The Transteen Who Won't Be Homecoming King

In any election, the guiding principle of it is if you get the most votes, you win. 

That wasn't the case for a trans Mona Shores, MI high school senior.

Oak Reed is an honor student who decided to run for homecoming king and successfully campaigned on Facebook for it.  .

However, school administrators had other ideas

. 
Citing that Oak was enrolled as a female student, they invalidated all his votes garnered in the homecoming election.    Not only is his mother upset about it, so is the Mona Shores High School student body.

"He was voted for homecoming king and, according to the votes, he should have been homecoming king, and it's just sad, and it just breaks my heart that all these people all voted and it was taken away, it was completely taken away from him," said Oak's mother.in a WOOD-TV story.

Oak's fellow students are also not too happy with the administrative decision as well, and are making their feeling known not only inside the hallowed halls of Mona Shores High, but on a Facebook page entitled 'Oak Is My King'.

Oak is taking it in stride.  "It's the senior class that votes for their representative," Reed said. "What they did was taking away the voice of the senior class."

 Damn skippy..

Hope this situation resolves itself in your favor, and may the rest of your senior year be a great one.

T-Minus 30 Days Until My JJ Class Reunion

Yesterday marked the one month to go point of the countdown to my 30th high school reunion with my Jesse H. Jones classmates. I've surpassed my weight loss goal and actually was stunned to discover when I stepped on the scale yesterday that I'm at 198 pounds.

I haven't been under 200 pounds since I started transition, so I'm happy about that.
What I'm not happy about is my status as a 99er and this economy. I've had to scrip and save to get the money together for this event, but it's worth it.

Despite my own personal drama, I'm still looking forward to seeing some of my classmates, and hope they feel the same way.

As my homegirl Joslyn posted in her FB profile note to me and the 'Class With Class'

Time is so precious especially now. We're not getting any younger. LOL I know there are many of us who are planning to attend our 30th Reunion and some who are on the fence as to whether to go or not. I have to say please jump off the fence and go. Only the Lord knows how much longer we have and it's been 10 or more years since many of us have seen each other. Many of us have changed since high school. Just like a fine wine our class has gotten better with time.

I know I've definitely changed since high school for the better. Looking forward to seeing who else has. I'm also hoping that I see some classmates in attendance that I haven't seen since I was a skinny kid walking JJ's halls in 1980.

And she's right in that time is not only precious and we don't know how much of it we have left at any given time, it moves at warp speed. I still remember how I felt the day school started in August 1977 and walked on JJ's campus as a sophomore.

30 years ago this month I was starting my freshman year in college. Now I'm contemplating going back.

It'll also be cool to note that I won't be in the running for the 'Most Changed Award' this time like I was in 2000.

Hail JJ! See y'all October 8-10

The 'Class With Class'

I have another reunion coming up the weekend of October 8-10 with the fellow members of my Jesse H. Jones High School Class of 1980, AKA 'The Class With Class'. We received that nickname from Annie Booker, one of our counselors, and it has stuck with us throughout the years and the turn of the century as well.

We were the kids that entered kindergarten in 1967 as the pace of integration of HISD schools was taken out of the 'with all deliberate speed' setting.

We muddled through pairing plans, busing, and the adoption and formation of magnet schools by HISD as we grew up during the 70's. At the same time Houston was annexing territory, well on its way to becoming the fourth largest city in the United States and was in the news on a regular basis thanks to NASA and the space program. Houston's Black community was continuing to make progress economically, politically and socially as the city also became a magnet for people from various nations and ethnic groups as well.

By the time we members of the Jones Falcon Class of 1980 began arriving on campus from our various junior high schools we were this interesting multicultural blend of kids who not only were sophisticated beyond their years, we carried ourselves from the first day on campus as if we owned the school. Whether it was in sports, academics, student government or other extracurricular activities we quickly established ourselves as leaders despite the short time we'd been walking JJ's halls.

Some of my classmates were already driving cars and were fashion plates wearing skirted suits and three piece suits to class. But we also combined that sense of sophistication and single minded purpose with a cocky, fun loving attitude and wicked sense of humor.

During the three years we were there (HISD was on a 6-3-3 system at the time) we'd build on that reputation. The 'Class with Class' would cheer our school's victories, mourn our losses, watch romances blossom and break up and form lasting friendships in the process. I was in the Vanguard gifted and talented magnet program housed on the campus at the time, but as far as I was concerned I was a Falcon and member of the Jones Family first, and King Arthur (our nickname for Mr. Arthur Pace, our principal at the time) was the head of it.

Through all the wild and crazy stuff we did with a late 70's music soundtrack blaring in the background as we matriculated through our high school years, the thing we were most proud of was not only that nickname that had been bestowed upon us that we wore with pride, it was our teachers constantly telling us that we were a special class.

But all good things unfortunately must come to an end. We entered the decade of the 80's for the last five months of our high school days with the dizzying backdrop of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Lake Placid Olympic 'Miracle on Ice', the upcoming Carter-Reagan presidential election and the Iran hostage crisis in the background as we excitedly exchanged senior cards, signed memory books, attended the Astroworld All Night Senior Party, and counted down the days to Senior Week, our graduation and our prom.

On that May 20 night in the Astroarena we noted our diploma covers had 'The Class With Class' printed on them, tossed our caps in the air, took endless pictures and waved goodbye to each other as we counted down to the last day of the school year and prepared to begin the next chapter in our lives.

As we 'Accepted the Challenge of the 80's' (our class motto) we've taken time out of our lives to get together for our 1985, 1990 and 2000 reunions and relive that almost magical time.

With the 2010 reunion rapidly approaching, our teachers and counselors were right about us. We have turned out to be a special class. One of my classmates sits on the Texas State Board of Education and ran for city council. Our class president also ran for city council in the mid 80's. Another classmate was VP of the Houston Urban League and had a radio talk show on Majic 102. One was a Harris County DA while others are excelling in various fields.

As for me? I'm just some award winning activist, Kentucky Colonel and trans blogger.

But I am looking forward to once again seeing my classmates later this year.

It's Texas High School Football Playoff Time! Go Falcons!

I'm not bragging when I say that best high school football in the nation is played in Texas. If you think I'm kidding, peruse the lineup of your local college or professional football teams and note the number of players born in Texas that populate the rosters.

I'm engaged in this latest bout of Lone Star bragging because my high school alma mater is fresh off their second consecutive undefeated district season and has won their third consecutive District 22-4A football championship.

My Falcons start their Class 4A-Division 2 playoff quest by taking on the Sharpstown Apollos tonight.

Best of luck to my Falcons as they seek to go where no Jesse H. Jones team has gone before, the state title game.

Jones Falcons Threepeat in 22-4A

My 2009 Falcon footballers have accomplished something no Jesse H. Jones football team ever has in my school's 50 year history.

The 1985 Falcon footballers advanced all the way to the Region III-5A title game before losing a 21-15 Astrodome showdown with our arch rival and eventual 5A state champion Jack Yates.

Yates would go on to beat down San Antonio Holmes 34-7 and legendary Texas high school football powerhouse Odessa Permian 37-0 in the Class 5A title game at Texas Stadium.

But the 1985 Falcon team made that remarkable playoff run as a district runner-up. The 2009 Falcons have won three consecutive district football titles.

“The reason I love three district championships in a row is because that’s the first time Jones has ever done it,” said Jones' senior quarterback Aaron Taylor

The Falcons have already clinched a playoff spot, and with last nights hard fought 35-28 victory over Booker T. Washington Jones has clinched at least a share of a third consecutive district title.

This game wasn't easy as our all-everythang quarterback Aaron Taylor fumbled twice in the first half. The Booker T. Washington Eagles quickly converted those early Halloween treats into two touchdowns and a 21-14 halftime lead.

But the Falcons struck back for 21 third quarter points and sealed the win with a late 4th quarter interception by Aaron Taylor, who was playing safety.

Taylor in addition to having the game saving interception, threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns in addition to rushing for 92 yards.

Jones coach Ronald Booker said in a Houston Chronicle interview, “It wasn’t easy at all. Our defense is really giving up too many points, but Aaron Taylor...words cannot explain. He had four touchdowns and a crucial interception at the end of the game. It’s just unbelievable how much we depend on him.”

With a win over my parents and other sister's alma mater Worthing on Saturday, my 6-2 (6-0) Falcons will clinch back to back undefeated district seasons.

If they do it, I'll have family bragging rights for the second straight year as I get to rub in Falcon victories over the Ross S. Sterling Raiders and the Evan E. Worthing Colts.

But my cousins Shondrel and Ivory will probably bring up that butt kicking we took early in the season at the hands of Alief Taylor.

Congrats JJ footballers for a milestone achievement. Know that we Falcon alums are extremely proud of you. May you gentlemen continue to go where no Jones Falcon football team has gone before.

Hail JJ!

Had to show my high school alma mater back home some love as well. My Jesse Jones Falcons have been playing some serious light-out football back home. They have dominated District 22-4A for the last two years and the Falcons are the two time defending district champs.

Last year JJ went undefeated in District 22-4A play, but they have that same maddening tendency that the school had when I was walking the halls there of falling in the playoffs.

Aaron Taylor, our senior quarterback is starting to heat it up and the Falcon offense has responded. He's also determined to make this year's playoff sojourn a more extended stay.

They beat down our old rival Phillis Wheatley on and off the football field. There was a little rumble after the game as the frustrated Wildcat team turned the ball over four times and watched a 14-7 Wheatley lead turn into a 41-22 Falcon romp.

JJ ran their season record to 6-2 and a spotless 5-0 record in district play.

The Falcons have already clinched a playoff spot and can clinch the district title tonight for the third straight year with a win over Booker T. Washington.

So here's hoping my good day continues tonight with my alma maters winning football games.

Harsh Realities For Transgender Students

My school days weren't as bad as some GLBT kids since I wasn't totally out yet, and my intellect got me placed in gifted an talented classes that allowed me to focus on my academics rather than how I was going to get through the day.

That usually can after I left the cocoon of gifted and talented classes and had to interact with the rest of the school's huddled masses in gym, recess, art and health classes or on my three mile walk home.

Even though I was matriculating through school in the 70's, J. Escobar's recent drama at North Cobb High School resonated with me and was a reminder of just how tough open trans kids have it trying to navigate the shoal filled school environment.

It's not that we don't have some brilliant people in the trans community. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of them. I discovered during my 20 year HS reunion that I wasn't the only transperson in my class. There is a transman in my Vanguard class that I'm aware of but haven't seen since we graduated and were on opposite sides of the gender fence.

I graduated with honors and a 3.0 GPA, but in hindsight I believe it could have been much higher if Monica was around in the late 70's and dealt with whatever gender issues I had then, even in a 70's era environment.

But it's hard to concentrate on academics to improve your life and set the table for a better future when you have concerns about other non-academic issues impacting it at that moment in time.


GLSEN, the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network recently published a report called Harsh Realities- The Experiences of Transgender Youth In Our Nation's Schools.

Autumn Sandeen wrote about it at Pam's House Blend back in March, and in light of what just happened to J. Escobar in Cobb County, GA, what happened a few months ago on Guam to Jeremy, and the federal civil rights lawsuit currently pending in court over what happened to KK Logan in Gary, IN, it's time to revisit this report.

Some of the findings of the report brought back some painful memories.

• Two-thirds of transgender students felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation (69%) and how they expressed their gender (65%).
• Almost all transgender students had been verbally harassed (e.g., called names or threatened) in the past year at school because of their sexual orientation (89%) and gender expression (87%).
• More than half of all transgender students had been physically harassed (e.g., pushed or shoved) in school in the past year because of their sexual orientation (55%) and gender expression (53%).
• More than a quarter of transgender students had been physically assaulted (e.g., punched, kicked or injured with a weapon) in school in the past year because of their sexual orientation (28%) and gender expression (26%).
• Most transgender students (54%) who were victimized in school did not report the events to school authorities. Among those who did report incidents to school personnel, few students (33%) believed that staff addressed the situation effectively.

• 90% of transgender students heard derogatory remarks, such as "dyke" or "faggot," sometimes, often or frequently in school in the past year.
• 90% of transgender students heard negative remarks about someone's gender expression sometimes, often or frequently in school in the past year.
• Less than a fifth of transgender students said that school staff intervened most of the time or always when hearing homophobic remarks (16%) or negative remarks about someone's gender expression (11%).
• School staff also contributed to the harassment. A third of transgender students heard school staff make homophobic remarks (32%), sexist remarks (39%) and negative comments about someone's gender expression (39%) sometimes, often or frequently in the past year.

I know all too well that outside influences can have a powerful impact on educational success. It's why I support whatever efforts are underway and ongoing to make schools a safe space for transgender students.

School should be a pleasant part of your childhood memories, not a bitter chapter of your life.

But for too many trans kids matriculating through school right now, that is the harsh reality of their school years.

Trans Teen Has High School Dress Code Issues In Cobb County, GA

Ah, what would a school year be without some kind of dress code controversy, be it at the beginning or the end of the school year during prom season.

Why am I not surprised about this one? This is the same Cobb County that gained a worldwide negative rep for having an Olympic preliminary volleyball venue taken away from it before the 1996 Atlanta Games because of an anti-gay resolution it passed in August 1993.

The resolution passed by the Cobb County Commission but rescinded in 1997 stated among other things "that the life style advocated by the gay community should not be endorsed by government policy makers because they are incompatible with the standards to which this community subscribes."

I found out about it thanks to Pam's House Blend and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. BTW, I'm going to use feminine pronouns in this story, especially since she stated in the article, "I don't consider myself a cross-dresser. This is just who I am."

Jonathan Escobar moved from Miami to Kennesaw, GA to live with her older sister and attend North Cobb High School. Her old school in Florida didn't have a problem with her dressing in feminine attire, but her parents did.

Before beginning school at North Cobb, Escobar asked administrators about the dress code and asked if she could wear items like high heels, and brightly colored wigs.

She was told there wouldn't be a problem, but four days after starting school at North Cobb High School the fun started.

Kids will be kids, and someone started cracking jokes at her expense. A friend stood up for her and unfortunately a fight ensued.

School administrators told Escobar that she was now in violation of the section of the North Cobb High School dress code that states:

"All students shall be required to…refrain from any mode of dress which proves to contribute to any disruption of school functions.”

Translation, Escobar was told she had to dress more like a male or she couldn’t come to school.

Her sister Veronica says she's shocked by what has happened.

"I didn't think they would take it this far," Veronica Escobar said.

Escobar says she wasn't a disruption in the classroom, but she attracted attention in the lunchroom. "Everybody was surrounding me," she said.

On her second day of school, Escobar says he was pulled out of class to speak with a police officer who told her he was concerned about the student's safety.

"They should've told the students to back off," Escobar said. "They should have never given me the option of homeschooling or changing who I am."



In her short time at the Kennesaw school, Escobar has apparently made a lot of friends. By Tuesday evening, nearly 900 supporters had joined a Facebook group called "Support Jonathan." Many were planning to purchase a bright pink T-shirt with the same phrase.

Escobar says she wants to be allowed to attend school and eventually graduate. But she doesn't want to stifle what she calls her art.

"If I can't express myself, I won't go to school," he said. "I want to get the message out there that because this is who I am, I can't get an education."

It's On On Guam

Jeremy, the transgender high school student who was barred from attending his George Washington High School prom because he wore a dress, submitted a letter of complaint to the Office of the Superintendent and the legal counsel of the Guam Public School System.

Superintendent Dr. Nerissa Bretania-Shafer says she will be conducting her own investigation on the matter. She states that she wants to ensure "Jeremy's" rights were not violated, telling KUAM-TV News, "At this point, we want to respect the right of any student to issue a complaint and register a complaint. Once that's done, we need to let the investigation take its place."

Dr. Bretania-Shafer says this is the first time she's heard of the issue and she anticipates the investigation into what happened will be completed in the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, some of Jeremy's classmates are weighing in on the incident.

According to Michele Catahay's KUAM-TV report several freshmen stated it shouldn't matter what an individual wears to the prom, as long as it's tasteful. One female student said, "They should be what they want - it's their decision, it's their choice. They can be who they want to be." And a fellow male classmate said such should be allowed, "as long as it's not vulgar."

And as I pointed out in the guidelines drawn up by the prom committee, it does not have a prohibition against cross gender clothing.




Speaker of the Guam Youth Congress Derick Hills says what happened to Jeremy is absolutely intolerable and shouldn't have happened.

"I feel more saddened about the student. This was a once in a lifetime event for him and when he went to prom, he went there expressing his views and his passion of what he felt. And I think the school should've acted more accordingly and let the student into the prom event."

Yes, they should have. That denial of entry into the prom may be a costly one for the Guam Public School System as well.

TransGriot Note: Jeremy hasn't clarified as of yet whether he is transitioning or gay, so I left the male pronouns intact until advised otherwise.

Another Year, Another Student Booted From Their Prom

Ah graduation. Is it me or does it seem as though every year we have a story that blows up in the news about a student being booted from their prom for clothing issues?

Last year it was my teenage Houston homegirl Marche Taylor, who wasn't allowed to enter Madison High's prom at the Sugar Land Marriott hotel by school officials because of her skimpy dress. The heated argument that ensued with school officials ended with Ms. Taylor getting busted and taken away in handcuffs by the Houston po-po's.



I posted two years ago about KK Logan of Gary, IN who was banned from attending the 2006 West High School senior prom by Principal Diane Rouse despite wearing women's apparel during his junior and senior year.

KK with the help of Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit which is now percolating in the federal Northern District Court of Indiana.

Well, it seems as though the peeps of Guam's George Washington High School weren't paying attention to the Logan case because they just banned a student who calls himself 'Jeremy' from attending his senior high school prom in feminine attire. The guidelines created by the school's Prom Committee didn't contain any prohibitions against wearing opposite gender clothing.



"Going to prom is supposed to be like a Cinderella story. And this is no Cinderella story. I said, 'Naw-aw - I don't think so.' I'm not letting this go," promised "Jeremy". Unlike Cinderella, the local senior got booted from the ball...because he showed up in a dress.

"They didn't like the fact that I was in a dress. I was dressed appropriately following the girls code, and I looked on the list of the rules and it didn't say 'no cross-dressing, no transgenders or opposite dressing'. All it said was 'males and females'," he said.

Jeremy added that one teacher questioned whether it was appropriate for him to dress that way, saying, "When I walked in, one of the teachers put me to the side and had the audacity to ask me, 'Are you a male or a female?', and I said, 'What does that matter?' and he said, 'It matters!'"

We have yet to determine whether Jeremy had been dressing in femme attire the entire school year like KK Logan. What we do know according to the KUAM-TV story is that Jeremy hasn't received a refund for his prom ticket and spent $400 for that once in a lifetime night he can never get back.

It's also interesting to note that while Jeremy was being given the third degree by school officials, girls who wore tuxedos were allowed in.

Jeremy's classmates, who were cited as the reason for his denial of entrance to the prom because it would make them 'uncomfortable' made a mockery of that statement in subsequent interviews about the incident.

So stay tuned. Jeremy's case could get ugly before it's resolved.

The Next Women's B-Ball Phenom - Brittney Griner

It's a not too well kept secret inside and outside the transgender community how much I love women's basketball, and Stephanie Stevens recently sent me a link to a story about a girls basketball phenom in my hometown.

She's Brittney Griner, a senior at Aldine Nimitz who stands an imposing 6'8" tall. In addition to being considered the number one girls basketball player in the country, sistah girl can dunk.

So what you say? Yes, Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and Sylvia Fowles have dunked in women's games, and Leslie and Parker have done it in the WNBA. Griner is unique in the fact she doesn't need a clear path to the basket in order to slam.

In other words, Griner can dunk in traffic, with authority just like the boys and has done so repeatedly. She's dunked over 50 times this season and she's still growing. She also has the potential to elevate the women's b-ball game to another rim rattling level.







But for you fans at women's basketball powerhouses salivating at the chance to see her playing at your school for the next four years, dream on. You'll have to either catch her on the tube or buy tickets for the game because she'll be playing against your school.

Brittney's staying in the Lone Star State and she'll be terrorizing a Big 12 arena near you after recently signing a letter of intent with the Baylor Lady Bears.

In the meantime, she led the Nimitz Lady Cougars to their first state final and executed the first dunks in the history of the Texas girls tournament as they marched through Region III-5A enroute to Austin and the tournament finals that took place March 6-7.

Unfortunately, after Griner scored 44 points, snared 18 rebounds and blocked 8 shots to help Nimitz beat Pflugerville in the semifinals 74-47 in addition to dunking twice in the game, the 37-1 Lady Cougars were upset in the 5A state title game by Mansfield Summit 56-43, who had their own 6 footer in tournament MVP and TCU signee Starr Crawford.

But fans of women's basketball have much to look forward to next fall and especially in Waco. They are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2009-2010 basketball season and packing Ferrell Center to watch Brittney Griner play.