FAMU, Robert Champion Didn't Cause His Own Death

Florida A&M University's motto is: "Excellence With Caring' 

When they finally filed their 23 page motion in the ongoing court case involving the death of gay drum major Robert Champion, Jr. it failed to live up to the motto..

There was nothing excellent about the document they filed in Orange County court.  They definitely didn't care about the Champion family or how it made FAMU look to the world.

"Respectfully, as a 26 year old adult and leader in FAMU's band, Mr. Champion should have refused to participate in the planned hazing event and reported it to law enforcement or University administrators. Under these circumstances, Florida's taxpayers should not be held financially liable to Mr. Champion's Estate for the ultimate result of his own imprudent, avoidable and tragic decision and death."

FAMU, ever heard of  in loco parentis?   Did you really just try to weasel out of this legal mess you're in by blaming the victim for his own death? 

"We cannot ignore the irony and audacity of an institution in blaming Robert for his death," Champion family attorney Christopher Chestnut said. "Blaming students for hazing allows the culture of hazing to become deadly."

"I am extremely disappointed and disgusted by FAMU's lack of accountability in gay drum major Robert Champion, Jr.'s hazing death," says Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, NBJC Executive Director and CEO. "Blaming the victim sends a dangerous and unacceptable message that institutions should get a pass for not proactively and effectively addressing the violent hazing culture."

The National Black Justice Coalition is working closely with the Department of Justice and the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to address violence on HBCU campuses and how LGBT students like Robert Champion, Jr. are targeted

But back to FAMU.. You were warned about the hazing culture in the 'Marching 100' band two decades ago by ousted band director Julian White and failed to take definitive action to eradicate it. 

FAMU, you also had a duty and a moral obligation to do so.  Now as White predicted when he wrote in a letter urging help in eradicating that culture,"It would be very difficult for the university and the band should someone become killed or hurt."

Unfortunately someone has been killed.   FAMU's internationally famous band that once played at presidential inaugurations and Super Bowls is silent for the second consecutive season.  The university's reputation is taking a serious public relations beating and may be headed for a financial one as well.  

And FAMU, that's a self inflicted wound you caused, not Robert Champion, Jr.

Lt. Gov. Carroll: How Dare You Denigrate Me and My Beautiful Black Lesbian and Bi Sisters?

TransGriot Note: I had my say about Florida Lt. Gov  Jennifer Carroll's jacked up comments about my Black lesbian and bi sisters, and now I'm pleased to signal boost for my readers this post from the NBJC blog and from NBJC Communications Director Kimberly McLeod

July 16, 2012   06:26 PM

Florida's Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll is on the defensive (and has apparently lost her mind) after former staff member Carletha Cole claimed that she caught Carroll and her female travel aide in a compromising sexual position in Carroll's capitol office. In an absurd attempt to deflect questions about the alleged same-sex encounter, Carroll told a local news outlet that Black lesbian and bisexual women don’t look like her.

“My husband doesn’t want to hear that. He knows the type of woman I am for 29 years. I’m the one that’s married for 29 years. The accuser is the one that’s single for a long time,” Carroll continued on camera while chuckling. “Usually Black women that look like me don’t engage in relationships like that.”
What exactly do Black lesbians and bisexual women look like, Lt. Gov. Carroll, since you seem to know so well? And what “type of woman” have you been for the last 29 years that by default makes you not lesbian or bisexual?

Actually, don’t answer that. Because who knows what more ignorance and utter word vomit you can further spew. As a self-identified Black lesbian who embraces and celebrates her femininity, allow me to answer that for you.

At the core of Carroll’s problematic statement is the misconception that people “turn” gay because they are unattractive, cannot meet someone of the opposite sex and out of desperation “switch teams.” Being gay isn’t our “Plan B.” It is part of our identity that isn’t dependent on our physical features or “success rate” with men. Someone’s marriage to a man, good looks, or femininity isn’t evidence of anything related to their orientation.

There is nothing “wrong” or deviant about being a lesbian. In fact, the lesbians I’ve met personally, as friends, co-workers, lovers, partners and mentors, are some of the most radiant Black women – inside and out -- I’ve been blessed to know. They are mothers, sisters, daughters, community organizers, spiritual leaders, artists, wordsmiths, CEOs, doctors, and more. Their brilliance and beauty is undeniable. These women engage in some of the most loving and committed relationships I have witnessed.

What “type” of woman exactly are you, Lt. Gov. Carroll? You seem so keen on differentiating yourself from me and my Black lesbian and bi sisters. And what makes your relationship with your husband so different from the thousands of Black women raising children together? Inquiring minds would like to know.

The fact that Lt. Gov. Carroll went out of her way to specify that Black lesbians and bisexual women don’t “look like her” implies that non-Black lesbians and bi women are entitled to more a fluid gender expression. This is yet another problematic notion of female sexuality so many Black women, and women in general, have internalized from the patriarchal policing of Black female sexuality.

To add insult to injury, then there’s Lt. Gov. Carroll’s jab at single Black women. As if those single for extended periods of time have somehow gotten the short end of the stick, or, gasp, are gay. Heaven forbid there are Black women who are single by choice or who are happily single for long lengths of time.
For the record, this is what a Black lesbian looks like. They look like me. They look like comedian Wanda Sykes, actress Jasika Nicole, model Az Marie, singer Tracy Chapman, activist Angela Davis, poet Staceyann Chin and others. Many, Lt. Gov. Carroll, look just like you.

You can defend your marriage without dissing Black lesbian and single women. You can protect your reputation without revoking Black lesbian femininity.

That is why I am standing with the National Black Justice Coalition, the nation’s leading Black LGBT civil rights organization, and with Black lesbians, bisexual women and our allies everywhere, demanding that Lt. Gov. Carroll retract her statement immediately.

Tweet your photo to @NBJContheMove to show Lt. Gov. Carroll and others what Black lesbians look like. Use the hashtag #whatablacklesbianlookslike.

Kimberley McLeod

Kimberley McLeod serves as NBJC's Director of Communications.

4 Year Old Killed For Perception He Was Gay

I wrote a post a while back talking about the deadly combination of homophobia and hypermasculinity in the African-American community and how it's leading to the deaths of our young children.

Here's another sad case of a 4 year old being killed courtesy of Diamond Stylz's video blog..

Ellen Calls Out Her Haters

Sometimes, you can't just turn the other cheek to your haters and you have to call their azzes out. 

Enjoy the video of Ellen DeGeneres calling out her haters in One Million 40,000 Moms who were trying to put conservapressure on JC Penney to remove her as a spokesperson.

HISD Board Meeting And Protest Tonight

Posted about this yesterday, but wanted to remind you peeps in the Houston area there is an HISD board meeting scheduled for tonight.

The Houston rainbow community and our allies will be there in full effect this afternoon and evening to remind District III Trustee Manuel Rodriguez ain't nothing changed and we haven't forgotten about that stank homophobic flier you aimed at Ramiro Fonseca and used to win reelection to the HISD school board by 24 votes.

The protest will take place in front of the HISD's Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center starting at 4:30 PM CST and there will probably be another capacity crowd in the board room auditorium patiently waiting for the public comment portion of the meeting to have their say about what went down and demand his resignation in light of it.  

If you're planning on heading over to 4400 W. 18th St. and wanted to express yourself, the deadline for that passed at 4:30 PM yesterday   

However, the folks that will be outside protesting would probably love to have you join them outside the building exercising your constitutional right to free speech.

And if you can't make it out to northwest Houston in time for the protest or the school board meeting that starts at 6:30 PM, you can pop some popcorn or grab whatever your favorite snack is and catch the school board meeting live on public access cable.

HISD Trustee Still On The Hotseat Over Homophobic Flyer

If HISD District III trustee Manuel Rodriguez thought the Thanksgiving holiday, a wacked phobic apology and the passage of time would lessen the anger of the Houston rainbow community and our allies over the homophobic campaign flier he unleashed during the final days of his contentious reelection campaign for his school board seat, um no.

A website called HISDbully.org and a Facebook page entitled Remove The HISD Bully have sprung up with the goal of getting Rodriguez to resign from the HISD board.  His opponent Ramiro Fonseca decided not to seek a recount in the race that Rodriguez won by 25 votes. 

There is another community protest being planned for December 8, the next scheduled meeting date for the HISD board at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center.

That protest will start outside the building at 4:30 PM and in addition to the growing numbers of people asking for and signing petitions calling for Rodriguez's immediate resignation, there are increasing calls for making the just passed in August anti-bullying policies applicable to the HISD Board of Trustees.

When that meeting kicks off at 6 PM CST there will most certainly be a long list of speakers jam packed into the board auditorium that evening just like their was during the November 10 meeting   

Hmm..may have to be there that night for this one.

HISD Trustee Faces The Music Over Homophobic Campaign Flier

I mentioned that HISD's Thursday's night board meeting was going to be a contentious and packed one at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Building, and it was.

The board room had a standing room only crowd on the inside, protesters holding signs and chanting outside and our local H-town media recording it all.

The crowd was there to take HISD board Trustee Manuel Rodriguez to task over a homophobic campaign flier he aimed at his opponent Ramiro Fonseca in the extremely tight Position III race that he won reelection to by a mere 24 seats.

Is Super Phobes Coach Uche Really Being Investigated By FIFA?

Nigeria Super Phobes (oops Super Falcons) head coach Eucharia Uche made some startling comments during the recent 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in which she claimed during a June 26 press conference she removed lesbians off her team.

There was a subsequent June 29 meeting between Uche and FIFA's head of women's competitions Tatjana Haenni in which the anti discrimination policy was reiterated to her, and the Nigeria Football Federation made it clear she was still their coach for the time being.


At the same time this was blowing up, an Allout.org sponsored petition drive was gathering over 45,000 signatures and organizing a 'Give The Red Card To Homophobia' protest before the Women's World Cup semifinal game in Frankfurt urging FIFA to attack homophobia in the game with the same zeal they do racism in 'the beautiful game'.

The International Gay and Lesbian Football Association, the Federation of Gay Games and ALLOut.org jointly wrote a letter to FIFA President Sepp Blatter concerning the Uche situation.

FIFA and its affiliated organisations are to be commended for the kinds of strong measures taken against racism in football. Unfortunately we have not yet seen the same commitment to take action against homophobia. It is long overdue for FIFA to apply its own rules regarding discrimination, and help insulate the sport from ideological and religious interference that infringes on players rights.

That it is. The IGLFA and AllOut.org wrote press releases that were picked up in other parts of the Gayosphere claiming that a FIFA investigation of Uche has been launched, but the Federation of Gay Games says otherwise.

The Federation of Gay Games asserts on their FB page she's not being investigated, and had this to say.

Contrary to the press release from our friends at AllOut, cosigners of the letter to FIFA to which Jérôme Valcke has now (more than two months later) replied, FIFA has not decided to investigate the lesbophobic behavior of Nigerian women's football club Eucharia Uche.

We quote:

"Thus, in the event the FIFA Disciplinary Committee considers having enough evidence to be in a position to open proceedings, it will not fail to do so with the assistance of the FIFA administration."

We are puzzled by FIFA's request for us to provide information, as it is clear in our letter that the information provoking our letter came from the press. We do hope that FIFA will look into those sources, and eagerly await news of any investigation.

But we're not holding our breath...

Neither am I.  Nigeria's Super Falcons are in the middle of a two leg playoff for the remaining 2012 London Olympic Games women's qualifying tournament with Cameroon. 

They won the first leg 2-1 and play Cameroon on October 22 to decide who gets that other African qualifying spot.  

If there were any FIFA investigation of Uche, it would be big news in Nigeria, on the African continent, the FIFA website, the Confederation of African Football one and any site on the Net that tracks international football.   So far all I've been able to detect is cricket chirping silence on the issue.

I said this when I wrote about the controversy back on July 7:  

This situation with Uche admitting that she forced lesbians off the squad cries out for sanctions, but the likelihood of that happening is about the same as a certain appletini chugging gay rights orgs in the States hiring a transperson to run it.  

And so far, both scenarios are playing out.