'Sandra' Rose's Transphobic Azz Strikes Again

One of the problems we Black transpeople face is transphobia not only from non Black cispeople inside and outside our community, but Black people inside and out the GLBT/SGL community as well

Here's a shining example of inside the Black GL/SGL community transphobia coming from lesbian conservafool entertainment blogger Sandra Rose.    

Sandra put her pumps in her big mouth once again with this stank comment about transman Kye Allums.

I’m trying to be sensitive here, but I have a problem with a man choosing to play for a woman’s team. Why not try out for the men’s team? He/she can’t have it both ways.

'Sandra', you didn't even try to be sensitive.   You're so breathtakingly transphobic and mean spirited  it shines through in this post and the last one you did on Thomas Beattie.

And to think I defended your azz in this comment thread when Chris Brown attacked you.   

@Victoria...You are terminally clueless if you think that somebody making nasty comments about a dark skinned person is a 'harmless joke'    Those two weren't playing the dozens. Chris Clown was retaliating for comments Sandra wrote on her blog while exercising her First Amendment rights to do so.

I have a problem with any transphobic lesbian, especially a Black lesbian who wants people to accept her and not demonize her for who she sleeps with and would be straight up going off if somebody insulted her by saying she had mental issues because of her 'homosexual lifestyle', but has no problem flipping the script and being intolerant of transpeople.


First order of business, 'Sandra', you do not EVER refer to a transperson that you 'claim' you respect as a he/she, tranny, or other derogatory term.

You can also stop lying to the blogosphere that you're trying to be respectful of a transperson as you facetiously claimed in that post.  Your blog is not only a cesspool of transphobia, you fail repeatedly at respecting us.    


But then again, it stands to reason you have your hate on for transpeople and transwomen in particular since your hip-hop gossip blogging peeps consistently slam you not only for your stank attitude, but the fact they don't consider you no Halle Berry.

But back to the focus of this post, the trans 'ejumacation' of Sandra Rose, since you so obviously need it..

Peep what the AP Stylebook has to say about reporting on transpeople.   These protocols are also repeated in the GLAAD Media Reference Guide and the National Gay and Lesbian Journalistss Association  guides as well..

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 way the individuals live publicly.

Now let me drop more knowledge on your behind concerning why Kye is playing on the George Washington University women's basketball team
     
If you'd bothered to hit Google instead of going on your usual hate on trans people rant, you would have found out that Kye is a junior guard on scholarship, started 20 plus games for the women's team last year, and can play on the team as long as he isn't taking testosterone.


The NCAA follows the same guidelines as the International Olympic Committee, who have allowed transpeople to compete in the Olympic Games since 2004 and the various international sports governing bodies have adopted their rules to coincide with the IOC  Stockholm guidelines.

Athletes whose gender identity or expression do not match their birth genitalia are allowed to participate on teams on the basis of their birth genitalia as long as they are not taking hormones or undergoing genital realignment surgery

With transpeople going through gender transitions as early as middle or high school, this will probably not be the last time you hear of an NCAA student athlete transitioning    There have long been rumors of transpeeps competing in the NCAA on the down low because they wanted to avoid cpntroversy

So yes, it is a big deal when a transperson, especially an African-American transperson does something positive and noteworthy.   Being the first out transperson to play NCAA Div I basketball on a scholarship while transitioning is definitely one of those times. 

Far too many times any positive coverage of transpeople is reserved for my white sisters and brothers and the only time transpeople of color get media attention is when we get killed in an anti-trans violence attack or in quagmires of nattering transphobic negativity such as your blog.

News flash for your breathtakingly ignorant behind, transpeople aren't a 'trend' as you so disrespectfully put it.  We've been around since the 50's, have been intertwined in African-American community life for decades and made a little history in the process.  It was Black transpeople in Philadelphia that instigated the the Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit-In, the first trans themed protest in 1965.   Miss Major, a Black transwomen who transitioned in the 1950's took part in the 1969 Stonewall Riots.

We African descended transpeople are educators, musicians, models, businesspeople, thought leaders, clergy, attorneys, activists, models, parents and award winning bloggers who get more than a little pissed at having our identities and lives erased and mocked by people such as you and your nekulturny readers .

We take enough of that crap from society, but it really hurts when the transphobic ignorance comes from Black SGL people such as yourself..

Dr Sylvia Rhue: It Gets Better

Am 'It Gets Better video from Dr. Sylvia Rhue from the National Black Justice Coalition
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Working to Empower Black LGBT People

TransGriot Note: This editorial piece by NBJC executive director Sharon J. Lettman was originally published in the Bay Area Reporter on August 12.

Barbecues, backyard parties, and soul-food jams. Summer is a time for family get-togethers. A time when people all over the world take vacations so they can make memories with close friends and loved ones, but in African American communities only some of us feel comfortable going home.

In our communities, only some of us feel safe enough to be who we are in the company of those who raised us. Only some of us can show up and be all of ourselves all of the time with the people we love most. The pain of moving through our families – closeted, and, in many instances, alienated – is devastating black families everywhere.

Homophobia and the anti-gay oppression it engenders severely limits the extent to which African American LGBT people live out and open lives. In recent years, we have seen significant efforts to undermine black families due to restrictive laws and regulations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Such laws include the 2008 proposition passed in Arkansas outlawing adoption by LGBT people, even though 21 percent of black LGBT couples are biological parents and 2.2 percent are adoptive or foster parents (2000 U.S. Census).

As America's only nationwide black LGBT civil rights organization, the newly re-imagined National Black Justice Coalition has accepted the charge to lead black families in strengthening the bonds and bridging the gaps between straight and LGBT loved ones and communities.

"Building Stronger Black Families" is the theme guiding NBJC's strategic plan and program development. As a part of our commitment, we focus on eradicating policy-based initiatives that we know weaken our families, our communities, and ultimately, our country.

Specifically, we focus on working in coalition with ally organizations to combat harmful laws that are tearing apart our families. In collaboration with Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, we work to repeal laws like "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" because African American women are discharged from the armed services at three times the rate they serve, due to DADT. Upon discharge, an individual's access to health and retirement benefits are denied and their professional record is permanently marred, affecting their ability to find new work to support their families.

In conjunction with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, we focus on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act because everybody deserves an opportunity to excel in their chosen profession without fear of being punished or terminated due to gender identity or sexual orientation, qualities over which none of us have any control. Racism, homophobia, and transphobia combine to form powerful discriminating forces that prevent LGBT people of color from obtaining and sustaining jobs, which can lead to impoverished conditions for them and their dependents. In a 2007 NGLTF/NCTE national transgender discrimination survey, 35 percent of black transgender respondents were unemployed, which was five times the rate of the general population at the time of the study. ENDA is a federal bill that would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

NBJC is partnering with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network to put an end to bullying in schools because every child deserves to learn in an environment where they feel safe enough to explore their hopes and dreams without fear of being harassed or physically assaulted. Further, every child deserves to have teachers and administrators who will protect them when these incidents are reported. When children are the targets of anti-gay bullying, families that don't receive this level of support and accountability from schools suffer losses like the tragedy experienced by Carl Joseph Walker's mother. Her son hanged himself last year after enduring daily bullying and anti-gay taunts. Carl is one of several suicides of very young children linked to bullying. We will never know what Carl's promise held and his family is forever scarred by his untimely departure.

NBJC is working with a host of organizations through the Civil Marriage Collaborative DC Coalition, in a public education campaign promoting marriage equality in and around Washington, D.C., where 54 percent of the community is African American, and gay and lesbian couples can marry legally.

Polls have repeatedly shown that respondents who know an LGBT person within their family, workplace, and/or social networks have increased support for policies that foster equal rights. Increasing acceptance and respect for black LGBT people within their families and communities is essential to growing support within African American communities for LGBT issues of inclusion and equality, which, ultimately, affect us all.

NBJC is working toward a world where all of us can go home and be all of who we are, authentically and safely, with family and friends, all of the time. We hope that you will support us by participating in action alerts around policy initiatives that help level the playing field for all LGBT people and allies – regardless of race, creed or color.

If you'd like to join our movement to advance the intersection of racial justice and LGBT equality please visit us at http://www.nbjc.org or http://www.facebook.com/nationalblackjusticecoalition.


Sharon Lettman is the executive director of NBJC, which is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering black LGBT people. Its mission is to end racism and homophobia. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NBJC was founded on December 8, 2003, by a group of committed and passionate black LGBT people, led by activist, author, and commentator Keith Boykin, who believed there needed to be a strong voice advocating on behalf of black LGBT people.

NBJC 2010 Out On The Hill Black LGBT Leadership Summit

The National Black Justice Coalition is hosting its first annual OUT on the Hill Black LGBT Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, September 15-18.

If you're noticing that the date coincides with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s–Annual Legislative Conference Weekend, go to the head of the class, it's not an accident.

The CBCF-ALC is an event I've wanted to attend for years because thousands of African American policy makers, organizers, and concerned citizens travel to our nation’s capitol for it. It's held at the Washington Convention Center and has more than 70 issue forums and 13 session tracks offered to address critical challenges facing Black communities, many led by CBC congressmembers.

In my mind, one of the challenges that needs to be addressed is integrating African-American GLBT people into the everyday economic, social and political discourse of our African-American family.

Black TBLG people and our leaders need to be there for that weekend. I realized the importance of it years ago, but unfortunately circumstances on one level or another have kept me from attending. Maybe I'll be blessed to catch a break and have something positive happen where I can this year.

Now let's return to talking about about OUT on the Hill 2010.

This event will convene the nation’s top Black LGBT thought leaders, philanthropists and activists to participate in social action that empowers our communities while educating our Congressional leaders, the Obama Administration and federal agencies about our public policy concerns.

The NBJC plans to make this an annual event in which we come together to let the powers that be know that we exist, we are organized and informed, and we have the ability to move the masses towards an America that is more inclusive of Black LGBT people.

If you're interested in attending, here's the link to the registration form for it.

It's something that has needed to happen for a long time for the Black TBLG/SGL community and I'm glad to see the NBJC leading the way on it.

Whatever Happened To 'Whosoever Will'?

I have never read the verse where it says, "Though shalt discriminate against those not like me." I have never read the verse where it says, "Let's base our public policy on hate and fear and discrimination." Christianity to me is love and hope and faith and forgiveness--not hate and discrimination.

Texas state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, 2005

It's been a little over a month since I moved back to Houston, and one of the things I miss about Da Ville is my open and affirming Edenside church family and Rev. Sally McClain.

It got me thinking about what in Hades has happened to the Black Church?

It used to be an institution that embodies the slogan 'whosoever will'. Now 'whosoever will' has an asterisk by it.

Whosoever Will* except if you're gay, trans, liberal, ain't willing to give us your tax refund check...Well, you get the drift.

The Black Church has allowed itself to be infected by a virus called 'Prosperity Gospel'. It's basically what the late Rev. Ike used to preach back in the day on steroids.

It's also allowed itself to be infiltrated by the same white fundamentalist preachers who opposed our civil rights in exchange of cash to build and maintain those arena sized churches they run.

Some of them have willingly sold out our community to get faith-based initiative bribe money or suck up to GOP politicians who do not have our community's best interests in mind.

That has made many of these ministers who should have been front and center speaking out about the oppression of other human beings either reluctant to speak truth to power or depressingly hostile chocolate dipped tools laboring for the Forces of Intolerance.

It's not prudent in their minds to do so when they are paying notes on those palatial churches, getting handed large speaking fees to speak at conservafool political and religious conferences or trying to support a jet setting lifestyle and far flung teleministry complete with $1000 suits and flashy cars.

But back to discussing what happened to 'whosoever will'. For the four centuries that African descended people have been on the American continent, the church was the one institution that we had control over. It was the spiritual rock that we anchored our chaotic lives to. It produced some of our greatest leaders and served as a one stop social service and community center. It also was our sword and shield fighting against injustice.

Now it's becoming, as Dr. King once talked about, a 'dry as dust' religion.

But for too long it has been on the wrong side of the civil rights battle that TBLG people are waging against the same oppressive forces that tried to retard our civil rights advances and who would love to roll all African Americans civil rights back like they successfully did at the tail end of the 19th century.

The Black Church really needs to get back to the tradition of 'whosoever will' as soon as possible because all our people's civil rights may depend on it.

B Scott Tellin' It Like It T-I-S Is

B Scott is a YouTube video blogger and commenter known for his androgynous looks and outspoken commentary.

Here's a B Scott video skewering the myths that cismen have about gay ones and calling them out about their insecurities.

'Jumping The Broom' In DC!

Monday was the first day that same gender couples could legally get married in DC despite the efforts of go to sellout Bigot Harry Jackson to stop it.

Well, well, looks like it was two sistahs, Angelisa Young and Sinjoyla Townsend who were the first couple to legally 'jump the broom' in th District of Columbia.



HT to Womanist Musings for the video.

I'm happy for you SGL peeps and I co sign who what my Canadian sis said in her post.

Simone Bell Becomes First African-American Open Lesbian State Legislator Elected In US

History was made last night in Georgia as Simone Bell won a runoff election in Atlanta area State House District 58 to become the first openly lesbian African-American state legislator in the United States.

Bell becomes the second openly LGBT member of the Georgia State House, joining another Atlanta area member in Rep. Karla Drenner.

Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund said in GayPolitics.com,“This is a tremendous victory for LGBT Georgians. Simone is a longtime leader in her community, and she will be a huge asset in the Georgia State House,”

Simone has worked as an activist and advocate in Atlanta and across the south for more than 20 years. She’s tackled a broad range of issues including workplace equality, access to affordable health care, fighting HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, safe schools for all children, youth empowerment and women’s issues.

Congrats Representative-Elect Bell on your historic victory and may you have a long and distinguished tenure in the Georgia State House.

Bishop Yvette Flunder Speaks At 2009 Creating Change

Thanks to my good friend Louis Mitchell, I became aware of Bishop Yvette Flunder and her 'radically inclusive' City of Refuge Church in San Francisco.

Here's the video for your viewing pleasure of her speech at the 2009 Creating Change conference in Oakland.

My GLBT Brothers And Sisters Are My Family

TransGriot Note: A guest post by my Canadian sister Renee, the editor and scribe in chief at Womanist Musings.

First, it must be stated that the sexuality of POC has been used against us as a weapon. Black women have been understood to be hypersexual Jezebels, constantly in search of the next available penis. Black men have either been understood as thug rapists, or as highly effeminate. In each instance this has been to promote White supremacy. POC are not allowed to experience their sexuality as naturally occurring, rather it exists simply to satisfy the needs of others or to promote our bodies as a continual threat to Whiteness.

Due to the White leadership of the mainstream GLBT community, many have refused to accept and or embrace our same gender loving members. Homosexuality is not a White thing; it is not a perversion of bodies of color. Many believe that by rejecting homosexuality that they are rejecting Whiteness, when indeed what they are truly rejecting is our OWN PEOPLE.

The marriage of Michael and Jamil set off quite the firestorm in the Black community. A Morehouse College administrative assistant Sandra Bradley sent the following e-mail.

"I can't believe this wedding. It's 2 men. They don't smile in a lot of pictures and they look like a few brothers I've seen in the streets looking STRAIGHT. Black women can't get a break, either our men want another man, a white woman (or other nationality that's light with straight hair), they are locked up in jail or have a "use to be" fatal disease. I'm beginning to believe Eve was a black woman and we Black women are paying for all the world's sins through her actions (eating the apple)."

Some may view this e-mail as simply a commentary regarding the difficulty of young professional Black women to find a successful Black mate and others see homophobia. It certainly cannot be denied that Black women are likely to remain unmarried or will partner below their class level. This has to do with the ways in which Black femininity has universally been devalued.

The sexuality of Michael and Jamil has nothing to do with the supposed drought of eligible men. It would seem to me to be a very basic fact – Gay men are not attracted to women and any coupling with them would be unsuccessful based on this one simple truth. To belittle them, or question their masculinity is to misplace anger.

When AIDS first became a serious threat many in the Black community, so many refused to speak out and claimed it was the price for engaging in “lifestyles” that were either patterned on White behaviour, or displeasing to God. The very same people who express rage at the genocide that occurred during the middle passage, easily ignored the deaths of thousands. These people had much to contribute to our community and now their voices have been silenced forever, without even a murmur of regret.

Whether someone is same gender loving or trans they are still Black. Their color did not disappear because they chose to live their lives not hiding who they are. We speak about the Black community but what community exists when we deny the happiness and well being of our members? Same gender loving people marched alongside Dr.King for our rights. Same gender loving people are subjected to racism and hatred just as any other person of color. They did not give up their race because they decided to be true to who they are.

When I read commentary like the above I wonder who they think wins when we decide that the same gender loving people in our community do not deserve to be embraced. In fighting and divisiveness serves Whiteness. We must speak with a unified voice to demand equality and by choosing to silence those in our community that make us uncomfortable due to undeserved privilege, we are supporting the very same system that keeps us all understood as secondary citizens. You cannot claim to love Blackness or Black people, if you do not love openly all of its manifestations.