Diamond Stylz-Am I A Dick?

I've needed to post another one of Diamond Stylz's videos for you TransGriot readers for a while. 

In this one she talks about gender roles, the importance of the body and the double standards the gender roles create.

Georgia Cis Woman Asked To Prove Femininity To Correct Birth Certificate Error

For those of you who are skeptical of the point I repeatedly make that Black trans issues are Black community issues as well, I submit that after her recent drama, 37 year old Nakia Grimes of Clayton County, GA would be the latest cis person saying amen to that.

Her birth certificate contained a typo on it listing her in the gender code as male that she'd never noticed, but an unidentified female employee in the Georgia Department of Public Records did.

As part of the restrictive Voter ID laws that many Republican controlled dictatorships states have enacted to make it harder to get a driver's license so you can then vote, they require you to produce a birth certificate in order to get it.   

When she showed up at the driver license place on the cusp of her 37th birthday the error was noted, and she now had to make a trip to the Georgia Department of Public Records to correct the birth certificate before she could get her license..  

Should be a simple process right?   Umm, no vanillacentric privileged conservafools, it isn't because the Voter ID Suppression laws you overwhelmingly support aren't specifically designed to frack with you.   

The still unidentified Georgia DPS clerk told Grimes she needed to have a PAP smear done, have a doctor write a notarized note verifying she was female before the error would be changed    

Never mind the fact that Grimes is the mother of a young son and of course she was highly pissed off after hearing that request.

She wasn't having it, much less undergoing an invasive medical procedure to verify for a bureaucrat what she knew in her mind, body and soul that she was a cis female. 

Grimes took her concerns to a local ATL television station and when FOX5 turned their unblinking TV camera eyes on this situation, the birth records for her son were pulled up by the GDPR and verified the fact Ms. Grimes was his mother.   Ms. Grimes' jacked up birth certificate was expeditiously corrected after that. 

No one cis or trans should have to go through that much drama, much less have to go to court to get a simple documentation change on your birth certificate so you can vote or get a drivers license.  It's one of the reasons why I was so pissed about the SCOTUS ruling invalidating Section 4 of the VRA and their BS reasoning for it.  

Trans people's fight to make it easier to change identity documents will also benefit cis people like Ms Grimes who have coding or other errors.

The moral of this story is once again it proves that we all exist in an interconnected web of mutuality.  What negativity you aim at a despised group has ripple effects that can blow back upon you cis people in unexpected ways. 

It also is more conclusive evidence that what ails Black trans America also ails Black America as well and vice versa.

Naw, It Ain't Your Business To Know Jazz's Or ANY Transperson's Old Name

Y'all know I have much love for my baby sis Jazz.  I keep up with her activist exploits on the blog and I'm looking forward to the day I finally get to meet her.

What prompted this post was this question I received in my comment feed from some person who shall remain nameless.

I have a question that you don't have to answer if you don't want to or feel uncomfortable with answering but do you know Jazz's original male name

Oh, I'm going to answer this question alright, but not in the way you expected me to.

Whatever Jazz's birth name was is not yours, mine or anybody else's business.  Even if I knew the answer to that question, I wouldn't put that information out there because she's a minor for starters and we have real haters out there that in many cases seek to do harm to us. I've also seen far too often in my time in this community that when that information gets out it tends to be used negatively by our detractors.  

Frankly, I like seeing news stories when they are written about Jazz that don't have the derailing line 'born as ___________'  or 'legal name is __________' in them.  

All you need to focus on is the fact that Jazz is a happy, healthy, well adjusted girl like us who is trying to live as normal a teenaged girl's life as possible.

She just happens to be a teen who has met a former president,. lobbied the US Soccer Association, been interviewed by Barbara Walters twice, spoken at various conferences, been featured in a documentary, appeared in a movie, and has a worldwide community who loves her and has her back.

A trans person's old name fall into none of your business territory along with whether we've had genital surgery.   Focus on the name that fits who we are now and what we told you what our name is to begin with.  

Your desire to know that personal information does not trump our desire as transpeople to keep that information private.  It's why I proposed an adjustment to the AP Stylebook guidelines concerning writing stories on trans people that prohibits the practice of injecting those old names into the story because transphobic ignorance follows.

So naw, it ain't your business to know what Jazz's or any transperson's old name is because it is not germane to who we are now. 

Same Person, Different Pronouns

Now that we are about to go into the summer season with family reunions, weddings, barbecues (and hopefully no funerals) on the horizon, one of the things that we transpeople dread when we interact in those family situations is having the relative who refuses to respect that the trans woman playing volleyball against your side or the trans man getting that barbecue plate and playing dominoes deserves the same respect that you give the other cis men and cis women of the family. 

Failing to do so not only is disrespectful to them and hurts their feelings, but can also open them up to anti-trans discrimination or trans hate violence if the wrong ears hear your comment.

Sabrina Samone at TransMusePlanet has another timely post about the necessity of using correct pronouns with your trans relatives even if you're having a problem sorting out your trans issues with them. 

It's entitled 'A Message To Families Of Transgender People: The Importance Of Being Pronoun PC' and here's a taste of it:

Most Trans people know of that one person or more within your family, on your job or simply a neighbor, that refuses to acknowledge or give the respect of the gender that is presented before them. Just because you may know the biological gender of your Trans family member don’t assume strangers know as well, more than likely they don’t. For years, some in my family, I’ve excused them, trying to realize it takes time for those around you to adjust to your new presentation. For everyone involved it’s a learning and growing experience, but after years now it’s just blatant dis respect and  an attempt to be transphobic and belittle me. Occasionally, within all family gatherings I may or may not take the time to remind you to use the proper pronoun of what you see before you, but on a recent trip it was an obvious attempt to be hateful by a blood relative.


Here's the rest of Sabrina's post over at TMP.

The Battle For Self Determination Of One's Own Identity Is A Just One

I'm blessed to have some pretty smart people around me as you can tell by some of the conversations that get started on my Facebook page.  

Sometimes those profound conversations get cranked up by some post I've written.  There are times it happens because either I or somebody else starts doing some hard solid thinking about whatever subject we were tackling at the moment and a comment jump starts a thoughtful conversation.

I wrote a post about a Houston area trans community issue that has a pleasant conclusion in Toni Zamazul getting to be herself  for her upcoming May 11 prom.  

So as the comments started flowing  Jordana LeSesne (yes the same Jordana that challenged me to start TransGriot in the first place) had this to say about it.  

No fight is more just than the battle for self determination of one's own identity. 

And she's absolutely right about that.   When it comes to fighting for your right to self determine your own identity, it is not only a just battle, but it is one that must be waged.  

Only you should have the power to determine your self identity and you must zealously defend it. When others do it for you either because they did so by force or you ceded that power to do so willingly, you not only aren't going to like what they come up with, but you don't have the power to control and define your own humanity. 

It's why I refuse to allow anyone to define for me who I am as an African descended girl like us.   I am a New Black Transwoman whose femininity and womanhood is just as valid as someone who was fortunate to be born into a feminine body. 

My transbrothers are also becoming (or already are) more vocal not only in terms of how they define trans masculinity, but are doing hard solid thinking about masculinity in general and their roles in redefining it so it fits for them and their ongoing battle for self determination of their identity

We have made remarkable progress in terms of advancing trans human rights in our various locales.  We have begun to do the hard work of shifting the conversations about trans people into more positive territory.  We have even begun the herculean task of getting our stories told in a more positive way in the media.   
But we can't forget the work we still need to do between our ears to permanently banish the unholy trinity of shame, guilt and fear from our lives.   That starts with us never forgetting that we must fight and decisively win the battle for self determination of our own identity and remember as we engage in that just battle, we have the moral high ground when we do so.

South Korean Court Rules Trans People Can Change Gender Markers Without SRS

Some positive news on the international trans human rights front coming out of South Korea.  

On March 15 the Seoul Western District Court ruled in a case brought by five trans masculine individuals that trans individuals could change their legal gender status without undergoing genital surgery

The Seoul Western District Court ruled in favor of accepting the requests from the five trans men to have their family register listing altered to be classified as male. None of the five has undergone operations to surgically alter their genitalia.

The five trans men filed their request in December, arguing that the demand for surgery to conform to the changed gender status constituted the main barrier to approvals and violated the spirit of the legal gender modification system, which is to guarantee the Constitutional rights of transgender people.

Of course the five transmen were thrilled about the landmark ruling.

Despite the South Korean Supreme Court ruling in June 2006 that transpeople in that nation have the right to alter their legal gender status, in the guidelines they subsequently drafted one of the requirements was that individuals have to possess 'external genitalia of the opposite sex from their biological one' in order to do so.

Last January, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health sent an opinion to Seoul Western District Court arguing that genital surgery should not be a requirement because it is not medically necessary and is a difficult procedure with a strong risk of side effects and other negative consequences.

It's another good day for the advancement of trans human rights not only in South Korea, but internationally as well. 

Juror Non-Discrimination Act Introduced

I've had the honor and pleasure to serve on juries three times in my life   I did so once at the county court level and twice at the municipal level in Houston.  

Two of those times it has happened for me post-transition, and as much as I was looking forward to seeing how Kentucky went about conducting jury duty and comparing and contrasting it with how it's done in Texas, I was never called in the eight years I lived there. 

Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) has introduced a bill in Congress to make sure all TBLG citizens can do what I had the pleasure of doing.   Before you start griping, I'm going to give you a little food for thought in this post as to why you should be supporting this bill.   

The Juror Non Discrimination Act Rep Davis introduced with 14 cosponsors prohibits a person from being removed from a jury because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Serving on a jury is one of America’s most cherished civic duties,” Rep. Davis said. “It is unjust to exclude a particular group of people from participating in civil society because of whom they love or what they look like. The federal government already prohibits juror discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and economic status and as we pursue greater equality for all Americans, I believe LGBT Americans should be also be free from juror discrimination.”

It's also a major problem that denies GLBT citizens a jury of their peers should they find themselves in courtroom seeking justice, as a defendant in a case or simply exercising their opportunity to engage in public service like I've had the opportunity to do post-transition.

And let's be real for a moment.   If you were seeking justice in a courtroom, wouldn't you want as many people from the rainbow community as possible sitting in that jury box?  You would also want SGL and trans community members fighting on your behalf in the deliberation room dispelling myths and misconceptions about our community that could potentially adversely affect the verdict you get.

I've seen far too many murderers of trans women get what amounts to a legal slap on the wrist for their crimes and I believe the lack of TBLG people on these juries plays into that.

A bipartisan Senate companion bill sponsored by Sen Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)  Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) was also filed called the Jury Access for Capable Citizens and Equality in Service Selection Act..  The ACCESS Act  prohibits attorneys from seeking to strike potential federal jurors based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.  

Senator Shaheen noted when she introduced this bill, “Our country is founded on the principles of inclusion, acceptance, and equality.  The jury selection process in federal courts should reflect those principles.”

If we LGBT people are going to demand human rights coverage in our nation's laws, one of the taxes we pay for that is jury service.  

If we deserve a jury of our peers when we access the justice system, we need to have some of our LGBT peers sitting on those juries.

New Zealand Considering Trans Passport Policy Change

New Zealand is considering making some policy changes that would make it easier for trans Kiwis to not only get passports that reflect their gender presentation but also avoid being discriminated against when they travel internationally.

The New Zealand Passport Office is considering following in Argentina's groundbreaking footsteps and allowing transpeople to change the gender code on their passports without medical declarations or court papers

Currently transpeople can get an X code on your Kiwi passports.   You can only change the F or M gender code after a Family Court declaration that allows you to change the birth certificate.

That declaration happens only if the person has medical evidence showing that they are in transition from one gender to another, such as undergoing hormone replacement therapy, or has had gender reassignment surgery.

It decided to look into the policy change after being approached by the New Zealand trans community about the feasibility of doing so.

The New Zealand Human Rights Commission supports the change, with some members of the trans community wanting gender codes to be eliminated from the passports period.

As of this moment any changes to the passport policy wouldn't take effect until September .   
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Chile Activists Beginning Push For Trans Identity Law

With Argentina's successful passage and enactment of a groundbreaking Gender Identity Law, their next door neighbors on the western side of the Andes Mountains want to take a page out of the Argentinian activist playbook and enact a similar law in their country.

According to Blabbeando, the Chilean Transexual Organiztion for the Dignity of Diversity (OTD) has already produced a few ads confronting discrimination against transgender individuals but started launching on June 10 a campaign specifically advocating for a nationwide gender identity law.

They are beginning to produce ads and videos like this one with many more to come.



Since trans human rights issues have been on a roll lately in Latin America, South America and the Western Hemisphere, we can only hope that the Chilean 'Fir The Dignity Of Identity' themed campaign results in the same successful conclusion that happened on the eastern side of the Andes.

Argentina's Gender Identity Law Takes Effect

Our trans cousins in Argentina are also savoring a huge win for transkind as their groundbreaking Gender Identity Law took effect on June 4. 

It overwhelmingly passed both houses of the Argentine Legislature by lopsided margins.  It passed in the Argentine Chamber of deputies by a 167-17 margin and a 55-0 one in the Argentine Senate before being signed into law by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez. 

It makes it easier for trans people in that country to change their national identity documents to reflect who they are now in addition to adding groundbreaking benefits that ensure access to trans specific medical care in their national health plan..

Transpeople in that nation are eagerly lining up to take advantage of their new rights to change their identity documents without having to navigate the hurdles of a doctor or a judge and it's something that needs to be replicated in the United States.

Game Changing Trans Document Decision In Canada

The positive momentum for trans rights issues continues in Canada

In what is seen as a game changing decision, on April 11 the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal struck down a rule that required gender reassignment surgery in order to change the gender code on birth certificates.

The 95 page decision was the result of a challenge filed by a trans woman who complained she was discriminated against because she could not change her legal documents unless she had surgery.

The transwoman in question later had SRS in 2008.   

“She had an orchiectomy (the removal of the testicles), at least in part to satisfy the requirement to change the sex designation,” explains lawyer N. Nicole Nussbaum to Xtra.ca.

“They completely knocked that out,” Nussbaum says. “The tribunal doesn’t have the authority to strike down a law, but they can say the law is not enforceable.”

The tribunal found that the Vital Statistics Act requirement of “transsexual surgery” prior to changing the sex designation on a birth certificate discriminates against trans people, she says. The provincial government has been ordered to remove this stipulation.  

Birth certificates are also used as foundation documents to change other federal level documents such as passports in Canada   

As a result of the precedent setting decision, the province of Ontario has 180 days to revise the criteria for a sex designation change.  

In addition, the decision of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal could potentially precipitate changes to similar laws in other provinces and territories and strike a major legal blow against the rule that only allows gender code changes on Canadian passports after SRS surgery

Looks like our Canadian trans cousins in Ontario are celebrating a major win that hopefully will be replicated across the Great White North.

Stop Misgendering Brittney Griner

You longtime TransGriot readers know how much I love basketball, especially the women's game since they don't get as much love as the guys do.  You know I'll be parked in front of the television tonight awaiting the start of the NCAA women's title game between the unbeaten Baylor Lady Bears and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

I have also been keeping up with the rise of my Houston homegirl Brittney Griner ever since I first heard about her slam dunking her way through local girls high school competition as she led her Aldine Nimitz high school team to the state 5A basketball championship game.  I've also railed about the derogatory and misgendering comments that have been hurled at her by the gender ignorant because Brittney because she's not only 6'8" but also has a deep voice.

As I said in a previous post, who died and made y'all the Femininity Police?

This post was inspired by me being more than a little pissed by the crack made by J. Anthony Brown during yesterday's broadcast of the Tom Joyner Morning Show about Brittney's voice and the ensuing ignorance of people texting the show in response to it..

Bottom line is I'm tired of the gender ignorance coming from elements of you directed at Brittney and women ballers in general.  There's more than one way to present and be a woman and as my gender therapist Dr. Collier Cole once told me, women come in all shapes and sizes.

So yeah, chill with the misgendering comments aimed at Ms Griner.