OUT On The Hill-The LGBT Congressional Staff Association Briefing

Dense Leclair and I took off from our undisclosed location in NW Washington DC and hit the subway enroute to the first event of the 2011 OUT on the Hill schedule at the Congressional Visitors Center.

I was also interested in finding out who was here for OUT on the Hill.  . 

The event Denise and I were attending was a scheduled 5-7 PM panel discussion sponsored by the LGBT Congressional Staff Association with the theme of 'Brother Outsider: Linking the Racial Justice and LGBT Equality Movement.'  

Denise and I got there in plenty of time although I had to go through security a few times because my low heel  boots were setting off the metal detector.   I wasn't alone because a few people had to do the same thing for various reasons. 

Note to self: don't wear those tomorrow.

I was also interested in finding out who was here for OUT on the Hill and immediately ran into Diego Sanchez and Kylar Broadus in addition to having a few of my FB friends and TransGriot readers introduce themselves to me before the panel got started.    

The panel's moderator was Robert Traynham of Comcast and the panelists for this discussion not only included Kylar, but ESPN's LZ Granderson, NAACP Washington DC bureau director Hilary Shelton, NBJC ED/CEO Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Carolyn Brown of Black Enterprise magazine, Courtney Snowden of the Raben Group and George Walker of the Victory Fund.  .

In addition to some scripted questions, they took some thoughtful questions from the audience. And yes, I wrote a question that got read to the panel and answered by Hilary Shelton and others.

The question I asked?  In light of the fact that the recent NAACP LGBT town hall had no bi or trans representation, when will African Americans  inside and outside the LGBT community have that family discussion about the transgender community and our issues?

After Shelton asked for a clarification, I along with Diego pointed out that the LA convention panel had no bi and trans representation and was heavy on the GL portion of it.  That question triggered a 15 minute discussion on trans issues which up until that point was heavily GL centric.

Since it didn't get started until 5:30, the panel concluded at 7:30 PM.   Shook hands with Hilary Shelton and had a brief discussion with him, hugged Sharon Lettman-Hicks and told her how glad I was to be here for OUT on the Hill,. had a thoughtful conversation with LZ Granderson and thanked him for the piece he wrote for CNN panning the 'Gay Is the The New Black' slogan, and talked to two students from Howard about a panel discussion on trans issues they are doing on campus soon.   

Also got to meet Stacey Long from the Task Force and Kim McLeod from GLAAD and other OUT on the Hill attendees.before I rejoined Kylar, Denise and Diego to discuss trans community and other 'bidness'.

I was also thanked by several people who attended the discussion for asking that question

Hey, it needed to be asked.  If you say an event is supposed to be TBLG, some 'B' and 'T' discussion and inclusion needs to happen, too.

And on that note, have a long day ahead of me tomorrow.  Gotta be up early tomorrow to register and be bright eyed and bushy tailed for the Out On the Hill Opening Session.

See y'all tomorrow.

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2011 TTNS-Day 2 Recap

After allowing myself some extra beauty sleep because I got in late from the welcome barbecue at the TG Center and compiled the post recapping the Texas Transgender Non Discrimination Summit's Day one activities, it was back to the University of Houston campus for the second day of TTNS events.

After we assembled in the Roy Cullen building's Room 104 at 10 AM to begin the second day, we were treated to the welcoming speech by Dr. Wyman Herendeen, the chair of the UH Department of English after intros from Lou and Maria.   

The TTNS trivia contest continued with Team 3 finally getting on the contest scoreboard by answering a question correctly about the May 1959 Los Angeles Cooper's Donuts riots.

We then launched into our third set of concurrent sessions in which I once again had to choose between two excellent presenters and topics.  

It was either Katy Stewart's 'Transgender Health Priorities: A Knowledge, Barriers, Vulnerabilities Model' one in Room 105 or the one I did attend in Room 102 that was conducted by Resource Center Dallas' Rafael McDonnell entitled 'Inclusive Language and Policies For School Districts and Junior Colleges:: A How To Toolkit'.  

Rafael is one of the people I correspond with on a regular basis and finally got the pleasure thanks to the TTNS of meeting him last night and talking shop with him on a few issues.  

As a TK I like education policy issues and Rafael took us through a fascinating two hours of info concerning the backstory of their efforts in Dallas and how the education policy hierarchy is set up for the over 1000 independent school districts in Texas.   He also dropped a very interesting tidbit about Texas Junior College policy that came as a pleasant surprise to us Houston area activists.

We looked at the policies in the Amarillo and San Antonio ISD's as a case study, and noted the similarities as Rafael pointed out the areas that needed to be focused on by BTLG activists in order to enact comprehensve rights coverage for TLBG people and students.  The presentation also focused on how to do the same for the 50 junior colleges in the Lone State State. It was pointed out that only 5 have policies with sexual orientation language and only one has sexual orientation- Gender Identity and expression language.

Once he wrapped up the presentation and took questions, we moved back to Room 104 for Meghan Stabler's keynote speech.  Once again she's one of the people I have regular contact with and it was a sincere pleasure meeting her.   I also got a chance to chat with someone I haven't seen in years in Stacey Langley-Watts and her husband Michael.

Meghan's speech was entitled 'You, A Life Worth Living' and she talked about some triumphs and challenges in her own life as she inspiringly spoke about the themes of living our trans lives with pride, dignity and being cognizant of the legacy we leave behind.

After Meghan answered some questions and finished her keynote speech it was time for Lorraine to read another trivia question.  Team 2 finally got on the TTNS trivia contest scoreboard with a correct answer before we broke for lunch inside Roy Cullen. 

During that lunch we were not only catching up with each other and in some cases talking political shop, w were also chatting with the media folks who just as they were doing for Day 1 of the TTNS, were recording the events of Day 2.   I got a chance to talk to a reporter for the UH student newspaper The Daily Cougar and talk about Texas A&M's women's NCAA b-ball championship run with Phyllis.    


The final concurrent sessions for the 2011 TTNS once again made it tough to decide which one to attend.  It was either listening to Judge Phyllis Frye break down Transgender Case Law in Room 102 or head to room 105 and check out Jenifer Rene Pool and Chris Busby's seminar entitled 'Building Grassroots Change In Your Community.'

As much as I like listening to Phyllis and Darrell Steidley talk about legal issues, I ended up in Chris and Jenifer's seminar.  I wanted to hear the story on how we got to the point that we had the historic win Thursday night, since much of this process transpired while I was in Kentucky.


In addition to Jenifer and Chris discussing that HISD backstory and how it played out over three years, thy also talked about grassroots activism.   They pointed out one of the most important questions you should ask before formulating any grassroots organizing strategy is What Do I Want?     They pointed out it needs to be the question you focus on like a laser bean and never forget even while going through the ups and downs in attaining your ultimate goals.   

They also stressed another point in you being the advocate.   There are times that we shouldn't or can't depend on major orgs to come in at a grassroots level and do the civil rights work for us.   Sometimes we have to be the advocate and do it ourselves.   We also can't assume that others are doing it for us either. 

When those seminars were over we returned to Room 104 to conduct the finale for the TTNS Trivia Quiz and hand out the prizes.  Moni had to go potty because all the liquid refreshments she was drinking started catching up with her and while I was gone they asked the question.   It was one that stumped most of the people in the room by the time I saunter back in.   While I'm walking through the doors of Room 104 Lorraine and several people asked me what team I was on as I'm getting seated.  After replying I was on Team 5 I ask her to repeat the question.

The question that stumped the room?   Who was the transperson in the book and movie Midnight In The Garden of Good And Evil?  I start smiling because I knew who she was. I have an autographed copy of the Lady Chablis autobiography Hiding My Candy on my bookshelf.

Well, my correct answer gave Team 5 the trivia contest win and we got to take home UH LGBT center badge lanyards as our prize.  I joked after giving the correct answer 'It pays to be the trans community historian."

The summit is starting to wind down to its final acts for 2011 as we talk during a moderated discussion about future plans for the community and the TTNS.   The 2012 site is yet to be determined, and it is the intent of the founders for this not to be just a Houston party, but move it all over the state. 

That's a hint for you peeps who want to consider hosting the TTNS on your campus to put your bids in for the 2012, 2013, 2014..(you get the drift) future events. 

After remarks from Josephine, the 2011 TTNS came to a close.

Once again, I felt a little sadness that it was over.   It's always a pleasure to get to meet and see people from different parts of the state, and it excites me when I get an opportunity to do that.

Well, looking forward to the 2012 event, wherever it happens.

2011 TTNS-Day 1 Recap

Time flies when you are waiting for an event to happen, and I've been looking forward to this day since last year's Texas Transgender Non Discrimination Summit concluded at Rice University.

Yesterday I made the short trip from home to check out the action for the 3rd annual TTNS. As you probably guessed with the heat wave and drought conditions we've been experiencing in the Lone Star State lately the heat and humidity were already smacking me in the face when I left the house so I could be strutting my statuesque behind onto the University of Houston campus and through Roy Cullen's doors by 9 AM.

It was nice and cool inside as we started gathering around Room 104 to pick up our packets and get breakfast before the event kicked off at 10:00 AM     Had a wonderful chat with Renee from HCC and deposited some flyers for the upcoming NBJC Out On The Hill Summit event next month on the information table before we were advised by the organizers to head into Room 104 and get seated. 

The TTNS kicked off right on schedule with some opening remarks from Lou Weaver and a welcome from Dr. Ira Colby, the Dean of the UH Graduate College of Social Work.   In addition to expressing his happiness about the TTNS returning to campus, during his remarks gave us a synopsis on just how far the social works academic and professional community has advanced on TBLG issues since the last decade.

We were then treated to the reading of the first of two resolutions honoring the TTNS.   The first came from Texas state Rep. Garnet Coleman (D-Houston), a friend of our TBLG community. UH is is in his state legislative district.  

The second came from Houston City Councilmember at large Jolanda Jones, who also happens to be a UH alum and was matriculating on the campus at the same time I was.

After the initial proclamation was read it was time for an icebreaker event conducted by UH LGBT Center Director and TTNS board member Lorraine Schroeder that was designed for us to get to know our fellow TTNS participants.  

I was paired up with Jaime, Patrick, and Amanda.   We got to the business of not only introducing ourselves to each other, we were tasked to come up with a question to post on the board for everyone else in the room to ponder.

Those questions compiled in our various groups jumpstarted a very interesting and lively discussion on a wide range of trans specific issues before we moved on to the next portion of the scheduled programming.   

We were paired off in groups numbered from 1-6 to take part in a trivia game that is ongoing through the event.   teams oat various intervals are randomly selected and asked GLBT trivia questions.  

My Team 5 so far is has gotten our question right along with Team 4.    Just thought I'd remind you TTNS attendees about that. 

After a break, it was time for our Day 1 keynote speaker Dr. Paige Schilt to take center stage along with students Siobhan Cooke and Jordan Johnson.  It was an informative multimedia presentation and case study on how gender neutral housing was achieved at Southwestern University in Georgetown,.TX .  

The other cool thing about the presentation for me personally was I finally got to meet another fellow Bilerico contributor in Paige.   I had a small world moment when I discovered her father Dr. Alex Schilt, who was watching her presentation was UH chancellor when I was walking the campus. I got to meet her sister Kristen as well. .

Nikki Araguz was in the house as well along with Judge Phyllis Frye.   I also got to see LaKeia Spady, who I met at last year's event and is now studying at UH.   Also had some of my Aggie rainbow family in the house and Maria Gonzales from the Houston GLBT Caucus.

After the presentation of the second proclamation, we broke for lunch at the A.D Bruce Religion Center next door.   It's the building where we host our TDOR events in H-town, and unfortunately we are going to be reading a long list of names once again this year. 

We had media in the house besides the TransGriot.   There was a cameraman from KIAH TV 39 along with a reporter from the Dallas Voice and Daniel Williams from Legislative Queery.   I relied on his blog to keep me and you informed about developments during the 2011 Texas Legislative session of importance to the rainbow community.     


After lunch we returned to Roy Cullen and I had to make the difficult choice of deciding which seminar I wanted to attend and report on.   I chose Mitchell Katine's informative presentation in Room 102 of 'Recent Developments in Transgender Legal Rights'.   In addition to covering the backstory with Bowers v. Hardwick and the Lawrence v. Texas cases, the presentation covered the Texas Equal Rights Amendment, the Araguz case, and employment law.   Benjamin Ha took us through immigration law as it apples to trans people before we ended it with a question and answer session. 

The other seminar that was being conducted in Room 105 was 'Creating Gay Straight Alliances' by Deb Murphy of the Montrose Counseling Center.

After a few minutes, we had to choose between two more seminars, and I decided to sit in on Dr. Kim Case and Jo Tittsworth's presentation in Room 105 covering 'Transgender Inclusion in University Non Discrimination Statements'.  Kim and Jo's session was a fast paced and humorous at times recounting of the things that were done right and the things that were done wrong in pursuing a non discrimination statement at UH-Clear Lake. 

The concurrent session that was transpiring in Room 102 was one conducted by Prof. Kristen Ploeger entitled 'The Transitioning Diversity at Texas State'. 

After finishing up with final housekeeping announcements for the day, the action shifted to the TG Center in Montrose for the barbecue dinner and social which featured plenty of good food and great conversation that took us well into the evening.   

But as much fun as I was having, there come the time that you have to reluctantly call it a night.  I needed to get back home to compile this post while the events were still fresh on my mind and get my beauty sleep.  

It was a long information filled and satisfying day as I expected it would be, and I hope that Day 2 of the Texas Transgender Non Discrimination Summit will bring more of the same when it starts in just a few short hours.

But it looks like I'll have to bring my own chocolate for the chocolate break, darn it.