Coccinelle

Since I mentioned Coccinelle in a previous post, I thought it was only fair that you get to know who Jacqueline-Charlotte Dufresnoy was.

She was born in Paris on August 23, 1931. Her petite 5'3" frame and slight build led to many people questioning her gender identity. She was also aware of her gender issues at age 4 and began taking hormones in 1952.

A year later she made her debut as a transgender showgirl at Chez Madame Arthur where her mother worked selling flowers. She took the stage name Coccinelle (French for ladybug) as the show at Chez Madame Arthur became popular among Parisians and fascination about her metamorphosis grew.

She dyed her brunette hair blonde and later joined transgender showgirls April Ashley of Great Britain and Amanda Lear as a regular at the famed Le Carrousel de Paris nightclub as her popularity continued to increase.

Coccinelle usually arrived on stage wearing scarlet lipstick and wearing one of a number of outrageous mink coats dyed in different colors.

She'd already had rhinoplasty to further feminize her features, and in 1958 she traveled to Morocco and became the first European transwoman to undergo vaginoplasty by pioneering Casablanca based SRS surgeon Dr. Georges Burou.

When she returned to France, she became a media sensation like Christine Jorgenson several years before. She then remixed her look and her stage act to match the prominent sex symbols of that time period, Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot.

In addition to her new sexy image, she became appearing in various movies such as 1959's Europa di notte by director Alessandro Blasetti. More films followed, and she became the first French transwoman to become a major star in 1963 when she starred in a revue entitled 'Cherchez la femme' at the famed Paris Olympic Theater.

Coccinelle was a trailblazer and an iconic figure to transpeople who grew up in the 50's and 60's. After her operation France modified its laws to allow details on birth certificates to be amended following SRS, and she duly changed her name to Jacqueline-Charlotte from Jacques-Charles.

She also worked extensively as an activist on behalf of French transgender people, founding the organization Devenir Femme (To Become Woman). Devenir Femme was designed to provide emotional and practical support for persons seeking sex reassignment surgery. She also helped establish the Center for Aid, Research, and Information for Transsexuality and Gender Identity as well.



She was married three times, and her first marriage to sports journalist Francis Bonnet in 1960 not only was the first transsexual union to be officially acknowledged by the nation of France, she booked Notre Dame Cathedral for the ceremony. It also established a transgender person's legal right to marry in France.

Coccinelle toured the world for 25 years, and was a big hit in South America. Bob Hope was impressed by her show and offered her a tempting financial package to perform with his troupe, but she declined it. She even performed in front of the Shah of Iran and for 10 years appeared in a German cabaret run by transwoman Romy Haag. Her autobiography, Coccinelle by Coccinelle, was published in 1987 with her last public performance being done in 1990.

She later moved to Marseilles and ran her own cabaret there from 2002-2005 before being hospitalized in July 2006 following a stroke. She died on October 9, 2006 at age 75.

At her funeral, held at the Eglise Saint-Roch de Paris, Father Philippe Desgens reminded mourners: "All the children of God have a place in the Church", and noted that "by her marriage in church after her operation, and during her whole life, Coccinelle showed her faith."

Coccinelle is another of our iconic transwomen who will never be forgotten, and blazed a path that future French transwomen would follow.

Screaming Queens-The Riot At Compton's Cafeteria Documentary

Screaming Queens: The Riot At Compton's Cafeteria is the 2005 documentary produced by Victor Silverman and Susan Stryker about San Francisco's 1966 Compton's Cafeteria riot. It preceded the more famous Stonewall one by three years

Here's a link to more information about it, and enjoy these clips from the documentary.

This Is How Whitewashing Us Out of GLBT History Begins

Last February over at the Bilerico Project I wrote a post for Black History Month about the 1965 Dewey Lunch Counter Sit-In Protest in Philadelphia. which is the first documented evidence of an organized African-American GLBT civil rights protest.

The significance of this is that it happened four years before the June 1969 Stonewall Riots that kicked off the modern GLBT rights movement, and I wrote an October 2007 TransGriot post about it. I was sent the heads up by Dr. Susan Stryker, who does a yeoman's job compiling transgender history and thought I'd find that tidbit interesting.

I wrote this paragraph in my February 2008 Bilerico post on the Dewey's Protest.

The interesting aspect of this campaign is not that it happened during the height of the 1960's Civil Rights movement. It was an African-American GLBT production.

Little did I know that drama was going to start over that paragraph and the following one in my original TransGriot post.

On April 25 more than 150 kids in 'non-conformist clothing' showed up at Dewey's in protest and were turned away by Dewey's management. Three teenagers (two male, one female) refused to leave after being denied service. They were arrested along with a gay activist who advised them of their legal rights, were charged and later found guilty of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

Almost immediately one who calls himself Tom started the 'challenging and silencing' tactics.

From your picture you aren't old enough to have been there but the man who offered to get legal help and was arrested was the Janus President, Clark Polak
( http://gayhistory.wikispaces.com/Polak,+Clark?f=print ). He wasn't African American. The quote you have is from the old Janus newsletter. I still have a copy along with the flyer that was handed out. It was covered in the old Drum magazine too - there's a few photographs in that article. You can see it wasn't primarily an African American protest from the photos & talking to those who were there. Though I'm sure it was inspired by other lunch counter protests that were primarily African American.

Dewey's had several locations and gays - and always drag queens - hung out there. Usually late night - they were open all night. They wanted gay people to use the one on 13th Street only and kicked people out. The protest wasn't just one day - it was over 5 days - my old newsletter says 1500 of the flyers were handed out and it was on the local television.

Of course, I wasn't backing down and this was my response.

Tom,
Dr. Susan Stryker and Marc Stein say otherwise.

And what you posted is an example of the 'whitewashing' of GLBT history. Here's an event that was predominately a FUBU production, that predated the Compton Cafeteria Riot by a year and Stonewall by 4. and here cone the comments that, "the advisor was white." etc.

It's the same modus operandi that changed the Stonewall Riots from a transgender and peeps of color event to having literally no mention of people of color participating in Stonewall.

If you want African-American participation in the GLBT movement, you have got to have concrete examples of our participation in it so we feel we have a stake in it as well.

Brynn Craffey got it, and rebutted Tom's comment.

Monica, thanks for sharing this story! I'm not well read on our history and I'd never heard of the incident.

Tom, go back and re-read the entry: Monica never said that she was there. And while the question of whether or not the arrested legal advisor was white or African-American is an important historical detail, it doesn't change the fact that Dewey's was a hangout for African-American LGBT kids, the protest was influenced and inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, and African-American LGBT folks played a prominent role in it.

I agree with Monica: the way you jumped in and tried to contradict those facts is indicative of a dynamic that is far too prevalent, namely, the erasure by whites of African-Americans, LGBT folks, Native-Americans, women, progressives and other minorities from history.

Once that was dismissed, the new attack line emerged courtesy of Timothy Hulsey, and it's a meme that whitewashers use to erase transpeople out of GLBT history.

At the same time, this article goes too far in the other direction, not only by erasing or dismissing the involvement of non-African-American persons, but also by defining "drag queens" and butch lesbians as necessarily Transgender.

Brynn pointed out once again what I already knew as a transperson.

defining "drag queens" and butch lesbians as necessarily Transgender.

Excuse me, Timothy? I've got news for you, they ARE transgender.

The comments thread after this initial February 2008 exchange lay dormant until January 13. Chris Bartlett then chimes in with more 'evidence' that the unnamed advisor in my Dewey's post was the late Clark Polak.

Dear friends,

First of all Monica thanks for posting this important piece of LGBT history. It is a huge service to all of us.

I want to mention, however, as a long-time Philadelphia activist, that Clark Polak, the advisor mentioned in your article above, was not African-American. It just isn't so.

I mention this not to white-wash history, because there were African Americans there and at Dewey's in general, and they are a proud part of our LGBT history in Philadelphia. I mention it because Clark Polak is an unsung hero in Philadelphia's gay history-- publisher of Drum, unabashed sex radical, and courageous confronter of the status quo. He was a natural ally to the trans people and people of color who were there that day. He took a stand when many others wouldn't.

I would agree that it is often the white people who end up in history-- because they often wrote the history in the past-- and Clark wrote a lot of history in his magazine. I will also not deny that Philadelphia has a long and shameful history, both in its LGBT communities and in the broader community, of overt racism that has made the stories of Black LGBT folks in this city invisible.

The answer is not to deny Polak's participation-- and willingness to both be arrested and defend the folks there-- but to interview those who were there to hear the stories of the black and trans folk who participated.

My friend Kevin Trimell Jones has started the Black LGBT Archivists Society of Philadelphia and is doing that work of collecting the stories, photos, and artifacts of Black LGBT Philadelphia. I'll be sure to post the link to his website here when he has it up and running. I'll also ask him whether we can seek Dewey's stories from African American participants.

My answer to that comment was:

Chris,

I find it hilarious that you wish for me in this article that brings to light an all FUBU production of GLBT history, and now you want to in the name of 'historical accuracy' want to claim that a white person was 'an advisor'.

Did white gays like yourself concerned (yourself) about 'historical accuracy' when Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major and the other transwomen who kicked off the Stonewall Riots weren't given their full credit?

This is the insidious nature of whitewashing history' and how it has erased POC participation in building the GLBT movement. First it's a 'white advisor', then next it will be claims 'The Janus Society helped plan it', then 20 years from now we'll be hearing this revisionist story about the Dewey Lunch Counter Sit In Protest that will have no African-Americans in it.

Nope..not today, not on this post

When we POC complain about being edited out of the historical record, this is an example of how it happens. I find it interesting that Chris erroneously tried to claim that I mentioned that Clark Polak was the advisor. Nope, all my post says is that a 'gay advisor' was arrested, and I got that from Mark Stein's 2000 book City of Sisterly and Brotherly Loves: Lesbian and Gay Philadelphia 1945-1972.

The critics IMMEDIATELY assume it was the late Clark Polak, a long time Philadelphia gay activist. Thanks to unacknowledged white privilege, it never entered the minds of the people that challenged my post that maybe the arrested gay advisor could be Black, especially in light of the fact that the Dewey's in question was an African-American GLBT hangout and the incident in question involved African-American GLBT kids. It's also insulting because it implies that there weren't Black GLBT people or Black allies in general capable of organizing the protest.

Chris may not have meant as he says in his comment to me to whitewash history by harping on Clark Polak's possible participation in this event, but that's the effect of it.

Since it's your assertion that Clark Polak was the advisor arrested and you're so keen on 'historical accuracy of GLBT history', then it's incumbent upon you to go research the Philadelphia Police Department arrest records for April 25, 1965 and see if his name pops up.

My Dewey's post was simply talking about the event from an African-American GLBT perspective. It STILL doesn't change the fact that despite all this distractive quibbling over a minor point, the larger message is being lost that this was a predominately GLBT African-American protest that occurred four years before Stonewall, organized on 60's Civil Rights Movement principles, and was one of the first examples of a protest organized about and centered on transgender issues.

But it speaks to a larger problem in the GLBT community. For the longest time the historical record on what happened in the GLBT community was written by white people, with the predictable results of GLBT people of color and transgender people being erased from it.

Even in the transgender community, I see that happening, and it needs to stop. One of the things I discovered two years ago when I started suggesting POC names on a transgender activist Yahoo list in the wake of The Advocate's glaring omissions of transgender people for their '40 Heroes of the GLBT Movement' article, the reaction I received was a 'who are they'?

But that's the insidious nature of how the whitewashing of GLBT history (and history in general) happens. First it's trying to seize on a minor point, then it's changing the story to insert white people into this event, then 20 years later as with Stonewall, it's a Brooks Brothers riot.

Black LGBT History Is Your History, Too

Happy Black History Month!

While I could gripe endlessly about the fact that Black History Month takes place during the shortest month of the year, I'll chill about that for now and focus on the big picture.

The Negro History Week that Dr. Carter G. Woodson envisioned back in 1926 has not only grown to cover a month, but is now celebrated by our Canadian cousins as well. We are also starting to expand its focus to to encompassing the history of African descended people across the Diaspora.

Since history is basically the story of a people, Black history is MY history as a African descended transwoman. I didn't give up my 'Black Like Me' Card when I transitioned, and nor does being part of the GLBT community negate any concerns I have as an African descended transperson for the welfare of my peeps no matter what continent, country or Caribbean island they reside in.

Conversely, as a proud African descended member of the GLBT community, my GLBT history also belongs to you as well, despite what some hate peddling megachurch preacher tells you.

One of the things that's becoming more apparent every day is that African American transgender people existed before the early 21st century. We were living our lives during the Harlem Renaissance, in Chicago, New Orleans and in various cities like Pittsburgh as Charles 'Teenie' Harris' Pittsburgh Courier photographs and JET, EBONY and HUE magazine articles bear witness to.

That history also involves standing up for our rights as transgender people thanks to the people involved in the 1965 Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit-In Protest in Philadelphia.

There are also many African descended transpeople making Black history now here and across the Diaspora, and it's past time our Black family acknowledges, respects and embraces that fact.

African-American Transgender History-50's Style

One of the beauties of surfing the Net is that from time to time, you'll stumble across a nugget of history or some photo that you weren't even aware existed.

I've mentioned that JET, EBONY and the now defunct HUE magazines when they first started back in the day served as historical chroniclers of the Black experience in America. Google just negotiated a deal in which they will be digitizing pre-1960's EBONY and JET magazines so that you can access their content on the Net.

One of the things I discovered to my delight is that in order to fulfill their mission of documenting the Black experience, EBONY and JET also covered events and discussed Black GLBT issues.

In addition to asking pointed questions about the Black GLBT experience, they also covered the New York and Chicago drag balls as well.

The other night while searching through Flickr and other places for photos of African-American transwomen for future posts, I stumbled across some African-American transgender history.

Most of it is the coverage of Chicago's Finnies Ball and the New York ones. I chuckled when I saw the HUE article that asks if you can tell the difference between female illusionists and genetic women.

I also noted the incorrect pronouns and the 'her' in quotation marks used in some of the articles.

While it was atrocious in the 50's, I noted that by the 70's, JET was doing a better job of discussing transgender issues with accuracy and sensitivity two decades before the AP Stylebook guidelines even were published.

But unfortunately some of the attitudes reflected in those articles are still expressed by some of my people.

Some of my peeps think that me and my fellow transpeople aren't serious about this path we're taking, or think it's a joke.

It's serious business. Why would anyone subject themselves to the amount of ridicule, physical violence and abuse if they weren't serious about this?

The other fallacy that keeps popping up is that Black transgender people are a new phenomenon. These articles dating back to the early 50's and the history of the Harlem Renaissance say otherwise.

SFPD's Stephan Thorne Gets Promoted

As I mentioned in another post, I met then Sgt. Stephan Thorne during the 1999 Creating Change when it was held in Oakland and had a wonderful conversation with him.

I was ecstatic to find out that the 24 year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department was recently promoted to lieutenant.

In gaining his promotion, he also made history. He is the highest-ranking out transgender law enforcement official in the country, according to San Francisco Police Commission President Theresa Sparks, who is also transgender. Thorne is one of the top-ranked LGBT officers in the SFPD.

Thorne has been a police officer for 28 years, and stated to the Bay Area Reporter's Seth Hemmelgarn that he's honored and excited about the promotion not just for himself, but also for others.

"This is a really significant step, and a really validating experience personally for me, but also for all other transgender people," he said.

Sparks said she thinks Thorne's promotion from sergeant is well deserved.

"What's really gratifying is Stephan Thorne was promoted in spite of being transgender, not because he's transgender ... he was promoted on merit as opposed to anything else."

Sparks said Thorne is "a gentleman" and "really an excellent role model for our community." She said there are also two transgender patrol officers on the force.

Thorne, who transitioned in 1994 amid quite a bit of publicity, said he identifies as queer but is in a long-term relationship with a woman, Michiko Bailey. The two have five children between them from previous relationships, and four grandchildren.

Thorne doesn't yet know where he'll be stationed. First, he has to go through two weeks of training. Police lieutenants typically manage other personnel.

"I'm proud on behalf of my community, and also acutely aware of the shoulders I'm standing upon of all the people that have come before me and done such hard and incredible work to move forward with equal rights for all of us," Thorne said.

Openly gay Supervisor Bevan Dufty said he's worked with Thorne over many years.

"I think that he embodies the professionalism and commitment to public service that we want to see in the SFPD leadership," Dufty said.

Dufty said he's heard from many members of the police department about Thorne's promotion.

"People really regard him as eminently qualified," Dufty added.

Let me add my congratulations to Stephan as well for his historic promotion. He's a quality guy and the San Francisco PD is definitely lucky to have him as part of their force.

Dear Diego

Dear Diego,

This may come as a surprise that you're seeing this open letter from me, one of the more vehement critics of HRC and your new boss, but congratulations on your new senior legislative policy adviser job starting January 9 in Representative Barney Frank's (D-MA) office.

Contrary to what many peeps may surmise, I have been observing and admiring your historic rise through the Democratic Party hierarchy. Know that I'm extremely proud of you and I'm confident that you'll be an excellent role model as well. The fact that you're doing it as an out and proud Latino transman makes your historic climb even more remarkable and noteworthy.

We may have been on opposite sides on a few issues in the transgender community, but I presume we're on the same page when it comes to seeing that all transgender people attain full citizenship rights.

I know you're the second out transperson hired as a senior staffer after Susan Kimberly in Sen. Norm Coleman's (R-MN) office, but you're the first transperson of color to earn that distinction and I presume the first out transperson to be hired as a senior staffer in the House of Representatives.

Diego, you are someone the entire community can point to with pride and say, transteens, here is an example of what is possible if you bust your butts to get that education and dare to dream big dreams. This is a message that transpeople of color need to see and hear as well, in addition to seeing transpeople like you in positions of power and authority.

I hope your hiring also empowers other transgender staffers that are rumored to be employed in various offices on The Hill to feel comfortable enough to come out.

But my joy over your hiring is tempered by who did it. I hope and pray it signals a profound change in Chairman Frank's thinking about transgender inclusion in ENDA, but I long ago subscribed to deeds, not words when it comes to people whose past exclusionary deeds outstripped their flowery rhetoric.

I hope your hiring signals, like Barack Obama's election to the presidency, that historic change has actually come to the office of the representative from Massachusetts on transgender issues, but only time and the progression of legislation authored by Chairman Frank through the 110th Congress will tell in that regard.

Once again, congratulations on the new position and achieving a historic milestone, and I hope I'm blessed with the opportunity to personally congratulate you the next time I'm in Washington DC.

Sincerely yours,
Monica Roberts
2006 IFGE Trinity Award Winner



Crossposted from The Bilerico Project

Stonewall Anniversary

June 28 was the 39th anniversary of the riots that kicked off the modern GLBT rights movement. Contrary to some written histories that have 'whitewashed' the real story, the Stonewall Riots were kicked off by people of color and transgender people sick and tired of police harassment.



I had the pleasure of meeting Sylvia Rivera during a May 2000 vacation visit to New York when I was still the Air Marshal. It was an honor to talk to the mother of our movement about the direction of it and where she saw it heading. The historian in me just let her talk, and to this day, I wish I'd had a note pad or a tape recorder on me since she passed away two years later.

When she discovered I was from Texas she started to go there about Lyndon Johnson and the Vietnam War, but I pointed out that as a Texan I have a vastly different impression of this complex man.

I've had the pleasure of talking to another Stonewall vet in Miss Major, and I renewed acquaintances with her at the recent NE Transgender March and pride Rally in Northampton. I met her during TSTBC 2005 in Louisville, and she told us at dinner her Stonewall story. Once again I was caught without a pen or tape recorder handy, but then again at this point I was beginning to think about starting a blog since it seemed as though I was always running into various movers and shakers in the community.



Miss Major and I had a brief chat during the Trans Pride March in whic she pointed out that next year will be the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and she openly wondered if she would even get an invite to the ceremonies that will obviously take place to mark that anniversary. That's a good question, especially in light of the ongoing efforts to write people of color out of GLBT history and the contributions that we've made to shape that history.

But as long as YouTube, documentary filmmakers and blogs exist, it'll make it tougher to do so.

Countdown To Transgender History

It's almost hard to believe that a little over twelve hours from now I'll be taking a stage in Northampton, MA to speak at the first NE Trans March and Pride Rally.

As you can guess, I'm thrilled to be a part of this historic event. It seemed like the last few hours at work just dragged in anticipation of my days off to get here.

I've been feverishly running copies of my speech, making sure the cell phones charged up, I have the necessary phone contact numbers on me and the correct flight information. I have a disposable camera already packed in the bag to help me record history in the making.

I wanted to get a good night's sleep prior to starting what was going to be a busy Friday morning and mid afternoon with all these last minute tasks I needed to accomplish before leaving. But that died when I had to come into work for a few hours this morning. Oh well, I won't be griping next week when I get the check with those extra OT hours on it.

And I can always crash on the flight. I'll need it since I won't get into BDL until after midnight and still have to go to Springfield, MA and Louis' house after I arrive.

But I'm looking forward to getting reacquainted with a few friends, seeing Miss Major and meeting some new ones. I may even try to squeeze in a few interviews for some future TransGriot posts.

Once again, I deeply appreciate the NE Trans Pride Committee extending me this wonderful opportunity to participate in their inaugural Trans Pride March.

See you tomorrow.

New Rally Location Set for New England Transgender Pride March

The organizers of the first New England Transgender Pride March and Rally have announced a change in location for the rally. The march, which will step off at noon on June 7, 2008 from Lampron Park/Bridge Street School in Northampton, MA will proceed, not to Veterans Field, but to a rally in the Armory Street Lot behind Thornes Marketplace in downtown Northampton.

Veterans Field is unavailable due to re-seeding this year. The Armory Street Lot is the same location where Northampton Pride is held each May.

“We’re pleased with the new rally location, as it is more central in Northampton and more easily wheelchair-accessible than Veterans Field,” said Justin Adkins, a member of the Trans Pride steering committee. “We’ll be providing American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting for the entire event.”

The rally, which will begin at 12:30 p.m. and end at 5:00 p.m., will be headlined by Leslie Feinberg, a pioneering transgender writer whose books include Stone Butch Blues, Transgender Warriors, and Drag King Dreams; and Miss Major, a veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion and Lead Community Organizer of the Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project, which advocates for the human rights of transgender prisoners. Several activists are slated to speak who will address proposed gender identity/expression anti-discrimination legislation in MA and CT, and the civil rights needs of transgender people in employment, education, housing, healthcare, and public accommodations. Featured performers will include the Boston-based drag troupe All The Kings Men and Joe Stevens of Coyote Grace.

New England Transgender Pride is currently seeking volunteer workers and sponsors for the event. Interested individuals and organizations may sign up online at www.transpridemarch.org, and groups that wish to march with their banners may register there, as well.

TransGriot Note: I've just accepted an invitation to speak at this upcoming historic pride march. Hope to see you there!

Transgender Pride: It’s About Time

Guest Post by Bet Power

When it comes to our rights, we transgender people cannot wait our turn. Yet that’s what Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and the Human Rights Campaign told us to do when they stripped the proposed federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) of protections for gender identity/expression and left in only sexual orientation.

They also told us this: Let lesbians and gays (but only those who are gender-conforming) move forward under the law while trans people stay behind; “incrementalism” is a valid strategy for human rights; gender identity/expression would kill the bill; the votes were not there to pass the original, trans-inclusive ENDA; trans people first need to educate others more; and – most offensively – yours (Trans) is a new movement: put in more time, pay some more dues.

Tell that to Susan Stanton, the Largo, Florida city manager fired for transitioning to female. Tell that to 15-year-old Lawrence King, an effeminate gay boy bullied and then killed by a classmate who shot him in the head just because of what he wore.

It’s about time we look at history to see how long trans people have struggled.

Transgender is not a recent fad. In the United States, trans and intersex activism started before gay activism. In 1895, a group of New York androgynes started a group called The Cercle Hermaphrodites “to unite for defense against the world’s bitter persecution.” (Stryker: It’s Your History). It wasn’t until 1924 that Henry Gerber founded The Society for Human Rights, in Chicago. In 1950, the gay-male oriented Mattachine Society began; and in 1956, the lesbian group Daughters of Bilitis.

Trans people took part in the civil rights activism of the 1960s, including a group of 150 patrons in “non-conforming clothes” who were turned away at Dewey’s Lunch Counter in Philadelphia. They went on to protest and distribute information about gender variance.

Some would like us not to mention Compton’s Cafeteria, where the first recorded transgender riot against police oppression occurred in August 1966 in San Francisco, preceding the more famous 1969 Stonewall Riots in NYC by three years.


Some prefer to erase important historical facts about Stonewall itself, which started Gay Pride:

▼ Police routinely harassed bar patrons under old NY state laws prohibiting cross-dressing as well as men dancing with men.

▼ A transgender woman, Sylvia Rivera, threw a bottle at a police officer after being prodded by his nightstick (Duberman: Stonewall), perhaps the first act of resistance at the Stonewall Inn sparking several nights of riots. Rivera said, “That night, everything clicked. Great, now it’s my time. I’m out there being a revolutionary for everybody else, now it’s time to do my own thing for my own people.” (E. Marcus: Making History)

▼ A butch female wearing a man’s black leather jacket who was being brought to a patrol car put up a fierce struggle that encouraged the crowd to do the same (D’Emilio: Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities).


▼ Besides Sylvia Rivera, these transgender individuals – among others – are veterans of Stonewall: Marsha P. Johnson, Daria Modon, Miss Major, China Fucito, and Storme DeLarverie.

▼ When riot control police arrived at the Stonewall to rescue officers trapped inside the bar and break up the demonstration, a group of drag queens formed a chorus line, kicked up their heels, and taunted police by singing, “ We are the Stonewall girls / We wear our hair in curls / We wear no underwear / We wear our dungarees / Above our nelly knees!” (www.glbtq.com)

▼ Throughout the first night of the riots, police singled out many transgender and transsexual people and gender non-conformists, including butch women and effeminate men, often beating them.

If it were not for the Stonewall veterans – including drag queens, trans people, and transsexuals alongside gays and lesbians – we would not have the community assets and organizations we have today, from GLAAD and GMHC to Lambda Legal Defense and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project.

It’s about time we move forward with a loud and proud 21st century Transgender Movement. We’ve come of age. Our time is now. Critical legislation is in need of your support. Until the LGBTI Movement stands up to oppression based both on gender expression/identity and sexual orientation, the federal ENDA and Hate Crimes bills may never pass. Trans people want to keep making progress along with gays, lesbians, and bisexuals – just like at Stonewall.

We hope to see you all at the first New England Transgender Pride March & Rally on June 7 in Northampton (www.transpridemarch.org). Remember Stonewall? That was us! “We’re fired up / Won’t take no more!”

Bet Power is the Director and Curator of the Sexual Minorities Archives, a national collection of LGBTI literature, history, and art since 1974, located in Northampton, MA. He is also the founder of the East Coast FTM Group (www.ecftm.org), monthly peer support for the full spectrum of masculine persons in the transgender community.

African-American IFGE Trinity Winners

The International Foundation For Gender Education (IFGE) sponsors two awards that are chosen by the transgender community at large.

To be precise, a Selection Academy made of experienced and respected members and friends of the community make the final decisions, but nominations for the award can come from any transgender community member. These awards are usually given out at the IFGE convention which will take place this year on April in Tucson, AZ.

The two awards I'm talking about are the Virgina Prince Award For Lifetime Achievement and the Trinity Award.

The Virginia Prince's criteria are that the person be a living member of the transgender community, be a leader or pioneer who has been instrumental in the development of the community and has actively served the transgender community for a minimum of ten years.

I'm of the opinion that we need to expand that definition to allow for people who have passed away and who have done outstanding work to also be considered for both these awards as well.

As of yet we haven't had any African-Americans win the Virginia Prince award, but since some of our leading activists have just passed or are rapidly approaching the ten year requirement for service to the community, it will be interesting to see who becomes the first African-American transperson to receive this award and when it will happen.

The Trinity Award is our second highest honor. It acknowledges heroes and heroines of the transgender community, people who have preformed extraordinary acts of love and courage, and you don't have to be transgender to receive it.

In 2000 Dawn Wilson became the first African-American transwoman to win this award at the IFGE convention held in Washington DC. She was followed two years later by Marisa Richmond. She was given the award when the IFGE convention was held in her hometown of Nashville, TN.

And who was the winner in 2006? Oh, just some loquacious blogger from Houston who lives in Louisville.

TransGriot GLBT History Links

I've posted various articles over the years on some of our GLBT history. Since I have over 600 posts for you to wade through to find those nuggets of history, I'll make it easy on y'all and give you the links to the various articles.

I'll do the same later for thr Black History posts I've written as well.

Of course, if you want to read the other things I've posted on various issues, then that's all good as well. :)

A Slice of African-American Transgender History
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2007/09/slice-of-african-american-transgender.html

There Were Balls In Chicago, Too
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2006/02/there-were-balls-in-chicago-too.html

James 'Sweet Evening Breeze' Herndon
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2007/02/james-sweet-evening-breeze-herndon.html

The 1965 Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit-In
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2007/10/1965-deweys-lunch-counter-sit-it.html

Cathay Williams-TG Buffalo Soldier
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2006/02/cathay-willams-tg-buffalo-soldier.html

When You Say POC, Y'all Ignore Me
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2007/08/when-you-say-poc-yall-ignore-me.html

The Forgotten Veterans

Friends,
Today is Veteran's Day. After what happened in the House Wednesday, I don't feel much like wanting to be an American any longer. I'm not even going to march in the Atlanta Veteran's Day Parade with the other GLBT veterans as I planned.

But, before I was told that I am not worthy to have the same rights as everyone else, the rights I gave eight years of my life to protect, I wrote the following article. I sent it to well over 100 straight publications across this country, and not one of them published it today. I figured that it is Sunday, so they would have the room for it, but I was wrong. So, I'm sending it to you, my friends and family. Even though the House took away my pride to being an American veteran, I will never lose my pride in what transgender veterans have done for this uncaring country. You will always be number one in my heart. Thank you for your service. Thank you all for your service.

Monica Helms
President of the Transgender American Veterans Association

TransGriot Note: Thank you, Monica for what you and other transgender vets did for our country. Yes, I said OUR COUNTRY. Never let anyone take away your pride in being an American citizen. If you do that, the Forces of Intolerance win.

I also thank you for your and other transvets continued service to our community in providing the leadership that is sorely needed as we continue fighting for our rights.


*************************


The Forgotten Veterans
Guest column by Monica F. Helms

Veterans Day is one the three most important days in this country when it comes to patriotism and pride. At the eleventh minute, of the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, we start the day honoring all the veterans who have served this country, both in peace and in war. Today, we have 26 million military veterans in America, but sadly, we lose 1500 WWII each day and a similar number of Korean War veterans as well. Soon, the Vietnam War veterans will pass away in similar numbers.

The men and women who fought in those wars over the last 230-plus years came from every diverse background this country has ever known. People from every race, religion, ethnicity, economic status, social status and sexual orientation have fought, been wounded or died for this country. A current example of sexual orientation is the first person wounded in the current war in Iraq. Eric Alva lost a leg in the very early days of the war and then came out as being gay after his discharge.

Amongst the wide diversity of people who have served this country, Transgender Americans have been an important part of the military since the Revolutionary War. The word “transgender” has come to mean “Anyone who crosses the gender lines, regardless of whether it is temporary or permanent.” Dictionary.com has the definition as, “Noun: A person appearing or attempting to be a member of the opposite sex, as a transsexual or habitual cross-dresser,” and, “Adjective: Being, pertaining to, or characteristic of a transgender or transgenders: the transgender movement.”

We have found that in the early part of American history, women could easily fight as men because they didn’t have to go through a physical exam before enlisting. That changed during the Spanish American War. Some of the women who did fight in those early wars indeed returned to a life as a woman, but many did not.

In the early and middle parts of the 20th Century, we found that most of the transgender veterans who served at that time started life as boys, but became women in the years after the wars had ended. Others crossdressed throughout their lives and even did so while serving in the military. In the middle 20th Century and early 21st Century, women began serving more frequently and even in combat roles where they could not previously serve. We started seeing more women who later became men after those wars were over.

One of the notable examples of a woman who fought as a man was Deborah Sampson, a tall woman for her day, served in the Revolutionary War as Robert Shurtliff and even became wounded. Another person was Lucy Brewer, who started her early adult life as a prostitute, but served as a Marine on board of the USS Constitution in the War of 1812. After the War, she appeared as a man several times. Around 400 women served as men in the Civil War, for both sides. Some continued their lives as men after the war.

One of the most interesting stories is that of Cathy Williams, a slave who changed her name to William Cathey and served two years as a Buffalo Solider before she told a doctor she was a woman. She did as well as her male counterparts, surviving the harsh conditions of the desert Southwest.

As the understanding of transgenderism improved, stories of thousands of transgender people who served this country in the military surfaced. The famous writer, B-movie producer and crossdresser, Ed Wood, fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal. The first known transsexual, Christine Jorgensen, spent eleven months in the Army and when she came back from Denmark after her surgery in 1952, the headlines in the paper read, “GI becomes Blonde Bombshell.” The headlines knocked the explosion of the first hydrogen bomb off the front page. Later, Eisenhower even invited her to the White House.

We know of many transgender people who have fought in every late 20th Century and 21st Century wars we have been in. I have a friend, Jane Fee, who served during WWII. I served during the Vietnam War, in the Navy, on two submarines. We know of another transgender person who headed a special anti-terrorist unit for the Army and even reported to the Vice President.

Transgender people have been in every war, served in every branch of the service, have achieved every rank and have been awarded every medal this country has, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. We have done every job the military has, served in every base, port, ship, drove every vehicle, operated every weapon, flown every aircraft and served in every hospital the American military has. We have done our part to preserve the freedom of everyone in this country. If you ask us, we will tell you that we are veterans first, who just happen to be transgender people. And, we are proud to have served this great country.

The 1965 Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit-In

photo's Raleigh, NC sit in, Dr. Susan Stryker

The faith-based homophobes in our community continue to utter as they oppose our inevitable inclusion at the African-American family table the lie that we African-American GLBT people didn't take part in the 60's Civil Rights Movement.

Au contraire, my misguided friends.

The logistics of the 1963 March on Washington were planned by a gay man you may have heard of named Bayard Rustin. According to the late Coretta Scott King, gays and lesbians took part in many civil rights campaigns across the Deep South.

Thanks to Dr. Susan Stryker and Marc Stein's 2000 book City of Sisterly and Brotherly Loves: Lesbian and Gay Philadelphia 1945-1972 ,we now have knowledge of another instance in which GLBT African-Americans stood up for their rights.

In April-May 1965 sit-ins took place at a Philadelphia diner called Dewey's Lunch Counter. The interesting twist about this protest is that it involved African-American gay and transgender people. It's probably the first documented instance of people protesting over anti-transgender discrimination.

Dewey's Lunch Counter was a popular downtown hangout spot for GLBT peeps. Citing the claim that gay customers were driving away other business, they began refusing to serve young patrons dressed in what they called 'non-conformist clothing.'

On April 25 more than 150 kids in 'non-conformist clothing' showed up at Dewey's in protest and were turned away by Dewey's management. Three teenagers (two male, one female) refused to leave after being denied service. They were arrested along with a gay activist who advised them of their legal rights, were charged and later found guilty of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

Over the next week members of the Philadelphia GLBT community and Dewey's patrons set up an informational picket line outside the establishment decrying the treatment of the transgender youth.

On May 2 another sit in was staged. Police were called, but this time there were no arrests. Dewey's management then backed down and promised 'an immediate cessation of all indiscriminate denials of service.'

The Janus Society, the main gay and lesbian advocacy organization at the time, said this in celebration of the Dewey's events in its newsletter.

'All too often there is a tendency to be concerned with the rights of homosexuals as long as they somehow appear to be heterosexual, whatever that is. The masculine woman and the feminine man are looked down upon...but the Janus Society is concerned with the worth of the individual and the manner in which she or he comports himself. What is offensive today we have seen become the style of tomorrow, and even if what is offensive today remains offensive to some persons tomorrow, there is no reason to penalize non-conformist behaviour unless their is direct anti-social behaviour connected with it.'

As a person who has been involved for a decade in the struggle for transgender rights, it is deeply gratifying to know that African-American transgender activism isn't a new phenomenon. I'm estatic to discover another nugget of my African-American transgender history. I'm gratified to know that I'm a link in a chain that will eventually expand the 'We The People' in the constitution to include transgender ones as well.

A Slice of African-American Transgender History

An exhibit entitled Carryin' On concluded yesterday at the Warhol Musuem in Pittsburgh, PA that I wish I'd known about sooner.

I was perusing Frank Leon Roberts' blog (don't know as of yet if we're related) and it mentioned a photo exhibit of GLBT themed work from Warhol, African photographer Samuel Fosso and Charles 'Teenie' Harris.

Andy Warhol in 1975 created a series of paintings, prints and collage studies titled Ladies and Gentlemen utilizing a number of New York City drag queens. Warhol sent assistants to the Gilded Grape, a bar on West 45th Street often frequented by Black and Hispanic transpeople to recruit models for the series.

Charles 'Teenie' Harris (1909-1998) was a photographer for the highly influential Pittsburgh Courier, one of the largest African-American newspapers at the time. This particular series of Harris’ work showcased in the just concluded exhibit celebrates Black GLBT life in Pittsburgh’s Hill District from the 1930’s through 1950’s.

During Harris' 40-year career with the Pittsburgh Courier he produced an estimated collection of 80,000 images. He earned the nickname 'One Shot Harris' based on his legendary reputation he gained for his ability to snap the picture and leave, requiring just one take to capture the essence of his subject. This archive represents the largest single collection of photographic images of any Black community in the US. This series along with the entire Harris collection is part of the Carnegie Museum of Arts collection

Scholar Frank Leon Roberts is carrying on the tradition with his photos of the ballroom community that he posts on his blog. If you saw Paris Is Burning and wondered if the community still exists, the answer after perusing his blog is an emphatic yes.

I was aware that the ball houses have spread up and down the East coast, into the Midwest and LA has chapters, but I was shocked to discover after I moved here that Louisville has ball houses. I was dismayed to find out after I moved from my beloved hometown that an active ballroom community has sprung up there and in Dallas.

Chicago had their own legendary Finnie's Ball that started in 1935. It was an eagerly anticipated event on Chicago's South Side that took place until the 80's. The balls were even covered by the Chicago Defender, Jet and Ebony (until 1953) magazines.

The just concluded exhibit helps drive home two points that I've been making for several years now. The African-American GLBT community just didn't spring up out of thin air. We've always been part of the African-American family and we have a history. The ballroom community that Frank documents sprang from the elaborate drag balls that were conducted during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's.

The other point is that we're here, we've always been part of the African-American family and aren't going away.

Stephanie and Ukea-Rest In Peace

Five years ago today at the same Southeast DC intersection where transsistah Tyra Hunter was involved in the fateful auto accident that took her life, two transsistahs named Stephanie Thomas and Ukea Davis were brutally murdered.

19 year old Stephanie and 18 year old Ukea met at a SMYAL (Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League) meeting and became best friends. They were inseparable to the point where they helped each other transition and lived in an apartment together.

And unfortunately, they died together as well.

At 11:30 PM on August 12, 2002 the girls told friends they were headed to a nearby gas station to pick up cigarettes. No one's certain whether they actually accomplished their stated mission and were in the process of returning or had even left. At around 3 AM the girls were sitting in Thomas' Camry at a stop sign at 50th and C Streets. Suddenly a car rolled up next to them and sprayed them with semi automatic gunfire.

According to an eyewitness, another car approached the intersection after the shooting and the driver got out to ascertain what had happened. Ukea Davis was already dead and the driver nudged Stephanie to see if by some miracle she was alive.
She acknowledged she was by moaning as he touched her shoulder.

But unfortunately the good Samaritan was forced to flee when the shooters came back to finish their grisly work. The shooter got out of the car and peppered the mortally wounded teens with more gunfire. By the time rescue workers reached the bloodsoaked car Stephanie was also dead. She and Ukea had taken ten rounds each.

Even in a city with a high murder rate such as Washington DC, the execution style killings of two transgender teenagers rocked the city and the DC transgender community. Their joint funeral was packed. The people who spoke at the vigil held for them included then mayor Anthony Williams and DC congressional Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton.

As of this writing the perpetrators in the murders of Stephanie Thomas and Ukea Davis still haven't been brought to justice. To make things worse just four days after the vigil marking the one year anniversary of the killings Washington underwent a series of transgender murders. In the span of eight days two transwomen were killed and another survived a shooting near the US capitol building.

The sad part about the Thomas-Davis killing was the brutality of it. While I'm happy that in the short time they had on the planet they got to transition, sometimes it shocks me just how visceral the hatred is toward transgender people. It saddens me to think about the fact that Stephanie and Ukea didn't get a chance to unleash whatever potential their lives held for them. It angers me to think that someone hated or felt so threatened by Stephanie and Ukea just openly living their lives that they picked up a gun and killed them.

Rest in peace, ladies.

Tyra Hunter Anniversary

Today is the twelfth anniversary of the death of transsistah Tyra Hunter.

The major differences in her death is that it didn't happen at the hands of a violent transphobe wielding a knife or gun. Her death was preventable. The disgusting part of it is that the transphobes in this case were a doctor and a Washington DC firefighter.

Tyra Hunter had been transitioned since she was 14 years old. On the morning of August 7, 1995 the popular 24 year old hairdresser was on her way to work as a passenger in a car. That vehicle ended up being involved in an accident at the corner of 50th and C streets in Southeast DC.

Tyra and the driver had been pulled from the smoking ruins of the vehicle by onlookers and were lying on the ground when fire department personnel arrived at the scene. The neighborhood began gathering to watch as a male firefighter began treating Tyra for her injuries. That is, until he cut open her pants leg and noted she had male genitalia.

At that point, according to eyewitnesses, the firefighter, later identified as Adrian Williams stood up and backed away from Tyra. She was semi-conscious, complaining about pain and gasping for breath as he was quoted as saying by one witness, "This bitch ain't no girl...It's a nigger, he got a dick."

Williams began joking with the other fire department personnel at the scene as the bystanders pleaded with them to resume working to save Tyra's life. One bystander is quoted as saying, "It don’t make any difference, he’s [sic] a person, he’s a human being."

The firefighters on the scene didn't share that assessment. They were more concerned with honing their comedic skills than doing their duty. Another witness at the scene heard one of the firefighters say, "look, it's got a cock and balls." While the firefighters stood around doing their not ready for prime time act, Tyra's treatment was discontinued for 5 to 7 critical minutes while bystanders pleaded for them to resume treatment. Finally an EMS supervisor arrived and resumed treating Tyra. She was rushed to DC General Hospital where she arrived at 4:10 PM.

But the nightmare was just beginning for Tyra. The DC General Hospital ER staff compounded the insulting neglect of the fire fighters. A doctor refused to treat her and she died of blunt force trauma at 5:20 PM in the now closed hospital's emergency room.

The case alarmed and enraged not only African-American transpeople nationally, but the entire transgender and local African-American community. Over 2,000 people attended her August 12 funeral.

Tyra's mother Margie Hunter, who ironically works as a nurse, filed a $10 million civil lawsuit in February 1996 in DC Superior Court against the District of Columbia, the firefighter and a DC General Hospital physician. The allegations contained in the suit alleged that the D.C. Fire Department personnel called to the scene of a car accident involving Tyra made derogatory comments about Tyra's personal appearance and withdrew emergency medical treatment. Mrs. Hunter also charged that Tyra died as a result of medical negligence while, or after being treated at D.C. General Hospital.

On December 11, 1998 a jury awarded Margie Hunter $2.9 million in damages. The jury determined that DC Fire Department employees violated the 1977 DC Human Rights Law, and that Tyra Hunter's death was caused by medical malpractice at DC General. Experts testified during the trial that had Tyra received proper medical care at either stage of treatment, she had an 86% chance of surviving the accident.

The city further angered DC transgender residents by immediately appealing the decision. The case was later settled for $1.75 million. DC transpeople were further enraged when they discovered that not only were none of the firefighters at the scene disciplined, but Adrian Williams had subsequently received a promotion.

In Washington DC the Tyra Hunter Drop-In Center is named for her and the sensitivity training that DC fire department personnel attend is named in her honor as well.

We must never forget what happened to Tyra on this day. We must also diligently work to ensure that what she suffered at the hands of emergency personnel is not replicated in our locales. The message must be made crystal clear to our first responders that when they swear to serve and protect, that means ALL citizens.