Happy Dallas Transgender Day Of Visibility!

One year ago like every Black trans Texan, I was shocked and angered to learn that Muhlaysia Booker, who had survived a brutal videotaped attack on her in a South Dallas apartment complex just a month earlier by Edward Thomas, was found murdered on Dallas' east side.   

While we trans Texans remember her death and are reminded justice still hasn't been served yet in this case, I do have some positive news to share about this May 18 day thanks to Pocaphontas Duvall Crowe.

She, and the ladies of the Dallas based Transfusion Radio show have been working with Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, the Dallas City Council, the House of Rebirth and the Silver Pride Project to create recognition in the city of the fact that many of the 1.4 million people who call Dallas home are trans.

Today has been declared by Dallas city officials as Dallas Transgender Visibility Day!

From the City of Dallas proclamation:

WHEREAS, Dallas Transgender Day of Visibility will help raise the visibility of transgender people in the city of Dallas and address issues that members of the community face, and  

WHEREAS, during Dallas Transgender Day of Visibility, transgender people and their allies will educate the public about who transgender people are, share experiences and stories, and advance advocacy around the issues of discrimination, prejudice, and violence that affect transgender people, and 

WHEREAS,  the City of Dallas recognizes the significant contributions made by transgender people and affirms that they are a vital and important part of our community, and 

WHEREAS,  Dallas Transgender Day of Visibility will honor the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence, including the Black trans women murdered last spring in the City of Dallas, and 

WHEREAS, May 18 was chosen as Dallas Transgender Day of Visibility in order to honor  and celebrate the life of Muhlaysia Booker, who will never be forgotten. 

NOW,THEREFORE, I, Eric Johnson, Mayor of the City of Dallas, with support from Mayor Pro Tem Adama Medrano,  Councilmember Omar Narvaez, Councilmember Adam Bazaldua, and Councilmember Chad West, do hereby proclaim that May 18, 2020 be recognized as
                             DALLAS TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY   

The proclamation is signed by Mayor Johnson, Mayor Pro Tem Medrano, and Councilmembers Narvaez and West.

This is a historic day for trans Dallasites, and Crowe couldn't be prouder of her city.  .While she lamented the fact that these COVID 19 times have prevented the City Hall ceremony that would have accompanied such a momentous occasion, she did have this to say about the Dallas Trans Visibility Day proclamation and the process that shaped it.

As to why this date was chosen, Crowe said in a Facebook post to me

"May 18th also marks a year's passing in the death of our so-loved sister, Muhlaysia Booker. We chose that date because it was her murder that caused an international audience to recognize that trans women of color were in grave peril here in Dallas and throughout this entire country." "This proclamation pays tribute to a woman whose life was cut short; but even in death she managed to elevate our community as she did so often in her brief time with us. Our visibility began on this date. This is a fitting tribute for her incredible contribution," she wrote.

"In better times, we would have been invited to celebrate this day at City Hall. Since gatherings are impossible for now we must rely on social media to announce this achievement. Please support the efforts of the House of Rebirth and share these glad tidings with your contacts." Crowe added,"This is a shining moment in our history. This is the moment that the men and women governing Dallas paid tribute to the transgender community. On Monday, they will announce to the world that the City of Dallas respects and will stand with us.

As well they should, since trans people are an undeniable part of the city of Dallas, and that point gets driven home with each passing year. 

What happens in Dallas is also of major interest to me because it is not only Black Trans Advocacy Coalition's (BTAC) headquarters city, my mom grew up there until her junior year of high school and I still have relatives and friends living in the area .

While Dallas has had anti-discrimination ordinances protecting trans people on the books since 2002, the Dallas Black trans community still felt invisible to city leaders, the LGB community and the rest of the city's citizens.

Hopefully this Dallas Transgender Visibility Day is another step forward in changing the perceptions of how Dallas' Black trans folks see themselves and how they are treated by the city moving forward.

Congrats to Poca, Transfusion, the Dallas trans community and their allies!  Enjoy this momentous day!

My Post CC20 Musings

I'm back on my end of I-45 after an amazing few days in Dallas for Creating Change 2020.

In addition to bringing something back to Houston with me to put on my trophy shelf called the Susan J Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement,  I brought something else back with me.

The knowledge that we're gonna be alright as a movement because of all our wonderful younglings.

The younglings are not only pushing us elders and yelders to be better, they are also doing the same with their youthful energy to society and our movement as a whole. 

They also get the benefit of being part of the intergenerational conversations that happen in the CC20 space

As with any Creating Change, while I always enjoy getting to spend quality time with my cohort of trans activists marveling how far we've come since our days when we were the new kids on the activist block, I get my life and enjoyment from talking to and actively listening to the younger generation.

And yeah, proud of my Houston activist fam.   We are always busy at these events, whether we are presenting at panels or strategizing about what we're going to do in the coming year to make Houston, Texas and our TBLGQ community better

There are also those wonderful moments when I get to step away from the convention hustle and bustle and jet for a few hours connect with friends who live in the host city.   I was glad that Kyiana Wheeler and I got a chance to make that happen on Wednesday.

One thing I need to do a better job of is checking in with my blood relatives who live in Dallas.  Some of them only knew I was in town when they saw me on the local news doing an interview.

In my defense to my Dallas relatives who are reading this post and sucking their teeth, this is a business trip for me.  A fun one, but at its most basic level it is a business trip.

I tend to get busy with panel discussions, interviews, and all the other stuff that happens at conference events like CC20, and before I know it, the event is over and I'm headed back home.

I enjoyed just getting to at times sit back in the hospitality suites and listen to them talk about what was happening in their lives.  There were times when I was asked to drop some knowledge about what I'd experienced as a 22 year advocate, and time when I just sat back and absorbed it.

TBLGQ intergenerational conversations matter.

There was a moment when Antonia d'Orsay and I were giving a Trans 101 history class to three gender non conforming peeps as they were out in the smoking area. .

There are the meetings happening on and off the #CC20 campus between ED's of the various organizations in attendance in Dallas plotting the next phases of our human rights movement

There were also moments during CC20 when I was the person having those meetings with leaders of various TBLGQ community orgs

There was me walking around at my sixth Creating Change having the younglings stop me in the hall, take photos, and tell me how much they appreciated my work and the blog.

And I needed to hear that.   One attendee told me about her professor actually assigning TransGriot blog posts as reading material for her Women and Gender Studies class.

That increased in intensity after I gave the acceptance speech for the Hyde Award, and I'm not mad about that.   Once upon a time (CC99 in Oakland)  I was the wide eyed newbie nervously rubbing elbows with the leadership icons of that period.

Now I have become that icon.   I want peeps to be aware of the fact that if I'm not busy at a conference, I will always have time (or make time) to talk and listen to you. 

It was also nice to get to know the other Black and Latinx trans folks that were able to attend and get to know them better in addition to taking part in that rally Thursday afternoon.

Creating Change 2020 has passed into the TBLGQ community history books.  I salute the Dallas organizing team for putting on a great event while pointing out the Houston #CC14 attendance record is STILL intact.

Looking forward to the next time I can be at one, either in Washington DC next year or NOLA in 2022.

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CC 2020 Susan J Hyde Award Speech

TransGriot Note:  This is the text of the speech I'm currently delivering at the opening Creating Change 2020 plenary session

To Rea Carey, the Creating Change leadership team, the Dallas CC20 Organizing Committee, Barbara Satin, Creating Change 2020 attendees, my Houston activist family and my trans siblings.

I am beyond thrilled and excited to be honored with this year’s Susan J Hyde Award for Longevity in the Movement.   Even better is the knowledge that I’m receiving it in my home state. The only thing that would have made it more amazing would have been to be receiving it on my end of Interstate 45.

I humbly accept it not only for myself, but for every Black trans person who will never have the opportunity to contribute their talents to our community because they were taken from us far too soon..  

Can we please have a moment of silence for all the trans people we’ve lost to anti-trans violence in 2019?   

Thank you.

I’m not the first Black trans person to receive this award, and you can trust and believe I won’t be the last Black trans person standing up on a future Creating Change stage to pick up one of their own.

Kylar Broadus received this Hyde award during Creating Change 2011 held in Minneapolis.  He’s a trailblazer, community leader and a man I have the utmost respect for. I’m proud to be on this date following in his footsteps and receiving this prestigious award.   

As much as native Houstonians like myself revel in poking fun at the third largest city in the state because it is ingrained in people growing up either here or in Dallas to throw shade at each other and their respective NFL franchises (Go Texans!) , there is no denying the fact that Dallas has been a major part of my life.  My mom grew up here until her junior year of high school and my grandfather was transferred by his Continental Airlines job to Houston.

Every summer, my family and I made the four hour trip up I-45 to Dallas to visit many of my relatives that still live here in the area and span the Metroplex from Garland to DeSoto, and South Dallas to Oak Cliff.   I’ve been coming here since 2013 for the Black Trans Advocacy Conference, and proudly sit on the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition board as a member of Black Transwomen Inc. I’ll be back here to spend my birthday week at BTAC’s 9th annual conference also being held here in Dallas May 5-10. 

And I can’t forget last year, when I made multiple trips to Dallas for everything from a BTAC leadership institute to Muhlaysia Booker’s wake and funeral.

I’ve been a trans activist for over two decades, and 2019 was a milestone year on two levels. It marked 25 years since that April 4,1994 day I walked into Houston’s Intercontinental Airport to begin the work shift at my airline job that would change the course of my life for the better. 

2019 also was the year that I passed the 20th anniversary of my first Texas trans lobby day organized by my late mentor Sarah DePalma, the ED of the Texas Gender Advocacy Information Network or TGAIN.    TGAIN is still around, but is now called the Transgender Education Network of Texas.

It also marked the 20th anniversary of me attending my first Creating Change conference in Oakland.

But to be honest, when I started the transition in 1994, being an activist was the furthest thing from my mind.  My goals then were a little more modest. I wanted to do my 35 years at the airline job I absolutely loved and retire   I wanted to just get comfortable being me and enjoy my life evolving into the fabulous Black trans woman you see on this stage today.

There’s an old saying that if you want to make God laugh, try to plan out your life.

There used to be an organization back in the day called the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE) that was around until 2015.   Back in the 90’s they published a quarterly magazine called Transgender Tapestry that I started a subscription to in 1995. 

In 1997 they decided to publish a series of articles highlighting 100 out and proud trans leaders.   The first magazine I received highlighted 25 people, many of them iconic elders in our community like Jamison Green and Phyllis Frye just to name a few. 

But as I read that article, I was left asking the question, “Where are the trans leaders who look like me?”   I know we exist.

I get my next quarterly Tapestry issue, and it finally had two Black people in it.   RuPaul and Dennis Rodman.

Needless to say I was pissed.  RuPaul and Dennis Rodman had made it quite clear they weren’t trans, and worst of all their inclusion was perpetuating a racist stereotype that the only thing Black folks could do was be an entertainer or an athlete.

Never mind the fact that Marisa Richmond in Nashville and Dawn Wilson in Louisville were at that time running trans support groups called the Tennessee Vals and the Bluegrass Belles on opposite ends of I-65.  Marisa and Dawn were also emerging Black trans community leaders that I would later meet at the 1999 Southern Comfort in Marisa’s case and Dawn at the 2000 IFGE Convention in DC.. I’m also proud to call them my friends,

So after seeing that I resolved to not only be at the 1998 GenderPac Lobby Days in Washington DC, I made it my mission to start getting involved in local and national trans activism.

So yeah, a jacked up article in a trans magazine was the impetus for me getting into trans activism, and I never looked back.

When I  came into trans activism in 1998, there was unfortunately a prevailing attitude that adding trans folks to pending legislation for the TBLGQ community would kill it for everybody, so all TBLGQ activism at the local, state and federal level operated on the euphemistically named ‘incremental progress’ model.  

Translation: We trans folks were told by some Big Gay Org this bill won’t pass with you trans folks in it.   Or we were told that ‘trans rights was ‘too new’, so let’s just take what we can get and we’ll come back for you trans folks later.  

A later that never came.   Ask the trans folks in Wisconsin, who have been waiting since 1982 for people to come back for them and add them to their state’s nondiscrimination law.

Sometimes the anti-trans legislative hostility came from our own community    The anti- trans bathroom argument was created not by Republican politicians, but by one of our own in former US Rep Barney Frank in 1999 because he didn’t want trans folks included in ENDA..  

The 1998 landscape also included the trans community being relentlessly attacked by TERFs, evilgelicals  and being laughed at and considered a joke by politicians on both sides of the political aisle

But still we rose.  During my 22 years in this movement, I have been blessed to see changes in how the trans community was perceived, and I'm happy to say that the Task Force played a major role in making that happen.  As the Political Director of the National Transgender Advocacy Coalition, (NTAC) from 1999-2002, one of the first events I attended in that role was a National Transgender Policy meeting facilitated by the Task Force in 2000. 

I got to witness the rise of our trans kids like Jazz Jennings and the Mama and Papa Bears as a political and cultural force for our community    I got to witness politicians stop laughing at the trans community and take our demands for human rights equity seriously

I started a blog in 2006  ‘nobody reads’ called TransGriot that not only just celebrated its 14th birthday on New Year’s Day, but was just honored with its fifth GLAAD Media Award nomination.

I get to watch an amazing TV show called POSE in which the issues that affect the trans community get told as you watch it from coast to coast.   The trans characters are also played by trans women, with trans women being writers and producers of the show. 

I’m also happy to witness trans men not only become better known in Hollywood, but stepping up across the country and the world to take on their leadership roles in the movement.  I’m also proud to see my Dallas based sibs in BTMI under Carter Brown’s leadership role model not only what that leadership looks like from a Black trans masculine perspective, but also be sterling examples of Black men while doing so.

I have gotten to witness people like Virginia Delegate Danica Roem get elected and reelected to their state legislature.   I got to see Black trans people like me in Councilmembers Andrea Jenkins and Phillipe Cunningham be elected to the Minneapolis city council and serve together on that body.

And naw siblings, I didn’t forget about the work that nonbinary and gender non conforming people are doing to drive home the point that gender is on a spectrum, not a rigid binary.

I have also been blessed to witness the beautiful sight of our Texas trans kids living up to our history of being tenacious fighters for trans rights in the Lone Star State and helping lead the charge in 2017 to kill twice the odious SB 6 ‘Bathroom Bill’ in a regular and a special oppression session. 

It’s interesting that Creating Change is back here in Texas at a potential tipping point moment in our politics.   We are now only nine seats away from flipping the Texas House to Democratic control for the first time since 2002   There is the possibility that we may flip this state blue on November 3 and flush John Cornyn out of his US Senate seat he has occupied for way too long at the same time.

We have lesbian and gay office holders across the Lone Star State from judges to city councilmembers to state legislators.  I hope to see in my lifetime a Texas trans person get elected to public office before the decade of the 2020s has passed into the history books.

But much needs to be done here in Texas before we can see that glorious day.  We mush flip our legislature and ensure that fair maps instead of gerrymandered ones are drawn.  We must make sure that every TBLGQ person is counted in the upcoming 2020 Census and registered to vote.   On November 3 we must do everything within our power to ensure that every person who is registered to vote has the opportunity to cast a ballot in a critical to our democracy election.

We must push to ensure that trans Texans are covered not only in our state’s James Byrd Hate Crimes Act, but a statewide nondiscrimination law.

In my Houston hometown, we must convince our female majority city council to pass HERO 2.0, and defend it from attack from the evilgelicals and the Republican Party.

We must kill any proposed bills in Texas and anywhere else in the US that seek to ban the ability of trans kids to get trans medical care before their 18th birthday or criminalize doctors for providing that treatment.

And yes, I have a message for Gov Greg Abbott, Lt Governor Dan Patrick and the Texas Republican Party:  Don’t mess with Texas trans kids.

Don’t mess with our trans kids in the other 49 states and\ US territories either.  
   
How do we accomplish all that?  That’s why you’re here in the 214 area code for the next few days at CC20.  You are here to not only network with the peeps that can help you accomplish those goals, but learn new skills, and brush up on ones you learned decades ago like I did at my five previous Creating Change events.

You are also here to hopefully make lifelong friends during the time you’re here in Dallas for CC20.

In conclusion, when I transitioned a quarter century ago, I never imagined standing up on stages as my fab self getting honored for the work I do to make my community, the Lone Star State, and our nation better.   I never imagined back in 1994 that I would be appearing on Nightline or MSNBC, or doing print media interviews or podcasts to talk about trans issues.

I didn’t consider the possibility that people would be asking my unapologetically Black trans self to run for public office.  I never thought about the fact that while I don’t have children of my own, I would gain a whole lot of nieces and nephews who chose me to be their Aunt Monica.  

But it’s happening.  I’m seen as a possibility model and an icon to a community that I’m unabashedly proud of.  I’m proud of the next generation Black trans women I see who will make me look like a slacker by the time that I’m done in terms of what they collectively accomplish for our movement .

And to quote our  trans elder Miss Major, “I’m still effing here.”

We’ve got work to do CC20.  Time to go handle our movement business, get our learn on, and get it done for the TBLGQ + kids who look up to all of us.  

And I’m not going to disappoint them.  

Moni's Early Morning #CC20 Musings

I'm up early because I haven't been able to sleep since 5:30 AM, and finally said frack it and got up.

This is the big day for me at Creating Change 2020.   I have a 10 AM panel during the Trans Institute, and later tonight a speech to make during the 8 PM opening plenary as  I accept the Susan J Hyde Award for Longevity in The Movement.

But in the runup to this day, I've gotten to see a lot of old friends, meet some new ones, and introduce myself to the younglings who may not be aware of what I've been doing since 1998.

While I'm trying to stay humble and modest about this major award I'm about to get, many of you #CC20 attendees have let me know how much you love and care about me, and how much of a BFD you think this is to you.

There have also been some nights like last night where me and elders like Diego Sanchez, Antonia d'Orsay, Yosenio Lewis, and others have had a chance to chill out in front of the conference hotel, sit either outside  or in the hotel and talk about the good, bad and humorous days of our activist journeys.

We marvel about the fact that some of us are still effing here, and lament the ones who have gone on to join the ancestors.    Some of those TBLGQ+ folks who joined the ancestors left us way too soon,either by their own hand or someone else's murderous one.

I also have had the chance to catch up with Dallas area friends like Kyiana Wheeler,  just have a quiet dinner away from the convention hotel, and catch up on what has been going on in each other's lives.

I've gotten to spend some time with my BTAC family, and that will continue until Sunday. 

And yes, as promised, Slurpees are being destroyed at the rate of two a day

This conference, as always, gets to serve as not only a giant family reunion for all of us in the TBLGQ+ movement, it's also a time where we can break bread together, talk about the direction of where we want to take our human rights struggle, and acquire the skills and knowledge we'll need to help us accomplish the goals we set here.

While I love talking to my fellow advocates and elders,  the best part is meeting and hanging out with the younglings.  Getting to hear them talk about their hopes, dreams and aspirations for the future.  Having the blessing of having those intergenerational conversations with them

Them getting to realize that the person and possibility model they idolize in me also is human, down to earth, has a wicked sense of humor, and always has time to give a needed hug, listen to their conversations and give advice if they request it..

Am I nervous about the speech tonight?  A little since it will be the largest crowd I've ever done one in front of in my life.   But I've been doing speeches in front of crowds large and small since elementary school, and once I get started and into it, I'll be fine/ 

Speaking of getting started, time fo me to hit the shower and get ready for my big #CC20 day
   

Moni's In The CC20 House!

After rolling up I-45 yesterday, I'm back in Dallas again, but this time it's for my sixth  Creating Change Conference and my first since the 2017 one in Philadelphia.

So what's Creating Change?  It's one of the largest political conferences in the TBLGQ movement ranks.  It has been around since 1988, and my first one was the 1999 event in Oakland

Creating Change is back in Texas for the first time since 2014, but not on my end of I-45 this time and we Houston peeps are still a little salty about that.   Houston has only hosted Creating Change once, while this is now the third time Dallas has hosted it.

Dallas previously hosted Creating Change in 1994 and 2010.

When H-Town had our chance to do so in 2014, we  handled our business and raised the bar for hosting it.  We set new Creating Change records across the board, including the current CC attendance record of over 4000 attendees that as of yet still hasn't been broken.

This time, unlike my last Creating Change event in Philly in 2017,  I'm staying in the conference hotel for the first time since #CC15 in Denver. 

I'm going to be receiving the Hyde Longevity in the Movement award while I'm here at the opening plenary session on Thursday.

I'm also participating in two panels on Thursday at 10 AM as part of the Trans Institute and Friday at 3 PM before I head back down I-45 south to home on Sunday.. 

I was already aware of thanks to my previous Dallas trips there's a downtown 7 Eleven store near the St Paul DART Rail station.

That St Paul DART Rail station is in easy walking distance of the conference hotel  and since I'm only two away from a free one on my app, Slurpees will be demolished while I'm in Dallas at an unprecedented rate.   

As always peeps, if you see me wandering the CC20 halls and I'm not running my mouth with somebody, don't be shy, say hi!   Looking forward to seeing and reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones.

Getting On The (Bougie) Bus To Dallas

I'm starting this 2020 year of travel the same way I ended 2019, by riding a Vonlane luxury bus to or from a Lone Star State destination.

This will be my longest trip ever on a Vonlane, or what I loving call The Bougie Bus'.  I usually end up taking them to and from Austin or San Antonio, but this is the first time I've done one to Dallas. 

Why do I love them so much?   WiFi that works, satellite TV,  a bus attendant that brings snacks to my seat, and oh did I mention that reserved leather seat?

This reclining leather seat is what I get to chillax in all the way to Dallas and back to Houston.   The best part is I'm not doing any of the 3.5 hour drive up and back.

So why am I traveling to Dallas this time?    It's to attend the Creating Change Conference that will kick off tomorrow at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.  It will be my first one I've attended since the 2017 one in Philadelphia and my sixth overall.   

Y'all also might have heard I'm getting an award while I'm there during the opening Thursday night plenary session starting at 7 PM in addition to the two panel discussions I'll be taking part in.

One of those is on Thursday at 10 AM as part of the Trans Institute,  and the second is on Friday at 3 PM entitled 'Building Trans Political Power.' 

I'm looking forward to seeing old friends, and meeting new ones.

But I'm also looking forward to this latest ride on the 'Bougie Bus' in addition to seeing all you peeps when I arrive in Dallas.
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I'm Getting The Susan J Hyde Award At CC20!

When Creating Change kicks off in Dallas, I'll be getting another award for my 22 years of activity in the TBLGQ movement.

I'm being honored with the Susan J. Hyde Award for Longevity in the movement during the opening plenary on January 16.

I'm not the first Black trans person to receive this award.   Kylar Broadus received it during the 2011 Creating Change event held in Minneapolis.  It's nice that I'm following someone in receiving this award that I have much love and respect for. 

I'm looking forward to that when it happens, and it also means I'll have a speech to deliver as well

For those of you planning to attend, see y'all in two weeks.

 

Vandalized Dallas Trans Mural Repaired

In more good news to start this week, the trans mural in Dallas that was vandalized last week has been restored.  The mural is located at 4000 Cedar Springs Road in the heart of Dallas' gayborhood, and is the largest one in the world dedicated to honoring the trans community.

Dallas based artist Rafiq Salleh-Flowers did so on Sunday after some waste of DNA desecrated it by drawing mustaches on the faces of Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P Johnson back on December 8.

Dallas PD is still looking for the person who vandalized the mural, and if you have any information that will lead to the arrest and prosecution of this person, you are urged to contact DPD at 214-670-4413 with any tips you have.

I and the Dallas TBGLQ community are just happy the mural has been fixed

Dallas Trans Mural Vandalized

The Dallas Voice is reporting that the trans mural honoring Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P Johnson was vandalized earlier this week when some transphobic waste of DNA disrespectfully painted dark blue mustaches on Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson's faces.

The vandalism of the mural, painted by New York based artist Brian Kenney, ,was discovered on Sunday afternoon December 8.  The mural was completed this spring to honor the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion and the participation of Sylvia and Marsha as unsung sheroes and leaders in our movement

The mural, located at 4000 Cedar Springs Road in the heart of Dallas' gayborhood, is the largest one in the world dedicated to honoring the trans community.

The graffiti cleaner was scheduled to arrive today, and Artitude's Jerome Larez stated to the Voice's David Taffet that they would attempt to clean off the graffiti without damaging the mural.

The Dallas Police Department is looking for the waste of DNA who committed the act, and if you have any info that will lead to that person's arrest and conviction, you can call DPD at 214-670-4413 with any tips that will lead to the capture of the person who defaced the mural.

WTF? Edward Thomas Convicted Of Misdemeanor Assault

The Edward Thomas trial in Dallas closed after final arguments from the prosecution and the defense in judge Hector Garza's courtroom..

The prosecution was arguing for a felony assault conviction, while defense attorney Andrew Wilkerson kept deploying his reprehensible spin on the trans panic defense by deliberately misgendering Muhlaysia Booker and claiming the fight was between two men.

Looks like it worked. 

After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Thomas guilty of the lesser charge of misdemeanor assault and sentenced him to 300 days in jail.   If he doesn't appeal the conviction, the time that Thomas has already served since April will count toward fulfilling the terms of that 300 day sentence.

Translation:  Thomas will be getting out of jail in four months.

Really?   This is straight up BS.   Thomas was offered $200 to beat Booker, allegedly sucker punched her while using brass knuckles to start the fight  and was videotaped viciously beating Booker to the point she was rendered unconscious.

Booker suffered a broken wrist, and had to be pulled out of the situation by six cis women and placed in a car for transport to a nearby hospital, and all this mofo gets is 300 days in jail for that? 

Dallas trans advocate Mieko Hicks agrees with that sentiment.   She blames Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall and DPD detectives for the in her words botched investigation that led to this verdict.

Thomas should have been convicted of felony assault, and should be doing some serious time for that hate crime.

But no thanks to Dianne Hardy Garcia and the Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby (LGRL), Texas trans folks were stripped out of our state's James Byrd Hate Crimes Act in  the 1999 and the 2001 Texas Lege session when it passed with sexual orientation but not gender identity as one of the categories eligible for enhanced punishment. .  .    .

I and other trans Texans across the Lone Star State will be working to fix that problem in the 2021 session.    But that doesn't do anything about the anger and disappointment we're feeling right now ,with the verdict and the (in)justice system that produced it..