Love To Our TBLG Veterans

Today is Veterans Day, and wanted to take a moment to show some love and mad respect to our TBLG veterans who served our country honorably and well.

One of the things that many people aren't aware of is that Christine Jorgenson, the first transperson to get widespread media coverage in the 50's, was an Army veteran.


Many of those trans vets have served in conflicts ranging from the Korean War to the Gulf ones, and have no doubt there are probably trans vets serving in Afghanistan right now. 

Once they have left the military they continue to use the leadership skills they acquired in their various branches of service  and use them to benefit the BTLG community by providing leadership for it.


There is even an organization for trans veterans called TAVA, the Transgender American Veterans Association which advocates for the issues germane to trans military vets and the community at large.

But this day is not only to thank the people who put their lives on the line to serve our country, but to also remember those who gave them on distant battlefields.

So yes, much love to our TBLG veterans, and here's hoping that the odious DADT policy becomes a distant memory as well.
 

Don't Forget About Our Trans Kids, Vanilla GL Community

Now that bullying and GLBT teen suicides are in the news, one of the things that has mildly irritated some quarters of the trans community is how trans people have been erased from the discussion.

While one kid taking their life due to suicide is horrific and one too many,  it bothers many of us that transteen Chloe Lacey's story is frankly getting overwhelmed vis a vis the overwhelmingly white gay male narrative taking shape on this bullying issue.

The fact that Black SGL and straight kids have taken their lives seems to have escaped the attention of the people pushing the It Get Better campaign as well.

Fortunately Black and trans celebs are stepping up on their own to record videos targeted to these communities.

It's an issue of concern to the trans community in light of the fact that 50% of transpeople of all ages at one time or another have contemplated suicide, or we know someone who unfortunately was successful in taking their own life. .

The bullying and BTLG suicide issue one that concerns us, especially when we consider we've been taking the brunt of the community's hate violence casualties and we are under just as much verbal abuse from the right wing Forces of Intolerance as the GL community is.

But you wouldn't know that based on the gaycentric message of the 'It Gets Better' campaign, and it's what elements of the trans community feared when noted transphobe Dan Savage came up with the idea for the campaign in the first place.

Vanilla GL community, don't forget about our kids, too.

Why Is 'Errbody' Wearing Purple Today?

If you were wondering why there was an explosion of people wearing purple today and you were not in the Twin Cities on a Viking game day or watching a Washington Huskies game, there's a reason for it.

Today was designated as the day that the TBLG community and our allies would wear purple to rememeber all of our kids who have died at their own hands due to anti LGBT bullying.

On the rainbow flag the community flies, purple represents Spirit.    Wearing purple is a reminder to the BTILG kids out there to find that spirit within them and know that they aren't alone.  Times will get better and  you will meet people who'll love and respect you for the wonderful person you are.

Besides, your best revenge is to live a better quality life than your tormentors. 

On this day I'm thinking about and I'm with our kids in spirit.   I'm standing in solidarity as someone who was once bullied with all kids gay, straight and trans who deal with the nightmare of bullying and the parents who ceaselessly fight to be advocates for their kids to put a stop to it.  

It's time for our adult legislators in Washington D.C. and our fifty state capitals to stop acting like children, recognize that it's a problem that's killing our kids, affecting their ability to learn and pass the legislation necessary to deal with it.

Dan Savage, You Ain't The Only Person Who's Pissed

One of the things that really irritates me and the Black GLBT /SGL community to no end is watching privileged white gay men like Dan Savage and John Aravosis continue their one man attacks on President Obama because the White House isn't moving fast enough for their tastes on the GLBT political agenda that's stalled due to congressional inaction.

So you're pissed because you can't get married right now, DADT and DOMA weren't repealed before the 2012 midterms and is still stuck in the Senate and other grievances du jour that haven't in your vanilla flavored privileged mind been addressed..  

Take a number in the civil rights line.   My peeps have been agitating for over 400 years and are still fighting.  We transpeople are fighting tooth and nail just to get recognized as human beings and to get our basic constitutional civil rights.  It was people who share your ethnic background who fought tooth and nail to cut trans people us out of any TBLG rights bills that popped up any time legislators summoned the political courage to pass them.  


And don't even part your lips to say this president hasn't done anything for the GLBT community or it's just 'crumbs'.   As far as the trans end of the community is concerned, President Obama is the best ever.


This president signed a Hate Crimes law that Bushie boy vetoed and has made policy changes that benefit me and the entire GLBT rainbow, not just you and your friends..  

If you, other white gay male Obama critics such as John Aravosis and other white run GL organizations such as GetEqual would spend as much time hurling vitriol and aiming protests at the Republicans who are actually oppressing you as you do slamming and protesting President Obama, maybe the agenda would start moving again and you'd actually have people of color wishing to help push and promote it.  

But you don't, you won't and I'm not expecting any change from your 'Hate on Obama' antics anytime soon because many of you aspire to be like the Republicans who oppress you.. .   


You're pissed, Dan?  So is the Black TBLG community.and our allies at your transphobic, not so cute and nekulturny behavior.  It may make you a hero to some people in the GLBT community, but not to us.  

National Coming Out Day 2010

The last two weeks have been trying ones for the TBLGI community in terms of politicians flapping their gums while uttering anti-gay statements, an epidemic of teen suicides, and hate violence happening in New York

Despite all the drama of the last few weeks, time marches on and today is National Coming Out Day.

It was established in1988 as a way for the community to encourage people to be their BTLG selves and live their lives openly and proudly as a result of doing so.  It is also celebrated internationally in Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Croatia, Poland and the United Kingdom.

As y'all know by perusing this blog and my FB page, I'm so far out and outspoken it would take the 2nd Armored Division to shove me back into the closet, and that ain't happening.     

As an African descended transwoman living her life openly and honestly I am keenly aware of the fact that I'm busting stereotypes everywhere I go.  While I am striving to lead by example, and serve as an inspiration in some cases to other transwomen who share my ethnic heritage, I'm human.  From time to time I will make a mistake or two as I navigate my own ongoing feminine journey while serving as an inspiration for you to begin yours.

With all this drama going on, we need more transpeople of color to stand up, come out, live their lives openly, proudly without shame and guilt and be drum majors for trans justice and freedom we need.

Happy National Coming Out Day!.