President Obama-2009 Nobel Peace Prize Winner!

Read it and weep conservafools. Guess the world doesn't hate the prez as much as y'all bellowed during your gloatfest after Chicago's bid to get the 2016 Olympics failed.

In a surprise decision, Obama became the fourth US president, the third sitting president and the first sitting president since Woodrow Wilson to be given the prestigious honor. The difference is he's getting it only 9 months into his presidency.

"I am both surprised and deeply humbled," Obama said from the White House this morning.

Predictably, the conservahaters started sniping. GOP puppet Michael Steele stated, that its "unfortunate that the president's star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights."

You and your conservafriends a little jealous, Mikey?

The Norwegian Nobel Committee countered that it was trying "to promote what he stands for and the positive processes that have started now." It lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation, and praised his pledges to reduce the world stock of nuclear arms, ease American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthen the U.S. role in combating climate change.

The peace prize was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts but Obama's efforts are at far earlier stages than past winners'. The Nobel committee acknowledged that they may not bear fruit at all.

"He got the prize because he has been able to change the international climate," Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said. "Some people say, and I understand it, isn't it premature? Too early? Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now. It is now that we have the opportunity to respond — all of us."

President Obama will be traveling to Oslo on December 10 to pick up his prize.

Congrats To The 2009 Best Black Blog Nominees

Thanks to JasmyneCannick.com I discovered that one of the blogs I guest post on, Racialicious, was nominated in the Best Black Blog Category for a Black Press All Star Award.

The 5th Annual Black Press All Star Awards event will take place on Friday, September 18 in Harlem, NY.

Unfortunately the September 10 voting deadline has already passed, but here's the full slate of nominees for the Best Black Blog category.

Black Agenda Report
Jasmyne Cannick
Mario Armstrong
Opinionated Black Woman
Racialicious


Congratulations to both Latoya and Jasmyne for being nominated. While we don't get into blogging for the awards, it sure is nice when people recognize the hard work you put in to make your blog a quality one that people will want to visit.

It's even more rewarding when your own people recognize the work you do.

2009 Black Weblog Awards Nominations Open

I don't do what I do at TransGriot strictly for awards, but it sure is nice to get the recognition for being one of the better bloggers out there.

The 2009 Black Weblog Awards began their nomination process June 20 and will run until July 25.

The Black Weblog Awards have been around since 2005, and I'm nominated in three categories for it. Best LGBT Blog, Best Writing In A Blog and Best Political/News Blog.

I also have two shot at each category in terms of there's a Popular vote and a Judges’ vote. The winners will be announced on September 4.

So I'll keep y'all posted as to what's transpiring on that front.

Congrats Laverne!

Congrats to my sis Laverne Cox, who picked up an outstanding reality show trophy at GLAAD's 20th annual Media Awards last Saturday in Los Angeles.

GLAAD honors individuals and projects in media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. The awards were split into three ceremonies, held in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco in March, April and May, respectively.

Her turn as an outspoken contestant on VH1's "I Want to Work for Diddy" tied with the Logo transgender dating series "Transamerican Love Story" featuring Calpernia Addams for the award presented by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

Once again congrats sis, and I'm looking forward to the day I finally meet you in person.

Renee Won!

Congratulations to my podcast partner Renee at Womanist Musings! She was a double winner in the 2009 Canadian F-word Blog Awards.

See, Renee. Told ya your hard work would be recognized. ;)

She won in the Best Political Blog and Best Feminist Blog: Oh Canada! Categories. To me it's even cooler because it's recognition from her countrypeeps.

If I had a Timmy's nearby I'd grab a few doughnuts, some coffee and toast you with it.

But alas, the closest one to me is three hours drive time in Columbus, OH so I'll have to hit my local Krispy Kreme instead.

Congrats, sis. It's just the first batch of many awards headed your way for your quality writing on Womanist Musings and it only took you a year to start getting them.

Vote For Renee!

The voting for the Canadian F-Blogs Awards has started and my broadcast partner Renee's Womanist Musings blog has received six nominations for one of the awards.

She's in the running for the Best Canadian Feminist Blog Category, and the first elimination round started today and will run through the 14th. I'll make it easy on you and provide the link to the ballot.

I think it's great that she's finally beginning to get some recognition for the quality, tell it like it T-I-S is writing she puts together at Womanist Musings.

We bloggers have many reasons for starting our blogs, and we don't consciously start them seeking to grab up every award in sight. But when you're nominated for them because you do the hard work, and the peeps that create these awards and your readers like what you do enough to nominate you for them, it's nice to get the affirmation.

So show her some love and give her a little support.

Congratulations Renee!

Putting a quality blog together is hard work. It involves long hours just researching info, composing multiple drafts and sometimes multiple edits to get them polished to your satisfaction before you post your thoughts to the world.

So I was happy to hear that my podcast partner was nominated for a 2009 Canadian F-Word Blog Award in the Best Feminist Blog Oh!Canada! English category.

She's been writing thought provoking and quality posts at Womanist Musings for almost a year now, and it's nice to see her Top 25 BBR blog (number 13 last month) finally get the recognition it deserves in her home country as well.

Nominations were accepted starting on April 1st and the last day for them is today.

The First voting/elimination round: April 11-12
Final Vote: April 18-19
Winners announced April 25th

I hope she has better luck than I did with the 2008 Weblog Awards. Congrats for the nomination, Renee and hope it's just the first of many more to come.

Shut Up Fool! Awards-First Day Of Spring Edition

Ahh, today is the first day of spring. The weather is warming up, we have NCAA men's and women's tournament games all over the tube, people got their drink on for St. Patrick's Day and we have our first signs that the stock market is starting to respond to the economic stimulus package.

But as Mr. T admonished us, fools are everywhere. And let's see what fools we get to not pity this week with our illustrious award.

It was a target rich environment for fools this week. I could have chosen the GOP, Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham, or Jimi Izrael just for starters, but once again it's no contest.

It's our former resident in thief George W. Bush.

He ventured north of the border to Calgary for a 'speech' that 1,500 fools paid C$400 a plate to hear that was closed to the press and 100 Calgarians protested. Gee I wonder why?

And when talking about the book he's going to have ghostwritten (and no it isn't My Pet Goat, the sequel) about the 12 toughest decisions of his mispresidency, he stated.

“I’m going to put people in my place, so when the history of this administration is written at least there’s an authoritarian voice saying exactly what happened,”

Aren't you glad we now have a president that not only was overwhelmingly ELECTED, but is intelligent and has excellent command of the English language?

George W. Bush, shut up fool!

Shut Up Fool! Awards-Friday The 13th Deja Vu Edition

If you're wondering didn't we just have a Friday The Thirteenth last month, yes we did. But since February is only 28 days, it pretty much guaranteed we'd have another one since this isn't a leap year.

And thank God they aren't releasing another Jason/Friday The 13th slasher movie either.

As I mentioned last week, I will post my brackets for the 2009 edition of the NCAA men's and women's tournaments after the selection committee has done its work on Sunday and Monday to set up the brackets.

So it's time to find out which fool we pity (or don't pity) this week.


This week's fool is Kentucky state senator Gary Tapp (R-Shelbyville)

He sponsored an anti-gay adoption bill modeled on the Arkansas one but took it a step further and sought to ban ALL unmarried couples from adopting children or acting as foster parents.

He also admitted in a newspaper interview that he'd never set foot in Family Court, had never talked to the organizations that would be adversely affected by the bill, but admitted he filed it because in his words

"I don’t think those people should be parents. I believe it’s wrong."

He then got Senate Bill 68 to the floor by calling a double secret Senate Legislative Committee meeting in which opponents weren't notified it was happening.


Gary Tapp, shut up fool!

Shut Up Fool! Awards-March Madness Edition

Our annual national basketball orgy of insanity known as March Madness, AKA the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments will be kicking off next week. I'll post my predictions as to who I think will go all the way then. In the interim, the conference championship tournaments will be in full effect this weekend and next to determine who gets the automatic bids into the Big Dance.

Speaking of March Madness, it's time for your favorite feature on TransGriot, the Shut up Fool! Awards.

Time to see which fool we pity this week.

This week it was no contest. Michael Steele is our landslide winner. He went on DL Hughley's now cancelled CNN show to call out Rush Limbaugh, then remembered he was on the GOP plantation and had to bow, scrape and apologize to Massa Rush.

Can you say figurehead, boys and girls? Thought you could.

He's also offered slum love to GOP governor Bobby Jindal (last week's SUF Award winner) while saying he's done a freaking awesome job as Louisiana governor.

He's said that government has never created a job, called civil unions "crazy", promised more outreach to "urban-suburban hip-hop settings" via an "off the hook" public relations campaign and gave a shout out to "one-armed midgets."

And that's before we talk about his potential personal scandals. Anybody wanna start taking bets as to how long he'll be running thangs in the GOP when there are GOP party members calling for his resignation?

Michael Steele, shut up fool!

Shut Up Fool! Awards-End Of the Month Edition

The shortest month of the year is drawing to a close tomorrow signaling the end of the observance of Black History Month. But we celebrate Black history every month here at TransGriot, so if I run across something interesting, you know dear readers it will pop up in a post or two.

Still trying to decide what the topic is going to be for the first of the discussion panels featuring our biosisters and transwomen discussing various topics on this blog.


It's Friday, and y'all know what that means. I know you're all waiting in breathless anticipation after that boring Oscar show to pity the fool (or fools) who made the most asinine statement of the week.

So here are this week's nominees.

Fool Number 1 is Las Alamitos, CA mayor Dean Grose, who sent a racist e-mail with a picture of a watermelon patch growing on the south lawn of the White House to local African-American businesswoman and city volunteer Keyanus Price, then claimed he was unaware of the stereotype that my peeps like watermelon. (FYI, I hate it)

"Bottom line is, we laugh at things and I didn’t see this in the same light that she did. I’m sorry. It wasn’t sent to offend her personally—or anyone—from the standpoint of the African-American race.”


Fool Number 2 is Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, who the Repugnicans are trying to pimp as their rising star in 2012. In his rebuttal speech he makes the ludicrous case of using Hurricane Katrina as a concrete example of why you should not trust government. Hello dummy, YOUR party was running thangs in 2005 and it's the reason we have massive Dem majorities in the House, Senate and an African American First Family in the White House. Then he accused the prez of wanting to impose 'government-run' healthcare, which is a lie, and mocked funding for volcano monitoring. Hello, if you live next to or fly airplanes near Mount St. Helens, Kilauea, or any Alaskan volcano I think you'd want to know if they're gonna blow.

Fool number 3 is Rush Limbaugh, who's perplexed at why women hate him and wants to convene a summit to understand why. Hello, when you call women femi-Nazis, welfare queens, and all the other derogatory terms that you've used over the years on your radio show, it should be crystal clear to your OxyContin pill popping behind why.


And this week's winner is....Bobby Jindal


Bobby Jindal, shut up fool!

Shut Up Fool! Awards-Mardi Gras Edition

The Mardi Gras parties, balls and parades are in full swing down in New Orleans with the big day happening on Tuesday.

As per tradition on February 24, the Zulu's will be kicking the fun and festivities off. It's also the 100th Anniversary year for the Zulu's as well.

So laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll) and let's see who won the Shut Up Fool! Award for this week


For his performance on the AC360 show, Ron Christie is the hands down winner this week of the Shut Up Fool! award.



This Bush administration sellout first criticized Attorney General Eric Holder's on point speech on our reticence to honestly discuss race in the States by attacking the 'nation of cowards' line in it.




Then during the AC360 show segment debating the NY Post cartoon he had the nerve to part his lips and say that the NY Times cartoon 'wasn't racist' to the point where David Gergen was shaking his head on that one along with my Houston homeboy Roland Martin, and get defensive when Roland justifiably called him 'delusional'.



Thank God my Houston homeboy was there to 'keep it real'

BTW, if anybody has the number to the DROP Squad, please have this 'brother' reported immediately for reprogramming.

Ron Christie, Shut up Fool!

Shut Up Fool! Awards-Friday The 13th Edition

Well, since today is Friday The 13th, it's time to show some fear and loathing to the people who made us cringe in terror by flapping their gums to let the most asinine comments come out of their mouths this week.

Where's Jason and Freddy Krueger when you need them?

And now, this week's nominees for the Shut Up Fool! Awards.


Contestant Number One is somebody I figured would be nominated sooner or later for this honor, newly minted RNC chair Michael Steele.

He parted his lips on Sunday to say in criticism of Brother President's economic stimulus package that 'he believes that government-funded jobs don't count as real employment because "a job is something that a business owner creates."



The government doesn't create jobs. Let's get this notion out of our heads that the government creates jobs. Not in the history of mankind has the government ever created a job. ... Those 2 to 4 million jobs that are projected won't happen. Trust me.

Contestant Number Two is Bill O'Reilly. In this Faux News clip, he mockingly compares Helen Thomas, the dean of the White House press cord to the 'Wicked Witch of the East'





Contestant Number Three is Catholic Bishop Richard Williamson.

At a time when the Catholic Church and the Vatican is mimicking the Dubya blueprint for winning friends and influencing people is pissing people off left right and center, they added the worldwide Jewish community to that increasingly long list.

Pope Benedict XVI lifts his excommunication of him and then Williamson goes on Swedish TV January 24 to state that the Holocaust didn't happen, there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz and only 300,000 Jews died as opposed to the accepted figure of six million.



Hello, all you need to do is take a trip to Auschwitz or Google it to eyeball them. 1 million people died just at Auschwitz alone with about 900,000 being Jewish. Google 'Wannsee Conference' to note who was at the top of the list for extermination.

So Bishop Richard Williamson, shut up fool! You're our winner this week.

Shut Up Fool! Awards-Frosted Flakes Edition

As you know Louisville and the rest of the state was dealing with a major ice storm and snow that took out power lines. This time the TransGriot didn't lose power, but feels the pain of the peeps who did. So for those of you just getting back online, here's the idiocy you missed

Anyhoo, let's see who won this week's Shut Up Fool! Award.

There was no contest this week. I'm not even bothering to find any other ridiculous statements this week because our winner basically locked it down and blew away any potential competition.

This week's winner is another Faux News sellout negro, Jesse Lee Peterson. On this recent Hannity show he stated "I think we all agree that Barack Obama was elected by mostly racist Blacks and White guilty people." It was so over the top even the 'Little Ball of Hate' had to call him on it.



Jesse Peterson, shut up fool!

2009 IFGE Conference

It's a little earlier than the early April date it normally happens, but the 23rd edition of the IFGE Conference is kicking off today through February 8 at the Hilton Alexandria at Mark Center in Alexandria, VA.

This year's location I have fond memories of because I attended the last IFGE Conference that was held in the Washington DC area back in 2000. I not only got the opportunity to lobby some congressmembers, but watch as Dawn made history by becoming the first African-American transperson to win the IFGE Trinity Award.

Speaking of history, IFGE Executive Director Denise Leclair noted the historic timing of this year's event as well. "We are very excited to be staging this year's conference right next door to our nation's capital at such a pivotal time in our country's history. We believe it is very significant that the transgender community will be gathering in the Washington, D.C. area just two weeks after the presidential inauguration.

2009 is a critical year for our community in terms of securing the same employment rights and protections enjoyed by the rest of society, and we firmly believe that this conference will create momentum for change that will carry through the rest of the year."

That change she articulated is the expected introduction of a transgender inclusive ENDA and Hate Crimes bill that the community has high hopes will pass with expanded progressive majorities in the House and Senate and a president in the White House who will sign it.

As with any IFGE Conference, in addition to the informative seminars, the highlight is the presentation of the IFGE Trinity Awards. While there won't be any additions to the exclusive club of African-American Trinity winners (2000 Dawn Wilson, 2002 Dr. Marisa Richmond, 2006 moi), the Trinity Class of 2009 will consist of Lisa Mottet, Gunnar Scott and Spencer Bergstedt.

The IFGE Conference's target audience is anyone and everyone who is part of, allied with, or of service to the Transgender Community. So if you're in the Washington DC metro area, you may want to check out IFGE 2009.

Thank You

Thank you to all the people who are showing me, and continue to do so love in the voting for Best GLBT Blog in the 2008 edition of the Weblog Awards.

Yeah, Towleroad is running away with this, but to be a finalist in this competition is a major achievement. It will not change my focus in continuing to create a quality blog for people to peruse and talk about issues in the transgender and GLB community from an Afrocentric viewpoint.

Lord knows it's needed now more than ever.

It's also needed for our sakes. To let transwomen of color know that you can aim your dreams much higher. That you have a history and people to be proud of and that there are biosisters that don't hate you, but wish to embrace you.

Voting Starts For Weblog Awards Today

Sometime today the voting for the Weblog Awards will kick off and run until January 12.

Once the polling does start, you are allowed to vote once every 24 hours until the polling closes.

The Weblog peeps are testing everything out to make sure it runs smoothly and if it gets started late, then the polling will be extended until January 13.

2008 Weblog Awards Voting Page

Y'all knew I was going to make it as seamless as possible for you to vote in the 2008 Weblog Awards Best LGBT Blog poll that runs from January 5-12.

In addition to clicking on the finalist badge to access the poll, here's the link to the Best LGBT Blog Voting Page

http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/best-lgbt-blog/

If you wish to cast ballots in the other polls, here's the link to the main page
http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/

I wasn't the only transgender blogger nominated. Zoe, one of my frequent commenters is a finalist in the best Australian and New Zealand Blog.

Two of my AfroSpear colleagues blogs are also finalists
Rev. Lisa Vazquez's Black Women, Blow the Trumpet is a finalist in the Best Small Blog Category

The field negro is also a finalist in the Best Individual Blog Category.

Thanks to Kevin Aylward and his team for creating, moderating and doing yeoman's work in putting these awards together.

Congratulations Angela!

Monica Helms sent me the word a few days ago, but I need to take a moment to congratulate an old friend who was named Q-Notes Person of the Year.

I've served with Angela Brightfeather on the NTAC board, have walked the halls of Congress with her, hung out at various conventions with her, and she was one of the people in the room when I picked up my Trinity in 2006.

She also beat my behind soundly on the pool table in the Philly hotel's sports lounge during that same 2006 IFGE convention.

Nevertheless, she's a role model to myself and many of us. She serves as the vice president of TAVA, the Transgender American Veteran's Assn and is a tireless advocate for transgender veterans issues. She also excels at keeping HRC 'ejumacated' and fighting for the civil rights of transpeople in North Carolina and around the nation.

She keeps us focused on the bigger prize of equality for all, and it's nice to see one of the good peeps in the community win a well deserved honor.

Congratulations Angela!

2008 Weblog Awards Finalist!

Hey TransGriot readers, just wanted to let you know that I did get my Christmas wish this year. This blog is one of the ten finalists for 2008 Best LGBT Blog!

Here's my esteemed competition:

Joe.My.God.
Towleroad
The Bilerico Project
Pam's House Blend
Susie Bright's Journal
Tammy Bruce
This Girl Called Automatic Win
Gay Patriot
Blabbeando

To be part of this list is a huge honor. Pam's House Blend won it two years in a row (2005-2006) and was a finalist last year. Joe.My.God. was the 2007 winner. The Bilerico Project is a finalist for the second year in a row.

Congratulations to Lisa at Black Women, Blow The Trumpet, who is a finalist in the Best Small Blog Category

There were over 5000 nominations submitted this year, and over 290 in the Best LGBT blog category. I submitted a nomination for the award last year but didn't make the final cut.

So yeah, I'm deliriously happy right now. I've got some tough competition, with the voting starting on January 5 and running through January 12.

Here are the rest of the finalists in the various categories, and good luck to 'errbody' when the voting starts.

But that 'Best 2008 GLBT blog winner' button would sure look good on TransGriot!