Happy Birthday To Barack and Meghan!

We like to say in the Black community that we are descended from kings and queens, but did you know that August 4 is the day a president and a member of the British royal family were born? 

Barack Obama and Meghan Markle were born twenty years and 2558 miles apart in Honolulu, HI and Los Angeles, CA.

The other thing they both have in common is that conservatives in the United States and Great Britain have irrational levels of hatred for both of them.

Y'all are already aware of the awesomeness that is POTUS 44, but did you know that Meghan was born four days after her hubby Prince Harry's parents were married?




Happy birthday to President Obama and the Duchess of Sussex!

 

India Willoughby To Join UK's 'Loose Women'

Just in time for Trans Awareness Week comes the news that the UK's popular Loose Women program will have a new member of the panel in India Willoughby.

Loose Women has been on the air in the UK since 1999, and currently features presenters Carol McGiffin, Denise Welch and Andrea McLean.  

She recently appeared on the show to talk about her gender transition and life, and now she will be back as a regular on the show



She's poised to become the first out trans person to be a regular part of a television show with cis women anywhere in the world and as you probably guessed, she's thrilled to have the opportunity to do so.

"I just can't believe it," she said in a recent interview about her new presenting gig. "I absolutely love the show, so it's beyond my wildest dreams to be a guest panelist."

"My history will add something different to the mix and it's the perfect fit for me."    

"All the Loose Women have overcome some sort of adversity, they all carry battle scars and that's what makes them interesting people.  Mine just happens to be my body."

"I didn't want to be considered a novelty.  I've turned down several TV offers.  I want to be working on merit and that's why it was so perfect for me, because I'm just a girl next door."

"If I can help others in my situation by becoming a panelist, well that's terrific," said Willoughby."

Congratulations India!   I know based on your recent appearance you'll be a wonderful fit for that show.  This is also welcome news for transpeople in the UK and your trans siblings around the world.

It's also welcome news for your trans siblings here in the US after the WTF week we've had on our side of The Pond.

The Kentucky Basketball Hatetrix Reloaded

When I lived in Kentucky from 2001-2010, one of the more entertaining events for me next to Derby Week was watching the annual December basketball hatefest between the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals.

From the time I moved there in September 2001 until I left in May 2010 to come back to Texas I had the rabid fanbases of Cats and Cards Nations trying to get me to publicly declare whether I was a UK or Louisville fan.

They wanted me to choose to take either the blue Wildcat pill or the red Cardinal pill, but I managed to stay neutral during that time.

To be honest, the wall to wall coverage of that annual rivalry game is one of the things about the state I miss.

When I was setting up my 2014 NCAA men's tourney brackets, I noted the way they were set up, if both teams won their opening round games it would lead to a potential Sweet 16 clash between the current (Louisville) and last (Kentucky) NCAA champions to be played in Indianapolis. 

After the Wildcats narrow 78-76 tournament win yesterday over previously unbeaten Wichita State and defending NCAA champ Louisville knocking St. Louis out of the tournament with their 66-51 win to advance, we can take the word 'potential' out of that last paragraph and deal with the reality that the Kentucky basketball hatetrix has been reloaded.

It's Battle of the Bluegrass, Part II at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.  This time they are playing for higher stakes than just bragging rights as they did December 28 at Rupp Arena.  The Cats fans are already reminding the Cards fans of the 73-66 result of that December game, while the Cards fans are firing back it's all about what happens this Friday.   

And what it's all about is a trip to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight at their bitter basketball rival's expense. 

The bitterly disappointed loser will have a hour and a half long lament filled drive down I-65 south from Indianapolis back to Kentucky while the winner stays in Circle City and plays for a possible trip to the Jerrydome and the Final Four.

The Kentucky Basketball Hatetrix will ensure this is not going to be a quiet week along I-64 or at any job locations, homes, sports bars or churches in Louisville, Lexington or anywhere else in Kentucky this week.  

Malala's Triumphant Year

One year ago today a gun toting Taliban thug boarded a school bus and shot Malala Yousafzai in the head for daring to speak up and criticize their efforts to turn Pakistan's Swat Valley back to the Middle Ages. 

Girls' education was banned, women were beaten for leaving their homes without a male relative escorting them, and her hometown of Mingora featured floggings and executions in its central square

She was airlifted to Britain as the world prayed for her survival, and spent three months in a Birmingham hospital recovering from her grave injuries.

She not only survived, but the voice the Taliban thought they silenced forever on that October day has grown louder and has an even bigger international platform. 

Yousafzai celebrated her 16th birthday by speaking to a July 12 United Nations youth conference .   In that memorable speech in front of the nearly 1200 participants and assembled dignitaries, she declared  "Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One teacher, one book, one pen, can change the world."

When Birmingham opened their massive new public librarly last month, she again proclaimed that education is "the only weapon that can defeat terrorism.”

And she says that the West needs to engage the Taliban in peace talks if the social and political conflict in South Asia is ever to be resolved.  "The best way to solve problems and to fight against war is through dialogue," she said.

In the run up to this bittersweet anniversary the wise beyond her years teen has been interviewed by the BBC.  She was named Time Magazine's Most Influential Person for 2013, is already the youngest person ever nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and is considered the frontrunner to receive it when the winner is announced October 11 in Oslo, Norway.  If that happens Friday, she would become the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malala's message is being heard globally as she works to complete her own education while traveling the world speaking about the equal rights for girls and education for all.issues that are near and dear to her heart.

The nonprofit Malala Fund advocates for girls' education and raises money for schools and tuition in her native Pakistan.
 
A lot has changed for her since that horrific day, but she still has dreams of going back home, getting into politics and changing Pakistan for the better.  "I will be a politician in my future," she said, vowing to make education compulsory.

"I hope that a day will come when the people of Pakistan will be free, they will have their rights, there will be peace, and every girl and every boy will be going to school."

People around the world hope that you get the opportunity to make that dream for your homeland a reality.  

Let My People Pee In Scotland

Here we go again with cis people tripping about a trans woman peeing in the ladies room.  The latest report of this BS comes from Scotland.

Hannah Leith has been transitioning full time for less than a year and after doing some window shopping around noon local time handled her business in the ladies room at the Paisley Centre.

She has done this countless times since starting her transition, but on this occasion  Leith was stopped by an overzealous security guard who obviously isn't aware of the 2010 Equality Act.  She was advised by the guard someone filed a complaint about her using the bathroom and told she was only to use the men's or disabled toilets.  

When she pointed out the Equality Act says otherwise, the guard responded with if she attempted to use the female bathrooms she would be banned from the center.

Leith went on to say to PinkNews.com.uk:“It was not made clear whether a staff member or a member of the public had made this complaint… I have lived full-time as a woman since last August and this disgusts me.”

FYI, the 2010 Equality Act (as the radfems are painfully finding out) bars discrimination based on gender reassignment, sex and sexual orientation. 

Leith went to a nearby library and printed out the pertinent sections of the Equality Act in an attempt to civilly discuss the matter with mall management but no one was available.   She was stopped by a different Paisley Centre security guard when she attempted to use the bathroom again.

UK Stonewall and the Scottish Transgender Alliance were appalled by the news and pointed out in the Pink News article that “refusal to allow use of sanitary facilities appropriate to the gender in which the person is living”, is in breach of the Equality Act.

It's also a breach of common sense, decency and humanity.   Let my people pee, Scotland!.

Jackie Comes Close, But No Miss England Crown

Jackie Green's bid to become the first trans Miss England fell short last night when she didn't make the finals of that pageant.  While she's disappointed about the result as are all of us around the world who were rooting for her, bear in mind she did make it to the semifinals..

This also comes a week after Jenna Talackova's bid to become Miss Canada also fell short of the finalist round of the Miss Universe Canada pageant, although she did capture the Miss Congeniality award.

"Miss England is a prestigious competition. I’d love to win.” Green remarked in a recent newspaper interview.

But Ms.Green isn't in this pageant just for the crown or the glamor.   She's got another purpose in mind as she competes.  She's hoping to use the public platform of the pageant as a way to raise awareness about  bullying and transgender issues.


Ms. Green stated she would make another run at the Miss England crown next year, and here's hoping that she has a better result when she does.

Kentucky Basketball Hatefest Squared

Well, well, well.   This Final Four in New Orleans will have a lot of folks from Kentucky in town for it since half the teams playing are from the Bluegrass State.

It'll be Kentucky and Louisville playing each other in one of the national semifinals, and boy would I love to be in Da Ville this week observing the jousting between Wildcat and Cardinal fans.   Then again I spent eight years being recruited by Cards and Cats fans trying the swell the ranks of their fanbases by one.

So yep the house Divided will be even more intense this week, and as the tipoff to the battle in the Superdome gets closer, the hate will flow on the Net, in workplaces, and even amongst friends and family.

Should be a fun game to watch.    As for who I'm rooting for?   I'm neutral on this one.

I Miss The U of L-UK Sports Hatefests

One of the things that will get me thinking about the time and friends I left behind in Da Ville is when the annual sporting hatefests in football and basketball occurs between the University of Louisville Cardinals and the University of Kentucky Wildcats.

It's exacerbated by the fact that these schools are situated in the two largest cites in the state in Louisville and Lexington and both campuses are only a 70 mile drive along I-64 from each other.  

I still chuckle about the times during me living in Louisville Metro fans on either side of the Red or Blue divide would ask me during the week of the Battle for the Governor's Cup (football) or the Battle of the Bluegrass (basketball) whether I was a Cards or Cats fan.

They would not be satisfied with my 'I root for both teams' answer or 'I'm a University of Houston fan' in an attempt to stay neutral . They would continue to attempt to convert me into becoming a fire and brimstone spouting t-shirt wearing member of Cats or Cards Nation with a missionary zeal while lambasting every aspect of the other school..

When they say 'A House Divided', they mean it.   It's so serious that friends, coworkers, families, couples and spouses that went to either Louisville or Kentucky are trading barbs at each other whether it's in person or online.   The effort to recruit us noncommitted folks to the gospel of Cat or Cards worship intensified along with the hype for for the game.whether it was in Louisville or Lexington.   

During that week on the football and basketball schedules of both schools you have wall to wall saturation coverage in the Louisville Courier-Journal, the Lexington Herald-Leader and TV stations in both cities of the respective schools down to the microlevel, especially for the basketball game which is nationally televised .

You cannot escape it, so you sit back and enjoy the fun because bragging rights were on the line in addition to which school would get the lions share of the best instate athletes .  But yeah, it does make me miss you wonderful peeps I left behind in the Bluegrass State even more

As for which team am I rooting for?   The one with the African American head coach on the sidelines..    . 

Battle Of the Bluegrass At The KFC Yum Center

Another one of the things I miss about Da Ville is the Rivalry Week hype surrounding the annual basketball hatefest between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Louisville Cardinals. 

Come to think of it, any sport that UK and UL play against each other is a red and blue hatefest.

This day on the calendar has been circled ever since the schedules for both teams were released a few months ago.


The nationally televised 2010 edition of the 'Battle of the Bluegrass' taking place later today in Louisville has the added significance of being the first showdown in this hotly contested series that will be played at the Cards new arena, the KFC Yum Center.

The Cards definitely have added incentive to make sure that the first time they play the Wildcats in their new playpen is a successful one.   The Cats want to make sure they spoil the party for the portion of the 22,000 people in attendance that bleed Cardinal red.

I have friends on both sides of the Red and Blue divide who tried for eight years with the zeal of missionaries to get me to join either Cardinal Nation or Wildcat Nation to no avail. 


Yep, should be a fun game   As to which team I'm rooting for, I'm officially neutral.       

Seriously.

UL-UK Historic Governor's Cup Hatefest

When I was living in Da Ville, any sporting event between the Universities of Louisville and Kentucky not only drew sellout crowds, but passionate fans on both sides of the Red and Blue line. Those passions intensify when the competition between the Cats and Cards happens on the gridiron or the hardwood.

It's the 2010 edition of the Governor's Cup Game, and since it's in Jefferson County at the newly expanded Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, it's the season opener for both schools.

It's also generating a little more interest than usual because the game not only marks the coaching debuts for UK's Joker Phillips and U of L's Charlie Strong, it's one of the rare times that FBS schools with African-American head football coaches face each other.

One of the interesting collegiate football tidbits is this season, the three FBS programs in the state of Kentucky all have African American head coaches. The other is Willie Taggart at Western Kentucky.

During the almost eight years I lived there, Kentucky and Louisville fans tried to recruit me into their fanbases with the zeal of missionaries, but I stayed neutral because I liked both teams.

Seriously, Kentucky readers, I liked both teams.

The game is not only for bragging rights in the state and recruiting advantage, but possession of the Governor's Cup.

Should be a fun game at The Pizzeria today in front of 55,000 red and blue clad fans.

Happy Birthday Sade!

I am a huge fan of her music, and today is the birthday of Helen Folasade Adu, who was born on this date in 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria.

I love me some Sade, but wish she'd record and tour more often. I've had the pleasure of seeing her in concert, and even though that was back last century (1988) still haven't forgotten it.

A Sade CD release these days is an event almost as rare as sightings of Halley's Comet, but when she puts it out, you won't be disappointed.

I am definitely looking forward to the latest Sade CD when it gets released in April, and have been in love with its first single, Soldier of Love.



Happy Birthday Sade! May you have many more, and release a few more CD's this decade as well.

2010 Battle Of The Bluegrass

The sports rivalries between the University of Louisville Cardinals and the University of Kentucky Wildcats are always intense, bitterly contested affairs.

But it is basketball which fans the passionate flames of the Kentucky and Louisville faithful, and this date has been circled on the calendar ever since the basketball schedules for both schools were released.

It's a rivalry that is so big that it divides friends and families. The Louisville Courier-Journal and Lexington Herald-Leader not only print special sections in the paper but devotes space on their webpages just to cover it.

I'm no stranger to big rivalry games. I grew up watching the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies Thanksgiving Day football hatefest. But this is a rivalry that makes the UT-Texas A&M one look wimpy in comparison.

I even get a taste of the rivalry here in the house. Wildcat fan Dawn and Cardinal fan Polar will be driving the 70 miles down I-64 east to take in the action at Rupp while wearing their respective school colors.

I like both teams and I'm neutral about which team I support as a Texan in exile. But this week the recruiting pitches from fans on both sides trying to get me to join Cats Nation or Cards Nation have been more intense than usual.

Televisions all across the state and a capacity Rupp Arena crowd will be on hand for the latest renewal of the Battle of the Bluegrass. The Number 3 ranked and 14-0 Wildcats will host the 10-3 Cards in Lexington. Kentucky has a 26-14 all time series lead but Louisville has won the last two games.

The Cats are flying high under new coach John Calipari and super freshman John Wall. Of course the UK fans are supremely confident they will win today's matchup that tips off at 3:30 PM EST. They are also popping their collars after becoming the first NCAA school to win 2000 games last month.

But Rick Pitino's Cards and their fans aren't backing down or caring that UK is a 7 point favorite going into this heavyweight basketball tilt. Anything can and does happen in rivalry games, and this one has had its share of fantastic finishes, great players, unsung heroes, and close games regardless of who was ranked at the time.

As former NFL coach and ESPN analyst Herman Edwards said, "That's why you play the games."

At any rate, it'll be fun to watch.

Kentucky Sports Hatefest-U of L vs UK

Today the University of Louisville Cardinals hit I-64 east and travel to Lexington to take on the University of Kentucky Wildcats. They are not only fighting for the Governor's Cup, but state bragging rights, football division.

One of the questions I consistently get asked since I moved here is whether I support U of L or UK.

Many Kentucky natives won't accept my answer that I'm neutral and like both teams. They'll spend whatever time I have in their presence extolling the virtues of the Cats or Cards while dissing the other team with the zeal of missionaries.

When U of L and UK get together to play any sport, people are passionate about it. Friends, families, co-workers and sometimes even spouses divide along Cardinal red or Wildcat blue lines.

No matter what the sport, it's a highly competitive rivalry played by two teams separated by 73 miles of interstate highway and no love lost on either side.

It's so competitive that Kentuckians have already circled Jan 2, 2010 on the calendar.

What's happening that day you ask? It's the date of the annual U of L-UK basketball clash at Rupp Arena.

The trash talking this year for this season's football clash has come mostly from the UK fans. U of L has slipped from its 2006 Big East championship and BCS bowl winning heights and Cardinal Nation is anxious about it.

Cards fans are even more anxiety ridden going into this noon showdown at Commonwealth Stadium. U of L is not only coming off a 5-7 season after going 6-6 the previous year, they have a lot of question marks on both sides of the ball.

They also watched the Cats spank Miami of Ohio 42-0 in their season opener in Cincinnati.

Cardinal Nation also knows the Cats had a bye week to rest and retool for this game.

The Cards briefly trailed 7-3 in their season opening game at 'The Pizzeria' with Indiana State. They had to fight tooth and nail with the Sycamores before eventually pulling away for the 30-10 win.

UK is a football team on the rise and coming off a third straight bowl appearance. They not only want to keep their two year winning streak alive against U of L, they see themselves as a Top 25 program that can compete and win in the tough SEC East Division and as BCS bowl material.

No matter who wins, both teams when this game is over will have tough challenges to overcome the next week. UK will take on Number 1 ranked Florida in Lexington while the Cards will travel to Salt Lake City to take on Utah.

But for those of us who are neutral, it sure is a lot of fun to watch, no matter what the sport.

Transphobia At The Hippodrome

I was shaking my head as I read this story from Yarmouth, England about a threatened walkout by female Hippodrome employees.

What's got them ticked off enough to walk out from their jobs?

Is it better wages? A protest against rampant sexism? Their working conditions?

Nope, they demanded to be allowed to wear “I am not a lady boy” T-shirts to prove to showgoers that they are all woman or else they were walking because of the upcoming performance of the Lady Boys of Bangkok traveling cabaret May 27-28.

Excuse me?

Hippodrome staffer Ruth Patterson (left in first picture) organized the protest after she heard about the show opening in Brighton. Allegedly a number of women staffers were asked if they were real women. “The Lady Boys may be very, very attractive but I don't want people to confuse me for one of them.

“I certainly don't want people in Yarmouth asking me if I'm a Lady Boy - although I am jealous of their fabulous figures.”

“Because it is a cabaret being performed in a real party atmosphere, some people just get carried away with the whole thing.”

With its tag line of “You'll never look at the opposite sex the same way again”, The Lady Boys of Bangkok cabaret show blends fun and music. The 16 member troupe of performers covers a wide range of styles from the disco floor to the Broadway musical stage. It also features tributes to musical artists such as Katy Perry, Whitney Houston, Girls Aloud and Kylie Minogue.

Hippodrome Owner Peter Jay agreed to let the ciswomen employees wear buttons stating they were 100% woman.

Can you say the words 'transphobia' and 'cisgender privilege' boys and girls? Thought you could.

Peter Jay wasn't much better than Ruth Patterson when he made these comments to the British media in relation to this story. While noting there had never been an incident like this in the Hippodrome's 108 year history, he stated, "You could say it has been a storm in a D cup but it has all blown over now. Maybe my girls can share make-up tips with the Lady Boys before or after the shows.

Yeah right, I think it would be the other way around, Mr. Jay.

Ms. Patterson, you need to take remedial science classes. You're only 50% woman, to put it bluntly since half of your genetic material comes from daddy.

And stop slurping the hateraid from the three liter bottles because your transphobia is showing.

Better Late Than Never-UK Transmurderer Convicted

It took almost 12 years to bring him to justice, but James Hopkins was sentenced to life on January 6 for the 1997 murder of transwoman Robyn Browne.

23 year old Robyn Browne's body was discovered in her Central London apartment by her roommate Natasha Brentwood on February 28, 1997 with multiple stab wounds to her neck, chest, heart and torso. At the time she was undergoing gender transition and was doing sex work to pay the bills with a local agency.

Brentwood had been out on a dinner date with her boyfriend and discovered the apartment door was locked, she climbed through the window and discovered Robyn's body on the bed covered in blood. There were no sighs of forced entry, but a drawer had been pulled out and pages torn from Robyn's personal organizer.

Reportedly her client list had some high profile people on it and some of those people when the trial started were concerned they would have to testify.

In June 2007 Hopkins was arrested in Leeds after his palm print matched the bloodstained palm prints found on the bedroom door of Browne's apartment and on two newspapers found there dated February 28. When arrested Hopkins denied killing her, but admitted that he was paid £500 to steal an address book.

According to the Metropolitan Police, advancements in DNA and forensic techniques allowed them to bring this case to trial.

He'll have to serve a minimum of 17 years in jail.

In a statement to the court, Ms. Browne's sister Louise said in a statement to the court that "Now there can be some sort of closure. Her death impacts on those who knew her."

Too bad the family of Kellie Telesford won't get to feel the satisfied feeling of knowing their loved one's killer was brought to justice.