Feeling Angst For The Class of 2020

We are a few hours from me and other Houston-Harris County residents having to deal with a stay at home order starting at 11:59 PM CDT tonight. 

But instead of thinking about that, I find myself thinking about the younglings. The ones I'm specifically thinking about are the ones in the Class of 2020.

My own high school graduation was 40 years ago, and assuming the COVID-19 crisis has calmed down by the second week of October, I'm eagerly anticipating getting together with my JJ classmates for our 40th high school reunion.

Hollywood has frequently produced over the last few decades movies from The Breakfast Club to Cooley High to Fast Times at Ridgemont High and TV shows like Boy Meets World and Saved By The Bell that all have high school as a backdrop or as a major part of the story. 

So when you finally do get old enough to enter high school yourself, you have because of all those different depictions of high school life Hollywood style, all these heightened expectations as a high school freshman or sophomore because of it. 

On top of that is your parents reminiscing about their high school days as you begin to tackle navigating that new world and figuring out your place in it.

But back to talking about the class of 2020.

The reason I'm feeling some angst for them is because I remember what it was like to go through my own senior year and my excitement when the 1980 calendar page turned to May.  While I had my own challenges graduating while trans, I and my Class With Class schoolmates had waited three years for our turn to go through Senior Week after watching the Classes of 1978 and 1979 do so.

And it's why I feel sad for the Class of 2020.

Their senior year just abruptly ended with no Senior Week, no Senior Skip Day, no prom, and no graduation commencement ceremony with all their friends and extended family in attendance.

The Class of 2020 also gets no last day of high school to add an exclamation point to the reality that ready or not, a chapter of your life is closing, a new one is beginning, and you've  just gone through a rite of passage into young adulthood from your teen years.

For those Class of 2020 seniors involved in spring sports like basketball, baseball, track and field, tennis, wrestling and soccer, the pain is particularly acute.

While in Texas the girls managed to get their full state basketball tournament schedule done in San Antonio and crown champions from Class A to 6A, because the boys tournament happens a week later, that wasn't the case for them.

The boys got to play and complete one 3A semifinal game in San Antonio's Alamodome before the UIL made the reluctant call to shut down the rest of the boys state tournament.

Imagine how the 2020 senior kids feel who participate in spring sports that didn't get a chance to progress to state championships, or who may have been working on historic seasons for their schools when things were shut down.

If I was in a Class of 2020 member's shoes, I'd feel a little cheated, frustrated and mildly pissed off about how my senior year ended.

Deep down, my rational thinking self would note the fact we're in the uncharted territory of a worldwide pandemic, but my thoughts would still go back to we'd waited three to four years for our turn to bask in the glow of Senior Week, and now that's been shut down and ripped away from us. 

The gut punch to all of this is that you only go through high school once, and once this moment in time passes, that;s it.  It's gone as soon as you step off that high school campus for the last time. .

So yes Class of 2020,  I do feel your pain right now

ConGRADulations Trans Class of 2019

Now that we're in the middle of May, it's graduation time for many of the folks in our community who are getting that paper and the 'ejumacation' that is going along with it.

I wanted to take a moment to celebrate all you trans folks who are part of the Class of 2019 like my Louisville homegirl Amirage Saling    She's  not only receiving her degree in social work from the University of Louisville,  she also made a little history when she received the honor of carrying the Kent College of Social Work banner into the ceremony.

And just when you think Jazz Jennings couldn't be more awesome, now comes the news that she has been accepted to go to Harvard University in the fall!   Harvard Class of 2023 here she comes!

I also needed to show some love in this post to my BTAC forever King Sybastian Smith, who is also walking with his Georgia State University classmates and getting his degree.

Congrats to you as well Sybastian!   So proud of you!

Shout outs also go to you Trans Class of 2019 members who are moving from elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, high school to college, or college to postgraduate education.

Some of you like Charlie Baum, even made history while you were matriculating at your high schools..

Many of you Class of 2019 members have persevered despite enduring in some cases  unnecessary bullying and harassment aimed at you by parents, fellow students, teachers  and administrators   You continuing on your educational path will not only be a great benefit to yourselves personally,  but to our community.

ConGRADulations, Trans Class of 2019!   I salute you, and everyone who loves you also is celebrating the major milestone in your lives.  Can't wait to see what happens for all of you in the near future.

Allen ISD Refuses To Respect A Trans Teen's Identity At Graduation

I'm not surprised given that after the Dodie's Place restaurant in that town gleefully engaged in transphobia to mark its restrooms, that I would hear about more transphobia rearing its ugly head in Allen, TX.

 Jay Alfie began his transition during his freshman year at Allen High School.  A few months ago he checked with school administrators and made the simple request that his chosen name be used at the graduation ceremony.

They told him that it wouldn't be possible because in their words, it had to be legally changed.

Alfie's name change is pending, so his family is wondering why the Allen HS administrators are being so unreasonable about it

“It makes me feel sad that they’re not going to allow him to enjoy that last moment,” said Jorge Alfie. “What are we talking about here, 10 seconds? But it’s probably one of the 10 most important seconds of his life.”

Every young person’s identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer should be honored, celebrated and supported. Allen High School should respect Jay Alfie’s identity and recognize him by his chosen name. To ’deadname’ a student as they cross the stage for graduation in front of their peers, friends, and family constitutes an act of abhorrent bullying and harassment,” Chuck Smith, CEO of Equality Texas, told NewNowNext.

“Alfie's sister has created a MoveOn petition that has nearly 5000 signatures that is simply asking for the Allen ISD to just announce Jay by his chosen name and not his dead name at his graduation..

We'll see this Friday if they do so, or just want to be transphobic bigots about it.

ConGRADulations Trans Class of 2017

It's not easy getting an education while trans, and our haters are trying to make it harder for you to do so. You deserve the utmost love and respect for making the investment in yourselves to do so.
-TransGriot, May 3, 2016

Me attending a graduation potluck celebration in Emily Chambers' UH dorm room last night reminded me that I haven't written my annual post congratulating the Trans Class of 2017 and showing y'all some love like I have done for trans classes in previous years.

Congratulations indeed on getting your 'ejumacations' while trans, because the right wing transphobic haters are trying to make it harder for you to do so from grade school to graduate school.

But the bottom line is that you persevered.  You are making the jump from elementary to middle school;.  From middle school to high school.  From high school to college.  From college undergrad to graduate school or to that off campus real world life.

Each jump to the next level of your educational journey has its challenges,.  But if you can successfully navigate a gender transition, school is easy compared to that.  

By doing so, you are committing a revolutionary and evolutionary act at the same time.  You are being revolutionary by being your out and proud selves in those academic spaces and excelling in them.  You are becoming indispensable parts of your various campuses.  many of you have evolved become leaders because you have had to fight to defend your very humanity and right to exist from ignorant transphobes.

And most importantly, you are stepping across those stages at either the main or lavender graduation ceremonies that will happen across the country with diplomas (or diploma covers) in hand.

You also did so while also dealing with the challenges of being a trans masculine, trans feminine or gender non conforming person in a classroom or collegiate setting, and that makes us trans elders and hopefully your families, be they blood or chosen, smile.

Congratulations Trans Class of 2017!    Looking forward to see what happens in your lives over the next few years.

  .

President Obama's Howard U Commencement Speech

The Class of 2016 was graduating from Howard University today, and didn't realize that my cousin Derek was going to be in the audience getting his bachelors degree.(magna cum laude) and heading off to Meharry Medical School.

Hey, if you haven't noticed, brains run in my family ;)

My cousin along with the 2300 other HU grads and their friends and family in attendance got the amazing honor of having President Obama give the commencement address.at their graduation.

Here's today's commencement address for those of you who missed it.

ConGRADulations Trans Class of 2016!

TransGriot Note:  The graduation photo is of Sharron Cooks, who is graduating from college later this month.  Thanks Sharron for allowing your photo to grace this post and congrats to you and all out 2016 trans grads for achieving a major life goal. 

With the calendar page flipping to May, it also means that in addition to prom season, we will soon see the invites going out for high school and collegiate graduations around the country and hearing bands play Pomp and Circumstance as grads walk across the stage in their caps and gowns..

Many of the folks walking across those stages later this month to get their diplomas are members of our trans family.  Some are making the jump from middle school to high school.  Others are taking the next evolutionary educational step from high school to college, and others like Sharron and Monica Jones are in the collegiate ranks about to earn their bachelors, masters or other post graduate degrees.

Some made history during their senior year like Landon Patterson, who became Missouri's first ever transfeminine homecoming queen, and Capri Culpepper, who won a 2014 lawsuit against the South Carolina DMV allowing her to take her femme drivers license picture.

She was a finalist for homecoming queen at her high school and Culpepper recently testified last month in opposition against South Carolina's anti-trans potty hate bill.

So proud of our trans younglings.  The trans kids are in many cases the ones successfully fighting the oppressors tooth and nail for their own trans liberation.

On the way to those graduation ceremonies celebrating their academic and other accomplishments, some of our trans family members endured drama inside and outside the classrooms in addition to hitting the books to get that knowledge. I also know of a few who dropped out of high school because they were fed up with the bullying, but decided to go back and finish what they started and get their GED's.

Congratulations to those of you who went that route and successfully passed the tests to do so.

It's not easy getting an education while trans, and our haters are trying to make it harder for you to do so. You deserve the utmost love and respect for making the investment in yourselves to do so.

The best revenge you can get on your tormentors is to if possible, live your life out and proud in the school setting while getting your education.  If that's not possible for you and your preference is the non disclosed route so that you can get your paper in peace, then handle your educational business.

Lambda Legal and the ACLU are standing by if you have haters trying to prevent you from expressing yourself at your prom, your graduation ceremony, or object to your same gender prom date.  The law is on your side, so call the local chapters of these orgs in enough time to help you out and defend your rights..

Congrats to you Trans Class of 2016 members .  Your trans family is immensely proud of you, and will be standing by to ensure that you get through this month with minimal drama.  .

ConGRADulations, Trans Class of 2016!

ConGRADulations UHD Gators!

As many of you long time readers are aware of, ever since I came back home in May 2010, I've been blessed to interact and work with some amazing student leaders at UH, Rice, TSU, HCC-Southeast and UH-Downtown on various projects.

Many of them were freshmen and sophomores at their respective institutions at the time I encountered them or we started talking and staying in contact after I did panel discussions on those respective campuses.

But as y'all are all keenly aware of and was reinforced today, time marches on.  Those collegiate freshmen and sophomores I met have become seniors about to say goodbye to their college years and hello to their post-graduation lives.

So once again I was taking some time out on a Saturday to check out another collegiate graduation.  Today I was at Minute Maid Park to watch four Gator student leaders, Sarah Syed, LaTrina Carter, Tarah Taylor and Kristopher Sharp step across the stage and graduate from UHD with their various degrees.

It started at 9:15 AM with the graduates marching from their staging area down along the left field side stands around home plate to their blocked off area along the right field stands where the stage was set up,  After hanging out near the student seating and waving at Trina and Sarah, I decided to get some seats behind home plate so I could see the massive Jumbotron board which was in operation and get a better view of the ceremony.

It was also amusing to me that while I was there to support these student leaders on their special day, several people and UHD students who walked past my seat in Section 118 recognized and thanked me for coming to UHD to do those various panels.

I also had a fascinating conversation with another woman who was watching the UHD one, and then hit the road at 11 AM to go to the UT-Austin one to see another relative graduate today.

But today was all about the UHD Class of 2015, and I was honored to get an invitation to witness your special day.

ConGRADulations Sarah, Tarah, Kristopher and Trina! You are all amazing young leaders who accomplished much in your time at 1 Main Street.   I salute you for achieving a personal life goal, and I have no doubts that you will continue to do great things for our community, our state and our country.

Upcoming UT-Austin Lavender Graduation May 20

After doing some local events, the BTAC conference and resting from that hectic March travel schedule that saw me flying over 8000 miles that month, it's time for me to hit the road again for my first keynote speech in a while.

I'll be heading back to Austin, but not to lobby.   On this trip to the ATX I'll be spending time on the University of Texas- Austin campus delivering a speech for their 8th annual Lavender Graduation.

So what's Lavender Graduation you ask?  Lavender Graduation is a special graduation ceremony that honors the achievements of graduating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ally students on the UT-Austin campus.

Lavender Graduation is co-hosted by the Gender and Sexuality Center and the UT Queer Students Alliance (QSA). Our goal is to provide a venue to demonstrate the success of our community members in a personal, entertaining and celebratory way.

The Lavender Graduation Ceremony will feature not only my keynote speech, but inspiring speeches from UT-Austin faculty, administrators, students, and alumni; the chance to cross the lavender stage to celebrate your success and to receive a Lavender Graduation certificate as well as a rainbow tassel; and music, cake and food to share with friends, family and well-wishers!
Would you like to show your support for the event even though you are not graduating?   You can RSVP for the event at this link.   You can attend the event, and bring your friends and community allies!

Sign up on the GSC listserv to get updates and reminders closer to the event – sign up by sending an email to the GSC.   If you need further information about it you can contact the Gender and Sexuality Center at gsc@austin.utexas.edu or 512-232-1831.

The Lavender Graduation will take place at the Student Activity Center starting at 4 PM CDT on the UT-Austin campus at Speedway and 21st Streets.   Hope to see you there!.

Congratulations To The Trans Class Of 2015

With the calendar turning another page to May thoughts turn to prom season and the graduation ceremonies that will be taking place all over the country.

Hopefully our trans grads will be able to do so as their true selves and we won't have the drama we've had the last few years at some high schools.

For those who wish to give you shade about attending prom and graduation as yourselves, Lambda Legal, GLSEN, the ACLU and other orgs are standing by with information and help so you can do so without unnecessary drama.

But I especially want to tip the graduation cap to our trans grads who have persevered to get those educations, sometimes under trying circumstances.

Congrats to Addie, L'lerret, Atlantis, Londyn, Trudie and all my other trans brothers and trans sisters getting ready to step off their collegiate campuses and step into that different off campus world.

For those of you who made it through that at times shade filled world of high school, congratulations!

Some of you made trans history while matriculating on your various high school campuses around the country, while others of you can't wait to get off of those campuses.  

For those of you leaving elementary to go to middle school, or middle school to high school, good luck and know that your trans elders love and support you as you make that jump to the next level.

For those of you taking that higher education leap forward, I hope you were successful in getting into whatever colleges you applied for.

I applaud you for taking the steps to get an education you will need to not only successfully compete in a highly technologically advanced world, but your heart moves you to advance the cause of our community's human rights at the same time.

Then again, whatever you choose to do is fine by me, as long as you're happy doing so.

Congrats Trans*  Class of 2015.    May you be megasuccessful in whatever you choose to do with your lives.

ConGRADulations To My H-town Grads

The University of Houston, University of Houston Downtown, and Texas Southern University all held their commencement ceremonies this weekend on their various campuses.

Since I've come back home I have gotten to interact with in various human rights and other projects and events members of the Class of 2014 at these schools. 

I've had the pleasure of speaking on their campuses (still waiting for the invites from TSU and PV).   It has been a joy watching LaKeia, Yesenia, James, and Atlantis grow as leaders and quality people on and off their various campuses.

I've gotten to meet others like Guillermo in conjunction with the battle to pass the Tittsworth Act at UH, and will be rooting for him and everyone else in the Class of 2014 as they take their first steps into that different off campus world.

These younglings will definitely be alright. 

Congratulations to all my H-town Cougar, Gator and Tiger collegiate grads.  Know that I have much love for all of you. Megaprops to every one of you for accomplishing a major life goal, and hope this is just the first of many outstanding achievements in your lives. 

ConGRADulations Trans Class of 2014

You may even make a little history in the process since as of yet we have never had to my knowledge an out transperson become a homecoming queen, prom king or high school class president.
-TransGriot, June 8, 2013, 'Trans Class Of 2014, Start Planning Now To Beat Your Trans Oppressors'


Has it been almost a year since I wrote that post?.   Obviously it has since I have another birthday coming in three days.  

Congratulations Trans Class of 2014, you did make some trans history in this 2013-14 school year.   Cassidy Lynn Campbell wasn't a member of this class, but became the first ever out trans feminine homecoming queen when she was elected by the Marina HS student body back in September.  

Meanwhile the first out trans homecoming king in New Hampshire also happened this year with the landslide election of  Ray Ramsey at Concord HS.
 

We also had the first ever out African-American trans masculine homecoming king happen just in time for Black History Month when Blake Brockington accomplished that feat at East Mecklenburg High School 

However, we did have some situations in which the haters came out to play.    Cassidy's haters and cyberbullies included right wing talk radio hosts like Bryan Fischer.  Kasey Carron didn't even get the opportunity to run for homecoming king because his Johnston, PA school district refused to let him do so.   Hopefully they will at least let him walk in the male cap and gown. 

Down in the Rio Grande Valley Jeydon Loredo had to fight the transphobic LaFeria ISD with the legal help of the Southern Poverty Law Center just to get his male senior picture added to the yearbook.

And as usual, just in time for prom season we had the situation crop up of potentially problematic prom rules in the DeSoto ISD.   In the New York City borough of Queens, senior Anais Celini is not being allowed by her private high school to take her trans boyfriend to her May 22 prom.

And how many trans students in the Class of 2014 will have to fight just to wear the cap and gown that properly reflects their gender identity and expression?

Trans Class of 2015, just as I advised this year's seniors to start preparing now to come up with their game plans to beat your trans oppressors, you have a few months to do the same.    And there is still trans hsitory yet to be made on many of your campuses.   I'd love to see the first Black transfeminine homecoming and prom queens happen.   Trans student body presidents.  Trans valedictorians.   

But conGRADulations Trans Class of 2014.   Much love to you for accomplishing this major life goal and may you have continued success as you continue to climb the educational ladder or take those first daunting steps toward taking the world beyond your college campuses.

Isaak Still Standing, Still Getting Dissed On His Way To Graduation Day

Needed to give you TransGriot readers an update as to how transman Isaak Wolfe is faring in his senior year Pennsylvania battle against transphobia with the Red Lion Area School District.

Isaak's graduation ceremony from Red Lion HS was today, and as you know his story hit the news back in April when he wasn't allowed to run for prom king  

Without his knowledge he was entered into the candidates for prom queen under his old name because his transphobic principal was 'uncomfortable' with the idea of him running for prom king.   When his girlfriend Taylor Thomas expressed her displeasure with the transphobic shade that Red Lion HS was aiming at Isaak she was barred from attending the prom with him.

That's when the ACLU legal guns got involved.   The prom situation got resolved, Taylor was allowed to attend with him, but his chance to run for prom king was thwarted (which was probably the intent in the first place).   

Then it was the issue of Red Lion High having separate cap and gown colors for male and females students. Frankly, I don't understand the reasoning for it because at my high school and many in this area male and female students wear the same cap and gown in the school colors.

Isaak of course like Damian Garcia in Albuquerque wanted to wear the gender appropriate black gown other male students at the school wore, but the administration was demanding he wear the female one which was gold.

That issue got resolved as well, but one that didn't was having his male name read as he graduated with the other 380 members of his class.  He wouldn't be able at this time to have it placed on his diploma, but had asked to be announced as he crossed the stage as Isaak.   It's a reasonable request and something that could easily be done. 

Of course, the transphobic Red Lion HS administration took the shady road, refused to do so and spitefully read his old name.

Despite that, on his graduation day Isaak received flowers and a binder from the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition.containing the news stories about his trans human rights fight and a graduation card signed by over 1,300 people

He was also upbeat and optimistic about his special day despite the trying last few weeks.
 
Wolfe said in an interview it would have been "fantastic" to have his preferred name read at graduation, but "they're going to go down in history as doing the wrong thing, and I think that hits them harder than they even know."

"I think we're going to go on to have bright and amazing futures that no one could ever imagine for us," he said.

And that's the one thing your trans family wants for you and all our graduates the most.  Have the type of future that even we can't see right now because we're busy fighting the haters and planting trans human rights trees for you and the next generation of trans kids. 

Congratulations and best of luck in your future endeavors, Isaak!

Damian's Graduation Ceremony At UNM

Despite the efforts of thousands of people around the world who attempted to get transphobic Archbishop Michael Sheehan to defer to common sense and allow Damian Garcia to walk with his Albuquerque St Pius X HS classmates in a black gown, it unfortunately didn't happen and Damian skipped the ceremony.

On May 30 the University of New Mexico welcomed their newest Lobo to the fold by hosting a special graduation event for him at the UNM LGBT Resource Center attended by several dozen people in which Damian was the keynote speaker and got to wear his black graduation robe.

One of the people in attendance was Hawaii Human Rights Commissioner and recent Harvey Milk Champion of Change honoree Kim Coco Iwamoto, who received her law degree from the University of New Mexico's law school

“For me it’s amazing for young people like Damien take a stand for him being his authentic self,” she said.

Damien was emotional as he spoke about seeing a community come together on his behalf. "“I’ve seen a community, the LGBT community come to the rescue, so to speak, of a fellow member,” Garcia said. “Because of this and all the support, I’ve grown as a person as well as the community growing as a whole.”

He starts school at UNM in the fall and plans to become an attorney.

Ohio High School Lets Trans Latina Student Graduate Wearing Correct Gown

This was the way Damian Garcia and Isaak Wolfe's cases should have gone.down and it's nice to see common sense prevail.

In a scenario that has become far too familiar in this 2013 graduation season,  17 year old Fostoria, OH high school senior Chris Calderon-Perez has been transitioning for the last two years, but was initially told by principal Tom Grine she would have to dress as a male and wear the black male graduation gown instead of the red female one that matches her current gender presentation.  

However, the dress code policy that Grine was trying to enforce runs counter to the Fostoria school board non-discrimination policy that had just been updated in March to include gay and transgender students as protected classes.   Forcing Calderon-Perez to dress as male for her graduation would have been in violation of that newly minted non-discrimination policy.

"All I want to see is my mom proud of me, to see me walking — because I deserve it," Calderon-Perez said. "My academic achievement has nothing to do with my appearance."

Exactly.  So when Calderon-Perez's graduation happened yesterday, she was wearing the red female gown and following the female dress code.

No fuss, no muss, everybody's happy and you peeps in Fostoria avoided the transphobe instigated drama that happened in Pennsylvania and New Mexico.

Congratulations Chris, and may you have much sucecess in your future endeavors.

Damian Skips His HS Graduation

In case you're wondering how the situation with Albuquerque transteen Damian Garcia played out, when the ceremony kicked off at 10 AM MDT yesterday the Class of 2013 of St Pius X HS was one member short.  

While his classmates left a seat open for him in protest,  Damian decided to skip his graduation after the archdiocese of Santa Fe and the school refused to budge on letting him wear a black gown to the ceremony.

“I’m fully respecting this and myself by not walking and/or attending the ceremony at all,” he said on his Facebook page.

Meanwhile at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, NM where the ceremony was held, Michael J. Sheehan, the archbishop of Santa Fe, tried to make it sound like he was being persecuted as the Roman Catholic Church tends to do when they get caught in their public displays of transphobia. 

In his address to the nearly 200 graduates Sheehan talked about discrimination and standing up for what’s right, warning students that sometimes in life they will be persecuted for standing up for their Christian values.

Archbishop Sheehan, discrimination against and persecuting trans people is not a Christian value.  You know you were wrong on the issue, especially when you wouldn't show your cowardly face to the local media to defend your bigotry.   

Damian probably won't be the last trans student to go through St Pius X High, so you may as well get ready to have this conversation again.

Damian has been accepted to the University of New Mexico, and they along with the University of New Mexico's LGBT Resource Center will welcome their newest Lobo to the fold by holding a graduation ceremony for him on May 30 from 5 to 7 PM MDT  in a courtyard next to Scholes Hall on their main campus.

27,072 People (And Counting) Say Let Damian Walk In Black Robes

The pressure is mounting on Archbishop Michael Sheehan and Superintendent Murphy in this now viral story of Albuquerque, NM St. Pius High School senior Damian Garcia's simple request to walk in his graduation in a black cap and gown being denied. 

Received an e-mail from Torrey Moorman who spearheaded the MoveOn.org petition on Damian's behalf that has now garnered as of the moment I'm compiling this post 27,072 signatures toward their new goal of 30,000 signatures. 

Monica;

We have called Superintendent Murphy's phone and said: "We want you to know that we hold you and the entire Archdiocese in the Light. We are fully aware of how difficult this must be for Archbishop Sheehan who grew up being taught if you have a penis you are a boy, and if you have a vagina you are a girl."

"Unfortunately, just as the human genome project has proven unequivocally that there is no genetic variation between the races, science is proving gender and sexuality are not so simply defined. We fully appreciate that growth is uncomfortable and extremely difficult."

"William posted a photo stating: If you want to change, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable. All growth is uncomfortable, whether it is the growing pains of bones growing faster than muscle, or the pain of accepting a new definition of human sexuality. We respect your difficulties and hold you in love and Light as you go through this difficult time. We have faith that Archbishop Sheehan will make the right decision in Christ's love: To allow Damian to walk with his graduating class in black robes."

We encourage everyone to give Archbishop Sheehan and Superintendent Murphy this message. The message that decisions made out of love, instead of fear, pave the way to a loving and peaceful planet.

Sincerely,
The Moorman family, Cat Provost, and the Garcia family

All the school and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe had to do was simply let Damian walk.  To prevent such drama in the future they need to consider the possibility of having every future graduate of St. Pius High wear the same color cap and gowns.

But nope, since the Roman Catholic Church has been conducting a decade long holy war aimed at trans people and the transphobia injected into the Vatican by Paul McHugh has now filtered down the chain of command from Rome, they now have a PR mess on their hands. 

It also makes them look like bigoted and petty faith based trans oppressors to Albuquerque and the rest of the world and reinforces the disturbing decade long pattern of the Roman Catholic Church being hostile to trans people.

As I said in the comment I posted when I signed the petition: 

This is a no brainer situation.   Damian identifies as a male, has been presenting as one for over a year, and his classmates, faculty and family recognize him as one.

You only graduate from high school once, so why not let Damian walk in the black male gown?

You still have time to change that negative perception by letting Damian walk in a black cap and gown.

But the clock's ticking..

Albuquerque Catholic HS Forcing Transman To Wear Female Graduation Gown

In our latest episode of School Administrators Being Transphobic Jerks, we head west to Albuquerque, NM and Saint Pius High.

Damian Garcia is a senior at the Catholic run high school who transitioned and had a legal name change last year.  He is recognized as a male student by his parents, family, fellow students, faculty and teachers. 

“I look at him and I call him my son. That's how he wishes to be acknowledged is as a male,” said father Luis Garcia in a KRQE-TV 13 interview.  .

But Damian's birth certificate still has the wrong gender code on it despite the name change.  The superintendent of the school, reflecting the decade old anti-trans hate injected into the Catholic Church by Dr. Paul McHugh, is seizing on that to force Damian to walk in his graduation in a white robe.  

For some reason Saint Pius HS in its graduation ceremony has male students wear black gowns and female students wear white ones.  Of course Damian wants to wear the gender appropriate gown for him, the black one.

Graduation gown a problem for transgender student

“I just want to walk in my black robe, nice and proud and have that memory to look back on with my family and friends,” said Damian. “I would rather not walk than to embarrass myself by wearing a female robe.”

His father agreed with him. “All you want in life is to see your kids happy and healthy. You never want to see them suffer or being ridiculed or be made fun of,” Luis said.

Your high school graduation should be one of the happiest times in your young life, and the Saint Pius school  superintendent is sapping the joy out of this occasion for Damian by being a transphobic jerk.

Maybe it's time for Saint Pius to consider having everyone wear the same color graduation gown so this doesn't happen again.

ConGRADulations Class of 2013!

Seems like I just wrote that post a few months ago that ushered in the start of the 2012-13 school year. 

It's now May, and that means it's not only prom season, but time for kids all over the country to make that walk across the stage to get their high school or collegiate diplomas.  

For others it signals that promotion to the next elementary, middle or high school grade.   There are other students eagerly awaiting making the jump from elementary to middle/intermediate or junior high school, or from middle school to high school that awaits at the end of this month. 

Wanted to take a moment to salute the members of the Class of 2013 and give a special shout out to my transpeeps who are making that high school commencement walk such as Issak Wolfe in Pennsylvania, Calliope Wong in Connecticut and my Houston area homegirl Toni Zamazal. 

You made it!   You're leaving high school and moving on to the next big step in your lives.   Also sending love to my trans, same gender loving (SGL) and allied readers who are graduating this year as well.  


I also want to give a shout out to all my readers who are graduating from their various college campuses and taking that step into a world far different than the one you've gotten intimately familiar with when you first entered your various campuses as eager freshmen.

For you high schoolers about to make that jump from your beloved high school campus to a collegiate one, enjoy the experience.  Once it's over you'll be talking about it for the next thirty to forty years of your life good, bad and indifferent.  

For those of you who are trans, lesbian, bi or gay, as soon as you get your collegiate class schedules and finish orientation, find out where your campus LGBT center is located if they have one.  It'll help you navigate the tricky waters of going through college as an TBLG student.

And yes HBCU's, haven't forgotten about (and neither has the National Black Justice Coalition) the issues that pertain to LGBT students on your campuses.  There are 300,000 students matriculating on the 105 historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) campuses and you can bet that Black trans and SGL students are part of that mix. 

It's either get with the program and add inclusive gender identity and sexual orientation language in your non-discrimination and employment policies along with policies that make their on campus lives better or lose those students to predominately white campuses.  Their top 20 scores on the Campus Pride Index and being proud of it will trump family and cultural ties to your institution if you continue to have hostile climates for Black trans and SGL students.

I also want to thank those colleges and universities who invited me to their campuses during this 2012-13 school year to speak about or participate in panel discussions about trans issues, and hope I get the opportunity and invitation to do more of them inside and outside Loop 610 in the 2013-14 school year. 

ConGRADulations Class of 2013!   May you have much success in whatever you plan to do with the rest of your lives . 

ConGRADulations Class of 2012

In addition to May being my birthday month, it's also the month in which commencement ceremonies are taking place all over the country.   

Not only is my cousin Cyril graduating from Alief Taylor High School this month and moving on to college, but I have some friends graduating from college this year as well.  

Chelsea, one of my Texas Aggie fam who was one of the peeps who spoiled me rotten during my November 2010 visit up there is getting her degree. 

I also discovered that Amirage, one of my Louisville sisters is getting her bachelors in social work from U of L

So to all of my readers who happen to be in the Class of 2012 be it at the middle, high school, collegiate or post-graduate level, conGRADulations 

Best of luck in your future academic or life endeavors and keep me posted.  

ConGRADulations Class of 2011

Wanted to take a moment to congratulate all the members of the Class of 2011 since the school year is almost over.  Hope that you had a wonderful senior year, and that your next steps to college life if you're a high school senior or to adulthood if you're leaving college are filled with blessings for your future endeavors.

Definitely wanted to give a special shout out to the trans high school seniors out there whose stories I chronicled this school year such as Oak Reed, Andy Moreno and Niko Walker.   It's been an interesting road for some of you and hope that you were able to enjoy the rest of your senior year and this special time in your lives.

And hope I don't have to write about any discriminatory practices at proms by administrators gone wild either like I've had to do over the last several years..

To those trans students whose stories didn't make the headlines but you persevered and got your paper, congratulations.   Know that your trans elders are happy for you, glad you did so, thinking about and praying for you as well.

Congrats Class of 2011.   May you have abundant success and less drama in your lives.