I'm Chilling In San Francisco!

After a crowded flight, I'm now in my hotel and chilling as I get ready for my TDOR event tomorrow.

The interesting thing about San Francisco is that it has a lot of small hotels sprinkled throughout its downtown area, and I'm staying at one called the Herbert Hotel.

It opened in 1909, and definitely has been renovated since then with a flat screen TV in my room and comp WiFi.

It's on Powell Street, overlooking Union Square and two blocks from the turnaround for the San Francisco cable car line.   The Powell Street BART station is two blocks from here, which was definitely a blessing that meant I didn't have to schlep my bag too far from the subway station to the hotel 

Since I arrived a little after noon Pacific time, have the rest of the day and evening to hang out, and that's the plan so far.

Leaving On A Jet Plane To: SFO

If my flight left on time, I should be as you're reading this airborne and headed toward San Francisco and a TDOR event taking place on Thursday thanks to United.

This time I had to go to the big airport as we refer to IAH down here because the org sponsoring the trip had United vouchers for me to travel on, and United has a hub at IAH.

And yes, I love it any time I get to see my former coworkers that are still working at IAH and counting the days to retirement in some cases.

But traveling on United also means it's necessary for me to get there an hour to two hours earlier than I normally would for a flight because I still know half the airport.  I'm stopping every five to ten minutes running into Houston based flight attendants, coworkers, and even the shoe shine guys on my way to my departure gates in either Terminal C or Terminal E.

It's also a deja vu experience because I transitioned in that building.  While the south side of Terminal C is basically the same as when I was working there, the renovations they have done since I left in 2001 have also made it look vastly different from the Terminal C I used to know.

The bars and shops in there now remind me of a shopping mall.   Even the food courts and what they offer are light years different from when I was working there.    When I was working there, we had more locally based chains contracted to be in our airport terminals.

The new Terminal C north side gates are close enough now to Terminal B that you can walk to them from the north side C gates.

That's especially true when I have a flight out of the north side of Terminal C, which is not even close to the one I used to work in.  The massive Terminal E, which connects to the south side of Terminal C and Terminal D (AKA the International Arrivals Building) on its north side, didn't even exist when I was there,

But back to discussing my trip.   Destination this time is San Francisco, and this will be the first time I've been back since 2016, when I attended the GLAAD Gala San Francisco, picked up an award and made a little speech at it.

Thus time I along with Toni Newman will be speaking at a Commonwealth Club of California, Gilead Sciences and SFPride sponsored TDOR event taking place on November 14.

looking forward to spending some time in the Bay Area, and hope i get to see some of my trans fam living here while I'm in San Francisco.

Breanna Sinclaire Sings The National Anthem At Another MLB Game

As an Astros fan, I'm enjoying the 2018 Major League Baseball season almost as much as I enjoyed last year's 2017 World Series championship run.

One other thing I'm enjoying is hearing about my talented opera singing sis getting the opportunity to sing the national anthem at another Bay Area baseball game.

She first did so three years ago on June 18, 2015 at an Oakland Athletics game.  By doing so, Sinclaire made some trans history became the first out trans person to perform the national anthem before a Mator League Baseball game.

Sinclaire is also featured in the Nicole Opper documentary Mezzo, that chronicles her life.

Now the San Francisco Conservatory of Music grad on Friday has received another opportunity to sing the national anthem on the other side of the Bay.

Sinclaire on Friday sang the national anthem before the San Francisco Giants game at AT&T Stadium against the San Diego Padres.   

Congratulations again Breanna!   Continue to blaze trails and be a possibility model for our trans kids out there.

Moni's 2016 GLAAD Gala SF Remarks

TransGriot Notes: These are the remarks I prepared for delivery as I accept this Special Recognition award at tonight's GLAAD Gala San Francisco.

You can check out the @GLAAD Twitter feed and the hashtag #glaadgala for it.

***

2016 GLAAD Gala SF Remarks

Thank you Angelica for that wonderful introduction.  and thank you GLAAD for this unexpected but deeply appreciated honor.  On behalf of the community and myself, I humbly accept this award. 

When blogging began to go mainstream in 2004, I was writing a column for a local monthly LGBTQ paper in Louisville.   Trans oriented blogs addressing the issues germane to the trans community existed, but the common thread was that none of those early trans blogs were discussing issues important to trans people of color.  Neither were they discussing trans issues and the news of the day from our perspective.   

After prodding by my friends in Louisville and around the country, predominately led by Jordana LeSesne and my own observations that a POC oriented blog was necessary for the growth and maturation of our Black trans community ranks, at midnight EST on January 1, 2006, the first post went up at TransGriot. 

It’s now been a decade, 6.4 million viewers and nearly 10,000 posts later, and TransGriot is still telling it like it T-I-S is on behalf of my community from an unapologetically Black perspective and documenting its history.  It is probably the oldest continuously published blog founded and run by an African-American trans person and I’m exceedingly proud of that fact.

And thanks to the Trans National Alliance, Trans United Fund and assorted individuals who have contributed money and technology to help me keep TransGriot alive and operating for the last decade   

While what I write at TransGriot is focused on and for Black trans people, over time those posts have also touched people around the world.  TransGriot is also unique in the fact it is written by a person who has been a trans human rights advocate for 18 years and counting, and has had a ringside seat to much of the LGBTQ community’s history since 1994.

It has also grown beyond its original mission to talk about the issues that affect all LGBTQ people. 

The power of a blog to shape events is mighty.  It’s even more potent when walk the walk and back up your words with deeds.  I get up from behind my keyboard and lobby legislators, educating people at panel discussions and community forums, and engage in public speaking in order to make that positive change I advocate for via my writing happen. 

And thank you GLAAD for standing up for our human rights and pushing for accurate portrayals of my trans siblings across the media spectrum.   Accuracy in media stories about trans people matters.

TransGriot has shed light and spoken truth to power on the issues that impact trans people of color such as anti-trans violence, HIV-AIDS and anti-trans bigotry inside and outside the LGBTQ community.  Posts I wrote helped push for passage of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance in May 2014, and sounded the alarm when the defense campaign for it was going off the rails.  I have urged LGBTQ people to vote and called out disrespectful reporting on trans people of color.    

And sadly, over the last decade I’ve had to document far too many murders of trans women of color.

Some of my TransGriot writing is designed to build community and pride in being an unapologetically Black trans person.   I wrote an open letter post last month that inspired a young Black trans feminine kid to see that she too can be a leader in our community and that she has a proud legacy and history of Black trans leaders to emulate. As her mother told me in an e-mail two days ago, Trini told her, “Ms. Monica showed me my history.  Now I’m gonna make my own.” 

And I will be pleased and proud to watch you make that history Trini on our behalf.  

I’m proud that TransGriot in its ten years of existence has led the way in sending the messages that LGBTQ rights are international human rights, we trans people exist  we are part of the diverse mosaic of human life, and we will not be dehumanized or disrespected by friend, foe or frenemy.

Once again. I thank you for this award, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next decade holds in store for TransGriot and the TBLGQ community I serve.  

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Countdown To GLAAD Gala SF 2016

I've gone through my noon PDT rehearsal for my GLAAD Gala speech tonight., know where I'm sitting (will be close to the stage of course) figuring out what I want to wear tonight, and I'm ready as I'll ever be for this event that is starting at 5:30 PM PDT..

And I've even gotten a free Slurpee, so today is definitely a good day despite not being able to find the BART pass I just picked up at the airport yesterday..

The Gala at the Metreon is sold out, and thanks to everyone in the community who continue to honor me with your well wishes.for receiving this award.  

Means a lot to me.

If you want to follow the action, check out GLAAD's Twitter page at @GLAAD and the hashtag #glaadgala

I'll also post the text of the speech in  a few hours.

Moni's Arrived in San Francisco!

The Air Marshal has landed in San Francisco after another cross country flight, this time on Southwest to the Left Coast via Orange County.  

Was a  little bumpy over the El Paso area.  We were flying through the remnants of Hurricane Newton, which made landfall near Los Cabos the other day.  

The other drama I was facing was whether my bag made it.   Due to heavy traffic got to Hobby 40 minutes before my flight departed.   Fortunately I had TSA Pre and I was leaving out of Gate 20.

I exhaled when I saw my bag plop down on the baggage carrousel.   Let's just say that Moni won't be cutting it so close on the return trip home Friday.  

We got to SFO a little early, and after my BART train ride to the Montgomery St. Station found the hotel.   Had to wait a few moments before my room was ready, but that 19th floor suite was worth the wait.

The Park Central is my homebase until Friday morning, and as you readers know, I'm here for the now sold out GLAAD Gala San Francisco that happens tomorrow to receive an award..

The gala started at 5:30 PM PDT, which means the only way I'll be seeing the Panthers-Broncos game is tby watching the highlights on ESPN's SportsCenter.

After I get a nap in because I've been up since 5 AM CDT to catch my flight out of Hobby, I'll probably explore the area around my hotel.   I can see the City View at Metreon venue for tomorrow night's gala from my 19th floor hotel room and already happily discovered there's a 7 Eleven around the corner.

I'm also hoping to get a chance while I'm here to see some peeps while I'm in the Bay Area.

We'll see how successful that effort is.

GLAAD To Honor Moi At The Gala San Francisco

The reason why I'm hopping a flight to San Francisco on Wednesday has finally been announced, so I can now talk about it.

On Thursday during the GLAAD Gala San Francisco I am going to be honored for the ten years I've been speaking truth to power courtesy of my TransGriot blog I founded on January 1, 2006.  

The Special Recognition Award will be presented by Angelica Ross, and so looking forward to seeing her again.

"Monica Roberts has used her blog to become a powerful voice for trans women of color and all trans people for the past 10 years," said Nick Adams, GLAAD's Director of Transgender Media. "Monica has consistently spoken out about the discrimination and violence faced by our community, and she's shined a light on trans people, especially people of color, when other blogs and media outlets would not. We are thrilled to honor Monica for her work and for her contributions toward accelerating acceptance for all trans people."

Thank you GLAAD for the award and thank you everyone for the continued expressions of congratulations and well wishes for this award.  I've been especially touched by the ones that have come from my former CAL co workers, who have told me every time I encounter them either while transiting IAH, on a United flight or just while out and about in Houston how proud they are of me along with everyone else in the community.   That's also true of my local LGBTQ community, the one I was part of in Louisville and nationally.

Thank you everyone.  It means a lot that y'all think so highly of me, and you see me as a worthy possibility model, friend and mentor.

It's been ten years, nearly 10,000 posts and 6.4 million visitors later and I'm still posting and telling it like it T-I-S is about the issues that impact my community.

If you can attend, here's the info for the gala.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at City View at Metreon on Thursday night, and as many peeps in the Bay Area trans community as I can while I'm there.starting Wednesday afternoon.

TransGriot Update:  Now hearing that the GLAAD Gala San Francisco is sold out.

Moni's Heading To Cali For The September 8 GLAAD Gala San Francisco

The Air Marshal is headed back to the Bay Area for the first time since I was there in Oakland in 2013 for the first TransH4CK.

Sorry East Bay and Oaktown peeps, going to be on the other side of the Bay for this visit.  Going there attend the GLAAD Gala San Francisco that's happening on September 8, so this is your heads up Left Coast I'm coming.

So what's GLAAD Gala San Francisco all about?   It's celebrating digital media innovators who are moving LGBTQ acceptance forward.  At times it isn't moving as fast as we would like it to go, but the froward momentum is undeniable enough to where our conservative opponents are fighting us tooth and nail to stop it and failing as usual.

The event is being hosted by The Talk's Aisha Tyler, and looking forward to being there even if it's an in and out trip.  

A stop at the nearest Ghirardelli's chocolate outlet will be mandatory (preferably either the milk chocolate or caramel squares), and looking forward to seeing as many of my peeps in the area as possible.

MAJOR! Premiere This Friday

This Friday will be an event I hope I get the chance to attend in the premiere of  the highly anticipated movie MAJOR! at the San Francisco Transgender Film Festival.

The film festival runs from September 12-15 at the Roxie Theater, but the MAJOR! premiere will happen at the Castro Theater.

MAJOR! is the documentary directed by Annalise Ophelian about Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, who is a Stonewall vet and Bay Area resident who has fought for trans human rights for trans women of color for over 40 years.

The 75 years young Miss Major recently retired as the executive director of the Transgender Gender Variant Intersex Justice Project, better known as TGI Justice, and is a beloved and much respected figure for many of us in the community.   I've also had the pleasure of spending quality time with her at various conferences around the country over the last few years.

While I've had the pleasure of seeing a rough cut of the movie, would love to see the final finished documentary and Miss Major at the same time.

TransGriot Update:  Tried, just couldn't make it happen.  Will just have to see it when it hits my neck of the woods.  

Laverne's Madame Tussaud's Wax Figure Revealed

While many of you were partying during Pride last weekend, a little history was taking place in San Francisco as Madame Tussaud's unveiled the wax likeness of her.

She is the first out transperson ever to be so honored, and Laverne was on hand for the June 26 ceremony.

“I hope that it gives people a sense of possibility. I think that it’s important that yes, I’m transgender, but I’m also a Black person in America. And I was raised African Methodist Episcopal,” Ms. Cox said in her speech. “So I’m standing here at the intersection of multiple identities, and so I hope that people will be inspired to believe that anything is possible.”

The wax figure will be part of the Madame Tussaud's San Francisco permanent collection, and was part of a special display for pride.

Madame Tussaud's San Francisco is located on Fisherman's Wharf, so check it out the next time you are visiting the city.

Laverne Cox To Be Immortalized In Wax By Madame Tussauds

Another day, another historic trans first for Laverne Cox. 

Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in San Francisco announced that in honor of Pride Month, she would become the first transperson ever turned into a wax figure.

Her wax figure will join those of George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio on display at Madame Tussauds San Francisco in Fisherman’s Wharf and debut during the San Francisco Pride press conference on June 26.

Is Laverne excited about it?  Yes.

“When I think about being who I am, a black trans woman from a working class background raised in Mobile, Alabama, this honor feels even more improbable and extraordinary,” said Cox in a statement. “I hope that this will be a source of inspiration for every one who encounters it to believe that their dreams matter and are possible.”.

And so do I Laverne.   Congrats on another groundbreaking honor.

Updates In Two 2015 California Trans Murder Cases.

Have some updated information concerning the trans murder cases of Taja DeJesus and Michelle Yazmin Payne, who were murdered in northern and southern California within days of each other.
I'm happy to report there is good news in both of theses California cases in terms of bringing their killers to justice.

In the Michelle Payne case, 25 year Ezekiel Dear, who has been IDed as the boyfriend of Ms. Payne, turned himself into the LAPD 7th Division headquarters at 3:30 PM PST on February 1 accompanied by a pastor and confessed to killing her.

He was arraigned the next day at the Van Nuys courthouse on one felony count each of murder, with a knife-use allegation, and arson of an inhabited structure or property.

Will continue to keep you posted on this case.

Meanwhile, up I-5 in the Bay Area, the Taja DeJesus case has had a interesting twist.in the suspected perpetrator of the murder of our fallen sister being found dead himself.

49 year old James Hayes was found dead on February 2 hanging by the neck from a fence in the 4000 block of Third Street.  

The location was behind a warehouse a half mile from the crime scene where DeJesus was found stabbed to death, and Hayes was still wearing the clothing he wore when he allegedly stabbed Ms. DeJesus.

A die-in was held in front of San Francisco City Hall to protest the DeJesus killing and the murders of other trans women since June in California and elsewhere across the country.

After an operatic rendition of 'Amazing Grace' by Breanna Sinclaire, trans leaders in the San Francisco area called for an end to transphobia fueling these murders.

"We're still being murdered, harassed, and cast aside. We have to show that our lives matter," said Danielle Castro.

Yes they do, Danielle/   #TransLivesMatter.  #BlackTransLivesMatter   #LatinaTransLivesMatter  And let's hope that the people who have committed these heinous crimes aimed at us  are captured, tried and convicted for killing us.

Happy Janet Mock Day!

As y'all are aware of, Janet's tour across the country in support of Redefining Realness continues, and tonight she is in San Francisco. 

She was given a proclamation at an event that is happening right now declaring today in San Francisco as 'Janet Mock Day'.  

I also found it deliciously ironic that it happened (snicker, snicker) on the very day the last Piers Morgan Tonight show is being broadcast on CNN.

Aww, my heart bleeds for him.  Psyche.  

Naw, I know I won't miss watching him berate guests and neither will America 

But back to the #girllikeus of the hour.  Congrats Janet for the well deserved honor!   



 And oh yeah, happy Janet Mock Day!

What's Trans* H4CK?

One of the increasingly popular things happening is what's called a hackathon.  It's a community event in which programmers, developers, graphic designers, entrepreneurs and community members share ideas and skills to develop new software projects over a course of either 24 or 48 hours.

Hackathons are increasingly being used as a way to solve social problems, and Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler got the brilliant idea to do a hackathon called Trans* H4CK that combines the tech savvy talents of our trans community members with social justice activism

When asked why a trans centric hackathon needed to happen and be supported by LGBT organizations:

Hosting a hackathon can leverage the specific insights and talents of community members invested in LGBT equality by generating ideas that your organization normally wouldn’t. Think of potential participants as a temporary “think tank” comprised of dedicated volunteers of the cause. It is inevitable that the amount of passion each hacker brings to the table, will produce amazing tech based projects that can help make the lives of activists and the community that we serve a little easier. Plus, the bonus of working in a collaborative environment that values the input of each team member creates a sense of collective responsibility and comfort in which the learning of new tech skills is possible.

On the Trans* H4CK page it also made this salient point.

Research shows that transgender people are unemployed at 2x the national rate–4x for transgender people of color; have incomes of less than $10,00 a year; experience homelessness at 2x the rate of non-trans people; and suffer overwhelming discrimination when it comes to accessing adequate healthcare and legal services. This problem not only affects transgender adults but trans and gender nonconforming youth as well. A necessary step in addressing anti-transgender bias is to create technology that socially empowers transgender individuals. Imagine if there existed a mobile phone app that helps individuals find trans friendly doctors or an app that profiles safe space job opportunities for trans people across the country? Trans*H4CK is a space in which to turn these possibilities into reality.

After conceiving the idea and laying out the case for it, Dr Ziegler set out to make it happen with a GoFund Me campaign to raise funds to bring it to life.

On September 13-15 the inaugural Trans* H4CK will take place at the Betti Ono Gallery in Oakland and the New Parkway Theater.   This first trans hackaton will be limited to 50 people and will be a judged competition.

The judges and the speakers at the inaugural Trans* H4CK will be named later and I'd love to be there in the Bay Area just to satisfy my inner tech nerd and see what takes place at a hackathon.       

I'm down with any event that showcases the immense untapped talent and creativity of our community and hope it is as megasuccessful as I presume it will be. 

This Racist Joke About A Plane Crash Isn't Funny

Somebody either at KTVU-TV or the NTSB is in serious trouble for a racist joke that ended up getting broadcast as news on a San Francisco television station.    

Some genius thought it would be hilarious to come up with offensive names for the pilots of Asiana Flight 214 that crashed in San Francisco last Saturday with now three people dead.

NTSB policy is to not release the names of pilots or crewmembers involved in aviation accidents to the media. When KTVU-TV called Friday morning wishing to do just that and get that information for their ongoing local reporting on the story, according to a NTSB press release a summer intern acting outside their authority erroneously released the names that ended up being read during their noon broadcast.

When they realized the embarrassing error, KTVU-TV apologized on air and on their website blaming the NTSB

Despite the finger pointing at each other, both organizations quickly apologized and owned up to their parts in the station being pranked. 

But you also have to ask yourself how diverse is KTVU-TV's staff if a racist list of names got through their multilayered fact checking verification process in a station that has a broadcast area with a sizable Asian population?

It also isn't funny because three people have died so far in this aviation accident with six others still hospitalized and being treated for their injuries as the NTSB investigation into the crash continues.

NTSB has promised action to ensure it doesn't happen again.  But whoever did it better start updating their resume. 

TransGriot Update: The Asian American Journalists Association is justifiably pissed off about what happened and isn't buying the clueless act of the NTSB or KTVU-TV.   Somebody in one of those orgs came up with the offensive name list.    

Happy Birthday Harvey Milk!

“It takes no compromise to give people their rights...it takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.”

― Harvey Milk

Today would have been the 83rd birthday of Harvey Milk, the iconic civil rights leader who became the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California when he ran for and won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.

His June 24, 1977  'You've Got To Have Hope' speech that announced his run for supervisor is still as timely, eloquent and relevant today as it was when he first delivered it.

He was only in office for eleven months until his and Mayor George Moscone's assassinations by former supervisor Dan White on November 27, 1978  but was responsible for passing a stringent gay rights ordinance in the city.

His May 22 birthday is now celebrated in the state of California as an unofficial holiday and Harvey Milk Day events have begun to spring up in various cities around the country to celebrate the life of this iconic leader.






Happy birthday Harvey!    We could use a lot more visionary people like you in the 21st century LGBT community.

Trans Francisco Documentary

This 2010 documentary by Glenn Davis delves into the lives of several transwomen in the San Francisco Bay Area.   It features Miss Major, Cecilia Chung, Kayla, Tiffany Woods and Theresa Sparks

Skip The Makeup's Gina Morvay wrote a review of it when it debuted back in July 2010. 

Since then Trans Francisco has been screened at LGBT and trans film festivals around the world, and you can get more information about the award winning film at its transfrancisco.com website. 

Trigger alert for discussions of graphic sexual assault and anti-trans violence

Trailer




Kayla discussing her relationship with her parents




Alexandra Cruz



Cecilia Chung



Miss Major