Idaho Governor Signs Trans Oppressive Bills Into Law

The Republican controlled Idaho Legislature hasn't addressed the COVID-19 crisis, but had time to shepherd two bills through their legislature aimed at oppressing trans people.

On the eve of the Transgender Day of Visibility,  Idaho's Gov Brad Little (R) signed two unjust bills designed to oppress trans people in that state.

And consistent with the pattern in other parts of the country when it comes to the anti-trans bills, they used Republican women legislators as the front people to do their transphobic dirty work.

House Bill 500, sponsored by Rep Barbara Ehardt (R) forbids transgender girls from competing in sports against cisgender girls, and applies to all teams at the high school, public college and university level.

It also contains a provision in which if  a high school or college female competitor is suspected of being trans, the school is allowed to conduct a physical genital exam on that person in addition to doing blood and chromosomal testing.

Even the International Olympic Committee (IOC) doesn't go there now after doing something similar since the 1964 Tokyo Games.   The sex tests the IOC administered until 2000 were often inconclusive in addition to being invasive and  dehumanizing.

Then again, since when did the Republican Party at any level of government ever miss an opportunity to gleefully legislate oppressive laws against women, be they cis or transgender?

The other bill Little signed into law. House Bill 509, prevents trans people from changing the gender marker listed on their birth certificates. 

That one is probably headed to court, because in 2018 Idaho lost a court case in which they were ordered to allow Idaho trans people to change the gender marker on their birth certificates.

The Idaho ACLU was quick to condemn Little's actions.

"The ACLU of Idaho condemns Gov Brad Little's decision to sign discriminatory, unconstitutional, and deeply hurtful anti-transgender bills into law. 

"Leaders from the business, faith, medical, education and athletics communities will not forget this decision or what it says about the governor's priorities during a global pandemic," said the ACLU in a statement. "The ACLU will see the governor in court. We encourage all Idahoans to email, call, and tweet Gov. Little to express outrage and disappointment at wasting precious taxpayer resources on blatantly anti-transgender bills at a time when we should be coming together for the health and wellbeing of our people." 

The ACLU encourages Idahoans to email the governor at governor@gov.idaho.gov and call him at 208-334-2100 and tweet him @GovernorLittle to express their disappointment. 

All trans people want to do is be able to compete in sports, and using BS excuses dating back to the Jim Crow sports segregation days repurposed to discriminate against trans feminine athletes will not be tolerated by our community. 

We'll see you in court on both of these unjust bills.

Still Pissed About Zeta Phi Beta Banning Trans Women

I've had a week to think about what happened, and like my Black trans sisters around the country I'm still pissed off about the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc trans ban.

I'm upset not only because this came out of left field, but the news broke as a Black trans woman was beaten in Dallas.

As for the cis folks trying to deflect this outright trans discrimination by saying that we trans people should form our own sororities, or not 'force ourselves into Zeta Phi Beta', miss me with that noise. Saying that smacks of the same separate but unequal song we've heard sung during Jim Crow segregation.

Yes, we Black trans women could (and have) .created our own sorority. But they wouldn't have the gravitas of a Divine Nine one and would take decades to get to that level.   

Two of the four D9 sororities, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta, are over a century old. The other two, Zeta Phi Beta and Sigma Gamma Rho, are approaching their centennial years in 2020 and 2022

The Divine Nine sororities are organizations that collectively have over 500, 000 professional Black and other non-Black cis women in the USA, Canada and around the world in their ranks.  

Divine Nine sorority member are involved in business, sports, media, entertainment, science and technology, the military, politics and government at all levels.  The D9 national and regional conventions are sought after by civic convention bureaus across the country. 

Their national and regional conventions also serve as networking events for their members. .

My mom, sister and several cousins are AKAs. I grew up in a neighborhood surrounded by the pretty girls that wear 20 pearls.   I read my mom's Ivy Leaf magazines when she was done with them. 

When I lived at home I drove Mom to her chapter sorority meetings, and I'm well versed in the history and traditions of. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.  My late godmother was a Sigma Gamma Rho, and I have friends and colleagues I have mad love and respect for in all the D9 sororities.
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But which one would I have pledged if the opportunity had presented itself?    I probably would have pledged AKA.   But there was one problem.  When I was in college, I wasn't in the right body to be considered for membership.

Back to discussing the Zeta trans ban.   It's bull feces, it reeks of transphobia  and is extremely infuriating.  There is no justification for banning qualified out Black trans women who are down with the culture and history of D9 sororities.   If it is that trans woman's wish to join and be part of writing their next chapters of service and legacy to the Black community , that trans woman should have the option of doing so, and the chapter in question should have the option of accepting her as a member or not..

What pisses Black Trans World off even more is knowing that  Zeta Phi Beta bans trans women, but would have no problem admitting a qualified white cis women or other non Black cis woman in their sacred circles.   But since you made it clear you don't want us, your loss.    You'll miss out on some amazing women that another D9 sorority will hopefully be wise enough to admit into their ranks

The ban is not only ignorant on its face, it is discriminatory and dehumanizing.   It also sends a negative message to us and Black trans feminine kids that trans people aren't wanted by your organization that claims to be diverse and welcoming. 

The Zeta Phi Beta trans ban not only makes TERF's and evilgelicals smile, it also reinforces the stereotype that Black cis people are more transphobic and homophobic than other ethnic groups.
The sad part is I know some amazing people who are members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.   And news flash for you transphobes,  some of them are trans. 

I hope the people who support us inside the organization are doing what they can to point out just how transphobic and disastrous this looks to the outside world.

SCOTUS Votes To Oppress Trans Troops

Why am I not surprised the four white conservatives and honorary white man Uncle Ruckus Uncle Thomas voted to oppress trans people and side with the Trump misdaministration on their odious trans ban.

Trans people serve in the armed forces of 18 nations, many of them our NATO allies.   The US should be leading in this area, not regressing.  Qualified American trans people who wish to serve our country should be welcomed with open arms, not told we aren't wanted.

There are trans people who wish to serve our country because they have traditions of military service that go back several generations in their families, 

Trans people are choosing military service for many reasons just like cisgender people. 

Forcing trans people to serve with a 'don't ask don't tell' policy didn't work for gay and lesbian troops, and won't work in this regard. 18 nations allow trans military service, including the ability to transition while they are in the military and it does not affect combat readiness or break the bank. 

It will cost far less for trans related medical care than it does to provide Viagra. It will cost an estimated $2-6 million a year for trans related care vs the $45 million that it cost last year to provide Viagra. 

There's also 15,500 trans people serving, some who have already transitioned and serve critical roles in our armed forces. 

Trans people should not only be allowed to serve, they should be allowed to medically transition while on active duty if necessary and have the VA cover trans medical benefits once they leave.

A sad day for this country/.

Trans Woman Messed With At Mississippi Casino

One consequence of the false anti-trans 'bathroom predator' rhetoric the Republican Party pushed to oppose trans rights laws is it invites scrutiny on any cis or trans woman who doesn't fit the stereotypical and goalpost shifting standards for what a woman is supposed to look like.

It has also emboldened transphobes to play gender police and mess with people going to the damn bathroom

One of the things Alexus Tate loves to do is head to the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica County Mississippi and enjoy the time she frequently spends there trying her luck. 

But the trip she took to the casino the day after Thanksgiving with a friend wasn't anything but pleasant for her because transphobia smacked her in the face.

I'm also not liking the transphobic 'born a man' line in this WREG-TV article   Back to the story. 

A female casino security guard loudly demanded to see Tate's ID as she left the restroom in front of other casino patrons.   A janitor confided to Tate that the security guard had made disparaging transphobic remarks about her as she entered the restroom, saying 'Why is 'it' in there?"

Tate immediately sought out other employees to address the transphobic incident and has been in contact with Gold Strike casino management.   The casino management claimed they were investigating the matter, but haven't been in contact with Tate since December.

Tate says while the Gold Strike management has been apologetic about the incident, has offered her free plays and hotel stays, what she wants most, the firing of the transphobic security guard, hasn't happened. 
MGM Resorts, who owns the Tunica casino in question, sent this statement to WREG-TV

“Inclusion is a core value for MGM Resorts, and all security officers are trained on our company’s policy of allowing guests to utilize public restrooms based on the gender with which they identify. Unfortunately, the security officer involved in this incident did not respond appropriately. The security officer in question was immediately corrected, the policy was clarified to the guest by a supervisor at the time of the incident, and the security officer involved was disciplined accordingly. We sincerely regret this incident and have apologized to the guest. We hope for the opportunity to make up for her poor guest experience 

“This incident does not represent our values or the conduct of employees across our company. Our employees train extensively on our policies, and we will continue to reiterate and emphasize our commitment to inclusion and our focus on treating guests appropriately. Our goal, as always, is to ensure all guests feel welcome and have a safe and enjoyable experience.”

Nice sentiment.  But until that message is sent with the firing of the security guard in question that transphobia isn't tolerated, and there are consequences for those who engage in it, these will be nothing but empty words 

Strawberry Hampton Finally Moved To Illinois Women's Prison

Some good news as we close out 2018 on the trans rights front

27 year old Deon 'Strawberry' Hampton has been transitioning since she was 5 years old.   She is unfortunately doing a 10 year sentence in Illinois for burglary that she started serving in 2015.

But no prison sentence should include sexual and physical assault, transphobic harassment from prisoners and guards and incarceration in a men's prison if you are a trans feminine person. That is a violation of the 8th Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment

Hampton has been in four different men's prisons in Illinois, and has according to court filings suffered violent sexual and physical assault and emotional abuse at four different prisons.

At Pinckneyville Correctional Facility, she alleges guards sexually assaulted her, then forced her to have sex with her cellmate for their entertainment.   That incident led to a suicide attempt.

In December 2017 The MacArthur Justice Center and the Uptown People's Law Center filed the first of several lawsuits on her behalf seeking a court order to stop the abuse being aimed at Hampton.

She has finally had her request granted to be moved from Dixon Correctional Center, a men's prison in Dixon, IL, to the Logan Correctional Center, a women's prison in Lincoln, IL

The Illinois Department of Corrections initially denied Hampton’s transfer request. 

In November  US District Court Judge Nancy Rosenstengel ordered the Illinois Department of Corrections to re-evaluate its denial of Hampton’s request for transfer to a women’s prison.
The judge also ordered they develop training on transgender issues for all staff.

If you're wondering what POTUS appointed Judge Rosenstengel to the federal bench, she was appointed by President Barack Obama. 

Despite the positive ruling in Strawberry's favor, the MacArthur Justice Center said that the Illinois Department of Corrections still hasn't done enough to remedy the systemic failures that lead to the abuse of transgender inmates. 

The transphobic hatred being put in the atmosphere by the Republican Party, conservafool media and evilgelicals isn't helping either.

Allen ISD Refuses To Respect A Trans Teen's Identity At Graduation

I'm not surprised given that after the Dodie's Place restaurant in that town gleefully engaged in transphobia to mark its restrooms, that I would hear about more transphobia rearing its ugly head in Allen, TX.

 Jay Alfie began his transition during his freshman year at Allen High School.  A few months ago he checked with school administrators and made the simple request that his chosen name be used at the graduation ceremony.

They told him that it wouldn't be possible because in their words, it had to be legally changed.

Alfie's name change is pending, so his family is wondering why the Allen HS administrators are being so unreasonable about it

“It makes me feel sad that they’re not going to allow him to enjoy that last moment,” said Jorge Alfie. “What are we talking about here, 10 seconds? But it’s probably one of the 10 most important seconds of his life.”

Every young person’s identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer should be honored, celebrated and supported. Allen High School should respect Jay Alfie’s identity and recognize him by his chosen name. To ’deadname’ a student as they cross the stage for graduation in front of their peers, friends, and family constitutes an act of abhorrent bullying and harassment,” Chuck Smith, CEO of Equality Texas, told NewNowNext.

“Alfie's sister has created a MoveOn petition that has nearly 5000 signatures that is simply asking for the Allen ISD to just announce Jay by his chosen name and not his dead name at his graduation..

We'll see this Friday if they do so, or just want to be transphobic bigots about it.

Is It Health and Human Services Texas Policy To Harass Trans Texans?

Was not happy to hear about the latest instance of anti- trans discrimination in my hometown and who it happened to.

Ana Andrea Molina is the executive director of the Organizacion Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT), which works to provide services for the trans Latina population.

One of those services is setting up a trans shelter modeled after Casa Ruby in Washington DC called Casa Ana Andrea in Houston's Third Ward just south of the Texas Southern University campus.

On Tuesday she went to the Health and Human Services Texas office at 9450 Harwin Dr. in her capacity as OLTT executive director to gather information about services that her trans Latina clients could access.

While there she needed to use the restroom, and asked where it was so she could handle her business before proceeding with her information gathering business.

She was followed by an employee and the security guard in the Harwin facility, who after she entered the women's restroom decided to play potty Gestapo.  The transphobes continuously banged on the door of the women's restroom ordering her to come out and use the men's room, erroneously citing the failed SB 3 as their justification for being transphobic bigots.

Molina ignored them and didn't come out until after she'd handled her bathroom business and washed her hands.

This is also another example of the transphobic hate speech the Texas Republican Party unleashed while trying and failing twice to pass their anti-trans SB6/3 bill having real world negative impacts on the every day lives of transgender Texans.

But what the transphobes didn't know is that hey messed with someone who is well liked in the Houston advocacy community..

The next day she showed up at that facility accompanied by members of Indivisible Houston to file a complaint with the facility supervisor protesting her treatment.  

I walked in wearing a trans themed t-shirt with 'My Existence Is Resistance' written in Spanish accompanied by four cis feminine allies, and strolled into that same female bathroom with them basically daring them to treat me the same way they'd disrespectfully treated my Latina trans sister.

Someone in that office called HPD, who responded by sending three units to that Harwin location. While two of the HPD officers were polite, one was problematically aggressive, and threatened arrest of everyone if we didn't disperse.

Having gotten the complain form and sending the message we needed to send, we left peacefully .

The Harwin office is in the Texas senate district of Sen. Borris Miles (D-Houston) and Ana happens to be a constituent of his.  She is also in the House district of a longtime friend of the Texas trans community in Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston), who also isn't happy about what transpired, along with Rep Gene Wu (D-Houston) and Sen. Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston).  That office is in Rep. Wu's House district, and he is also a friend of our community.  

People from our local ACLU office are also looking into what happened.

So yeah, they messed with the wrong person., and I'll keep y'all updated as to how this transphobic discrimination story plays out

TX Anti-Trans Hate Bills 46 and 50 Filed

Trans Texans and our allies now know what unjust bill numbers we have to fight when the Texas GOP Special Oppression Session cranks up July 18.

Rep. Ron Simmons (R-Carrollton) filed  on yesterday two unjust trans oppressive bills aimed at Texas trans children and Texas trans adults, HB 46 and HB 50

HB 46 is aimed at Texas trans adults, and would prohibit all political subdivisions, including municipalities, school districts, state colleges and universities from adopting and enforcing any ordinances or policies that protect transgender people in bathrooms or changing facilities.

HB 50 is aimed at Texas trans kids.  It is similar to the odious HB 46, but focuses on school districts by prohibiting them from adopting and enforcing policies that protect transgender students  in batrooms or changing facilities.

Simmons was the author of the failed HB 2899 that Gov Greg Abbott (R) liked but died in the House State Affairs committee during the regular session.

Hundreds of trans Texans (including this blogger) and our allies showed up in Austin to express our disgust and outrage over this attempt to criminalize the lives of transgender Texans.

Guess Ron and the Texas Republican Party didn't learn their lesson from the recently concluded regular session that the vast majority of Texans oppose their unjust right wing crap.

We'll also be watching SB 23, a bill proposed and filed yesterday by Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) that would prohibit cities, counties and other political subdivisions from passing non discriminations laws  on a basis not written in state law, and wipe out the already existing non discrimination laws in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Plano and San Antonio.

What is it about you conservafools and your obsession with oppressing people you don't like?

Looks like we'll be busy fighting oppression for the 30 days of this upcoming Special Oppression session, so you know what to do.

Light those phones up in their offices and don't relent until all those unjust bills are dead.

SB 6 Marathon Hearing Session

31 groups, over 400 people and we're into the wee hours of the morning expressing their opposition to SB 6.

Even though I testified back around 6 PM. I'm still here supporting the people who are waiting to express their opposition to the Texas Transgender Opposition Act.

The few supporters haters that are still around are still trying to throw alt facts while the army of trans people speaking in opposition are telling their heartfelt stories.

Discrimination is NOT a Texas Value .  The best way to improve SB 6 is to kill it..

Trans Girl Wins Her Fight With A DoDEA Superintendent

Sometimes the worst bullies that transgender kids face are not their fellow classmates, but school administrators and legislators. We had an example of that surface recently from Germany.

Blue is the trans daughter of an Air Force active duty father serving at Ramstein Air Base.  The 11 year old fifth grader came out as trans during the summer and has been accepted by her parents, fellow students and administrators at Ramstein Intermediate School, one of the four schools on the base administered by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)

The DoDEA operates 191 schools in 12 nations, seven states, Guam and Puerto Rico and serves more than 82,000 children of active duty military and DOD civilian families .

She had been given approval to use the bathroom and locker facilities that match her gender presentation by the principal of the school, but that decision was overruled by Liz Dunham, the superintendent of the Bavaria district of the DoDEA.

Dunham told Blue's parents she would either have to use the boys bathroom or a single stall one several flights of floors below her classroom.   When Blue's parents pointed out that there were four other trans students on the base , Dunham according to Blue's mother Jess reportedly didn't care.

Well, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter did care.   So did Ashley Broadway-Mack, the president of the American Military Partner Association who blasted Dunham's trans oppressive attitude.

"All students, regardless of their gender identity, deserve to be able to go to school in an environment free from discrimination and harassment. The Department of Defense school system is currently observing October as National Bullying Prevention Month, yet this superintendent has unacceptably chosen to single out and discriminate against a student because of her gender identity. Transgender youth already face high rates of marginalization, bullying, and harassment, and we urge the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, Mr. Thomas Brady, to immediately step in and correct this unconscionable decision."

And never underestimate or piss off a Mama Bear.

Dunham's decision was overruled, and Blue and all trans students in DoDEA schools will be able to use the bathrooms and facilities that match their gender presentation.

That's supposed to happen tomorrow.   We'll see if it does for Blue and all trans students in those schools and across the DoDEA system.

Transphobes Fail To Get I-1515 On Washington Ballot

Wonderful news out of Washington state in that the transphobic backers of Initiative I-1515 canceled their appointment tomorrow to turn in signatures to Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman.

That means the Orwellian named Just Want Privacy haters failed in their attempt to get the unjust I-1515 on the November 8 ballot and the decline to sign campaign of the No on I-1515 coalition worked.

The Gender Justice League executive director Danni Askini commented in a message posted on their  website:

The anti-trans ballot initiative failed to get enough signatures to be on the ballot in November!

Washingtonians have sent a clear message—we won’t discriminate. Voters didn’t buy the pitch that repealing our state’s non-discrimination protections for transgender people would somehow make us safer. Washingtonians value fairness and equality and we believe that everyone in our state should be able to earn a living, frequent a business, earn an education, and raise a family free from the fear of discrimination.

The initiative would have rolled back a Washington Human Rights Commission ruling clarifying the public accommodations provisions of the 2006 Washington LGBT rights bill that apply to trans people that allow people to use locker rooms, bathrooms and other facilities that correspond with their gender presentation, and codified restrictions on the human rights of Washington state transgender citizens.

The Washington state Forces of Intolerance failed in their mission to mess with the human rights of trans Washingtonians, and that's something to celebrate.

But like the Terminator, the trans human rights oppressors who were part of the Just Want Privacy coalition will continue trying to accomplish their reprehensible mission of attacking the human rights of trans people in Washington state and suppressing their human rights.  We need to exhale, celebrate this win, and prepare for their next attempt to mess with us.

This was a huge win for the Washington Won't Discriminate coalition and for trans human rights in Washington state .

North Carolina Unjustly Legislates Anti-Trans Hate

I have often said that the most dangerous bigots are the ones who have the power to write legislation.  You can also never underestimate the Republican and conservative movement desire to oppress people they hate and what lengths they will go to do it.

That was clearly on display in North Carolina as the Republicans succumbed to their white supremacist oppressor genes and in less that 12 hours, called an expensive $42,000 a day special session of the NC legislature they have controlled since 2010, blitzed the unjust HB 2 bill mandating trans, bi and SGL oppression through both chambers, and NC Governor Pat McCrory (R) wasted no time signing it into law.

11 Democratic traitors joined the Republicans in passing HB 2 through the GOP dominated NC house 83-24, while North Carolina's Democratic senators walked out of the chamber, leaving them to own their legislative bigotry and pass it 32-0.

This unjust law not only takes direct aim at the North Carolina trans community, it mandates discrimination against TBLG people, wipes out local anti-discrimination laws, and prohibits local jurisdictions from enacting non-discrimination protections.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper denounced HB 2 in a video statement.



Yo Caitlyn!  What was that BS about Republicans respecting the human rights of people?.    

This unjust law is an affront to human rights, democracy, and respect for the Constitution that Republicans loudly claim they revere but ignore when it suits their political agenda.

Time for the business community to step up and punish the state for legislating hate.  And yeah, I feel the pain of my North Carolina peeps today in having to witness this unjust process happen.

Okay North Carolina citizens, want revenge against this outrage?  Punish the GOP at the polls on November 8.

Unjust Tennessee Anti-Trans Bill Dies In Committee!

I was alerted by the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition to the introduction of an unjust bill aimed at our trans kids in the Volunteer State.   The latest attempt to legislate anti-trans hate, HB 2414, the Transgender Student Bathroom Harassment Act.was sponsored by Rep Susan Lynn (R- Mount Juliet).

Those of you who live in her district know what to do to her this November.  Vote her butt out of office.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) had also expressed concerned about what the unjust bill would do to imperil the state's Title IX education funding.

Thanks to the efforts of the TTPC, the Tennessee trans community, our fair minded allies, and the countless other folks who called, showed up for the meetings of the House Education Administration and Planning Subcommittee to urged the members of that committee to not go forward with that bill, your efforts were successful.

According to chatter and reports from multiple sources, I'm pleased to report that HB 2414 has died in committee!    A unanimous committee vote was taken to study it over the summer, effectively killing the bill.

 "Once again we saw today how meeting with trans young people changed hearts and minds," said ACLU Staff Attorney Chase Strangio in a statement.  "Our common humanity can unite us and we can push back against these costly and discriminatory impulses if we center those most affected."

" It is an exciting day in Tennessee and I am thankful for the brave young people who are making the world a better place for us all,." added Strangio.


As to what is happening with the unjust senate companion bill, SB 2737, we'll have to keep an eye on that to ensure it dies as well.

Congratulations to my Tennessee trans family for killing that unjust legislative attack on the humanity of our trans kids who live in the Volunteer State.

What's The Secret Trans Agenda Again?

Contrary to what the lying scumbags of the Reich Wing and their sellouts will tell you, the trans agenda has been transparent all along.   I even posted it nearly five years ago.

The 'secret transgender agenda' is for transpeople simply to be treated as any other human being in society without having our constitutionally guaranteed civil rights or our ability to live our lives fracked with by y'all because you hate us.

Simple, isn't it?    All we trans people want is to be treated like human beings.   But some of y'all have a problem with that, which is why legislation is necessary to make that happen.

And I have a major problem with you anti-trans haters,especially in the Black community.

Black trans people exist.   Get over it.  Stop letting the Republicans and their sellout ministers hoodwink and bamboozle you into voting against your own human rights because you wish to irrationally hate on me.

The bottom line is that I and other trans advocates aren't going to rest until our human rights are secured, and we can go about our day without somebody getting their jollies on by messing with us or  some cis male feeling because he got his fee fees hurt by being rejected by a trans woman to arrogantly think he is justified in killing us.

So what's the not so secret trans agenda again?

1. Treat us like human beings.
2. See number one on the list.

Don`t Spend Your T-Bills Where You Aren`t Respected

I`ve been busy the last few days moving to the new Casa De Monica, and just started catching up with all the trans news that I need to comment on.

One of those issues I felt the need to comment on is a trans dignity and respect.

I was perusing my Facebook feed and noted a comment from a well known activist who was recounting a transphobic experience she`d had at her local hairdresser.

She was getting her hair done when a conversation started in the shop about last week`s  SCOTUS marriage ruling.   She was stunned and pissed off to hear the beautician working on her hair express a negative reaction to it, and then take a potshot at guys and girls like us by adding that she couldn`t stand people who `changed their sex.`

Little did the transphobic hairdresser know that she was working on the tresses of one of those people she hated.

The person in question didn`t elaborate on how far along she was in the process of getting her hair done at the time the transphobic comment was uttered.   But having been in a similar situation back in the late 90s when I was getting my hair done and another beautician not working on my hair at the time made several derogatory comments about Black Americans (she was Nigerian), I ripped her a new anus.

So what is Moni`s moral in this story?   The bottom line is that if you are so inclined and the situation calls for it, we need to call out disrespectful commentary and negative treatment of trans people.   I understand it`s a judgment call as whether or not you feel safe to do so, but if you are in a reasonably safe space,  put them in check.

How you do it is your call.

Now why am I saying this?  Because the odds are that transphobes aren`t going to let their negative commentary loose unless they think they will have majority support in whatever venue this is happening in.  

If we let transphobic comments slide for whatever set of reasons, then it will happen again to someone else until the transphobe finally gets checked on their nekulturny behavior.

Maybe missing out on some service fees plus tips or getting checked by their supervisor after you have a chat with them will speed up that process

Neither should we trans peeps spend our precious T-bills with people or companies who don`t respect our humanity.  

2015 Texas Legislature Anti-Trans Bills Die!

It's midnight, and a critical moment in the 2015 Texas Legislative session has just passed.

Any bills that were proposed in this legislative session had to be clear of the House or Senate chamber in which they were filed by midnight CDT or they died.

As many of you know the Republican majority had an ambitious anti-LGBT agenda in which 20 bills were filed.   Four of them were anti-trans ones that if passed, would have criminalized being trans in the Lone Star State and encouraged monetized bullying of Texas trans kids.

But with the passage of that midnight deadline, Rep Gilbert Pena's (R-Pasadena) anti-trans bathroom bounty bills aimed at our kids HB 2801 and 2802, and Debbie Does Discrimination Riddle's (R-Tomball) HB 1747 and HB 1748 are dead for this session!

However, it also means that good bills also die if they haven't cleared the House or Senate, like Rep. Garnet Coleman's (D-Houston) HB 2058 that would have streamlined the name change process for trans Texans.

We trans Texans and our allies can breathe a little easier in the Lone Star State that the bad anti-trans bills have died, but we can't exhale until June 1

Until then, we must be vigilant.  The session isn't done until June 1, and the legislators seeking to oppress TBLG Texans never sleep. 

These legislative oppressors will be looking for opportunities to tack those dead bills onto another piece of legislation further along in the legislative process.

And yes, just as we have had all throughout this , and we have people, organizations and fair minded legislators standing by on both sides of the aisle waiting to alert us and spring into action to kill it when they do. 

And if these anti-trans bills come back to life, as soon as I know, you will know.  But the clock and the days are inexorably ticking toward the June 1 sine die.

Seattle Trans Woman Sues Blood Bank

Because I have an AB+ blood type, from time to time I would take part in blood drives when the need arose.

But after my 1994 transition, I could no longer donate blood because the US Food and Drug Administration uses a policy they implemented in 1983 that treats trans men and trans women as gay males having sex with other males (MSM's) and permanently bars us from donating blood.

While the FDA is considering new donation  guidelines for gay and bisexual men, they still haven't as yet come up with guidelines that would allow trans people to do so.

Well, a legal case percolating in Washington state may force the FDA to speed up their timetable for doing so.

Jasmine Kaiser attempted to give plasma in exchange for money at CSL Plasma, Inc in Kent, WA but was told because she was assigned male at birth she could not donate.   She was also told by CSL workers she'd be placed on a 'permanent deferral list' and they would inform other blood banks of this status.

Since Washington state has had a law on the books since 2006 prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity,.Kaiser filed suit against CSL with attorneys from Seattle women's rights group Legal Voice and the Keller Rohrback law firm arguing that CSL violated the Washington non discrimination law
CSL Plasma, Inc is also facing a similar lawsuit from another trans person in Minnesota.

They have yet to respond to the Kaiser suit, but according to the Advocate a spokesperson stated that CSL "operates its business in accordance with all applicable industry, state, federal, and international laws, regulations, guidelines, and guidance documents."

Will be interesting to see how this case transpires.

Anti-Trans Employment Discrimination Lawsuit Filed Against Barnes & Noble

Victoria Ramirez spent six years working at two Barnes & Noble stores in Orange County, California.  When she informed her managers she was going to begin her gender transition from male to female in a company that has a seven year run of perfect scores on the HRC Corporate Equality Index, can you guess what the company's response was? 

The managers responded by prohibiting Ms Ramirez from working as a woman and then firing her when she protested. 

And once again, just as in the recent Saks Fifth Avenue trans discrimination case they settled out of court with Leyth Jamal, the company doing the transphobic discriminating has bragged about having a perfect score on the HRC Corporate Equality Index.

An Equality Index that trans people have pointed out to the Human Rights Campaign has some glaring flaws when it comes to trans people, and here's another example of trans folks falling though the cracks of it..

Ms Ramirez was subjected to harassment regarding her gender identity and expression, berated by her manager about her long hair, makeup, and nail polish, told her appearance was inappropriate for a “family store” and that she should “think of the children.”

When she came out as trans*, managers set impossible conditions for Ms. Ramirez, essentially forbidding her to transition. They told her she was not allowed to wear women’s clothing, discuss her transition with her co-workers, use female pronouns to identify herself, or use the women’s bathroom.

Overwhelmed by the pressure to hide her female gender identity at work, Ms. Ramirez began to experience on-going panic attacks and severe anxiety. When she told her manager she couldn’t hide who she was any longer, she was fired.

“I loved my job at Barnes & Noble,” said Ramirez. “I put myself through college working there. I thought this company shared my values of hard work, integrity, and respect for all people. But when I came out as transgender, they didn’t live up to those values – instead they responded by mocking me and forcing me to hide who I really am. After giving six years of my life to Barnes & Noble, I was devastated when I was fired simply for being myself. I lost my livelihood, my financial stability, and my confidence.”

Yesterday Transgender Law Center, Alexander Krakow + Glick LLP, and the Law Offices of G. Samuel Cleaver filed suit against Barnes & Noble, Inc. for its discriminatory treatment of Ms. Ramirez.

“The law is clear: no one should be targeted for humiliation and harassment at work and ultimately lose their job because of who they are,” said Kris Hayashi, Executive Director of Transgender Law Center. “It’s unacceptable for any employee to go through what Victoria  experienced at Barnes & Noble, and it’s particularly disturbing given the public image the company has cultivated around its support for LGBT people. Unfortunately, this case illustrates the fact that discrimination against transgender employees is still all too common, leading to sky-high rates of unemployment and poverty in our community.”

Guess those Barnes & Noble managers haven't heard (or chose to ignore the fact) that California prohibits discrimination against trans people.   They will also find out the hard way that Title VII, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in employment, has been widely interpreted in recent years by courts and federal agencies to protect transgender employees.   

Just last month the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued a landmark decision in Lusardi v. McHugh, a case that was also brought by the Transgender Law Center.

Lusardi v. McHugh held that denying access to restrooms and refusing to use pronouns consistent with the employee’s gender identity constitutes unlawful discrimination.   Ms. Ramirez’s suit is brought under California law, which includes an explicit prohibition of discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression.

And this is also a prime example of why non-discrimination laws with gender identity and expression protections matter.

Sad that once again, another company is going to learn the painful lesson that  discrimination costs you money, and they are going to have the pay the trans lady for the pain and suffering they unnecessarily inflicted on her.