your media mouths when we are unfortunately killed and you report the stories is making the assumption filled and racist leap that we are engaged in sex work

You know the old saying about when you assume.

But it's more like you're making azzes out of yourselves, not the transperson you disrespected. . 

Tyra Hunter 17th Anniversary

I was barely sixteen months into my own transition when I heard the shocking news coming out of Washington DC on August 7, 1995 about an African-American transwoman who died there.

Why do I remember this particular transwoman out of sadly the hundreds who have died since that date?   It's because Tyra's death was unnecessary. 

It was also because of the way she died. 

Tyra Hunter didn't die at the point of a gun or a knife, she died because of medical transphobia   The transphobe who was responsible for her untimely death was wearing the uniform of a Washington DC Fire Department EMT. 

She died from injuries she received in a car accident at 50th and C Streets in SE Washington DC because Adrian Williams failed to remember at the time Ms Hunter was one of the District's residents he was trained and supposed to help.  

Sadly that same DC street corner would see two more African-American transwomen die there under a hail of automatic weapons fire just seven years later in the persons of Stephanie Thomas and Ukea Davis.

Tyra's death and my shock and anger over it would be one of the cumulative events that began to nudge me towards becoming the trans activist I am today.   It was a wake up call that as an out trans African-American I needed to do more to start educating my people that we existed, we're part of the kente cloth fabric of the African-American community and we deserved recognition of our human rights.

Tyra, while you left us far too soon, you'll be happy to know that you are not forgotten.   As long as TransGriot exists, I won't let people forget what happened to you on that day and I and others are working to ensure it never happens to another transperson ever again.

Shame On You, National Bar Association

In 1925, because of Jim Crow segregation, African-American attorneys such as George H. Woodson, S. Joe Brown, James B. Morris, Charles P. Howard, and Gertrude E. Rush were denied admission to the American Bar Association because of their race.  So in the spirit of those times, when they were denied a seat at the table, they built their own table.

A group of 120 attorneys included legendary ones such as Charles Houston founded the National Bar Association in Des Moines, IA at a time when there were a little more than 1,000 African-American lawyers in the United States.  

The NBA, working in tandem with the NAACP addressed issues such as professional ethics, legal education, and uniform state laws, as well as questions concerning the civil rights movement in transportation discrimination, residential segregation, and voting rights in addition to working to diversify the federal judiciary and block federal judicial appointments of persons hostile to African-American civil rights and voting rights.

One of the NBA successes in that front was helping block the appointment of controversial North Carolina judge John J. Parker by President Herbert Hoover to the U.S. Supreme Court because of his outspoken opposition to civil rights and voting rights for African-Americans. . 


The ABA began admitting African-American members to its ranks starting in 1943, but the NBA continued growing to become the nation's oldest and largest association of Black lawyers, judges, law students and educators and has over 10,000 members in 84 chapters around the world in the United States, Canada, .the United Kingdom, the Caribbean and several African nations. 

The NBA constitution states its objective is to "promote legislation that will improve the economic condition of all American citizens regardless of race, sex, or creed."

With that kind of progressive vision and history grounded in our African-American civil rights movement, you would think that the National Bar Association would have no problem adding TBLG specific language in its constitution. 

Um yeah, seems like they do.  The Civil Rights Law section of the National Bar Association recently proposed an amendment to the NBA constitution that would add five words to the document: "disability, sexual orientation or gender identity." Nothing more. Nothing less.

And what was the result of the NBA vote?   They overwhelmingly rejected the proposed amendment on a 120-30 vote.    

"The National Bar Association's decision not to include disability, sexual orientation or gender identity as part of their nondiscrimination policy fails to accurately reflect the membership it purports to represent and discourages potential members from joining," said Kylar Broadus, attorney and founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition.

"For an organization that was formed as a harbor for Black Americans due to the pervasive discrimination in society at the time and is still a support for many given the structural and systematic discrimination that exist, I would think the NBA would be in tune and open to other Black marginalized groups as well. If we aren't included in the policy, it is clear we aren't welcome."

"How can an organization claiming to advocate on behalf of all Americans and cultivate strong legal leaders, refuse to acknowledge an entire segment of the Black community and its constituency?" asks Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black LGBT people. "Black LGBT lawyers and judges are Black, too. Period. We've had several Black LGBT attorneys share with NBJC that they've never felt welcomed at NBA - now we see why."

Of course the defensive spin quickly came in a written statement from the NBA President John Page when asked to comment by EBONY.com on the organization's decision not to include LGBT-specific language in its constitution. 

"For nearly 90 years, the NBA has been a leader in the fight for civil rights and justice for all.".said National Bar Association President John Page. "Like most other legal and civil rights organizations, we decided that our mission statement was not the appropriate document to express our unquestioned support of specific minority communities but as professionals and as lawyers we have a clear focus on access, rights, equality, justice and jurisprudence."

Oh really?   Then explain why your organization shrank from this leadership test President Page. It's interesting to note this inclusive language from association of other attorneys such as the American Bar Association:

"The ABA is dedicated to equal employment opportunity for its workforce that is without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation or other protected characteristics."

And here's what the National Black Law Students Association, an active partner group with the NBA that was founded in 1968 has explicitly stated in their bylaws nondiscrimination clause: 

"NBLSA will not discriminate against an individual or group on the basis of sex, race, religion, ethnic group, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, national origin, or country of abode."

Hmm.  Sharon Lettman-Hicks told it like it T-I-S is in the EBONY.com article chronicling the failure of the NBA to include Black LGBT lawyers.

"NBLSA is a grooming ground for future Black lawyers," continues Lettman-Hicks. "These young people are light years ahead of the historic organization, NBA."

The National Bar Association states it has a mission to "protect civil and political rights of the citizens and the residents of the United States." 

I must point out to you NBA, some of those United States citizens you need to protect the civil and human rights of also happen to be LGBT ones.   It's past time you dealt with that reality because we can and could definitely use your expertise in doing so right now..

Just as the NBA was founded in the last century to give African-Americans in the legal profession a seat at the table that was denied to them, it's time for you to pull up some chairs to the table you built and allow your fellow African descended brothers and sister attorneys to not only sit there, but welcome them into the fold.

Shame on you, National Bar Association for sending the message through that problematic vote that has the whiff of homophobia and transphobia that you don't wish to do so and LGBT attorneys aren't welcome.. 

Black Butterfly

I talked about the significance and the symbolism of the butterfly to the transgender community in a previous post.

As I compiled it I immediately thought about one of my favorite songs by Deniece Williams called 'Black Butterfly'..

When I reread the lyrics to it and listened to Deniece sing it again, I realized that the song perfectly encapsulates the melding of pride for our heritage as Black trans people and pride in being trans people.

It's something we need to think about as we 21st century transpeople of African descent are trying to build lasting community along with TPOCC, the Trans People of Color Coalition and countless others.

Frankly, I could see this becoming an unofficial inspirational theme song for our African descended trans community (with Deniece Williams' permission of course). 

***

Morning light, silken dreams take flight
As the darkness gives way to the dawn
You’ve survived, now your moment has arrived
Now your dream has finally been born

Black butterfly, sail across the waters
Tell your sons and daughters what the struggle brings
Black butterfly, set the skies on fire
Rise up even higher so the ageless winds of time can catch your wings

While you slept the promise was unkept
But your faith was as sure as the stars
Now you’re free and the world has come to see
Just how proud and beautiful you are

Black butterfly, sail across the waters
Tell your sons and daughters what the struggle brings
Black butterfly, set the skies on fire
Rise up even higher so the wind can catch your wings

Let the current lift your heart and send it soaring
Write your timeless message clear across the skies
So that all of us can read it and remember when we heed it
That a dream conceived in truth can never die, butterfly

'Cause now you’re free and the world has come to see
Just how proud and beautiful you are

Black butterfly, sail across the waters
Tell your sons and your daughters what the struggle brings
Black butterfly, set the skies, set them on fire
Rise up even higher so the ageless winds of time can catch your wings
Fly butterfly, yeah, yeah



Fly Black butterflies.  Spread your wings with pride, dream big dreams, show the world how beautiful you are and then take flight.  Never let the world forget how beautiful and talented you are either.  

Something else we should never forget is our transsisters who only had a short time to spread their wings and fly as the people they were born to be before those lives were tragically cut short.

Upscoming Miss Ross Live June 30 Show With Isis

Another edition of the Miss Ross Live Show will be broadcast on June 30 at 11 AM Eastern Time/10 AM Central and will features actress, model and activist Isis King.  



She'll be talking about the movie Hello Forever she's in and the faux controversy about the American Apparel ad she appears in.  

I'm just sayin'..

You can  check it out on Saturday or catch the podcast later for your listening pleasure over at BlogTalkRadio. 

The Root's Trans Free Black LGBT List

Since June is Pride Month, in honor of the occasion The Root put together a list of 20 notable Black LGBT people    I was curious to see if things had progressed in the African-American blogosphere since I had to call the Grio out about a trans free LGBT leaders list in 2010. .

On the one The Root compiled many of the folks on this list I have had the pleasure of meeting and I admire such as Aisha Moodie-Mills, Phill Wilson, and Donna Payne are on it.   The others they included are familiar ones like poet Staceyann Chin, Jonathan Capehert, Don Lemon, Sapphire, Keith Boykin, Jasmyne Cannick and Wanda Sykes.

What I didn't see in this Black LGBT list was you guessed it, Black trans people.

No Janet Mock (who made the Grio's 100 list BTW).  No Laverne Cox.  No Kylar Broadus, Isis King, Valerie Spencer, Rev. Louis Mitchell, Miss Major, or even some award winning blogger who was part of the first ever trans panel at Netroots Nation 2012..

Just the same old crap, different day in terms of Blackosphere media outlets putting together these Black LGB(t) lists and not including any trans people in them.

Bottom line, if you're going to take the time to put together a list that purports to be representative of the LGBT community leadership, then I, the trans community and our allies expect that trans people be included in said list if you claim it is a TBLG one.

Far too fracking often these trans free lists are overwhelmingly LG dominated, B peeps as an afterthought with no T ones.

Black folks, y'all need to get with that include the trans community program as well because we Black trans peeps are beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired of being erased from these Black TBLG leaders lists y'all put together.  

We aren't ashamed of being Black and trans but the constant erasure and the frequency with which it happens make us wonder if you're ashamed of us.  

That erasure of African descended trans persons leads to situations in which Black transpeople haven't even been invited to discuss trans issues that impact us like the CeCe McDonald case on the Melissa Harris Perry show or NAACP convention LBG(t) town hall meetings with no trans people on those panels

Will be eagerly watching the upcoming NAACP convention next month in my hometown to see if Julian Bond keeps the promise he made in LA last year to ensure the next NAACP convention town hall has trans representation on that panel. 

And the 'we can't find any trans activists' excuse doesn't wash now any more than it did two years ago.

Sadly what I said in the post calling out the erasure and non- inclusion of Black transpeople on Black LGB(t) lists is applicable in this one as well.

My point is that if our own people don't or won't show us some love when you compile these leadership lists, and you write for one of our leading blogosphere sites directed at the African-American community gay and straight, how in the hell can we Black trans leaders who are doing the work expect the predominately white TBLG community to respect us as well?

It's bad enough that Black transpeople get shut out of the predominately vanillacentric upper middle class narrative and get very little to no media attention except when we get killed in a hate crime.   It's disappointing and hurts even more when we get ignored by our own media outlets.