Lesbian Publications Take A Stand Against Transphobia

Been noting the anti-trans rhetoric being published and posted in large part without concern for our trans lives or rebuttals from the trans people that it negatively impacts. 

It was nice to see several publications geared toward the lesbian community uniting to sign on to a statement  entitled 'Not In Our Name' condemning the media driven transphobia.

It's also in reaction to the transphobic content  and tweets being posted on AfterEllen, a lesbian site that was recently bought out and since its management change has become a cesspool of TERFism. 

Representatives of DIVA, Curve, Autostraddle, LOTL, Tagg and Lez Spread The Word have so far signed the statement.
*** 

Following further vitriolic attacks on trans people in our media, the world’s leading publications for lesbians are coming together to send an unapologetic message of support and solidarity to the trans community.

DIVA, Curve, Autostraddle, LOTL, Tagg and Lez Spread The Word believe that trans women are women and that trans people belong in our community. We do not think supporting trans women erases our lesbian identities; rather we are enriched by trans friends and lovers, parents, children, colleagues and siblings.

‘We do not think supporting trans women erases our lesbian identities; rather we are enriched by trans friends and lovers, parents, children, colleagues and siblings.’

We strongly condemn writers and editors who seek to foster division and hate within the LGBTQI community with trans misogynistic content, and who believe “lesbian” is an identity for them alone to define. We condemn male-owned media companies who profit from the traffic generated by these controversies. 

We also strongly condemn the current narrative peddled by some feminists, painting trans people as bullies and aggressors – one which reinforces transphobia and which must be challenged so that feminism can move forward.

We are really concerned about the message these so-called lesbian publications are sending to trans women and to young lesbians – including trans lesbians – and we want to make in clear this is not in our name.

 As the leading publications for queer women, we believe it is our responsibility to call out scaremongering conspiracy theories leveled at the trans community, and make it clear that DIVA, Curve, Autostraddle, LOTL, Tagg and Lez Spread The Word will always be safe spaces for the trans community.  

 Forty years ago, to be a lesbian was to be questioned and persecuted. Today things are better for cis lesbians but there are still places where to be a lesbian is impossible.

 So it is for trans men and women, as well as non-binary people, many of whom identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay or queer. We know something of these struggles. And just as they and other allies have supported us, so we must support those among us who are trans, or risk ending up on the wrong side of history.

 The sooner we stop focusing on what divides us and instead focus on our commonalities, the stronger we will be to confront the other injustices imposed on us.

We won’t be divided.

Signed…

Carrie Lyell

Editor, DIVA magazine

Linda Riley

Publisher, DIVA magazine

Riese Bernard

Co-founder and editor-in-chief, Autostraddle

Merryn Johns, 

Editor, Curve 

Silke Bader

Publisher, Curve and LOTL

Eboné F. Bell

Editor-in-chief, Tagg Magazine

Florence Gagnon

Founder and publisher, Lez Spread The Word

I hope more sign on to the statement.in the coming day so that we in the trans community unequivocally know who stands with us.

Sharif Durhams Elected NLGJA President

Lost in all the drama that took place on  Saturday night is the historic and groundbreaking news that NLGJA has elected its first Black president. 

He is Sharif Durhams, who is the senior editor for news and alerting at CNN Digital.  His two year term at the helm of NLGJA started September 9.   Durhams has been a lifetime member of NLGJA since 2000, has co-chaired a previous NLGJA convention, and has served for several years on the organization's board of directors.

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), of which Durhams is also a lifetime member, hailed his election. 

"NABJ is proud of members Sharif Durhams and Cheryl W. Thompson for their recent elections as presidents of NLGJA and IRE respectively," NABJ President Sarah Glover said. "As the country's demographics continue to become increasingly more diverse, it's noteworthy that NABJ members are stepping forward to take on organizational leadership roles that shape media discourse and the future of journalism."
"My goal is to improve the diversity of this organization as well as it's outreach," said Durhams, who also has a lifetime memberships in the NABJ. "I definitely want both organizations to work more together. In some ways, our issues mirror each other, such as making sure there is support in our newsrooms for diversity and getting people from diverse backgrounds into leadership positions. 

"There are ways we can back each other up to make sure all of our voices are heard." 

One of Durham's goals is to not only build on the efforts of outgoing president Jen Christensen build diversity within NLGJA, he also seeks to grow the 28 year old organization's membership ranks and its financial coffers to ensure stability and its long term staying power. 

Durhams also wants NLGJA to become a more vocal thought leader in the journalism world in addition to train newsrooms in how to better cover transgender people and LGBTQ communities of color. 

And I'm looking forward to working with him over the next two years to make that happen. 

Congratulations on your new position in the NLGJA ranks, Sharif!   Congratulations on also making history!    .

 

20th Annual OutSmart Gayest and Greatest Awards Presentation Tonight

Tonight starting at 5 PM will be the live presentation of OutSmart Magazine's Gayest and Greatest Readers Choice Awards.

OutSmart is our local LGBTQ magazine here in Houston, and this is the 20th year they have presented these awards honoring our local heroes, sheroes and community organizations

The live awards will be presented in the People categories for the Best Male and Female LGBT Business Persons, Favorite Male and Female Commercial Radio Personality,  Favorite Male and Female Community Radio Personality,  Favorite Male and Female Community Hero, Favorite Male and Female Community Photographer, Favorite Male and Female Local Politician, Favorite Male and Female TV Personality, Leading Male and Female Fundraiser, Most Prominent Male and Female LGBT Activist, Most Valuable Male and Female volunteer and Favorite LGBT Philanthropic Organization..

While I was nominated in three categories this year, unfortunately I didn't get enough votes to make the finals.   Maybe next year.

Congratulations to all the people who are finalists for these awards, those who won in other categories this year and good luck this evening.

The live presentation will take place at Rich's Houston, located at 2401 San Jacinto St. near downtown from 5 PM -9 PM.

Moni's Leaving On A Jet Plane-To Baltimore

Been a few weeks since my last flight to Chicago and Creating Change, and now it's time for the Air Marshal to jet off to her latest community event in the 2016 LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

It's one of my fave events, and this 7th annual edition of it will feature LGBT journalists from 16 states and the District of Columbia will be gathering in Baltimore to get our learn on, network and get a better grasp about the issues impacting our community..

While I have driven through Baltimore on the way to and from Philadelphia twice and have flown into BWI a few times on my way to our nation's capital, it's actually the first time I've had a chance to spend some quality time inside the Baltimore city limits.   The best part of this trip is I get to reconnect with some amazing people while I'm there.

The game plan as usual is to tweet, post to my Facebook page and write about what happens, and you can follow the action at #LGBTMedia16 and my TransGriot twitter feed.

But I have a few hours before I have to get up, get to Hobby and prepare for a 8:40 AM departure.  Hopefully TSA won't stand for Transsexuals Searched Always, because I'm getting a little tired of getting felt up without Luther Vandross playing in the background t every time I roll through an airport

We'll see what happens in a few hours.

'Game Face' Documentary Now On Netflix!

Since we are now in a new month, Netflix is adding new selections to their lineup.

Was happy to hear that the documentary Game Face featuring our MMA fighting sis Fallon Fox is now available for viewing as of today since I have been wanting to see it.

Now it's available on Netflix, and I'll be parked in front of my television checking it out.  Hope you take some time to do so as well.

'Her Story' West Coast Premiere

You know I have mad love for Jen Richards, and can't wait for the web series premiere of Her Story to happen on the website January 19.

Wednesday night it had its West Coast premiere in the West Hollywood City Council chambers to a packed house that included my Houston homegirl Nikki Araguz Loyd, the cast of  Her Story, casting directors, actors, and West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath who presented a proclamation to the cast and crew.

The Advocate's Dawn Ennis was in the house to cover what happened, and here's her take on it.

One of the things that needs to happen in 2016 and beyond is more media productions written, acted, directed and produced by trans people so that we can tell our stories in the way they deserve to be told.

As I and others have pointed out, having Hollywood doing just that is just as important to our trans human rights movement as all the lobbying we do at the local, state and federal levels for human rights laws that protect us.   Positive media coverage, and especially accurate portrayals of us in non-fiction and fictional stories paves the way for that to happen.

It's why I'm rooting for the blockbuster success of Her Story,.and hope it leads to a second season for it and more of our stories being aired on network and cable television.  

#LGBTMedia15-Moni's View Of A Conference

For the third consecutive year I was blessed to get an invitation to attend the 6th annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening along with LGBTQ journalists from 22 states and the District of Columbia.

Before I even left for Philly, I had four activism events in two days in Houston, and got back home from the Misfits panel at almost midnight.  

Since I had to allow for METRO bus travel time, I had to get up at 4 AM to get to the airport early enough to check my bag and clear TSA security before my flight.  That meant I was getting barely three hours of sleep before I bounced to Hobby to start my trek via Chicago to Philadelphia.

My lack of sleep started messing with me early when I got off my initial bus block one stop too soon to connect with the 50 Harrisburg that would take me to Hobby.  After realizing my error, I had to quickly walk with my roller bags from Washington Ave two blocks over to the stop on Memorial Drive in the shadow of the municipal courthouse..

I made it to the stop in time because my 50 Harrisburg bus was a few minutes late, and made it to Hobby Airport without further incident.  I checked one bag, cleared TSA security and headed to Gate 51 to wait to board my 8 AM CDT departure to Philadelphia via Chicago-Midway.

I was surprised to see Cristan Williams pop up in the Gate 51 lobby area a few moments later and we ended up traveling to Philly together. 

After arriving in a cloudy and cool Philly and getting to the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel a little after 4 PM  EDT, we settled into our rooms in preparation for the reception that would happen at Comcast Center several blocks up the street at 7 PM. 

I called Mom to let her know I'd safely made it, then fired up my trusty laptop to take advantage of the comp WiFi and check my e-mail.

I was hungry, and noted a small diner called Little Pete's that was just across 17th Street from our hotel.  I ambled down from my 10th floor room, wandered in and ordered some mild buffalo wings to go. While I was waiting for those wings, I had this strange deja vu feeling about this place, and I would find out later at the reception why.

The four events in two days along with the flights, the food and my quiet room sent me to dreamland, and I woke up at 7:15 PM.   After quickly getting dressed, I made it up those six blocks as fast as I could for what was left of the #LGBTMedia15 kickoff reception in the spacious lobby of the building.

I made it, and even managed to get one glass of wine in along with greetings and hugs from several peeps and my friends in the LGBT writing world.  One of them was a local Philly attendee who not only thanked me for my TransGriot posts about the 1965 Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit In, let me know I was staying right across the street from it.

It floored me to know that I'd just bought wings from the place that 50 years ago next month was the site of some trans history before I sat down and waited for the keynote speech from the Rev Dr William Barber.

Soon to be birthday girl Faith Cheltenham joined me, and we were inspired along with everyone else by the dynamic keynote speech that Dr Barber gave us that urged us to not only reclaim the moral high ground in our movement that we have mistakenly ceded to our opponents, but build an intersectional movement at the same time that will fight just as hard for voting rights, a woman's right to choose and a livable wage as we do for marriage.

And I got to ask a question of Dr Barber, who remembered that we'd met in Louisville back in 2005 at the Unity Banquet there, what was the NAACP's stance about the legislation popping up in Florida, Texas and the now dead one in Kentucky seeking to criminalize being transgender?

Answer.  NAACP is opposed to it.   So trans community and allies, get your state and local chapters busy calling the wingers out about those unjust laws

The next day began with breakfast at 7 AM and then heading to the hotel's Grand Ballroom at 9 AM to get our learn on. After the welcome from Bil Browning and singing Happy Birthday to Faith, we got down to the business of getting our learn on in the panels discussions.

The initial panel of the day was entitled The Latest Rightwing Attack: The Danger Of 'Religious Liberty' Laws.   It featured Katherine Grainger breaking down the spate of "Religious Liberty" laws designed to gut the human rights progress we've made over the last 50 years with Matt Foreman asking the questions..

At 9:45 AM the Erin Rook moderated panel entitled What Happens When The Dog Catches The Car with panelists Tiq Milan, Spectra Asala and Urvashi Vaid discussing what's next after marriage equality is achieved.

That gave way after a spirited discussion to a 11:30 AM Brynn Tannehill moderated panel after our 15 minute break entitled Naming and the LGBTQ Community. 

Panelists Diane Anderson-Minshall, Dr Scout and Eliel Cruz had a  wide ranging, fast paced discussion that took us into lunch.

During that lunch, the new Philadelphia LGBT Liaison Nellie Fitzpatrick not only gave us a rousing speech entitled Fighting For Equality From Within: How Government Officials Are Advancing LGBT Rights,  but read a proclamation on behalf of Mayor Nutter declaring Saturday as 'LGBT Media Journalism Day' .

After lunch, we LGBT Media attendees had a choice between two break out sessions. Bijacked: Bisexuals Strike Back Against Inaccurate Reporting or Allies in Race and Gender.

Once those were done, me and my trans cohorts took our break  opportunity to head across the street from our hotel and take group photos in front of the former Dewey's.   Hope there will be a 50th anniversary commemoration of that transcentric historical event next month.

We returned for the final session of the day entitled Three Great HIV Story Ideas You Could Write Tomorrow in which the panelists led my moderator Mark King went through some suggestion of HIV centric stories that we could immediately compose..  We were also given an HIV Style guide to take home with us.

After the feedback session, the #LGBTMedia15 panels were over.   But we still had a visit coming to the John C Anderson Apartments later that evening for a wine and cheese reception there..   It's a LGBT -centric senior apartment building that had just broken ground for construction when the LGBT Media Journalists Convening was last in town   Now it was finished, and the Philly LGBT community was eager to show it off.  

In addition to proudly noting that it had a 150 name waiting list to get into the building, I was also pleased to get my tour of it conducted by a trans elder.

We also spent some time while we were there in a LGBT Women in Media discussion in which a intergenerational group discussed some of the issues affecting the community from our perspectives.

While some of our crew headed to the 11 PM public event at Tavern on Camac, the four vents in two day before I left Houston was finally catching up with me, so I decided to get y cheesesteak ata a place i spotted on the walk from the hotel to the Anderson Apartments and call it a night.

I was obviously still tired because I slept through my alarm and the start of the Sunday closing brunch.

And just like that, my #LGBTMedia15 weekend in Philly was over and I was boarding a shuttle to take me to the airport and my semi-boring life in Texas.

We'll see if I get the invite to participate in #LGBTMedia16 in Baltimore.   If I get to do so, definitely looking to destroy some crab cakes.

It's Been Fun Philly....

But time was flying as I was in this lovely hotel that has been my home away from home for the last few days and I got reunited with all my friends in LGBT media world.

The 2015 LGBT Media Journalists Convening that those of us from 22 states and the District of Columbia flew, drove or took the train to get to has come to an end.

We had the opportunity to get our learn on about issues from HIV to the bi community.   We got a chance to meet people who haven't gotten the opportunity to attend this event.  We've exchanged business cards, networked, and caught up with each others lives.

We  got the opportunity to roll over to the John C/ Anderson Apartments and talk to our LGBT elders who not only gave us a window to the past as they told their stories, they gave us a glimpse of our futures as they proudly lived their TBLGQ lives as residents of a unique retirement building.

It was also wonderful  seeing Tiq, Gwen, Cristan, Gretchen, Becky, Brynn, Jos and Dawn again and get to talk to them about the issues that impact this community.

It was great being part of the LGBT Media Convening Women's meeting in which we discussed a wide variety of issues from why lesbian clubs are closing to how to better support the trans feminine and bi communities and each other.

Only thing I do regret is not having the opportunity to hang out with some of my Philly based friends. Oh well, maybe I'll be back up here in a few weeks for the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference

It's been fun, but after our brunch and the tour of gay Philly, time to go back to Texas to handle my business.

Moni's In The Middle of #LGBTMedia15

Another week. another event as the TransGriot reps Houston and all the communities she intersects and interacts with once again at  the 6th annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

This year it returns to Philadelphia, and as I've mentioned in other posts you can follow the action on Twitter at #LGBTMedia15.

So looking forward to seeing everyone there, and yes, the annual post of me breaking #LGBTMedia15 down from my vantage point will be forthcoming.

And yeas, one thing I absolutely love about the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel is the free WiFi so I can write , tweet to my hearts content.

But first I need some food.  Sleep can come later.

And judging from my perusal of  some of the tweets and Facebook posts, I'm not the only one excited to see everyone at #LGBTMedia15.

We actually will have one of our attendees in BiNet USA's Faith Cheltenham celebrating her birthday on Saturday. Will find out from her what birthday anniversary she is celebrating after she gets her birthday hug.

Now it's time for me to get ready for the welcoming reception.  At least I won't be locked out of the host hotel in the cold for at least an hour  like I was last year....

But stay tuned to this TransGriot station for the latest news and 411 buzz concerning this 2015 edition of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

WTF Advocate?

I shouldn't be surprised after 15 years in the TBLG community to see the Advocate failing when it comes to talking about trans issues.

But this disastrous May 22 op-ed from cisgender woman Suzan Revah swimming in vanillacentric privilege and appropriation was an eye-rolling experience that I fortunately read on an empty stomach. 

It was also highly insulting to read that jacked up op-ed when three girls like us who share my ethnic background were killed last month and we are two weeks from the first of the five accused killers of Evon Young being tried in Milwaukee.

When the backlash swiftly came from trans folks calling out the BS in the comment threads, the White Women's Tears came out from Revah and the 'poor defenseless white woman' had people (predominately gay men in that Advocate comment thread) rushing to defend her.  

And naw Suzan, trans people correctly pointing out where you massively failed in this piece.doesn't make us 'haters', and it's mighty white of you to part your lips to say so. 

To borrow a snippet of Gemma Seymour-Amper's comment that encapsulates much of what trans peeps who responded to the jacked up post had to say: 

FYI, the entire trans community stopped reading when you called yourself a "normal Real Girl", because when that's the mindset you hold, everything you say about trans issues after revealing that fact is immediately and automatically invalidated by your immediate dismissal of the authenticity of trans women as women, and as female, for those who think that making that distinction is going to save them from the inevitable march of public opinion.

We only get that far, because I've chosen not, at this particular moment, to point out the absolute overweening arrogance of The Advocate (once again) in choosing a white, cis, and from what I can tell from this pathetic and demeaning article probably heterosexual, person to speak for the trans community, as if we are incapable of speaking for ourselves. Kyriarchy, much? Oh, well...I guess I *did* just point it out, didn't I?

Note to the LG community, let me make this point crystal clear on behalf of my trans brothers and sisters. 

You do not EVER get to determine for me and my transpeeps what is and isn't offensive to the trans community.  We do.   We are also the final authorities as to what is and isn't trans because they are issues that we are intimately familiar with and have major impacts on our lives.   We don't like our existence trivialized, and those of us in the non-white trans community have a major problem with it especially since it's our trans women who are taking the brunt of the anti-trans discrimination and dying for it.

If you claim to be an ally, there are times when you need to be in sit down and shut up mode, respectfully ask us what help we need and when we tell you, then you make it happen.

Advocate, did it ever occur to you or the editors that let this full of fail piece fly that the best way to discuss trans issues on your site is to (gasp) have real live trans people write the fracking op-ed's?

The Trans 100 List is a nice place to start if you are clueless in finding transpeople that can expertly discuss the issues that affect our community.

You may wish to consider that point the next time you feel the need to do an op-ed piece on trans issues that doesn't piss us off in the process.
 

Goodbye Philly-Hello Houston

Well, I'm headed back home after spending a wonderful weekend..here at the 2013 LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

It was my first one, and the cool part was being in the same space with fellow bloggers whose work I've long admired for the first time. 

I got a chance to make some new friends and see old ones.   Talking to Cleve Jones, one of our history makers Friday night at the welcoming reception was priceless.

It was nice to see Philadelphia mayor Michael Nuitter, and have the opportunity to talk to Gloria Casarez, the director of the Philadelphia office of LGBT Affairs.  

Our tweets at #LGBTmedia13  were the number one trending topic of Twitter for a few hours on Saturday, so you my wish o check out what different peeps were saying.   

It was a wonderful experience that I hope I'm blessed the be in the position to take advantage of once again.

But it's time to head back home better able to talk about the issues of immigration, again, labor, and international issues and incorporate that knowledge into the blog posts I write.   It will hopefully lead to some opportunities to  collaborate with other fellow journalists

But it's time to reluctantly say goodbye to Philadelphia and come back home to Houston.