Moni's In The CC20 House!

After rolling up I-45 yesterday, I'm back in Dallas again, but this time it's for my sixth  Creating Change Conference and my first since the 2017 one in Philadelphia.

So what's Creating Change?  It's one of the largest political conferences in the TBLGQ movement ranks.  It has been around since 1988, and my first one was the 1999 event in Oakland

Creating Change is back in Texas for the first time since 2014, but not on my end of I-45 this time and we Houston peeps are still a little salty about that.   Houston has only hosted Creating Change once, while this is now the third time Dallas has hosted it.

Dallas previously hosted Creating Change in 1994 and 2010.

When H-Town had our chance to do so in 2014, we  handled our business and raised the bar for hosting it.  We set new Creating Change records across the board, including the current CC attendance record of over 4000 attendees that as of yet still hasn't been broken.

This time, unlike my last Creating Change event in Philly in 2017,  I'm staying in the conference hotel for the first time since #CC15 in Denver. 

I'm going to be receiving the Hyde Longevity in the Movement award while I'm here at the opening plenary session on Thursday.

I'm also participating in two panels on Thursday at 10 AM as part of the Trans Institute and Friday at 3 PM before I head back down I-45 south to home on Sunday.. 

I was already aware of thanks to my previous Dallas trips there's a downtown 7 Eleven store near the St Paul DART Rail station.

That St Paul DART Rail station is in easy walking distance of the conference hotel  and since I'm only two away from a free one on my app, Slurpees will be demolished while I'm in Dallas at an unprecedented rate.   

As always peeps, if you see me wandering the CC20 halls and I'm not running my mouth with somebody, don't be shy, say hi!   Looking forward to seeing and reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones.

I'm Getting The Susan J Hyde Award At CC20!

When Creating Change kicks off in Dallas, I'll be getting another award for my 22 years of activity in the TBLGQ movement.

I'm being honored with the Susan J. Hyde Award for Longevity in the movement during the opening plenary on January 16.

I'm not the first Black trans person to receive this award.   Kylar Broadus received it during the 2011 Creating Change event held in Minneapolis.  It's nice that I'm following someone in receiving this award that I have much love and respect for. 

I'm looking forward to that when it happens, and it also means I'll have a speech to deliver as well

For those of you planning to attend, see y'all in two weeks.

 

Munroe Bergdorf's 'A Qween's Speech' Discusses TBLGQ Issues In The UK

Every Christmas Queen Elizabeth II gives across The Pond what is called 'The Queen's Speech' on television that's similar to our State of the Union one that happens in January.

The more formal name for it is the Royal Christmas Message, and it started with King George V in 1932.   It is now broadcast on radio and television in Britain and across the Commonwealth.  In the US, you can see it on C-SPAN because they usually broadcast it or if you live in a US state along the Canadian border since the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) also televises it..

In the nearly 66 years that Queen Elizabeth II has sat on the British throne, she has not said one word or syllable concerning TBLGQ rights issues in the UK.

Trans advocate Munroe Bergdorf, frustrated by another speech in which the Queen failed to mention her British TBLGQ subjects, took to social media to give her own alternative one called 'A Qween's Speech'

She also made it clear she wasn't trying to deliberately pick a fight with the Queen.

“I’m not trying to cause beef with the Queen, but it’s very frustrating to see institutions of high influence glaze over the issues and sprinkle sugar on things when things aren’t going very well. Bergdorf said."  
"To not even mention racism, sexually transmitted diseases, gender-based discrimination, or the rise in hate crimes since Brexit invalidates the experiences of so many people," she added.

Bergdorf started by talking about education.  “Let’s start with education, please think of the children. Take a moment to think about the young ones who still don’t see any representation or relatable role models in history, on television, or in classrooms."

She also talked about some of the progress being made, and laid out ways in which Britain can improve when it comes to TBLGQ rights issues.
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Here's the video of Bergdorf's speech.

 

Modern LGBTQIA+ Trailblazers Panel This Thursday

Since it's Pride, I usually get a chance to do a panel discussion or two during this seminal historic month for the LGBTQIA+ community.

On Thursday I'm one of the participants in a panel discussion presented by the Sharpstown Democrats for their Evening Extra series.

This one is entitled Modern LGBTQIA+ Trailblazers, and features me along with Fran Watson, Mo Cortez, and Jim Kovach.   The panel is being moderated by Kris Banks and it is scheduled to run from 6:30 -9:30 PM CDT.

Thanks to Erik Manning and the Sharpstown Democrats for putting it together and inviting me to participate in it.

Location of this discussion is the Bayland Park Community Center at 6400 Bissonnet St in Southwest Houston just past Hillcroft Ave.

Hope to see you there, because it is probably going to be an interesting and informative discussion.
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Laverne's 'The View' Suggestion As To Why Trump Hasn't Done A Pride Proclamation

Had to chuckle when I saw this video of Laverne Cox's recent appearance on ABC's The View and Joy Behar asked her for her thoughts on Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) Orange Is The New Black, transgender rights issues, trans people in the media and why 45 hasn't issued a pride proclamation like his predecessor President Obama did.

Laverne as usual does a fantastic job in driving home the point that TBLGQ Americans are also Americans, then slides a comment aimed at 45 you'll have to watch.

Enjoy

Upcoming 2017 Rainbow On Ice At Discovery Green

One of the things that i love to do is ice skate, and since I moved back home I haven't had the chance to hit the ice rink at either the Galleria or Discovery Green.

Yes people, it does get cold enough down here to have an outdoor ice rink, although it does lead to the interesting sight at times of people skating in shorts because out roller coaster temps around here.

Rainbow on Ice returns to ICE at Discovery Green on January 20 from 7-10 PM and will be sponsored by the Mayor's LGBT Advisory Board.

 Crawford Nation will be there as the entertainment, and it is shaping up to be the ultimate dance party.



Hope you peeps who live in the Houston area come check it out

Sen Chuck Schumer: We're In This Together LGBT Community

TransGriot Note:  This was a op-ed published today in the Advocate penned bu Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) who some Capitol Hill watchers think will become the next Senate Minority Leader to replace the retiring Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

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After a hard-fought campaign that has left so many of us tired, bitter, and disappointed, I deeply admire the fortitude, character, and patriotism of both my friend Hillary Clinton for her gracious concession speech and President Barack Obama, who has, as ever, set a mature and professional tone regarding the transition of power our nation must soon execute. Their grace, class, and composure inspires us. As President Obama said, “That's the way politics works sometimes. We try really hard to persuade people that we're right and then people vote. And then if we lose, we learn from our mistakes, we do some reflection, we lick our wounds, we brush ourselves off, we get back in the arena, we go at it. We try even harder the next time.”
 
There are many fellow citizens — the LGBT community, immigrants, communities of color, women, our young people, Democrats and progressives of all stripes — who are profoundly worried about what the future holds. And following everything that was said during this campaign by our now president-elect, it is entirely reasonable to be nervous and even angry. I am not sure what will come next after so many fought so hard for so long to gain the right to say "love is love" no matter what. I am worried about what tomorrow holds and what this new administration may attempt to roll back. 
 
But I write to you today to say I will do all in my power to prevent any backsliding on hard-won rights and to push back against a national discourse that allows for anything less than a full measure of respect for all Americans and would-be Americans.
 
I will not forget what happened at Stonewall or what happened at Pulse — or any of the countless physical assaults, emotional taunts, and bullying endured by homosexual fellow citizens over the generations. I will not forget North Carolina’s passage of House Bill 2 or the trickle-down of hateful rhetoric inspired by these laws that causes children to take their own lives rather than continue to face the torment of bullies at school. I will not forget the 24 transgender Americans murdered this year alone.
 
But I also won’t forget when West Point opened the doors of its historic chapel for its first same-sex wedding after President Obama repealed "don't ask, don't tell." I won't forget Edie Windsor’s boundless joy when the Supreme Court handed down its decision to make marriage equality the law of the land. And I won’t forget my family, my friends, my colleagues, or the New Yorkers who depend on me to protect their constitutional rights.
 
The truth is, I am also depending on you. It’s a terrible fact that there have always been bullies, and there have always been people with hate in their hearts. We will always be stronger. 

Keep fighting; keep working; keep pushing for all LGBT Americans, all Muslim Americans, all Americans with disabilities, all Latino Americans, all African-Americans, all white-black-brown working-class Americans struggling to have a fair shot at the American dream. And keep in the back of your head the words preached by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.

In the past decade, our country's progress toward full equality for LGBT citizens leaped forward in ways that many of us never would have predicted just a short time ago. In the last 10 years alone, I went from being one of the first politicians to even walk in the New York City Pride Parade to watching marriage equality become the law of the land. Our country does change for the better, but not on its own. We worked hard for that progress, and we will expend every ounce of our ingenuity and effort to defend it.

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Here's hoping you Dems in Washington, Sen Schumer do the same thing the Republicans did to us and engage in the same Massive Resistance against #NotMyPresident Trump that the GOP did to President Obama

We Are All At Risk

TransGriot Note: This op-ed is courtesy of Philadelphia based trans advocate Sharron Cooks, who was our lone African-American trans feminine delegate at the 2016 DNC, and recently participated in the Trans United For Hillary event centered in North Carolina.

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The Democratic Party and its leadership as we know it have been devastated by the results of this election term especially the presidency. This is particularly troublesome for people of color, Muslims, people with abilities issues, LGB people and the transgender community. The transgender community of color will be the first and most negatively affected by the 2016 presidential election results because of the discriminatory policies the Republicans plan to implement while in control of our three branches of American government; the presidency, congress and the Supreme Court (if a conservative is appointed). Mike Pence has been hailed as one of the most conservative and anti-lgbT government officials of our time. His views and policies on lgbT issues will strip away any and all progress made for lgbT equality under President Obama's administration. For transgender individuals this is absolutely terrifying. 

During the Hillary Clinton campaign, I took a visit to North Carolina with Trans United for Hillary (TU4H). TU4H is a political organization that is comprised of Trans activists from various organizations and states from around the country. TU4H organized several events in North Carolina to help support Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party, and oppose Governor Pat McCrory, the sponsor of HB2. House Bill 2 or more formally known as the, "Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act,"  is a piece of statewide anti lgbT legislation that grants the state permission to legally discriminate against gay and transgender people in North Carolina and it is in full effect. 

My visit to North Carolina, gave me and others in the Trans community, a glimpse of what is in store for the lgbT community underneath a Trump/ Pence administration, which is the legalization of discrimination against lgbT individuals not only in North Carolina but nationwide. A member of the TU4H team had a first had experience being discriminated against for simply existing. While canvassing for the TU4H campaign, a Trans woman had law enforcement officials called on her not once but twice. The perception of being "Trans," is all North Carolina residents need when they call law enforcement officials. Luckily, my TU4H team member was not arrested but it was definitely a wake up call for me and many other TU4H team members.

Trans activists from the National Center for Transgender Equality, the Human Rights Campaign and from around the country along with some Trans delegates from the Democratic National Convention were informed about the discrimination our TU4H team members faced and we were instructed not to "post" about it by a TU4H organizer. In essence we were being "silenced" in the face of anti- lgbT protections even though our mission is to advocate for pro- lgbT legislation.

This was most troubling for me for several reasons; first, why would the TU4H and the Democratic Party knowingly send a Trans people in a known conservative county with No Trespassing" signage to canvass (knock on the doors of residents to get them out to vote and to promote the Democratic Party's platform of inclusion and diversity)? Second, why was our safety being compromised for political gain? Third, why did TU4H organizers ask the team to "remain silent" about two incidents involving the police being called on a Trans woman for simply existing?

All too often, Trans people are exploited and their safety put at risk all for the sake of a human resource such as labor and political capital in this case.

Republican Governor McCrory was defeated in North Carolina's gubernatorial race by Democrat Roy Cooper which gives lgbT people in North Carolina some hope of HB2 being repealed. But is it a victory considering what the Trump/Pence administration has planned?  

 It has been days now since the results of the American presidential campaign and many white LGBT organizations and leaders are at a loss as to which direction they "should" focus on to ensure the protections LGBTQ people,  secured during President Obama's administration. As a member of the Trans community of color, I am extremely concerned that the rights of Trans people will be the first set of protections to be revoked. It is time for white LGBT leaders to become supportive allies to the Trans community and it's leadership. It is time for the "old guard" to step aside and listen to those who are facing discrimination on an all too frequent basis, and to help elevate members of the Trans community to lead this battle for equality. Not equality for some, not equality in incremental stages, not equality that only consists of white LGBT run organizations but true equality for all people. 

In Philadelphia, PA we are very fortunate to have lgbT protections but how long will that last under a Trump/Pence administration? Well if it is anything like HB2 in North Carolina, our nation's LGB and Trans community is in for a world  full of troubles. The Trans community, all too often, has not been a priority when it comes to legal protections and now that we are probably the first in line facing a repeal of any and all rights we have fought for, we are demanding our inclusion in every the stage of the legislative process. #ProtectTransRights 

I'm An ABC13 2016 Election Night Pundit!

Took a while, but the Netroots Nation 2016 Pundit Cup Champion finally gets an opportunity to flex her political punditry chops.  Best of all for my political junkie self, it's on Election Night!

It happens on my local ABC station, KTRK-TV, starting at 7 PM CST and running until 10 PM CST.

I'll be along with the anchors, guests and other bloggers commenting on local, state and national races.   I'll additionally be commenting on TBLGQ issues, and watching Jenifer Rene Pool's potentially historic Harris County Commissioners Court Precinct 3 race.

I'll also be part of the in studio bloggers panel helping ABC13 monitor the Election Night chatter with my 10.2K (and counting) Twitter followers.  This will be broadcast from the ABC13 studios.    i'll also be checking my Facebook page as well during the night.

My Twitter handle is of course TransGriot.  This is also the link to the ABC13 website for those of you who don't live in the Houston area but may wish to catch me doing my punditry    

If you want to chat with me online and and ask questions tonight about Election 2016, check out the.#abc13eyewitness hashtag to submit questions to our guests and bloggers.

#HouVote hashtag we'll be monitoring as well.

Miss Me With That 'ISIL KIlls Gays' BS, Trump Surrogates

Was laughing my behind off when I was sent this link to a story by my Dallas homie Rafael McDonnell featuring this kneegrow Trump surrogate Brunell Donald-Kyei flapping her loud and wrong gums on FOX Noise.

She ranted about ISIL killing gay people and claiming a vote for Clinton is aiding and abetting the killing of international LGBTQ people

Girlfriend, have several seats at your nearest Chicago gay bar and miss me with that crap, okay?..

And here is a white lesbian with Trump Derangement Syndrome spouting another variation of the same talking point.

Yeah, right.   Miss me with that 'ISIL Kills Gays' BS when you have people supporting Trump who would like to not only replicate what ISIL is doing here in the USA, but start by rolling back our human rights as demonstrated by North Carolina's unjust HB 2 law, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick foolishly wishing to do the same here in Texas, attacking trans children, and the just passed Trans Rights Law being placed on the ballot in Massachusetts for a 2018 referendum.

Yes, LGBTQ rights are an international human rights issue. While it's important and necessary for those of us here in the United States to be concerned about what's happening with our trans, bi and SGL siblings around the planet, TBLGQ rights aren't secure yet here at home.

And my unapologetic Black trans self will be voting for candidates who do take my human rights and my humanity seriously.

And the Trump campaign is chock full of longtime gay baiting haters who would love to if he's elected, gleefully roll them back, and a vice presidential candidate in Steve Pence who has led the charge to do so in Indiana

So miss me with that ISIL Kills Gays crap when you or or party has not concerned in the least about the 23 (and counting) Black trans women who have been murdered this year.

Spare me that 'ISIL Kills Gays' crap when I haven't heard one syllable out of a Republican complaining about the anti-gay and anti-trans planks in their 2016 party platform.

Speare me that 'ISIL Kills Gays' crap when I hear nothing but cricket chirping silence when members of the Republican Party make transphobic and homophobic statements

Spare me that ISIL Kill Gays' crap when you are sending missionaries and people like Scott Lively abroad to spread transphobia and homophobia around the planet.

Spare me that 'ISIL KIlls Gays' crap when mnay white fundamentalists sound just like ISIL in their hate filled rants in right wing media.

And spare me the 'ISIL Kills Gays' crap when you conservatives are gleefully doing everything possible to oppress American GLBTQ people from the legislatures to the state and federal judiciary

 Y'all may think we're as stupid as your low information voting bloc, but we've been paying attention to your deeds and your transphobic and homophobic words.

And that's why I and other reality based TBLGQ Americans will overwhelmingly be voting for Clinton and everyone with a 'D' behind their names  during early voting in our reprstive states and on November 8.

2016 National Coming Out Day

In addition to today being a voter registration deadline day in Texas and several states, today is also National Coming Out Day

It was founded in 1988 and is based on the principle of the personal being political.  As much as people claim they don't want to be activists, your first and most powerful act of activism is coming out as a trans, bi, gay, or lesbian person.

Being yourself and comfortable in your skin matters.  Once you can do that, then your life begins.

If you're not ready to do that today, don't worry. Take your time.  Do so when you're comfortable with the coming out decision and have thought out the details for your life post coming out because it won't be the same afterwards.

Is coming out an easy process?  Depends on the individual and their life circumstances at the time.

Yes it can be challenging and bumpy at times.  I still have challenges from time to time even 22 years post my coming out April 4, 1994 date.  But what you gain after doing so far outweighs the drama you'll have to  navigate.

For those of you who are trans and come out today, congratulations!  Thanks for taking that first courageous step on the road to living as your true self.   You are about to gain another set of family members not related to you by blood around the world.   You are about to join a community that has a proud history, some amazing people and allies who support us, and despite the haters, we have and will survive and thrive despite their loud and wrong rhetoric.

Welcome to the family!   Happy National Coming Out Day!