Being Honored With A 2015 Transgender Pioneer Award!

One of the long running transgender themed conventions I have never been able to attend is the Fantasia Fair in Provincetown, MA.

Fantasia Fair is the oldest and longest running annual trans themed event of its kind, having first started in 1975 in this LGBT friendly resort town on Cape Cod... 

Even going back to my Air Marshal days, I've always wanted to attend Fantasia Fair, but for various reasons including the timing of it, I was never able to make my schedule work for that to happen. 

When the 2015 edition of it kicks off October 19-26, I'll finally be in the Fantasia Fair house

I was informed earlier today that  I will be honored with the 2015 Virginia Prince Transgender Pioneer Award.   I was not only shocked to find out this is happening, I'll be making a little history when I do so.  I will be the first African-American trans person ever to receive it.

The Transgender Pioneer Award is given by the nonprofit Real Life Experiences, and it honors leaders in trans* communities who have freely given of their time, energy, and money, often at a private cost to their careers and personal relationships.

So yes, I have a few months to put together a keynote speech for it.   Also looking forward to to the trip to that part of the country and hope we'll have some wonderful October weather in Provincetown for it.

I'm A MUSED Magazine 2014 Game Changer!

While I was taking the rest of the day off  so I could binge watch Hit & Miss and see a few other movies,  I received word via my Facebook page that I'd been blessed with another unexpected honor.

MUSED magazine is a Black LGBT publication that started last year compiling a list of people they considered game changers in the Black LGBT community, but weren't well known to the rest of the world.

On their list of 2014 Game Changers, you'll see a familiar name on it

Actually, there's two names familiar to you TransGriot readers.   One is mine, and the other is my homegirl Kimberley McLeod, the founding editor of ELIXHER magazine,

But thank you MUSED magazine for the early Christmas present and the honor of being named to your second annual Game Changers List.   It is deeply appreciated.

. 

Been Nominated For Another Local Award!

Wasn't expecting this one either, but thanks to Suezen Hoza, another nominee, I was advised that I was nominated in the  2014 edition of the First Achievers Community Excellence or FACE Awards.

They are being coordinated by AbOUT Magazine and the Montrose Star, and the awards ceremony will be held at Neon Boots Dancehall on December 8 starting at 8 PM.

The awards are currently being voted on right now.   I'm nominated in the Activist of the Year category along with Ray Hill, Noel Freeman and Lane Lewis.

I'm honored just to be named with such distinguished company, and we'll see how it plays out on December 8.  

Congratulations to all the nominees, and we'll see who walks home with the awards in the various categories on that date.

OutSmart 2014 Gayest and Greatest Awards Party

You know for me to miss Scandal, this had to be pretty darned important.

I  mentioned in a previous post that I had been honored with two 2014 OutSmart Readers Choice Award wins for Favorite Blogger (Female) and Favorite  Tweeter (Female).  

I was also a finalist along with Kristen Capps for the Most Prominent LGBT Female Activist award that was won by Christina Gorczynski

Tonight at FBar was the event in which all the awards winners and finalists picked them up.  Since I was in need of a night considering the drama I've been through lately to put my nice clothes and other face on, I happily headed in that direction for the event that started at 7 PM .

Didn't take me long after arriving at the venue before I started running into my Houston activist community peeps congratulating me for the multiple wins. 

It was nice to have the acknowledgment was  of the community of the hard work I put into creating an informative blog and the activism I do to advance our human rights cause.

But for me, I'm motivated to do what I do for the next generation.   I want to make sure that the next generation of trans and SGL kids now growing up aren't having to fight tooth and nail just for basic human rights coverage.


It was also nice to see Mayor Annise Parker and First Lady Kathy Hubbard there along with Councilmember Robert Gallegos.

And it also great seeing Brandon Mack, Augie Augustine, Ashton Woods, Jacques Bourgeois, Brad Pritchett, Noel Freeman, Bryan Hlavinka, JD Doyle, and Kristen Capps.

It was also cool talking to many new peeps I met tonight about a wide variety of issues as the night wore on.

Once again, megathanks for all the OutSmart readers who voted for me in all three categories.  I'm honored and humbled by it.
 
Will be interesting to see how these Readers Choice awards shake out in 2015

Malala Wins The Nobel Peace Prize!

Exactly two years and one day removed from the horrific day Taliban terrorists boarded her school bus and tried her to kill her for being an outspoken advocate for the education of girls in her homeland, it was announced by the Nobel Committee that 17 year old Malala Yousafzai has won the Nobel Peace Prize.

She becomes the youngest winner ever of this award and shares it with 60 year old Indian activist Kalaish Satyarthi, who like Yousafzai, has devoted his life to ensuring that women and young children have access to education.

Satyarthi was an engineer who in 1980 left his career to campaign against child labor.

The Nobel Committee got it right this time, and I couldn't be happier to see this young human rights warrior get this well deserved award.

Both she and Satyarthi will be in Oslo on December 10 to receive their awards.

Thanks OutSmart Readers For The Dual Wins!

As I've said more than a few times on the blog, in numerous panel discussions and speeches, I don't do the activism I do for awards.   But it sure is nice when the work you put into advancing the human rights of yourself and others gets recognized by the people you are fighting for.

OutSmart Magazine is a monthly LGBT themed publication here in Houston.  It does an annual Readers Choice Award, and in the 2014 edition I was shocked to discover that I was nominated in three categories.  

Even better, I won in two of them.

Considering the lousy, unnecessary drama filled second half of September I've had, it was much needed positive news.

I was nominated along with Kristen Capps and winner Christina Gorczynski in the Most Prominent LGBT Female Activist category.   I was also nominated for the Favorite Blogger female and Favorite Tweeter female categories which I won.

I'm humbled by the support of my local community, and thank you OutSmart readers and everyone who voted for me for the dual wins.   It's deeply appreciated. 

Congratulations also goes out to all the nominees and winners in this year's 2014 Gayest and Greatest poll.

2014 GLAAD Media Awards, NY Division Tonight

While I'm in Dallas at the moment hanging out with my BTAC peeps, I will have one eye turned in the direction of New York City's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. 

Later tonight I'll discover like everyone else if I got an early birthday present and get to make a little more trans history in the process. 

The GLAAD Media Awards are taking place this evening, and as many of you loyal readers know TransGriot was nominated in the Outstanding Blog category.    I'm honored, pleased and happy that I'm the first trans feminine blogger to ever be nominated in this category.  

I thank you all for your unwavering support of this blog over the last eight years.  I thank you for occasionally dropping cash in the TransGriot tip jar and sharing my posts on you Facebook and Twitter feeds so they do get read.   I thank you for the confidence you have expressed in me that I am doing my best to fulfill the mission I laid out for this blog in being a unapologetically Black trans voice for this community telling it like it T-I-S is on subjects inside and outside the TBLG community.. 

I thank you and I'm humbled by your glowing assessments of my chances of seeing that GLAAD award land on my trophy shelf, but the reality is I do have some stiff competition in this category.

Kimberley McLeod's Elixher, Alvin McEwen's Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters , Autostraddle and The New Civil Rights Movement  are no slouchy blogs either.  This is the second nomination for Autostraddle and the third for The New Civil Rights Movement.   

Kimberley and Alvin are quality people I have much love and the utmost respect for as well

So we'll see in a few hours if I can officially say that TransGriot is a GLAAD Media Award Winning Blog and give my haters something else to dislike me for.

Should they call my name tonight, I would be the first trans blogger ever to win the Outstanding Blog award in the short history of this category that started in 2011.

But if I don't, it was an honor just to be named as one of the five finalists in that category.   

2014 GLAAD Media Awards LA

Saturday night on the Left Coast the GLAAD Media Awards, LA Division were held in the Beverly Hilton Hotel.  My category will be announced May 3 in New York, and won't be done during the live event. 

Jennifer Lopez was presented with GLAAD's Vanguard Award by the legendary Rita Moreno. 

The Vanguard Award honors efforts to increase visibility and understanding of the TBLG community.   In addition to being an outspoken advocate for the community, Lopez serves as executive producer of the ABC Family series "The Fosters," which centers on a lesbian couple raising their children.

"The Fosters" also won the award for outstanding drama series.




Laverne Cox was presented with the Stephen J. Kolzak Award,  which is given to an openly trans, bi, lesbian or gay member of the entertainment community who have made a significant difference in promoting equality for the TBLG community.   The previous recipients of the Kolzak award have included Wanda Sykes, Rufus Wainwright, Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres and Ian McKellen, and Laverne's name has now joined that distinguished list..

Countdown To The GLAAD Media Awards

The Los Angeles ones are happening April 12, and congrats to my homegirl Laverne Cox for receiving GLAAD's Stephen F Kolzak Award.    The Kolzak Award is presented to a person who has made a significant difference in the promotion of LGBTQ equality and yep, Laverne definitely fits that bill.  .

The past winners of it are Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes, Melissa Etheridge, Rufus Wainwright and Sir Ian McKellen.

As for my category, I'll find out a month from now along with my fellow nominees in the GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Blog category if I make history by becoming the first trans blogger ever to win it.

Would be a nice early birthday present, but have some stiff competition in this category with Kimberley McLeod's Elixher (of which my posts appear at times) , Alvin McEwen's Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters, multiple nominee Autostraddle and The New Civil Rights Movement.

As I said in my post when I heard about the nomination, it's nice when you get recognized for the hard work you put in to maintain a quality blog.  When you get nominated, the hard part is over.  All the nomination does is give you a chance to win it.  

While I have appreciated the congratulations and the confidence many of you have expressed in me and my chances to win this with my first nomination, it's not official until they call my name May 3. 

And nope New York trans peeps, since this category won't be announced during the live show, no point in me coming up there.  But there is probably a New York trip in my future assuming I get an invite to speak in the area.  

Congrats Cecilia!

Congrats to my Cali homegirl Cecilia Chung, who along with trans women Desiree Jade Sol and Dayna Sinopoli were honored Monday by the California State Assembly as Women of the Year. 

Every year each California state lawmaker selects one person in their assembly district for the honor who have broken down barriers and helped fight for equality.  

Assemblyman Phil Ting, (D-San Francisco), honored San Francisco resident Cecilia.   Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) selected Desiree Jade Sol of West Hollywood; and Assemblyman Mark Stone, (D-Monterey Bay), chose Dayna Sinopoli of Monterey Bay.

In addition to being honored in a ceremony on the floor of the California Assembly, she and the other honorees received resolutions celebrating her accomplishments.  

I've known Cecilia for years and finally got to meet the senior advisor to the Transgender Law Center in person during Creating Change 2014.  She's also a health commissioner at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, plays a leadership role in international organizations such as the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) and the Sero Project.

She's also been a trans trailblazer in her own right.   She was the first deputy director of the San Francisco based Transgender law Center, the first trans woman and first Asian to be elected to lead the Board of Directors of San Francisco’s LGBT Pride Celebration, and the first person living openly with HIV to Chair the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.  

Under her leadership, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission documented widespread discrimination against transgender people and prompted the city to adopt many pioneering anti-discrimination ordinances and policies.

"Cecilia has an inspiring record of breaking down barriers," said Assemblyman Ting. "Her bravery and brains have made our community a more compassionate and welcoming place. As we strive for even greater equality, we can simply look to her for a roadmap forward. Cecilia's passion and commitment to equality know no bounds."

I Received A 2014 GLAAD Media Award Nomination!

Was surprised and pleased to find out during Creating Change Houston that I may have made a little Black  and trans history.

TransGriot received its first ever GLAAD Media Award nomination in the Outstanding Blog category   I'm the first trans feminine blogger ever to have received a nomination in this category and second overall.   Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler's blac(k)ademic last year became the first trans blog ever to receive a nomination in this category.    

However, I have some stiff competition in this category.    Kimberley McLeod's Elixher (of which my posts appear at times) is nominated along with Alvin McEwen's Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters.

The other nominees in this category are Autostraddle and The New Civil Rights Movement.

Like I said tough competition.  All are quality blogs.  Two of the founding editors of the nominated blogs in Kimberley and Alvin are personal friends and I have mad respect for their blogs. .  I read the other two nominees as well and have met people affiliated with them at the LGBT Media Journalist Convening and hopefully will see them in DC later this month.
 
But as I've said a few times when it comes to these award nominations, it's nice when they recognize the hard work you put in to do a quality blog.  You also can't win an award unless you're nominated for it, and the hard part is over.  I'm in it, and hopefully I'll win it on my first nomination attempt..  

Best of luck to everyone nominated in this Outstanding Blog category

Is there a trip to Los Angeles (April 12) or New York (May 3) in my future?   We'll see.

TransGriot Update:  I'm the first transfeminine blogger to earn a GLAAD award nomination and the SECOND overall.   Kortney Ziegler's blac(k)ademic was nominated in the Outstanding Blog category last year won by Rod 2.0.   Story has been corrected to reflect that.
 

Paris Lees Tops Britain's 2013 Pink List!

If it seems like to the rest of the world 2013 has been British trans journalist, advocate and media presenter Paris Lees' breakout year in terms of getting British national and increasing international attention as a voice for the trans community across The Pond, actually it wasn't. 

Lees has been a rising personality in the British trans ranks for several years now as the founding editor of META magazine, Britain's first trans themed magazine, an It Gets Better video, winning a 2012 National Diversity Award , and being an instrumental player in the discussions the British trans community had with Channel 4 that has led to more positive portrayals of transpeople there.



Paris Lees rocky rise to prominence and status as one of the torchbearing voices in the British trans community has gained more cachet as she recently was named to the number one spot in the 2013 edition of The Independent Pink List of 101 influential British TBLG people

And her trans cousins on this side of The Pond couldn't be happier for her.

So what's next for this groundbreaking 25 year trans leader?  Stay tuned, because it's going to be interesting for transpeople on both sides of The Pond and internationally to watch.

Janet Mock NY Anti-Violence Project Courage Award Speech

Speaking of people who will probably need to build trophy cases for the awards, deserved recognition and accolades they are getting, Janet Mock and Laverne Cox both received 2013 Courage Awards from the New York City Anti Violence Project on September 26.

During her acceptance speech, Janet spoke about the recently murdered Eyricka Morgan, who remains misgendered by Newark Star-Ledger stenographer Sue Epstein because she refuses to change her original inaccurate story. 

DR. KRZ Named To 2013 The Root 100 List!

As I said when I was congratulating him in a previous post for the award he's getting from the Transgender Law Center October 3, at the rate he's collecting accolades, awards and honors  he's probably going to need to build a trophy case.

The Root announced its list of 100 influencers and achievers, and in addition to people like Danielle Moodie-Mills, Jay Z, Serena Williams, Benjamin Jealous, and Corey Booker is our brother Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler.

This is a big deal to be named to the Root 100 list and I couldn't be happier and more proud of him as a fellow African descended trans person..

Congratulations again Kortney!

The Emmy Blackout Continues

For the first time in several years I actually sat down to watch the Emmy Awards because of Kerry Washington's potential to make history tonight.

No African-American actress has ever won the Emmy in the Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series category, and with her nomination for Scandal, Washington was the first African-American actress to be nominated in this category in the 21st century and the first since 1995.

Debbie Allen (“Fame”; 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985), Alfre Woodard (“St. Elsewhere”; 1986), Regina Taylor (“I’ll Fly Away”; 1992, 1993) and Cicely Tyson (“Sweet Justice”; 1995) were the four previous African-American women nominated in this category who didn't get the win.

So hopes were high that she'd finally end that drought but alas the blackout continues. 

She didn't win the Emmy tonight, Claire Danes won her third.   Don Cheadle and Alfre Woodard didn't win in their categories either.

And they wonder why African-Americans don't tune into the Emmys and Oscars and we have our own awards shows.  It's because we're tired of watching our people bust their ass, do the work to get nominated and get screwed.

That's okay Kerry, we love you and know you should have been standing up there making history tonight.
   
Another season of Scandal starts October 3, so let's hope the Academy rectifies their error, nominates her again in 2014 and this time she wins it.

Dr. KRZ Being Honored By TLC October 3!

At the rate he's collecting awards, he may need to build a trophy case soon. 

Was happy to find out that my Left Coast trans brother and fellow blogger Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler will be honored by the Transgender Law Center at their upcoming October 3 SPARK! gala with the inaugural Authentic Life Award.

As Shawn Demmons stated in his commentary about Dr. Z posted on the TLC website and I wholeheartedly agree with:

"In his filmmaking, writing and community engagement, Kortney is forward thinking - he's creating opportunities and visible space for transgender people broadly, and transgender people of color especially."

Yes, he is.  And the recently concluded Trans*H4CK was just another sterling example of Kortney's ability to come up with creatively innovative solutions to advance the cause of trans human rights and expand visibility for trans people of color.

Hope you peeps in the Bay Area are planning on showing Dr. Z some love when that October night happens.

Congratulations, Dr Z!  Can't think of a better person for TLC to give the first ever Authentic Life Award to. 

Kerry Washington Gets Emmy Nomination!

Y'all know how much I love Kerry Washington, and was happy to hear that she has received an Emmy nomination for her critically acclaimed work on my fave show Scandal.

She was nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category, but I was shocked and not surprised to learn that in the 64 year history of the Emmys, in this particular category only four African-American women have ever been nominated and NONE of them won.

In case you're wondering who those four women are, Debbie Allen (“Fame”; 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985), Alfre Woodard (“St. Elsewhere”; 1986), Regina Taylor (“I’ll Fly Away”; 1992, 1993) and Cicely Tyson (“Sweet Justice”; 1995)

What's even more disgusting is that no African-American woman has been nominated for this category since 1995 and Kerry Washington is the first African-American woman to receive a nomination in this category in the 21st Century. 

There have been others who deserved nominations for their work such as Jada Pinkett Smith for HawthoRNe, Khandi Alexander for Treme and Angela Bassett during the final season of ER but all were snubbed. 

That dearth of African-American winners is probably one of the reasons I tend to ignore the Emmys when they are on TV, but I won't be doing so this year because it could be a historic night.

Don Cheadle and Alfre Woodard also received Emmy nominations..

It will be interesting to see if Kerry Washington's stylishly dressed self will be picking up that Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series trophy on September 22.

Kim Coco Iwamoto Being Honored As A Harvey Milk Champion Of Change

The White House will honor ten TBLG officials on Harvey Milk Day and one of them will be a girl like us.

Kim Coco Iwamoto, who is serving her first term on the state of Hawaii's Civil Rights Commission and previously served the state as an elected member of the Hawaii State Board of Education, is one of the people being honored on Wednesday, Harvey Milk's birthday as a Harvey Milk Champion of Change

The White House Champions of Change program was established in 2011 to spotlight ordinary citizens who are doing extraordinary things for to their community, their country, and their fellow citizens.  In that tradition, the Harvey Milk Champions of Change highlights a small group of TBLG state and local elected and appointed officials who have demonstrated a strong commitment to both equality and public service.

In addition to Kim Coco Iwamoto, the other Harvey Milk Champions of Change for 2013 are:

• Simone Bell – Georgia State Representative, Atlanta, GA
• Angie Buhl O’Donnell – South Dakota State Senator, Sioux Falls, SD
• Karen Clark – Minnesota State Representative, South Minneapolis, MN
• Michael A. Gin – Mayor of Redondo Beach, Redondo Beach, CA
• John Laird – California Secretary of Natural Resources, Santa Cruz, CA
• Ricardo Lara – California State Senator, Long Beach, CA
• Kim Painter – Johnson Country Recorder, Iowa City, IA
• Chris Seelbach – Cincinnati City Council Member, Cincinnati, OH
• Pat Steadman – Colorado State Senator, Denver,

Congratulations to Kim Coco and the other 2013 Harvey Milk Champions of Change for receiving this high honor. 

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill Wins GLAAD Outstanding Digital Journalism Award

Dr Marc Lamont Hill was presented with the award for Outstanding Digital Journalism Article by Trans 100 honorees actress Laverne Cox and writer and filmmaker Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler at the 24^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco on Saturday night.

Hill won the award for his Ebony.com piece "Why Aren't We Fighting for CeCe McDonald?"

While the Ebony magazine print version has garnered several GLAAD Media Awards this was the first time Ebony.com has won a GLAAD award.  

During his moving acceptance speech, Dr. Hill led the audience in a "Free CeCe" chant.

Jazz Accepts Trevor Foundation Colin Higgins Youth Courage Award

As Scripture says, and a little child shall lead them.  

Y'all know how much I love Jazz.  Even though this happened back on June 25, 2012, wanted to post something about her becoming the youngest person at age 11 to receive the Trevor Foundation's Colin Higgins Youth Courage Award.

Jazz has been an activist and voice for for trans kids since she was six.  In the wake of being denied the opportunity to play in her local soccer youth league because of transphobia, she spent two years getting the US Soccer Federation to craft policies that will allow transkids to play the beautiful game.

Well done and can't think of a better person for the Trevor Foundation to honor with this award. 

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