Still Concerned About Massachusetts Question 3

As the folks in the Bay State are aware of, the rights of trans folks are on the November 6 ballot no thanks to the transphobic bigots behind the No on 3 team.

Question 3 puts on the ballot the just passed in 2016 law that extended public accommodations protections to Massachusetts transgender people.  It also prohibited discrimination against the Mass transgender community.

I was even more concerned when I saw the results of a June 14, 2018 that showed only 49% of the respondents in a Suffolk University poll would vote to keep the trans rights law vs 37% of the respondents that would vote to repeal it with 14% undecided about which way they would vote.



The No on 3 haters are trying to play the tired 'bathroom predator' attacks along with the race card by showing in their attack commercial a white woman going into a locker room after a burly male attacker hides out in there.

There has been a more recent poll (September 13-17) conducted by Suffolk University that shows the YES vote up to 73% while the NO vote is down to 17.4%.   The number of undecided voters is also down to 9.2%,

While the poll numbers look good, the only poll that counts is on November 6.    Massachusetts trans folks and the national trans community at large still have a reason to be concerned about it.

A repeal of Massachusetts law would open the floodgates on a wave of NC style anti-trans bills or anti-trans referenda across the US at a time when the SCOTUS with the addition of Kavanaugh on it is stacked with a conservative slant,   

This election is a must win for us, and it's why I'm urging Massachusetts peeps to vote YES on 3 

My friend Ben Power, who runs the Massachusetts based Sexual Minorities Archive, and has been an activist for several decades, says it best:

“There’s no reason why as Americans trans people shouldn’t have 100% equal rights. To have them possibly taken away is an outrage, and that option being on the ballot is crazy. How and why does the majority get to vote on the rights of a minority? If these rights are repealed, it would be another attack on the transgender community that will lead possibly to more calls to suicide hotlines, more harassment and hate crimes, more ugliness. It would be a black eye on the state’s image. I’m concerned about the welfare of my own friends. There’s only so much harassment and cruelty someone can take before they get very disheartened. We need to totally and unapologetically hold onto our rights here.”

Massachusetts trans kids, their trans elders and the people who unconditionally love us will thank you for helping them do precisely that with a YES vote.

Good Luck Alexandra!

The Massachusetts primary election is today, and Trans America has its eyes on the Massachusetts 3rd Congressional District race. 

In that crowded field of Democratic candidates vying to replace the retiring Rep Nikki Tsongas (D) is Alexandra Chandler.

If she wins in the primary today, she not only make Massachusetts political history by becoming the first out trans person in the state to win a congressional major party primary, she would get a step closer to becoming the first out trans person ever to be elected to Congress

Good luck Alexandra!   Hope you make history tonight!

Alexandra Chandler Is Running For Congress

One of the other election results I'll be paying close attention to in Massachusetts on September 4 besides the Republican gubernatorial primary featuring incumbent  Gov. Charlie Baker versus the reprehensible LGBT hatemonger Scott Lively is the US House District 3 race Democratic primary.

The Question 3 referendum on the statewide trans rights law will happen in the general election on November 6. 

Rep. Nikki Tsongas (D) decided to retire, setting off a nine candidate scramble to replace her on the Democratic side of the ballot. 

One of those candidates is Alexandra Chandler, a Navy veteran and former intelligence analyst who is another one of the wave of qualified and unapologetically trans candidates #TransformingPolitics.



She is endorsed by Trans United Fund, other organizations, and various politicians in the 3rd Congressional District.

Should she win her primary race, she'll not only make Massachusetts political history as the first trans person in the Bay State to win a congressional primary, it will put her one step closer to becoming the first out trans person elected to the US Congress,

We've had a few people since Amanda Simpson became the first out trans person to win a Democratic congressional primary race in Arizona back in 2004 who have come close to achieving that milestone of getting elected to Congress. 

Here's hoping that Chandler breaks through and makes it happen. 

But the first step to getting to the November 6 general election is winning the MA-3 primary on September 4   

Massachusetts Trans People's Human Rights Are On The Ballot

On November 6 when the nation will be in breathless anticipation of whether the Democrats or Republicans have control of the US House and Senate, trans people's eyes will be nervously cast at Massachusetts to see whether the human rights law protecting the Massachusetts trans community stays in place or is repealed.

The Massachusetts legislature passed in 2016 a law that extended public accommodations protections to its transgender citizens and prohibited discrimination against them.

Predictably, the transphobic bigots formed Keep MA Safe, and successfully fought to get a referendum on the 2018 ballot, called Question 3, that would eradicate those protections. 

And as they've done in Houston and elsewhere, the transphobes are peddling the debunked bathroom predator lie to make sure that the NO votes on Question 3 carry the November 6 day.

Once again, the human rights of trans people are on an election ballot, but this time it's in the blue state of Massachusetts.   I and a lot of people outside of the state are concerned about this referendum because if they transphobes are successful in killing this Massachusetts trans rights bill, it could set off a wave of anti-trans referendums just in time for the 2020 presidential election.

And those concerns are shared by our allies and my fellow trans elders who are keenly aware of the Bay State's anti-trans past. 

Knowing that historically Massachusetts has been the home of transphobic TERF's for decades like Janice Raymond and Elizabeth Hungerford, and former US Rep. Barney Frank opposed trans inclusion in ENDA by pushing in the 90's and 2000's the transphobic  'penis in showers' argument, we know there's a possibility that the NO votes could prevail and roll back the human rights of our trans cousins living there  with unpleasant repercussions for the rest of transkind in the US.

A WBUR poll conducted back in May was equally disturbing, showing that only 52% of Massachusetts resident were in favor of keeping the trans rights law versus 38% of Massachusetts residents who favored getting rid of it.

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Massachusetts will be a trans political battleground as we get closer to Election Day, and that's why the bipartisan Freedom For All Massachusetts coalition started back in May.

They are hard at work to ensure that we hear good news from the Bay State on November 6.

And while it's wonderful a broad based coalition of business community, women's groups, law enforcement, supportive legislators, organizations and trans people and their families has been assembled, and Bay State transpeople are feeling somewhat confident that their fellow citizens will support them when the time comes, the reality is this election is taking place during a time in which our human rights and humanity are under daily attack by the Trump misadministration, its Department of Injustice Justice, the TERF's and right wing fundamentalists.

The only support that matters is in the voting booth on November 6.   That's why Trans World will be nervously watching the election results from Massachusetts on that date..

Because once again, trans people's  human rights are on the ballot, and it's a must win election for us.

Number 1- Rest In Power, Christa

We are just six days into this New Year, and I now have the sad duty of announcing to you the murder of our first US trans person of 2018

I was notified by my friend Jahaira DeAlto that our first trans murder of 2018 has happened in the western Massachusetts town of North Adams yesterday

Our fallen sister is 42 year old Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien.

According to a report in the Berkshire Eagle, and reporter Haven Orecchio-Egresitz, she was found dead Friday after North Adams police responded to a 9:20 PM EST call to investigate a homicide at 107 Veazie Street.   Investigators arrived at the Veazie Street address 25 minutes later and remained at the scene throughout the evening according to the report.

It is the first homicide that has been committed in the town of North Adams since September 2013.  As to the cause of Christa's death, an autopsy will be performed Sunday in Holyoke, MA by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to answer that question.

The perpetrator of this crime is alleged to be Christa's 47 year old husband Mark Steele-Knudslien, who walked into the Adams police station at 9:09 PM EST to admit he killed his wife.  They subsequently notified North Adams police to check out the home.

Steele-Knudslien will be arraigned on a murder charge Monday morning in Northern Berkshire District Court and is being held without bail.  He was held overnight by the Adams Police Department before being taken to the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction today.

On her Facebook page are several wedding photos of the couple dated April 15, 2017

North Adams Police are also tight lipped about how and when Christa, who was active in the area trans community, produced the Miss Trans New England and other pageants and was well loved and known by many in the New England and national trans community, was killed. 

My contacts in the area are working on getting me that additional information ASAP and I will update this post as I receive it.

This is still a developing story, and as of yet, no word concerning if or when a memorial service will happen.   As soon as the details are passed on to me for a memorial service are confirmed  I'll let everyone know.

Rest in power and peace Christa!   Everyone who loved you will not rest until justice is served in this case. 

Moni's Made It To Massachusetts!

Finally made it to Boston, or to be precise, Brookline, MA.   Flight up was relatively smooth and I'm ensconced in my room, have made my usual call to Mom to let her know her eldest child is safe and had a chance to unwind for a minute and check out my room , the hotel and the nearby neighborhood.

Good to also know there's an MBTA train station nearby as well.

And year, I'm actually having to pull out my sweaters peeps since the high temp right now ins only 53 degrees F.   Way cooler than what I left this morning.

But looking forward to seeing Dr Pamela Lightsey and everyone connected with this human conference that kicks off tomorrow.   We're having dinner tonight to facilitate those intros, and I need to get out of my traveling outfit and get into dinner wear.

So let me do that so I can be ready at ^6:25 PM EDT to get picked up.

Moni's 2016 PBHA Robert Coles Call Of Service Award Lecture

As many of you are aware of, I went to Boston last week and the Harvard University campus to accept the Phillips Brooks House Association's Robert Coles Call Of Service Award.

The award has been given out since 2007 and it didn't occur to me until arrived at my hotel in Cambridge to see to hit Google and see who the past winners of this award were.

That's when I discovered that i was in some pretty serious company in terms of past recipients of it.   Marian Wright Edelman won the inaugural award in 2007, Vice President Al Gore and BLM co founder Alicia Garza last year.

I also discovered that I am the first trans person ever to receive this award.

Here's a link to the transcript of my 2016 PBHA Coles Award lecture, and the video.  I also answered some questions from the audience concluding the lecture before yielding to a panel of local advocates.



Thanks once again to Maria Dominguez Gray, Shaquanda Brown, Robert Bridgeman, David Dance, Jalem Towler, Dean Katherine O'Dair and the students of the Phillips Brooks House Association for making my time on the Harvard Yard a memorable time.

Hopefully I'll have a chance to come back for a future visit.
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Having A Wonderful Harvard Visit

Have enjoyed my visit to Boston so far.   To be correct, I'm actually staying in Cambridge, MA,  close to the Harvard University campus.  My hotel room has an amazing view of the Charles River, and from time to time I can see members of the Harvard rowing team going up and down the river..

I've also enjoyed the fact it's been much cooler here than it has been at home, and the first night I was here the temp dropped to 30 degrees and had to turn the thermostat up in my room and grab the extra blanket out of the closet.   I knew this was possible before I flew up here, so I was prepared for it.

Packed my coats and sweaters and deliriously happy I'm getting a chance to wear them.

I always forget something on these trips, and this time what I forgot was my umbrella.   It figures that the one time I leave it back in Houston we get rain here in the area.   Hasn't been heavy, but just enough to be an annoyance.

Also had an amazing visit to the JFK Presidential Library and Museum today, and a mini tour of Boston that took me past Fenway Park, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Berklee College of Music, UMass, and MIT.

Interestingly enough, on my mini tour of Boston I passed by the Roxbury area apartment at 397 Massachusetts Ave. that the Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr lived in from 1952-53 when he was a doctoral student at Boston University.

The other interesting point about that is Maria Dominguez Gray, the executive director of the Phillips Brooks House Association and one of my gracious hosts here, once lived in that first floor apartment for several years and told me some amusing stories about that time in her life.

My Phillips Brooks House Association hosts and the various student leaders I've had an opportunity to meet have been amazing and eager to discuss their various student led programs they offer, and last night I got an opportunity to tour the drop in facility they provide for homeless youth

It's something I would love to see replicated across the nation to help alleviate the LGBTQ homeless youth problem

The business end of my trip happens later today when I actually get to step on the Harvard Yard and be presented with the Robert Coles Call Of Service Award.  I give a lecture and participate in a panel discussion.

Time to get some sleep.  I'll need it for the busy day still to come.

Leaving On A Jet Plane -To Boston

Once again the Air Marshal is sitting at Hobby International Airport waiting to board a Southwest 737 headed to Boston.   This one is a nonstop going up there, but coming back I will be running through Dallas Love Field before I finally get back home..

May need to roll through the Whataburger in that terminal on the return trip if I have enough time to do so.  What's even cooler is I'm leaving out of the new international wing of Hobby gates on Gate 1

As mentioned in an earlier post, I'm headed there to receive the Robert Coles Call of Service Award from the Harvard based Phillips Brooks House Association on the 28th.

May also if I have time try to knock out another visit off my Presidential library bucket list and go to the JFK Presidential Library and Museum there.

Well, here;s hoping this plane leaves on schedule so I can get there a little after noon local time, get to the hotel and get settled.

Heading To Boston Wednesday

Next week I'm heading to New England and staying in Boston for the first time since my trip to the NABJ Convention in 2014 and Fantasia Fair last year.

The purpose of this upcoming trip is I'm heading up to Harvard University to receive the 2016 Phillips Brooks House Associations Robert Coles Call of Service Award

The Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) was founded in 1984, and it is a student led nonprofit organization at Harvard that engages 1,600 undergraduate students in 83 social service and action programs that benefit over 10,000 low income people in the Boston and Cambridge, MA areas and beyond.

The programs run by PBHA also include Y2Y Harvard Square, the nation's first youth-run homeless shelter for young adults, many of who are members of our LGBTQ community.

I'm receiving the award on October 28, and so looking forward to breaking out some of my sweaters on this trip, meeting with the PBHA staff and seeing some of my Massachusetts fam.

May also try to go to the JFK Presidential Library while I'm there as well.

See y'all Wednesday.

Massachusetts House Overwhelmingly Passes Trans Public Accommodations Bill

A month after the Democratically controlled Massachusetts Senate passed the trans public accommodations bill,  the Massachusetts House passed the measure on a 116-36 vote.

It passed the Massachusetts Senate on a 33-4 vote   While the Massachusetts House also has a Democratic supermajority like the senate does, the Republican  minority fought the Trans Rights Bill tooth and nail for over seven hours before its final passage.. The GOP opposition proposed 36 anti- LGBT or poison pill amendments to kill the legislation, which all failed.  .

The House bill bans discrimination aimed at trans people in area of public accommodations including restaurants, sports arenas, stores, hotels, schools and sports arena

Before it gets sent to Gov. Charlie Baker's (R) desk for his signature, the bill will have to be reconciled because the house version is different from the Senate passed bill.   Massachusetts senate leaders have indicated that they are ready to speedily accomplish that task, and Gov. Baker has indicated that he will sign it once they do.

And I Gov. baker keeps his word to do so, the Massachusetts trans rights bill passed in 2011 will finally have the public accommodations language it should have contained five years ago.

Massachusetts Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Trans Protections Bill

You longtime TransGriot readers know I've been extremely critical about Massachusetts passing a public accommodations free trans rights bill in November 2011 that I considered problematic.

The words I used to describe its passage at the time was 'moldy civil rights bread.'

It's now five years later, and the Massachusetts State Senate finally got to trans human rights business and passed SB 735, which adds explicit public accommodations protections for trans residents of Massachusetts including parks, restaurants, hospitals and public restrooms..  

The bill passed on a lopsided 33-4 vote in the Democratically controlled Senate and now moves to the Democratically controlled  Massachusetts House.

"It is our responsibility to advance these provisions when there is clearly evidence that transgender people can and are being discriminated against,"said Senate President Stanley Rosenberg in a BuzzFeed News interview before the vote..

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) after a contentious April 13 meeting, so far has indicated after hemming and hawing for a while that he won't veto it if it hits his desk. .

Massachusetts AG Healey Urges Vote On Trans Rights Bill

Remember when I called out the Massachusetts trans community for passing that incrementalist public accommodations free trans rights bill in 2011, and I got pushback from some leaders there when I called it an unjust law?

Well, hate to say I told you so, but just to refresh your memories, here's what I said back on November 16, 2011 about the Massachusetts trans rights law with the gaping hole of missing public accommodations language .

The truth hurts doesn't it?  This is a bad bill without the public accommodations language in it.  Even the sponsor of it is bothered about it like I am.

I also said this in the subsequent post I wrote pushing back against

If civil rights laws without public accommodations language are not acceptable for cispeople, then why should transpeople be satisfied with a human rights crumb of an unjust law that cispeople wouldn't accept or want to live by?

And if cispeople and legislators in Massachusetts don't want to live by the same laws they are trying to get transpeople to accept, it is an unjust law. 

Ever since then, Massachusetts has been trying to get the public accommodation piece passed, and as I have pointed out, it's harder to go back and revise a law instead of fighting tooth and nail to get it done right the first time.

Political conditions have changed since 2011.  Because Massachusetts now has a Republican governor instead of a Democratic one,  he is not in favor of trans rights and has threatened to veto it.   That means they have to get enough votes to override the veto despite having Democratic supermajorities in both chambers.

House speaker Robert DeLeo is using that as an excuse to stall the bill, claiming he doesn't have enough votes for an override..

AG Healey thinks that's unacceptable in light of Republican led efforts to demonize trans people and attack their human rights, and is urging Massachusetts to protect its trans citizens. .

"To me, this is really really important, " Healey said.  "This is about civil rights, it's about respecting the dignity of each and every human being, and unfortunately, right now, in this state, it is not illegal to discriminate against someone based on the fact that they're transgender.".   .

She's right Massachusetts.  Time for y'all to stop stall and show the same leadership for trans human rights that you did on gay marriage  

The Massachusetts trans community and their siblings around the United States and the world are watching to see if the.Bay State values its trans citizens and their human rights like they do the human rights of their gay and lesbian ones.  .  .

Fantasia Fair Day 5

Moni is still hanging around at the 2015 edition of Fantasia Fair, and the reality is sinking in that this wonderful week in Provincetown is rapidly coming to a close.

It`s Friday, and on the schedule for today is a keynote on a subject near and dear to my heart in trans history being delivered by Dr. Aaron Devor of the University of Victoria, which has a growing transgeder history collection I am anxious to see one day and hear about in this speech.

Other highlights for today include seminars on effective lobbying, one on The Biopsychology of Transsexualism by Dr Thomas Bevan, and the Fantasia Fair Follies at 8 PM followed by late night dancing at Club Purgatory starting at 10 PM

And yeah, yeah, I know what today is TransGriot readers.   The Shut Up Fool Awards post will be up on schedule.

Fantasia Fair Day 4

The amazing week at the longest running trans conference in the US is past the halfway point, and what's on the schedule for today?.

I get to watch someone else give a keynote in the person of Dr. Marisa Richmond.

Group photo is also happening today unless it rains, and I`m also planning on being present for two panel discussions by Denise Norris and Lezli Whitehead.

Denise will have a 10 AM panel entitled ~Toward A gender Authentic Future` That I will be interested inhearing her thoughts about.  

Lezli, who I discovered last night as we walked back from the fashion show at the Crown & Anchor was staying upstairs at the same Dyer`s Barn guest house I am residing in on the ground floor, has an interesting 3 PM/ one I will be attending entitled `Gnder Clear- Communication, Movement & Voice.

At 7 Pm Cody Suzuki will be hosting a Spoken word and Trans Poetry Slam at the Cown & Anchor to close out Thursday.

Fantasia Fair Day 3

Day three of Fantasia Fair, and what on the agenda for today after I spent most of it making a little trans history and hanging out at Roomers with some of the other Fantasia fair attendees until 12 AM?

I get to watch Denise Norris do her keynote speech, and have my eye on two seminars by Dr Miqqi Gilbert..

The big event closing out tonught is the eagerly anticipated fashion show hosted by Temperance and Luna Maria.    Luna has been trying to get me o participate in it, but I told her I had my day in the sun yesterday, and it was time for someone else to have their opportunity to have some time in the spotlight.

I`ll be cheering on the participants from the audience unless I cut out early to watch `Empire`

Fantasia Fair Day 2

The second full day of Fantasia Fair is the big one for me.   I get to collect that Virginia Price Trans Pioneer Award and deliver an acceptance speech at 1:30 PM EDT at the Crown & Anchor.

I was up until 4 AM EDT Monday morning working on tweaking it, and I will post the text of the speech for those of you who could not bee in the room with me at that time

I am looking forward to delivering that speech and enaging with Fan Fair attendeees in the post speech Q & A session.

There will also be another day of seminars highlighted by one discussing Transgender Hate Crimes n the Federal Government.

The day will close with the Virginia Prince Transgender Pioneeer Awards Banquet at the Crown & Anchor.

Fantasia Fair Day 1

After my travel day, and attending the welcome reception last night, and dealing with an unexpected cold snap in which the temps dived down into near freezing territory , getting up and getting ready for the first day of Fantasia Fair action here in Provincetown.

So what's on the schedule for today?

There's an orientation brunch at the Crown and Anchor, the first seminars of Fantasia Fair 41, and later/tonght at 6 PM the Town and Gown Dinner.

After we get our grub on,  at 8 PM Scott Turner Schofield (yep, THE same one from Bold and the Beautiful) takes the stage at the Provincetown Theater to perform his comedic play Debutante Balls.

An interesting first day to start off this Fantasia fair 41 week.

Hanging Out In P-Town For Fantasia Fair

I've arrived on Cape Cod after my nonstop flight to Boston and a puddle jumper Cape Air plane ride over Cape Cod Bay in a ten seat Cessna to P-town

Provincetown Municipal Airport is one of two unique aviation facilities in the country because like Jackson Hole in Wyoming, it sits in a national park.   The Cape Cod National Seashore was created by President Kennedy in 1961 and encompasses 40 miles of the Atlantic Ocean facing eastern seashore of Cape Cod.  

And yes folks, P-town airport does have a TSA facility.

Provincetown also has an interesting history.   It was the first landing site of the Pilgrims before they settled in Plymouth in 1620.   The Mayflower Compact was signed aboard the ship while it was anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor.

It was incorporated in 1727, and has a year round population of 3,000 people that swells to 60,000 during the summer resort season.   Because of its location at the extreme end of Cape Cod, an artists colony developed there;   It also has a well earned reputation as a town that is LGBT friendly, which is why Fantasia Fair started here in 1975.

And it;s cold up- here.   Temp is getting down to 38 tonight, and not long after I landed and settled into my digs at Dyer House it got cloudy and started spitting snow flurries for a few minutes

I'm excited to be here for the week and getting an opportunity to explore it.  I'm looking forward to the start of Fantasia Fair tomorrow and my big day on Tuesday.

I'm now checked into my room, gotten my conference materials with the Participant's Guide program with my smiling face on it, perused the schedule, and resting a bit before I head to the 7:30 PM Welcome Reception at the Boatslip.

Going to be an interesting week, and it starts in a few hours

The Air Marshal Takes Flight To Fantasia Fair

The Air Marshal got up at the crack of dawn so I can catch a non-stop bird taking off for Boston. My eventual destination will be Provincetown, MA on Cape Cod for Fantasia Fair and my date with trans history.  

On October 20 I become the first African-American trans person to be honored with the Virginia Prince Transgender Pioneer Award and really looking forward to it and being in the Fantasia fair house for the first time ever..

I'm also looking forward to seeing everyone while I'm in P-town for this year's edition of Fantasia Fair.   And yes, you know I'll be tweeting and writing about what's going on during this exciting week for me.

You can follow those tweets on the #FantasiaFair hashtag or my @TransGriot Twitter feed.

Assuming my flight leaves on time at 7:45 AM, will be in Massachusetts and on Cape Cod in six hours to start the latest exciting chapter of my semi-boring life


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