Happy 2016-17 School Year To My Trans And LGB Siblings

HISD and other school districts in the Houston area started classes today, and I'm thinking about this in the wake of my niece Kacielyn and one of the many transkids I know like Kai starting kindergarten today.

Kai's mom Kimberly Shappley has been fighting a battle with the Pearland ISD to get then to see the error of their transphobic ways and not discriminate against her daughter.

They are taking their lead from their transphobic superintendent Dr John Kelly and being obstinate about forcing a trans feminine child into bathrooms with cisgender boys, so Shappley may have to escalate the fight for her daughter's freedom, liberty and human rights to the legal system.

It's also a reminder of the DOE/DOJ Dear Colleague letter that is being contested in federal court by a group of ten states led by my indicted GOP Texas attorney general who is indulging his oppressor gene.

Back to this school year post.

While this school year is already shaping up to be a contentious one for trans kind, it's also one of great possibilities for you as well.  In addition to kids like Kai starting their school years in kindergarten, some are making the jump to middle school.  Others of you are starting high school or heading into your senior year, and some of you are heading off to college or into your last year of college.

And major props to those of you who are in grad school or law school.

Some of you before this year is over may have the opportunity to make some trans history along the way and become your school's (or your state's) first ever trans masculine or trans feminine homecoming kings or queens, or winning prom king or queen.

Some of you may choose to excel or compete in sports or other activities as your true selves, while others of you will be more concerned with simply handling your academic business and making friends along the way.

Whatever way you choose to handle your school business, know that your trans elders support you, and stand ready along with several organizations like Lambda Legal, the ACLU, GLSEN, GLAD and the Department of Justice to ensure your Title IX human rights are covered.

Best of luck to all of you and hope this is a successful 2016-17 academic year for all of you.

Trans Class of 2016, Have A Wonderful School Year!

Seeing the pictures of my niece and other kids dressed for school on my Facebook feed reminded me that the 2015-16 school year has started.   Students across the country have either started their schooling like my niece, are moving to the next levels like middle school, high school or college or in grad schools.

Among the students headed to our nation's schools, colleges and universities are trans students.  

As always, if peeps try to give you problems about your trans status in the school setting, there are organizations like GLSEN, Lambda Legal and the ACLU will be standing by along with local activists to ensure  your right to be you, participate in school activities and events while working toward completing your education.

I and your trans elders are proud of you members of the Trans Class of 2016, and know that over time, you will do amazing things that will continue to justify our faith in investing in your success.  

I know there are some of you who will make some trans history along the way, while others will impress and inspire us with your determination to fight for your human rights.

Hope you will have a wonderful, drama free school year and have the opportunity to have fun, make new friends and get your learn on.

TransGriot Note: Young lady in the photo is Canadian trans kid Tracey Wilson 

The 2014-2015 Trans School Year Is Off To A Great Start

'I expect this school year won't be any different.  But as this 2014-15 school year transpires, there will probably be trans history made in some locales before the academic year has come to a close.' 
TransGriot, August 25, 2014  Have A Wonderful 2014-15 School Year

Can I call it or what?  

September hasn't even ended and we've already seen the crowning of a transmasculine homecoming king and transfeminine homecoming queen in Texas and Colorado.   Hopefully this is just the beginning of more positive news coming from the members of the Class of 2015.

As I stated last month, I expect some drama to happen before this school year draws to a close   Drama like transphobic school districts reluctant to let trans students run for homecoming king or queen, run for prom king or queen, prom dress code kerfluffles, potty wars, cap and gown graduation battles, or just simply getting ID to match who they are now. 

But know Class of 2015, you do have help to turn to in case these fools step to you like Lambda Legal, GLSEN and the ACLU ready to pounce on those who would mess with your human rights

And I'm looking forward to hearing about more of your groundbreaking accomplishments and you achieving the goal of graduating.

But we have a few months until May gets here before that happens.

Have A Wonderful 2014-15 School Year

The 2014-15 school year gets started today in HISD, many of the surrounding suburban school districts and our local colleges and universities UH, UHD, TSU, Rice and HCC.  

For all the teachers, TA's and professors I proudly count amongst my friends and loyal readers, hope you have a wonderful, relatively stress free academic year as well. 

It has already gotten off to a successful start for Rachel Pepe in New Jersey.   After a short fight with her local school district, she will now be attending school as her true self. 

Rice University starts this academic year proudly popping their collars as the only school in Texas that made the Princeton Review's Top 20 Most Friendly LGBT Colleges list..  They are determined to improve on their number 20 ranking.

Seems like every school year I have to write stories about school districts reluctant to let trans students run for homecoming king or queen, run for prom king or queen, prom dress code kerfluffles, potty wars, cap and gown graduation battles, or just simply getting ID to match who they are now. 

I expect this school year won't be any different.  But as this 2014-15 school year transpires, there will probably be trans history made in some locales before the academic year has come to a close.    

For all my trans younglings, in the Class of 2015, hope this is one magical year that you will fondly remember for the rest of your lives that serves as a springboard to a successful college experience. 

For you college seniors, hope this senior year is a low stress educationally stimulating year that sets you up for successful lives as you prepare to leave your college campuses for that different world off of it. 

For my friends entering law or graduate school or just going back to school to finish what you started, handle your business and have a wonderful year.  For those of you entering high school, college or whatever grade level you're at, have a wonderful year and much success.  

Know that your trans elders and various organizations are standing by in case you have issues crop up related to your trans status that you need to resolve.   And know collegiate haters, I will not hesitate to call you out on the electronic pages concerning any transphobic crap that develops on your campuses. 

Have a wonderful 2014-15 school year.  Let the school bells ring across the country and the drama free education of our next generation begin.

Have A Great 2012-13 School Year Houston TBLG Students!

While I was enroute back to Houston on Monday the 2012-13 school year kicked off in the various school districts in the area, at Houston Community College, Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University and at the University of Houston.  Rice started classes on August 20.

I hope you rainbow students matriculating in HISD schools and those college campuses I mentioned got your school year off to a wonderful start

Wanted to point out for you TBLG students in the area that in HISD the anti-bullying and employment non-discrimination policies have gender identity and sexual orientation language in them, so for you rainbow community kids matriculating in HISD schools, know you are covered if people start jacking with you.

Unfortunately the other school districts in the area have yet to follow HISD, the largest school district in Texas and seventh largest in the country's lead, but a statewide anti-bullying law takes effect September 1..

On the local college front, HCC has gender identity and expression language in its non-discrimination policy along with Rice University, which has had it since 2006.  The San Jacinto College system along with UH-Clear Lake also has gender identity and expression language in their non-discrimination policies. 

On February 15 Texas A&M's President R. Bowen Lofton added sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the yearly TAMU-College Station employment memo. 

"...It is our policy to not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Furthermore, we will maintain a work environment free from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression."


Although my alma mater as of yet has not yet incorporated gender identity and expression language into their nondiscrimination statement, in January 2010 the UH Vice Chancellor of Legal Affairs, Dona H. Cornell issued a memo stating that transgender individuals are protected from discrimination at the University of Houston based on the analysis of the court case Lopez v. River Oaks Imaging & Diagnostic Group.

Unfortunately neither area HBCU has sexual orientation or gender identity language in their non discrimination policies, but interestingly TSU's Thurgood Marshall School Of Law does.

Hopefully TSU and Prairie View A&M will see fit to join other local colleges and universities in the Houston metro area and the TSU Thurgood Marshall Law School to expeditiously add sexual orientation and gender identity language in their non-discrimination statements.

It would be nice for these HBCU's to set a sterling example in the SWAC and other HBCU campuses in this region and around the country of being leaders on this issue just as they have for decades produced outstanding leaders in their classrooms.  The SGL and trans students who matriculate on your historic campuses deserve it.

Houston area rainbow community students, keep working to get that education and hope you will have a fantastic 2012-13 school year.

Teenager Gets Suspended, After Reacting Violently to Ongoing Racist Attacks

Another guest post from my fave north of the border Timmy's Icecap chugging blogger

I have written many times about the struggles my oldest has had negotiating the racism in our small town.  I know that despite the mantra about childhood being a protected class, this definition only applies to White, able bodied, class privileged, cis gendered children.  If you are a child from a historically marginalized group, by the time you get out of diapers, you will have negotiate a discourse which 'others' and erases your humanity.

A Buffalo girls basketball team was suspended after the players allegedly used a racial slur as part of their pregame cheer.

Tyra Batts, the sole African-American on the Kenmore East High School’s squad, told the Buffalo News that her teammates would hold hands before the game, say a prayer and then shout "One, two, three (n------)."

The practice came to light when Tyra was suspended for getting into a fight about the use of racial slurs during practice, according to the newspaper.

She said that she was alarmed by the cheer, but had been outnumbered and told that the use of the slur was just a team tradition.

"I said, 'You're not allowed to say that word because I don't like that word,'" she told the newspaper. "They said, 'You know we're not racist, Tyra. It's just a word, not a label.' I was outnumbered."

The 15-year-old eventually exploded after a practice when a teammate called her a 'black piece of (expletive).’ She says she got into a fight with the girl later in school.

"It was a buildup of anger and frustration at being singled out of the whole team," she told the newspaper.

Tyra’s suspension was shortened after the principal learned of the racial allegations. At least a dozen girls were suspended. (source)

Gee, wasn't it nice of school officials to shorten her suspension.  Certainly, such magnanimous behaviour must be noted and celebrated.  They even went as far as to suspend the girls who were taunting Tyra Batts, and so I suppose all's well that ends well right?  What I want to know is where were the adults while the girls where screaming, "one, two, three nigger"?  I find it hard to believe that each and every single one of these chants happened in isolation. If these girls felt comfortable saying what they did, it can only be because there is a culture of racism alive and well in that school.  The girls who were suspended will serve their time, and life will go on for them, but it is Batts who will have to have to live with lasting effects of their racist assault. Unfortunately, Batts will join the ranks of Black children who have learned at the hands of Whitness that the colour of their skin determines their worth in a White supremacist world.


It enrages me that these girls could use a word like nigger and then claim not to be racist.  Nigger is not now, or ever will be just a word.  There is a long history of dehumanization and oppression that is attached to the word nigger.  The very fact that they felt that they could hold a vote to over rule the feelings of the only African American player speaks volumes.  Today, Whiteness acts as though being called a racist, is worse than living with the hatred of racism.  The word racist has become ugly, even as Whiteness acts in racist ways everyday, without ever acknowledging their behaviour for what it is. The following are but a few of the excuses that I hear on a regular basis:

• I didn't mean to be racist
• you're reading too much into things
• you're being too sensitive
• my best friend was Black in high school
• I don't see race/colour
• You're the one that's racist for interjecting race in the conversation
• I didn't know that was racist
• Why does it always have to be about race?

The bottom line always comes down to the fact that the average White person does not what to confront the ways in which they both live in privilege and support White supremacy. This school did nothing to protect this young girl, and then to have the nerve to punish her for acting in self defense is inexcusable. I have yet to read a call for accountability for the school.   It is inconceivable to me that hearing the chant of nigger and being called a Black piece of shit, could be construed as anything less than verbal violence.  How many times was the young girl assaulted before she finally lost her temper?

Over the years, Whiteness has co-opted much of the  Dr. King's pre 1963 message (note: post 1963 Dr. King was far more radical) because it makes them comfortable, and they love the idea that people of colour will peacefully turn the other cheek.  Not everyone can, or will turn the other cheek.  If we examine the history of violence between Whites and Blacks, Whiteness has by far exceeded us with it barbarity and desire to express power corrosively.  It is this knowledge that causes so many to fear a reckoning and it is this fear that is the basis for Batts continued suspension.  In short, Whiteness fears accountability, and that is why Batts is being punished for her act self defense.

Texas School Boards Doing TBLG Rights Two Step Today

On opposite ends of Interstate 45 there will be civil rights activity today that we hope will result in good news for the trans communities of Houston and Dallas.  

The Dallas Independent School District will have a meeting in a few hours to discuss policy changes that would protect students, staff and teachers from discrimination based on gender identity and expression.   

This meeting is the first reading phase for the proposed policy changes, but if approved by the DISD Board of Trustees the policies would cover the following areas:

• Gender identity and gender expression nondiscrimination protections for students.
• Gender identity and gender expression nondiscrimination protections for staff and teachers.
• Codification of these protections in both the employee standards of conduct (teachers cannot harass students for being LGBT) and the student code of conduct.
• An anti-bullying policy that covers staff and teachers.

Back in November DISD became the first district in the state to adopt an anti-bullying policy to protect TBLG students, but the policy failed to address potential harassment by teachers.

Fort Worth ISD added trans discrimination employment protections in January and in June expanded the FWISD anti-bullying policy to cover gender identity and expression. 

On the southern end of I-45 the Houston Independent School District's Board of Trustees will meet starting at 5 PM CDT to conduct the second reading and final vote for the inclusion of gender identity and sexual orientation in the district's employment policy 

It passed on a 7-0 first reading vote at their June 23 meeting along with a 7-0 vote on HISD Code of Student Conduct changes for the 2011-2012 school year that added gender identity and expression language.

We in the Houston trans community are hopeful of a similar result at tonight's meeting at the Hattie Mae White Building and hope our friends in Dallas have good news to report as well.   

Burnaby School Board Unanimously Passes Gender ID-Sexual Orientation Inclusive Policy

It's not just school districts in the States that recognize the harmful effects bullying of TBLG students causes for them and the barriers they create to learning for our community.  Was pleased to read that Canadian school districts are taking a stand against it as well.   

During its June 14 meeting the Burnaby Schools Board of Education in the Vancouver, British Columbia metro area unanimously approved Policy 5.45.   It was two years in development and is designed to help address transphobic and homophobic harassment and bullying in Burnaby Schools.

Policy 5.45 seeks “to ensure that all members of the school community work together in an atmosphere of respect and safety regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.” and also has the goal of supporting the Burnaby School District’s commitment to provide a safe and caring educational environment..


“Our schools reflect the increasing diversity in our rapidly changing communities," Burnaby School Board Chair Larry Hayes said. “We may differ in our language, culture, national origin, religion or sexual orientation but we all want to feel safe and welcome. We believe this policy will help to foster respect, acceptance and understanding in our schools – and our community.”

Glad they see it that way, and hope the policy makes a difference for kids in that district.

HISD Passes Trans Policy Language On Unanimous Votes

The Houston Independent School District is the largest in Texas and the seventh largest in the United States.

Last night I had the pleasure of witnessing the HISD school board vote on a nondiscrimination policy that has gender identity and expression language that covers both students and employees.

I also signed up to speak at the board meeting to thank them and urge passage of the measure, which it did on a 7-0 first reading vote.

The policy will face a final vote in August.

Also up during last night's meeting was a HISD Code of Student Conduct change for the 2011-2012 school year that adds gender identity and expression language.   That also passed on a 7-0 vote and is a done deal.

One of the surprises I got during the meeting besides Trustees Anna Eastman and Juliet Stipeche coming to personally thank me and the other supporters of the issue for coming was finding out HISD Board President Paula Harris knew my best friend in high school who is no longer with us, Joel Anderson.   

I'm so proud as a trans HISD alum this happened.   Thanks to Chris Busby and Jenifer Rene Pool for doing the hard work to make this happen.

Now lest hope the rest of the school districts in the Houston area follow HISD's lead

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.