Transgender National Alliance Becomes TransGriot Technology Sponsor

TransGriot has not only been around for ten years, it is also the only award winning continuously publishing blog dedicated to trans issues with an emphasis on discussing the issues of trans people of color..  

Megathanks to the 6.4 million of you here and around the world who have repeatedly surfed by TransGriot to peruse my posts and commentary since January 1, 2006.  I also thank those of you who recommend my blog to your influence circles.

TransGriot has navigated a move from being based in Kentucky to my hometown and birth state of Texas.   It has outlasted three computers and me from time to time getting a timely donation here and there on that TransGriot Tip Jar button on the upper left hand side of the blog to help me pay for maintenance on those old refurbished or donated to me computers, internet access or travel expenses to help me as I cover many of the events you see me write about on these electronic pages.

But I have never had the fiscal flexibility or ability to get the new computers and the smartphone I needed to step up my blogging game on behalf of the community until now.

Working on the fiscal stability aspect of that now, but took a giant step forward on the technology end.

Thanks to the Houston based Transgender National Alliance, I now have a new Lenovo 100S ideapad computer and an LG K10 smartphone to replace my starter LG Leon smartphone thanks to their offer to become an Official Technology Sponsor for the blog.

It's the first out of the box computer I have owned since 1996, and it has been fun for me having a new one that I've been getting used to over the last two weeks that not only has Windows 10, but Word 2016

I also appreciate how light this Lenovo 100S ideapad computer is, and that matters when you are traveling as much as I do every year to different events.

One of the misconceptions about blogging is that it is a license to print money.  No, it's not. it's hard work.  I put a lot of hours into getting you fresh content to read and even more hours of research to make sure your posts are as accurate as possible.

As I like to say, I'd rather be accurate than first with a post.

Social justice blogs don't make hand over fist money like some gossip blogs do because we are in the business of speaking truth to power, and sometimes those posts calling out stuff will piss people off.

I deeply appreciate TNA for graciously offering to do so, and as a reminder, I welcome $5, $10< $20 or whatever you can contribute to help me keep TransGriot going.  

Good Luck And Speedy Healing, Eli

As you long time TransGriot readers know, for the last several NFL seasons I've been battling with Michael Watts and Eli Blake in a friendly contest for NFL prognostication supremacy.

I'm the defending champion going into the 2016 NFL season, and I'll be trying to something that has never been done in terms of repeating as TransGriot NFL prognostication champion.

But dealing with some sad news this morning as our 2013 TransGriot NFL prognostication champion Eli revealed that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer that has spread to his liver.  He's checked into a hospital to have a stent put in and once that is done, begin treatment for the cancer.

Best wishes to you and your family Eli in this challenging time.   Prayers up for some speedy healing and looking forward to jousting with you again for NFL prognostication supremacy.  

Need To Recharge The Creative Batteries

Need to take the weekend off and recharge the creative batteries.   Have been fighting with writer's block, and the best thing to cure it for me is to just take a weekend break and do something besides give my computer a blank stare.

I'll be back with the regular TransGriot posts on Monday, but if some breaking news happens or I get some inspiration to write something on the blog, up it will go.

See y'all  Monday.

How Has TransGriot's Ten Years Of Existence Affected You?

It was about this time ten years ago that I was in conversations with my sister from another mother Jordana LeSesne who was staying on my azz about me starting the blog that became TransGriot.

She pushed me into setting a hard date for starting it, which became January 1, and at 12;01 AM EST on New Year's Day 2006  my first post went live on this blog.

Now it's nearly ten years, over 9000 posts, 6.1 million hits and several awards later, and TransGriot is approaching its tenth anniversary as the longest daily continuously published blog devoted to covering and talking about trans issues from an Afrocentric perspective.

And since its 2006 start, I've branched out to write about whatever subject appeals to me while staying true to the original mission

The TransGriot blog's mission is to become the griot of our community. I will introduce you to and talk about your African descended transbrothers and transsisters across the Diaspora, reclaim and document our chocolate flavored trans history, speak truth to power, comment on the things that impact our trans community from an Afrocentric perspective and enlighten you about the general things that go on around me and in the communities that I am a member of.

I didn't get around to actually compiling the mission statement until January 2, 2011, but by that time I'd figured out what direction I wanted to take the blog.
Anyway, before I digress, let me get to the reason why I'm writing this post.   Since the TransGriot tenth anniversary is rapidly approaching, I wanted to know what impact the TransGriot blog has had on my readers?

What I'd like is statements from you by December 25 so moved to do so that express how TransGriot's existence has touched your lives.  I know that five trans people have already told me privately that reading posts on the blog dissuaded them from committing suicide, and others have told me at different times that they read it daily including members of Congress and their staffs.

I want to start posting them during the first week of January 2016.  
 

Taking Some More Me Time This Weekend

After three local TDOR events over three consecutive days, need to take the weekend off from the blog so I can recharge the creative batteries and exercise a little self care.

Haven't treated myself to a mani-pedi in a while and this weekend would be as good a time as any to do so.  There are a few folks I want and need to chat with across the country and locally.  

I'm even thinking about doing something I haven't done in a while in terms of heading to the nearest bowling lanes to the crib and rolling a few games.

I'm planning on returning to write your regularly scheduled TransGriot posts on Monday, but if some breaking news happens or I get an idea for a post that can't wait until then, up it will go.

See y'all Monday

Thanks, Everyone For The Love

It has been a tough few days since my hometown shockingly voted to swallow the lies of the opposition about trans people and stupidly throw a human rights law under the bus that also covered them.

Not gonna lie, I was pissed off about that for a few days, but as the sun came up in the east and set in the west, it got better.

Much of the reason it got better was because many of you here in Houston, Texas, around the nation and the world called me, e-mailed me or sent much needed messages of encouragement.

I wanted to take the time to thank all of you who took the time out of your busy day to do so.  It was deeply appreciated .

To paraphrase a line from Star Trek, resistance to transphobia is not futile.   All the haters did was make me more determined along with human rights loving people here in my hometown to fight harder to make a comprehensive human rights law a priority.    

Been Sick..The Update

The last three days I have been less than 100% because I've been ill and was forced to take a few sick days away from the computer to focus on getting better.

And as you peeps who know me are already aware of, when Moni isn't writing, she gets cranky.

But needed to be done.   I had a case of conjunctivitis in my right eye that the first two days caused pain just looking at my computer and tablet screens  I'm also not happy because it has kept me from participating in a few events and will possibly impact me attending my 35 year high school reunion this weekend. 

While I'm starting to feel a little better, I still wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

At any rate..time to get the eye drops again so I can get rid of it..

Moving Again.....

Moni's in the process of moving to a new place this weekend, so I'll probably be offline for most of the weekend.

Since I never really unpacked most of my stuff from the last move July 1,  shouldn't take me as long to get set up in the new place.   Once I get my computer access back up, I can start posting thing with the goal of having everything back to normal by Monday.

See y'all on the 24th unless we have something happening this  weekend that compels me to whip out the tablet and compile a quick post commenting on it.

Moni Teams With Celebrity Publicist!

It's been in the works for a few months, but I can now make the announcement official. 

I am now being represented by TLH Public Relations and Consulting, LLP!

The full service public relations firm founded by celebrity publicist Leigha Hagood with offices in New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC. The firm represents clients in the theatrical, sports, political and public speaking worlds.

They were enthusiastic about taking me on as a client and I have been wanting to do more public speaking appearances.

I believe they can get me to the level that I need and deserve to be at as a trans human rights pioneer and long time activist..

TLH Public Relations and Consulting, LLP will be handling my speaking requests from now on so I can focus on my writing and activist work when needed.

If you are interested in having me appear as speaker for your event, you can contact Leigha at 646-893-4337 or leigha@tlhpr.com

Here We Go Again With Internet Blocking Of TransGriot

One of the things I get tired of and pissed off about is the blanket blocking of trans themed sites because of the erroneous assumption that all that deal with trans subjects are porn related.

I had this issue with Uniguest until they finally saw the light and recognized my GLAAD Media Award nominated blog is exactly that, an information site that happens to tackle trans topics, and looks like I'm going to have to bitch and yell until Megabus (or whoever is managing their Wifi for them) gets that message as well.

On my last trip to Dallas from Houston a few weeks ago, since I had four hours until I arrived there, I wanted to write some posts for my blog, but the Megabus WiFi wouldn't allow me access to do that, much less see if the auto posts I'd set before leaving actually went up on the blog because its filter assumed it was porn related.

And you know what has been said about when you assume...

Now I've had the same crap happen on my Houston-Austin run, and I'm beyond pissed off about it.

Hey Megabus, news flash for you:  There are transgender themed blogs that are legitimate news sites.   Some of your passengers also happen to be trans people who spend our hard earned T-bills to use your double decker buses for inexpensive intercity travel from one place to another like I and others do inside the borders of the Lone Star State.

I'd like to have the ability when I'm traveling to Dallas, Austin, San Antonio or in the future to New Orleans and other Megabus destinations, to have the ability to not only work on my blog that has garnered 6 million hits since its 2006 founding, but also read other trans themed sites that cover the new that pertains to my community.

Can we make that expeditiously happen Megabus?  Sure hope so.

6 Million Hits!

Another day, another amazing milestone at TransGriot as my 6 millionth visitor graced my electronic pages at approximately 11:59 AM CDT

A little apropos it happened on Malcolm X's birthday and also on a day in which I'm traveling to Austin to deliver a keynote speech on the UT-Austin campus.

6 million hits in 9 years.   Can't thank you TransGriot readers enough for not only taking time out of your busy day to read the posts I've compiled, but share them and tell your friends about the blog.

I also thank those of you who from time to time drop some change in the TransGriot tip jar.   It helps me pay for Internet access, build up a repair fund when I need to repair a computer, or save for the day when I need to replace one.

Thanks once again for helping me reach 6 million visitors!  On to the next milestone.

Why You Haven't Seen As Much Writing On The Blog Lately

One of the things about a move in addition to getting familiar with a brand new neighborhood, is also having to reestablish everything that was disrupted prior to you moving.

While I'm getting adjusted to my new Heights area digs and gradually learning where everything I need is located, one thing that got disrupted was my writing schedule.

I'm still working to reestablish regular internet access after discovering to my horror that I have little to no wifi access in much of my apartment.   I have to sit on the porch of my landlord's home to get a solid connection, and with the weather being unseasonably cold the first week I was living here, that limited my writing to taking a ride to the downtown public library location and waiting to get access to the public computers one hour at a time.

I have a wireless router that was given to me as a backup that would solve much of my problem, but have to get the account for the router transferred to moi so I can take over paying for it

There are times when I come up with something in the middle of the night, and instead of typing it out immediately and having it up for you to read in the morning, I now have to jot it down on a notepad and transcribe it..  

That can be problematic on windy days..  

So anyway TransGriot readers, I thank you for your patience while I work hard to solve the access problem.  I want to get back to doing what I love in terms of cranking out quality posts and news about the trans community for your perusal just as much as y'all like hearing what I have to say..

Post Number 8000

You're looking at post number 8000 since I started the blog on January 1, 2006.

As y'all know, that's a lot of writing and a lot of posts about a lot of subjects over the nearly nine years I've had this award winning and GLAAD award nominated blog in operation.

I do thank you loyal readers for reading those TransGriot posts, commenting on them, sharing them and forwarding those posts to the people in your influence circles.

And for those of you who don't like what I have to say on various subjects, the fact this blog is unapologetically Afrocentric and looks at trans and other issues that pique my interest from that perspective, tough because I'm going to continue to tell it like it T-I-S is.

That truth telling aspect of this blog is needed in a world that wants to deny that race doesn't matter, denies white privilege exists and it doesn't deleteriously affect non-white people inside and outside the LGBT community. 

Truth telling is also needed when we are trying to advance our human rights struggle.  

I'm unapologetically Black and trans, and will continue to talk about the stories that affect my community because Black trans issues are Black community issues and vice versa.  

Hmm, only 2000 more posts to write to get to the 10,000 post mark.   It's an election year, so I'll knock some of that out this year.   As I find nuggets of Black trans history, I'll continue posting them on these electronic pages. 

And yep, I'll have plenty of things to say about many issue concerns and continue to call out fools.

Yay me for hitting the 8000 post milestone.    On to the next one.

Doing A Moni Me Time Weekend

Been a busy few months for me, and I'm feeling the need for some downtime to recharge the creative batteries.

So yep, it's past time to take the weekend off for some Moni Me Time. 

In addition to recharging the creative and personal batteries,  I need to prep for a seminar at the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit on the Texas State campus in San Marcos August 8-9 and another one later this month at an upcoming  convention I'm in final confirmation stages for 

Once I confirm that upcoming East Coast panel discussion, I'll let y'all know when, where, and what time it happens.

If I get some breaking news, an inspired thought that leads to a post before Monday, you'll see me post it.   Otherwise the game plan is just to take a mini writing break and get back to doing my usual TransGriot writing schedule on Monday 

More Important To Get The Story Right

Like everyone else I've been very concerned about the status of our Chicago based #girllikeus sister KOKUMO ever since I got the word last night she had been missing since Thursday and was seen leaving the Baltimore area hotel she was staying at in a confused state.

I received the call at approximately 8 AM CDT from my BTMI-Maryland Chapter brothers Vann and Brendon that KOKUMO was found, is safe and with them right now.  

The other aspects to this ongoing story concerning what happened are still in flux and require more time to sort out. 

I had someone on my Facebook page demanding to know what was up literally minutes after I got the call from Vann telling me they had found her.   The person in question had a problem with me telling her to chill out and removed herself from my FB page in a huff

Good riddance.  Leaves a spot open for someone who wants to be there. 

The reason I relayed this interaction with you is because I want to point out something about my blogging philosophy.   It has never been important to me to get news out first because I like to verify it before posting.

There are posts I compile that I spend much time researching and writing before  I'm satisfied enough with the flow of them to feel comfortable hitting the PUBLISH button and unleashing them on the world.

Now I tend to have an ability to get TransGriot scoops out there because I'm connected with so many people in this community, they trust me, and I know how to keep my lips zipped so they continue to tell me stuff that may turn out to be blog post worthy.   

Because I do a lot of hard, solid thinking about many issues of importance to this community, you'll see them posted her first before somebody else writes about them maybe a year or two years later. 

And yes, I do have no problem calling crap out when I see it. 

But the most important thing to me is get a story right before I post it, not get it out right now..  I'm also quite aware of just how many people are counting on me to do my job of chronicling our stories respectfully and correctly since far too many blogs and journalistic outposts don't when it comes to transgender issues.    

I have spent 8.5 years building this blog to be an accurate go-to source for news and information about this community.  I'm proud of what I've accomplished in terms of the over 5.6 million people worldwide and counting who have read posts here since I started TransGriot on January 1, 2006.   The blogging awards I have either received or been nominated for speak to the wisdom of the decision to go down that less traveled blogging path.  

TransGriot is one of the longest running blogs run by and edited by a trans person of color, and I take that responsibility seriously of getting stories right because of that.  

Quality blogging is about getting the story right, not getting it out right now

5.5 Million Hits!

Another day, another milestone here at TransGriot.

Thanks to you loyal readers, I passed the 5.5 million hit milestone at 11:53 PM CDT today.    That's a lot of readers since I reached the 5 million hit milestone back on July 4 of last year..

And how apropos is it that I'm getting my 5.5.millionth visitor on the eve of the Transgender Day of Visibility for a blog that was founded to heighten the visibility of the trans communities of color?

I also get to find out the day before my May 4 birthday whether or not I can call TransGriot a GLAAD Media Award winning blog instead of just a GLAAD Media Award nominated one. 


Thank you once again for surfing by the blog to read my posts, and as long as y'all keep doing so and occasionally drop some change in the Tip Jar if you REALLY like what I do here, I'll keep cranking them out.  

Next stop 6 million hits!

TransGriot International Top Ten-December 2013

One of the things I've resolved to do a better job of this year is do posts in which I track where my international readers are coming from. 

I take great pride in being a widely read international blog.  That information helps me do a better job of balancing out my international content so it isn't as North American, North Hemisphere or Western Hemisphere centric.

Of course, I'm always going to focus on events TBLG wise in the African Diaspora regardless of pageviews or location because that's part of my blog's mission statement.

So with this post I'm going to start doing on a monthly basis tracking my Top 10 nations where my blog traffic came from for that preceding month.

So let's get busy revealing those ten nations for December 2013.

10. Poland               729           
9.   China                 734
8.   Russia                2020
7.   France                2348
6.   Australia             2651
5.   Germany             3813
4.   Malaysia             4097
3.   Canada               6261
2.   Great Britain        8339
1.   United States      83897  

That was a surprise in terms of Poland sneaking into the Top Ten.  Malaysia jumping into the number 4 one since I complied the last post in April.   Maybe it's because I mentioned MP Anna Grodzka in that year end international trans year in review post.    No surprise who my top three are although Canada and Great Britain flip flop between the number 2 and 3 spot.

We'll see if there are any changes when I report the numbers for January. 
 

It's Another TransGriot Blogiversary-8 Years And Counting

One thing I can promise you dear reader is that you won't be disappointed. There will be times I'll make you laugh. Other times I'll touch your heart. Then there will be the occasional time or two when I piss you off. But my goal is to make you think and expose you to some of the drama that African-American transpeeps (and transpeople in general) deal with.
--TransGriot, January 1, 2006    'Happy New Year!'

That was the closing paragraph from my initial post when I started this blog on New Year's Day 2006.  Can't believe I'm still doing so almost 7500 posts later.  

New Year's Day 2014 marks the 8th year since I had the challenge issued to me by my little sis from another mother Jordana LeSesne to pick a hard date to start a blog.   Mission statement came five years later.

Jordana patiently listened to me as I griped during one of our phone conversations in November 2005 about the lack of Afrocentric trans blog in the starting to blow up blogosphere.  After listening to me complain about the situation, she asked, "So when are you going to start one?"  

She pressed me to pick a starting date for it because she knew me all too well. If I started getting bogged down in multiple projects, the blog ran the risk of getting put on the back burner.  Jordana stayed on my behind until that first post went up. 

I chose January 1, 2006 and a few moments after midnight on that date my first post went up. 

So you TransGriot readers have Jordana to thank for giving me the nudge I needed to get it started, and several awards and over 5 million hits later her faith in me and my writing skills was rewarded.

And she was right in saying our Afrocentric trans community needed a voice in the emerging blogosphere, so why not let it be mine?   You TransGriot readers have not only liked what I've had to say on these electronic pages, the 5 million plus hits tell me you take time out of your busy days on a regular basis to read what I post. 

I thank you for doing so.  

As we move into Year 8, I'm rapidly approaching the 5.5 million hit milestone along with the 7500 post one.  It's the fifth anniversary of me doing my Weekly Shut Up Fool posts y'all eagerly await every Friday.  I plan to do more of the TransGriot Ten Questions Interview posts and start doing a TransGriot Shut up Fool of the Month. 

You know if I'm invited to do so, I'll cover the conferences and events I'm able to attend, starting with Creating Change 2014, which is in H-town this year.  

And yes, to the consternation of my haters, I'll continue to tell it like it T-I-S is about the issues of the day and the things that impact Trans World and our community.  

God willing, the game plan is to do so for the foreseeable future.

Happy Blogiversary TransGriot.

Happy New Year 2014*!

It's New Year's Eve on my side of the International Date Line, but for all of you west of it you are already into the first day of 2014.

I appreciate the valuable time you spent in the year that just moved on to our history books surfing the Net and landing at my cyberhome.   Thanks for you love, support and even news tips as I sought to cover trans issues not only in my own nation and the African Diaspora, but include relevant content about your corner of the globe as well.  

2013 was an interesting year for us internationally, and I hope that as 2014 unfolds it is a wonderful and fantastic year not only for the international trans community as a whole, but for all of you in your respective nations and personally.

Happy New Year, TransGriot readers!    I'll be able to join y'all in about 24 hours.

Merry Christmas 2013

Merry Christmas to all my TransGriot readers on the eastern side of the International Date Line!   Once again I get to thank you for all the gifts that y'all provide me with throughout the year.

One of the most precious gift you TransGriot readers provide me with is spending your valuable time surfing the Net to read what I write here.

Occasionally some of y'all in addition to telling me how much y'all like what I read or sending me links to stories I may have missed, will additionally drop some change in the TransGriot electronic Tip Jar.

Thank you, it's deeply appreciated.

In just a few short days I'll not only announce my 2013 TransGriot Shut Up Fool of the Year Winner, but celebrate my 8th Anniversary blogging on New Year's Day.

So I'm talking the day off, but if the news cycle warrants it or I feel something move me to post today, I will.