Hawaii 2018 Primary Election Today

The Hawaii primary election is taking place today, and one of the races I have my eye on in the Aloha State is the lieutenant governor's one.

Current Lt Governor Doug Chin (D) decided to run for the 1st Congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D), who decided to primary challenge incumbent Gov. David Ige (D).

Kim Coco Iwamoto, who served two terms on the Hawaii State Board of Education in 2006 and 2010 and was subsequently appointed to the Hawaii Human Rights Commission, is running in this crowded five candidate Democratic primary race for Lt. Governor.

She has been surging in the latest polls, but will she get enough support from Aloha State voters to win this statewide race and the Democratic  lieutenant governor's nomination? 

She has been endorsed by one of the major labor unions in Hawaii and Trans United Fund

If she does, she'll get one step closer to making more electoral history by becoming the first out trans person to win a major party lieutenant governor primary in the US. 

However, we won't find out the results of today's Hawaii primary election until all the ballots are cast, counted and the totals revealed in the early morning hours of Sunday our time.

You know I'm hoping for that trans electoral history to happens for her.

 

Will Kim Coco Make More Electoral History This Saturday?

Kim Coco Iwamoto is no stranger to making electoral history in her home state of Hawaii.

She was twice elected to the Hawaii State Board of Education in 2006 and 2010, becoming the first out trans person to be elected to a statewide office.   Now the former member of the Hawaiian Human Rights Commission is attempting to become the lieutenant governor of the Aloha State

She has a contested Democratic Party primary election that she has to get through first that takes place on August 11.   There are four other Democratic candidates besides Iwamoto in the lieutenant governor's race, and should she win this still tight race that is up for grabs, that will put her one step closer to becoming Hawaii's lieutenant governor.

Iwamoto has been endorsed by the UNITE HERE Local 5 union that reps over 11,000 Hawaiian hospitality, health and food service workers and the Maui Times.    The Local 5 endorsement is considered a major one in Hawaiian politics, and she has been surging in the polls in the runup to the election with a lot of people still trying to make up their minds about who will be their next lieutenant governor. 

Here's hoping that happens for Kim Coco and for our community.   We'll find out if it does this Saturday.

Kim Coco Iwamoto Running For Hawaii Lieutenant Governor In 2018!

I have more than a few posts in the TransGriot archives about this trailblazing trans woman that I finally had the pleasure to meet during #CC15 in Denver.

She has been a two time elected member of the Hawaii Board of Education, ran for the Hawaii state senate last year, and is currently a member of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

Now Kim Coco Iwamoto has officially announced that she will be running to be Hawaii's next lieutenant governor in the 2018 election cycle..

It's a crowded field with five other Democratic candidates in the lieutenant governor's race, but here's hoping that Iwamoto can break out of it and make more electoral history.

Kim Coco Iwamoto Falls Short In Hawaii Senate Primary Election

A little electoral bad news out of Hawaii.

Our sis and Hawaii Human Rights Commissioner  Kim Coco Iwamoto was in a three way Democratic primary race for a state senate seat that came open with the retirement of longtime Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland (D).

The primary election was held on August 13, and the voters of Senate District 13 have spoken. After all the ballots in the race were cast and counted, they chose Karl Rhoads to be the Democratic Party nominee for the Senate District 13 seat.

Rhoads will take on Republican nominee Rod Tam, who was unopposed in his race and Libertarian Harry Ozols on November 8 for the Hawaii Senate District 13 seat.

Rhoads got 3,605 votes, or 41.8% of the votes cast to Iwamoto's 2,530 votes, or 29.4% of the votes cast by Senate District 13 Democratic primary voters.   Keone Nakoa polled 1,865 votes, or 21.6%.

While this is disappointing news,  hopefully this is just a temporary setback and there is a bigger, better electoral office in Kim Coco's future .

Hawaii Passes Bill Removing Genital Surgery Requirement For Birth Certificate Changes

Identity documents that match a trans person's current lives are vital doe multiple reasons.   ID's that have correct name and gender markers are not only wonderful for that person's sense of self and psychic well-being because they are being recognized for who they are, they prevent the trans person in question from being opened up to discrimination

Six states and the District of Columbia have led the way in removing the genital surgery requirement before they would change the gender marker on a trans person's identity documents.

Colorado's attempt to join the states that do so passed the House, but was defeated in the GOP controlled Senate.

Hawaii became the seventh state to do so when the Hawaiian legislature advanced HB 631, a bill that would allow residents of the state to submit a note from a physician or mental health professional instead of undergo a genital surgery. to change birth certificate gender markers.

It passed a key committee hearing April 30, and subsequently passed in the Hawaiian House and Senate on Tuesday.   As usual, the GOP hated on it.

"We're going down a very sketchy path here and in effect doctoring the truth," said GOP Senator Sam Slom. "You're either born a man or a woman and that's the way it is."

Umm no, Sam, you are born an infant, and grow up to become an adult  male or female.  Guess you were asleep in science class that day since you and your GOP friends have such a hard time grasping that concept. 

Attorney and Equality Hawaii parent advocate Rebecca Copeland had a different take on the just passed bill. 

"It's the lack of recognition in society that really hurts people," Copeland said. "When people look at it and it doesn't reflect who they are it can really have devastating consequences."

The bill now goes to Gov. David Ige (D) for his signature.

Kumu Hina Documentary

This is the documentary movie I'm looking forward to seeing that tells the remarkable story of Hina Wong-Kalu, a transgender native Hawaiian teacher who uses traditional Hawaiian culture at a charter school to empower her students and create “a place in the middle” where all people are valued and respected.

Hina Wong-Kalu is a highly respected kumu, or teacher, cultural practitioner and community leader. She is also māhū – a person who embodies both male and female characteristics, or what Westerners call transgender.  

The documentary follows a year in her life as she juggles all those aspects of her life.

GOP Hate Speech Aimed At Iconic Hawaiian Trans Teacher

If you had any doubts that the Republican Party would be cranking up the War On Transwomen in the 2K14, here's another example of it coming from the sunny shores of the Hawaiian Islands..

In the wake of them losing badly in trying to stop the implementation of marriage equality legislation in the Aloha State, the sore losers in the Hawaii Republican Party sharpened their attacks on the   māhū and trans* community there.

In their attempt to attack Hawaii's Pono Choices sex education program aimed at grades 6-8, Tito Montes, the president of the Hawaii Republican Assembly let his transphobic flag fly and attacked respected Hawaii trans leader Hina Wong-Kalu 

Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL


They viciously misgendered her despite the obvious feminine presentation to the contrary and her legal status as a married woman.  They referred to a woman fluent in the Hawaiian language and a cultural icon who has chanted for innumerable important occasions in the islands, including the most recent opening of the Hawaii State Legislature as a "transvestite drag queen."

Wong-Kalu responded to the unprovoked GOP hate attacks by posting a debate challenge to Montes on the HIRA Facebook page.

I challenge the Hawaii Republican Assembly to a public engage on my culture, history and language in Olelo Hawaii, the language of this land. If you are so bold as to speak of my life with no knowledge or understanding of me then you should address me directly. Your perspectives and perceptions are simply unfounded notions which have no bearing on you nor indicative of my capabilities at that thus you should engage me face to face. And although my life's roles and responsibilities are now acknowledged as my family's daughter and sister, you freely refer to me using male gender pronouns because of your inability to cope with the reality of another who never attacked you or said one negative thing about your organization. And since you refer to me as a man well then man up and engage me in a public political forum. And by the way, the intimacies of my family and our relationships and connections are not your business but since you have no other way to defame me you needed to include my brother. I challenge you and I await your answer. Post it to my page if you have the confidence and wherewithal to engage me in my language and challenge me on the basis of my contributions to our community. Good day and aloha to you.

As of yet, no word from Wong-Kalu about whether Montes has accepted the challenge.  I'm betting you'll see a blizzard in Honolulu before the GOP cowards do so.

Christian Has Been Found!

Some good news to report on the missing transteen front concerning Christan Kukahiko, the 15 year old teen who was last seen November 9 at her home in Maunawili. 

According to a comment on the Crimestoppers Honolulu Facebook page dated December 3,  Christian was located and reunited with her family.

While we are happy for Christian's family that there was a happy ending in this case, there are far too many others in which successfully finding a missing person is the exception and not the rule, especially when the child is non-white or TBLG.

Just happy that Chris is home and this missing trans persons case had a successful resolution. 

Hawaii's Still Looking For Chris

In case you're wondering what's the story concerning Christian Kukahiko, the Hawaiian trans teen who has been missing since November 9, unfortunately there is no news to report at this time good or bad.

The 15 year old Chris was last seen at 3 PM local time around her family's home in Maunawili.   She is six feet tall, weighs 230 pounds, has black hair with red highlights and a tattoo on her lower back with the last name "Kukahiko."

Anyone with information about this situation is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (808) 955-8300, or *CRIME on your cellular phone. Free cellular calls are provided by AT&T, Nextel Hawaii, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless Hawaii, Mobi PCS, and Hawaiian Telcom. The public may now send anonymous text and web tips. Text "CS808" plus your message to 274637 or CRIMES.

Let's help the Kukahiko family get what they most want to happen this Christmas.  Their child returned safe to them for the holidays.

Hawaiian Trans Teen Missing

I'll slam the KITV-TV peeps about the misgendering in their report later, but first tings first, lets find the child.  Every second past 48 hours that this child continues to remain missing increases the chances she won't be found.

Christian Kukahiko was last seen at her home November 9 at approximately 3 PM local time at her home in Maunawili.

She is 15 years old, approximately 6 feet tall and 230 pounds,  She has black hair with red highlights and a tattoo on her lower back with her last name "Kukahiko."

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (808) 955-8300, or *CRIME on your cellular phone. Free cellular calls are provided by AT&T, Nextel Hawaii, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless Hawaii, Mobi PCS, and Hawaiian Telcom. The public may now send anonymous text and web tips. Text "CS808" plus your message to 274637 or CRIMES.

Now a note to KITV-TV and the media.

Per the AP Stylebook:

transgender-Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.
If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the individuals live publicly.

Looks like Chris has acquired the characteristics and outward presentation of a young female, and should be addressed as SHE or with other feminine pronouns.   Granted there may be family members that stubbornly say otherwise, but those of us NOT in Chris' family may only know her by a femme name or feminine pronouns. 

Referring to a person we know in the trans community only by female presentation, name and femme pronouns by a masculine name and the wrong pronouns will draw quizzical looks from us, slow your investigation down, and may separate you from vital information you may need that is available in out trans community to help solve this case.  

So yeah, KITV-TV, get busy changing the pronouns to conform to AP Stylebook guidelines.

According to my friend and Hawaiian resident Laurie Cicotello, there is no new information in this case. 

She also expressed the fear that is shared by many people on and off the islands (myself included) that because of the recent 55 day special session to pass marriage equality that stirred up much anti-TBLG hatred on the island, someone may have seen her and decided to take out their rage and frustration concerning this issue on her.

I hope and pray that's not the case and Chris returns home for Christmas.   But will keep you TransGriot readers posted concerning any developments in this missing trans teen case.   

Hawaii Governor Signs HB 546!

President Obama's home state is now the 13th one to ban discrimination based on gender identity or expression.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) last week signed HB 546, which bans discrimination based on gender identity and expression in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations.    HB 546 also brings Hawaii’s labor law in line with similar protections enacted in the areas of housing and public accommodations.

That now means that 1/4 of the 50 states have these trans friendly laws on their legal books and over 125 cities and counties nationwide.    

Now when can we have that happen for the rest of the nation on a federal level?

Hawaii Senate Passes HB 546!

I mentioned HB 546 in a previous TransGriot post.   It's a bill that would ban trans workplace discrimination in Hawaii and had passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 3-2 vote.

Well, it did much better once it got to the Senate floor.    The Hawaii Senate passed HB 546 on a 22-2 vote.   It already passed in the Hawaii House by a similarly lopsided 42-4 margin.

The legislation prohibits employment discrimination based on gender identity and expression and adds the  protections to the employment section of Hawaii's nondiscrimination law.    That law already covers housing and public accommodation discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

The good news is that unlike the previous GOP governor, Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) is expected to sign it.

Hawaii Trans Job Protections Bill Passes Senate Judiciary Committee

While the HB 235 fiasco in Maryland has center stage, the news is better out of President Obama's home state.   On Monday HB 546, a bill that would ban workplace discrimination against transpeople passed the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee on a 3-2 vote.

Of course, the right wing haters put up a fight, but justice prevailed.

The State of Hawaii already bans discrimination against trans people in the areas of public accommodations and housing.   The ban on workplace discrimination against transpeople was already established by Human Rights Commission rulings but hadn't been codified into law.  

Six years ago an identical bill passed the Hawaii Legislature that attempted to do just that but it was vetoed by Republican Governor Linda Lingle.  Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Clayton Hee is confident that HB 546 will become law.

The bill has already passed the Hawaii House, and once it passes the Senate will need to go to conference committee to fix some technical differences between the House and Senate versions before it goes to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his signature.