Equality Texas 30th Anniversary Celebration On November 16

Equality Texas was founded 30 years ago in 1989 as a statewide advocacy group for TBLGQ Texans.
And like HRC, I was one of its harshest critics, especially after the 1999 and 2001 Texas legislative sessions when trans folks were cut out of the James Byrd Hate Crimes Act.

While it has had a problematic history incorporating the trans community in that mission during its first decade of operation, the organization has evolved to become one of the Texas trans community's staunchest allies in the fight against the TBLGQ oppression  that the TXGOP tries on a regular basis to impose on us.

Equality Texas is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and in another of of those interesting full circle moments that life and two decades of advocacy can bring you, I'm going to be honored by an org i once criticized.

On November 16 I get to make another trip to Austin, but this one doesn't involve me going to the Pink Dome to visit with state legislators.  The next scheduled Texas legislative session doesn't happen until January 2021 unless Gov Abbott calls a special session between now and then

This eight trip to the ATX this year will this time be for me to attend the EQTX anniversary event.

While there I'll receive from them a Transgender Activist Award for the work I've done at the state level.  The event will be held at the AT&T Conference Center's Zlotnik Family Ballroom, and starts at 6 PM CST.   

And looks like I'll need to write another speech.   

Looking forward to seeing my ATX fam at that event and hopefully spend some quality time with other peeps I know there before I have to head back to Houston.

WTF? Edward Thomas Convicted Of Misdemeanor Assault

The Edward Thomas trial in Dallas closed after final arguments from the prosecution and the defense in judge Hector Garza's courtroom..

The prosecution was arguing for a felony assault conviction, while defense attorney Andrew Wilkerson kept deploying his reprehensible spin on the trans panic defense by deliberately misgendering Muhlaysia Booker and claiming the fight was between two men.

Looks like it worked. 

After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Thomas guilty of the lesser charge of misdemeanor assault and sentenced him to 300 days in jail.   If he doesn't appeal the conviction, the time that Thomas has already served since April will count toward fulfilling the terms of that 300 day sentence.

Translation:  Thomas will be getting out of jail in four months.

Really?   This is straight up BS.   Thomas was offered $200 to beat Booker, allegedly sucker punched her while using brass knuckles to start the fight  and was videotaped viciously beating Booker to the point she was rendered unconscious.

Booker suffered a broken wrist, and had to be pulled out of the situation by six cis women and placed in a car for transport to a nearby hospital, and all this mofo gets is 300 days in jail for that? 

Dallas trans advocate Mieko Hicks agrees with that sentiment.   She blames Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall and DPD detectives for the in her words botched investigation that led to this verdict.

Thomas should have been convicted of felony assault, and should be doing some serious time for that hate crime.

But no thanks to Dianne Hardy Garcia and the Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby (LGRL), Texas trans folks were stripped out of our state's James Byrd Hate Crimes Act in  the 1999 and the 2001 Texas Lege session when it passed with sexual orientation but not gender identity as one of the categories eligible for enhanced punishment. .  .    .

I and other trans Texans across the Lone Star State will be working to fix that problem in the 2021 session.    But that doesn't do anything about the anger and disappointment we're feeling right now ,with the verdict and the (in)justice system that produced it..

Astros Win 2019 ALCS On Dramatic Walk Off Homer

That breeze you felt close to midnight Central time was the entire city of Houston collectively exhaling after Jose Altuve's walk off two run homer that clinched the Astros second American League title in three years and punched their ticket to another trip to the World Series.

And it's always fun when you knock off the Evil Baseball Empire to do it.




After a tense Game 6 in which the Astros took an early 3-0 lead on Yuli Gurriel's 3 run homer in the bottom of the first, the Evil Baseball Empire kept chipping away. 

They got a second inning run after Didi Gregorius doubled and Gary Sanchez singled to cut the deficit to 3-1.   In the fourth a Gio Urshela solo shot into the bullpen trimmed the Astros lead to 3-2.

The Astros got one back after Alex Bregman hit into a fielder's choice to bump the lead to 4-2   

After the Yankees DJ LeMahieu hit the tying two run homer off Astros closer Roberto Osuna into the right field bleachers just inches past the glove of a leaping George Springer to tie the game at 4-4,  the Astros had the daunting task of facing Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman in the bottom of the ninth.

Chapman hadn't given up an earned run in 4 2/3 postseason innings, but gave up a two out walk to Springer to set up the dramatic showdown with Altuve.




After taking two Chapman fastballs for balls and a slider for a strike, Altuve blasted an up in the strike zone slider over the wall in left center field for a series clinching 6-4 win that gave the Astros their second American League title in three years and their third World Series appearance as a franchise.

Don't think we Astros fans didn't hear your foul ''Eff Altuve'  chant at Skankee Stadium aimed at him last night.   Altuve got the last laugh last night and the ALCS MVP trophy to go with it.

This just in.  The paternity test came back.  The Astros are the Yankees daddy. 

The Astros have faced the Yankees in the postseason three times (2015,2017, 2019) since joining the American League, and beaten them all three times.    Beating the Yankees tonight also meant that this is the first decade since the 1910's that the Yankees have failed to make it to the World Series.

Speaking of the World Series, that starts on Tuesday with the Astros facing the Washington nationals at Minute maid Park.

Pride Houston Presenting WorldPride 2023 Bid Today!

WorldPride has been taking place for over twenty years, and has only been hosted by a US city only once.   New York got that honor largely on the strength of this year being the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion that jumped off the modern TBLGQ rights movement.

Today the Pride Houston team is presenting their bid to the Interpride International Association of LGBTI Pride Organizers conference in Athens, Greece.  They are also busy lobbying to get the 51% of votes from all the registered pride orgs there to bring World Pride 2023 to Houston.

Bids are also being presented by Sydney, Australia and Montreal, Canada to bring WorldPride 2023 to their locales. 

If Pride Houston is successful, the month long Houston World Pride event in June 2023 would take place during the 40th anniversary of Houston's pride parade and the 20th anniversary of the Lawrence v. Texas SCOTUS case that nullified the Texas and national sodomy laws.

It would not only have opening and closing ceremonies at NRG Stadium, but a parade, TBLGQ themed panel discussions, cultural events and an international human rights conference at various locales across our diverse city.   

Rice University, Texas Southern University and the University of Houston would also be involved in the diverse programming planned for this event that can draw up to 5-10 million international tourists. 

We also have no problem getting them here because Houston is one of the only cities that has airline connections to every inhabited continent on the planet via Bush IAH .

Houston would also become the second US city to host WorldPride, and the first in the southern US.

We'll find out Sunday Athens time (late Saturday night Houston time) if we do, and best of luck to our Pride Houston team in potentially bringing Pride Houston to the Lone Star State.

TransGriot Update: Sydney, Australia was chosen to host WorldPride 2023 

Transphobic Defense Attorney Andrew Wilkerson Found In Contempt Of Court

Had a feeling this was going to happen sometime during this Edward Thomas trial, and today was that day.

Thanks to reporter Dana Branham, who is tweeting this trial for the Dallas Morning News now in its second day,  we've learned that Andrew Wilkerson, the transphobic lead defense attorney for Edward Thomas, the person videotaped beating Muhlaysia Booker in that infamous viral video, went too far in his as he termed it "zealously, righteously, and fearlessly defending his client."

Before the trial started, he tried and thankfully failed to deploy the trans panic defense to get his client who is facing 20 years in prison a lighter sentence.

Wilkerson and Michael Campbell, the other defense attorney in this case, continued to misgender and deadname Booker.   Wilkerson also made the BS laden claim that Booker instigated the attack that left her with a concussion and a broken wrist by 'talking smack'

He also continued to argue with Judge Hector Garza, who warned his transphobic behind several times that he was going too far with his courtroom antics before Garza cleared the jurors out of the courtroom and found Wilkerson in contempt of court.

Wilkerson was sentenced to 14 days in jail and a $500 fine, and led out of the courtroom in handcuffs before testimony resumed in this case. 

Wilkerson is now in jail for the rest of this trial, and hopefully his client Edward Thomas will be joining him in the Dallas County Iron Bar Hilton soon.

TransGriot Update: Wilkerson was released from jail Friday on a personal recognizance bond 

Prairie View A&M University Opens An LGBTQ Center!

I was wondering which one of our Texas HBCU's was going to open an on campus LGBTQ Center, and looks like Prairie View A&M University has the honor of doing so.

There are 105 HBCU in the United States, and yesterday PVAMU became only the fifth HBCU to open an on campus LGBTQ center, and the first in Texas and the SWAC to do so.

They also opened their new LGBTQ center during PVAMU's Homecoming Week.

The new LGBTQ Center is located in May Hall in Room 125 on the north side of the PVAMU campus, which also houses the PVAMU Multicultural Center.

It's past time that HBCU's recognize the fact that TBLGQ students have always been and currently are matriculating on their campuses.   Far too often that has been done in silence, and TBLGQ students have unique issues that need to be addressed in order for them to successfully navigate college life.   

If TBLGQ students are able to come out and have the support they need, that increases their chances of successfully completing their education in addition to their GPA's.

A few years ago I had the pleasure of attending along with Nikki Araguz Loyd and Meagan Gillett the PVAMU graduation of a trans feminine student who got that paper despite having some at times challenging moments getting her collegiate education. 

The LGBTQ Centers also help educate others about the issues that TBLGQ students deal with, and facilitate introductions to trailblazers and leaders in our area TBLGQ community like Houston Mayor's LGBTQ Advisory Board chair Harrison Homer Guy, who also happens to be a proud PVAMU Panther alum. 

Congrats to PVAMU for opening this center.   Hope I get the honor and pleasure of visiting it soon. 


TransGriot Note:  Thanks to Harrison Homer Guy for the news tip concerning this historic event!

Edward Thomas Trial Starts Today

The reason that Diamond Stylz and I made a quick trip up I-45 to Dallas late Sunday night was to bring awareness of the fact the Edward Thomas trial was starting today in the Frank Crowley Courts Building.

Thomas was arrested for the April 12 beating of Muhlaysia Booker in a South Dallas apartment complex after a minor fender bender that left her with a concussion and other injuries.

She was murdered a month later.

We joined with local Dallas trans advocates Mieko Hicks and Stacey Monroe in a Monday morning press conference to not on shed light on that upcoming trail, but the transphobic comments of Thomas' defense attorney Andrew Wilkerson.

Wilkerson also attempted to sow the trans panic defense in this case by trying to get Booker deadnamed and misgendered during this trial, motions that Judge Hector Garza shot down.

We also called out the problematic release of Domingo Ramirez-Cayente and the murder of Atatiana Jefferson by a Fort Worth police officer that happened just before we departed for Dallas

Ramirez-Cayente is the waste of DNA who attempted to kill Daniela Calderon.   He was not only ridiculously charged with aggravated assault, but bond was set at only $25,000.   He was also allowed to leave without being required to wear an ankle monitor, and as you probably guessed, took the first opportunity after his released to point that red truck down I-35 south and run to the border.

Back to the Thomas trial.

Hope that my Dallas trans fam will pack the courtroom for this trial, and send a message to the jury, the defense and prosecuting attorneys that Muhlaysia was loved by a lot of people in the Dallas area.

For those of you who don't live in the DFW area, Dallas Morning News reporter Dana Branham is following the trial on her Twitter feed.

Why Was An Attempted Murderer Let Loose In Dallas?

Daniela Calderon Rivera is still recovering from the six gunshot wounds she received when a motivated by anti-trans hatred Domingo Ramirez Cayente tried to kill her.back on September 20.

ICE is also claiming according to the Dallas Morning News that Ramirez-Cayente was deported to Mexico back in 2010. 

We presumed in the DFW area and Texas trans community based on that emerging info, that when he was arrested, Ramirez-Cayente would be locked up until his trial, but we were wrong.  Instead of being charged with attempted murder, the Mexican national was only charged with aggravated assault

WTF?


To add to the high levels of WTF level issues in this case, Magistrate Judge Hal Turley issued a $25,000 bond for a hate crime.   Since you only have to pay 10% of that amount, that meant that all Ramirez Cayente had to come up with was $2500 to be sprung from the Dallas County Jail.

Turley compounded his bond amount mistake by not ordering him to wear an ankle monitor to ensure that he could be tracked.   

Turley also failed to consider the fact that Dallas is only a 7.5 hour drive to Laredo and the Mexican border, and that Ramirez Cayente may have a major incentive once released from jail to point that red Chevy truck he owns onto I-35 south and skedaddle across the Rio Grande into Mexico.

It appears that Ramirez-Cayente has fled the Dallas area, and that a fugitive warrant was issued by the Dallas Police Department on October 7 for his arrest. 

Local advocate Stacey Monroe is holding a press conference at 3:15 PM at the Frank Crowley Courts Building to discuss the latest developments in this case.

Daniela Calderon Rivera deserves justice, and has every right to be fearful in light of the fact the violent transphobe who tried to kill her is a fugitive from justice.   Some folks in the Dallas County justice system failed her, and they must  be held accountable for that.

We also need to know the answer to the question of why an attempted murderer was released in Dallas?

Number 21- Rest In Power Itali Marlowe

I am not happy to report that we have lost another trans woman in my Houston area backyard to anti-trans violence

She is 29 year old Itali Marlowe, and she was killed back on September 20 at 2 PM CDT on that date in the Ridgemont portion of Houston that extends into Fort Bend County. 

HPD offices responded to a shooting call at 15829 Ridgeroe Lane and found Marlowe when they arrive lying in the driveway of the residence.  She had been shot multiple times, and was transported to a nearby hospital where she subsequently was declared dead, according to the HPD press release.

Now for the stats.

Marlowe is the 20th Black trans woman to die due to anti-trans violence in the US this year and the second one in the Houston area in 2019.   She is also the fourth trans person killed in Texas this year and the 14th under age 30.

We have a suspect in this case.  23 year old Raymond Donald Williams has been charged with murder in this case by the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office. 

Williams was living with Marlowe, and was spotted fleeing on foot from the Ridgeroe Lane residence prior to the arrival of HPD officers.

 If you have information on his whereabouts, you are urged to call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477)

Rest in Power, Itali   We won't rest until this perpetrator is caught, prosecuted, and incarcerated for your murder.

The TransGriot 2019 Houston Municipal Election Endorsements

Since one of the things I talk about on this blog is politics from a trans perspective, I do pay attention to what's going on at the city, county, state, national and international level when it comes to what's happening in the political world.

As a person who is also a writer and advocate, it's also my job to know and pass that info on to you.  I want people to be more informed voters when it's time for you to head to the polls.

The early voting period starts October 21 and runs until November 2.  Election Day for our Houston municipal election and the special Texas House elections will be on November 5

Speaking of voting, if you wish to participate in our upcoming Houston municipal election or the Texas House special elections, you'll have until October 7 to register to vote in order to be eligible to do so.

Now that the basic information is out of the way, let's get to the endorsements.

***

Mayor- Sylvester Turner
Controller- Chris Brown 

City Council
District A- Iesheia Ayers Wilson
District B- Tarsha Jackson
District C- Shelley Kennedy
District D- Carla Brailey
District F-  Anthony Nelson
District G- Crystal Pletka 
District H- Isabel Longoria
District I-  Robert Gallegos 
District J- Sandra Rodriguez 
District K- Martha Castex Tatum 

At Large 1-  Georgia Provost
At Large 2-  David Robinson 
At Large 3- Janaeya Carmouche
At Large 4-  Dr. Letitia Plummer 
At Large 5- Ashton P. Woods

Houston Community College System Trustee 

District 1- Monica Flores Richart 
District 2- Rhonda Skillern Jones

HISD Trustee

District II- Kathy Blueford Daniels
District III-  Daniela Hernandez 
District IV- Larry McKinzie
District VIII- Judith Cruz

Texas House Special Elections

HD-28 -  Eliz Markowitz 
HD-148- Penny Morales Shaw 

METRONext- YES

Amber Guyger Guilty!

To be honest, I didn't think I would be writing these words in relation to that case, but that's what happened.  A cop who killed an unarmed Black person in their own home finally will be held accountable for it.

And the coolest part of this whole story is it happened in my home state.

The white women's tears she cried on the witness stand didn't work, as the jury made of of 5 Black peeps, 5 Latinx peeps and 2 whites returned a unanimous verdict convicting her of entering 26 year old Botham Jean's Dallas apartment on September 6, 2018 and killing him.

Can't do the happy dance just yet.  Trial is still in the punishment phase, and the racist texts the former Dallas PD officer unleashed have come out     She is facing 5-99 years in a TDC cell, so to me justice won't be truly served unless she's doing as close to 99 years as possible.

We'll find out soon how much time she got.

But the people I feel for are the Jean family, who have lost someone they can never get back 


TransGriot Update:   And how much time did she get?  10 effing years?   Really?  People, and especially POC's have gotten more time for selling drugs or robbing a bank.

What Happened To Trans-Fusion Radio?

Last Friday night there was supposed to be a Trans-Fusion Radio show on the subject of the trans prefix and whether it was necessary to identify ourselves as such or just use 'woman' to ID ourselves.

For the record, I think we should unapologetically ID ourselves as trans women, but that's another post.

When 7 PM CDT hit I was in my Dallas hotel room tuned in and eagerly expecting to hear the voices of my Dallas based sisters Mieko Love, Leshay Weeks and R. Pocahontas Duvall Crowe.   

But what I and everyone who tuned into Power214.com that evening got was silence, and when I called the show's number it just rang without being picked up.

When I called Mieko Saturday morning to find out what happened to that Friday's show, I was angered to find out that since mine and Dee Dee Watters' visit to the Power214.com studios back in April during the BTAC conference, they have not been treated with the respect they were due as one of the more popular shows on that Dallas based broadcast platform.

In fact Trans-Fusion Radio has become so popular beyond the Dallas- Ft. Worth area, the other Power 214 platform shows noticed and expressed their desires to do collaborative shows with the Trans-Fusion Radio team, according to Love.   

But they were receiving no love from the station's cisgender Black male owner, who was getting squeamish about the increasing popularity of the show and bristling from comments he was hearing from the Dallas Black community that Power214.com was 'the t****y network'.

The owner revealed that alleged community critique in conversations with the Trans-Fusion team,  then in the wake of the conversation started showing up late to produce Trans-Fusion Radio. 
Even though it was his tardiness that would delay the start of their show, he wouldn't make up for his late arrival by extending their paid for two hour time block into the next show . 

When the Power214.com studios moved to a new building at the intersections of Alpha and Preston Roads in far north Dallas, the owner asked if they were coming along, but said it in such a way that gave the Trans-Fusion team the impression he wouldn't be disappointed if they didn't.

Power214.com also has a online magazine that does feature interviews with the podcasters to promote their shows.   In the time that Trans-Fusion Radio has been part of that station, they have never had a feature article done on them.

So being fed up with the shady treatment they were getting for their t-bills, the Trans-Fusion team started looking for a new broadcast studio home just in case caca hit the fan and the Power214.com owner went full transphobe and cancelled the show.

The final straw was the Dallas Morning News article written by award winning journalist Lauren McGaughy to discuss the epidemic of anti-trans violence in Texas that seems to be centered on the DFW area.   McGaughy interviewed the Trans Fusion team for the story and wanted to take some photos of the Trans Fusion team at work in the studio for Friday's show.

Most rational business owners would jump at the chance to get free media publicity about their business.  But the transphobic station owner started tripping, probably because of who was getting the publicity and why. and the Trans Fusion team had enough of his crap.

Trans-Fusion Radio is moving to a new home, and as soon as they have done so, they will let everyone who loves their show know what night and time it will be broadcasting from their new platform.   I also hope that there is a way they can file a complaint against Power214.com under the Dallas non discrimination ordinance that covers anti-trans discrimination

And I hope that Trans-Fusion Radio is broadcasting sooner rather than later, because the DFW area, Texas and the world needs to hear their voices.

'Trans In Texas' Documentary Wins an Emmy!

I noted that Kai Shappley has her bag packed to go on a quick trip to New York, but didn't know what the trip was for.

The trip for my adopted niece was for the Short Doc Emmy Awards, and the Trans In Texas documentary in which Kai had a major role in won a Short Doc Emmy.

This was the moment they announced the winner.   I couldn't be happier for Kai and the team that put it together., 

Short Doc_Emmy Acceptance Speech: 2019 from Daresha Kyi on Vimeo.


Congrats

Suspect Arrested In Shooting Of Dallas Trans Woman

A suspect has been arrested in the shooting of 35 year old trans woman Daniela Calderon.

According to reporting from the Dallas Voice, Dallas police arrested 29 year old Domingo Ramirez-Cayente and charged him with aggravated assault in the shooting that took place on September 20 in the 11000 block of Dennis Road.

According to the arrest warrant, Calderon was walking along Dennis Road when Ramirez-Cayente pulled up alongside her in his red Chevy truck and yelled anti-trans and anti-gay slurs at her.  Calderon walked away from the truck and toward a nearby DART bus stop so she could leave the location.

Ramirez-Cayente then pulled up to the bus stop as she was waiting there and shot Calderon several times with a handgun.

Calderon was taken to a nearby hospital where she underwent surgery for her injuries, and spoke to investigators in September 22..   Ramirez-Cayente's truck was captured by nearby security video cameras and was eventually identified by detectives on September 24. 

Ramirez-Cayente was arrested on traffic warrants, and while being interviewed by detectives at DPD headquarters admitted to shooting Calderon.     .

Ramirez-Cayente is still in the Dallas County jail as of this writing on charges of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and three minor traffic violations.   His bond on the assault charge was set at $25,000.

Once again, this is another concrete example of what I I'm talking about when I say anti-trans hate thoughts + anti-trans hate speech = anti-trans hate violence and murder.

I'm thankful that Rony Calderon didn't become the fourth Texas trans person to be lost to anti-trans violence this year.   I also wish her speedy healing and recovery from her injuries.

May the Dallas County DA handle their business and throw this waste of DNA under the jail for what he tried to do.     

TransGriot Update:  Stunned and angered to learn that Ramirez-Cayente was released on bail. 

The M.O.B. Strikes Again!

We are blessed to have some amazing college bands in the Houston area like TSU's Ocean of Soul, Prairie View A&M's Marching Storm, and UH's Spirit of Houston.

But none of them can match the legendary irreverence of Rice University's Marching Owl Band, or 'The MOB' as they are affectionately known.

The MOB doesn't wear traditional band uniforms or march onto the field.  They scatter into formations in their pinstriped three piece suits and fedora hats.   They also live for irreverently poking fun at their game day rivals, politics, life on the Rice campus and themselves.

While those MOB shows can be good natured at times, there are other times the MOB drew ire from their targets because they struck a nerve.   One memorable MOB show involved them during a November 17, 1973 game at Rice Stadium poking fun at cherished Texas A&M Aggie traditions. 

The MOB Nazi goose stepped onto the field, mocked the Aggie War Hymn and the Corps of Cadets, and formed a fire hydrant while playing 'Oh Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone' to mock the Aggie mascot Reveille



The Aggies were not amused, and losing the game to Rice didn't help matters    The pissed off Aggie fans formed a mob of their own that trapped the embattled band in the stadium tunnel for several hours after the game.   HPD had to come in to disperse the crowd as the band escaped the Aggie wrath in empty food trucks

In 2007, the MOB mocked the legal woes of the Texas Longhorns by playing the theme from Dragnet as three band members dressed as Longhorn players were chased by other band members carrying cardboard police cars.

In 2011, days before Texas A&M announced they were leaving the Big 12 for the SEC, during the Owls season opener against Texas in Austin, they formed the words '$EC' during their halftime show.

In  2016, when Baylor last made the trip to Houston to play the Owls, the MOB not only formed the roman numeral IX to refer to Title IX and the sexual assault scandal engulfing the school at the time, they formed a star and played 'Hit the Road Jack' to allude to the firing of former Baylor president Ken Starr

They whacked UT again this season when they spelled out '2.89', which is the cumulative GPA of the Texas Longhorn football team.   



The MOB struck again last Saturday as they hosted Baylor at Rice Stadium.    They took a jab at Baylor for denying a charter for an on campus LGBTQ group.  They formed the word 'Pride' and played the Village People's YMCA as students ran onto the field carrying the various TBLGQ community group pride flags.

Aw yeah.   Going to have to check out a Rice home game before the season is over to see what the MOB does next.