The 'I Don't Know Any Black Trans People' Excuse Doesn't Fly

I've done a lot of posts about the subject of erasure of trans people of color.   In the process of combating the media invisibility I've taken to task media outlets in our chocolate media world that put these LGBT's list together that either had no trans persons on it or conflated drag queen with trans persons. 

One of the excuses I heard attempting to defend the indefensible was someone who claimed that 'they didn't know of any Black transpeople, much less Black trans activists.; 

Well, as of 10:00 AM EDT on April 9, that excuse doesn't fly anymore, not that it ever had the credibility in the first place    I've been writing about the trans community with an Afrocentric slant since 2006.

We have other African-American transpeople stepping up to leadership roles and providing positive visibility for our community.   We have growing organizations such as BTMI, BTWI, TPOCC and the National Black Justice Coalition advocating for us, helping us own our power and being the change we want to see in the world. 

We have conferences such as the BTMI event and Trans Faith In Color in which we can gather, talk about issues, honor our people doing the work and build community amongst ourselves and with the groups we intersect and interact with.  As Kwame Ture once said, 'In order to participate in the greater society, you must first close ranks.'

A stronger and more cohesive Black trans community means a stronger one which can be a better, more potent ally to the groups we intersect, interact and have mutual interests with.   

Black legacy orgs such as the NAACP are realizing not only that Black trans community issues are Black community issues, we Black trans peeps are part of the kente cloth fabric of the community and deserve our seat at the family table.  

So no, the publication of this initial Trans 100 List eliminates that excuse that you don't know any Black transpeople along with our increasing visibility across all media platforms.   We have people in various professions who are Black, trans and are attorneys, doctors, college professors, writers, homemakers, models, fashion designers, entrepreneurs...well, you get the drift 

And we didn't just pop up in the second decade of the 21st century either.  We've helped shape and mold not only trans history, but made some Black history of our own in addition to doing our part to uplift ourselves and our people.  

If you don't know any Black trans folks, you either aren't trying to get to know us, or have some of my trans brothers or trans sisters right under your nose living their everyday lives without you realizing it. 

But the days of people dismissively saying that they don't know any Black trans people are over.  . 
 

Alyras' The Unfinished Album

I had a guest post from Alyras two years ago entitled Why She Was Out As a Transgender Entertainer.    Since then she's continued with her music career and getting connected with other trans musicians.

She sent me a note recently letting me know that she was about to release a new album of songs called The Unfinished Album.

I'll let her take it from here:

Here's a link to the demo playlist of the album; just load it into your media player and check it out:
http://www.artofpop.com/unfinishedalbum/TheUnfinishedAlbum-DemoPlaylist.zip - I think you'll smile about the results of my efforts.

If you like what you hear, please consider sharing this link on your wall - http://www.artofpop.com/unfinishedalbum - as well as logging onto http://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-of-Pop/125273134223854 and adding me to your Likes and sharing these links with your other friends. BTW, I'll be releasing it soon through CD Baby, iTunes and other outlets, but it's on sale right now. 9 songs, only €5.

Thanks Alyras for sharing that with me, and with that, well peeps, here's your opportunity to support another trans music artist.   If we don't do it, who will?

It's past time to be about helping other transpeople in the 2K10's

Time To Tap Into Past Lessons

As African descended transpeople we are part of a legacy of people who rolled up their sleeves and busted their behinds to build community in the wake of emancipation. .

Despite tremendous odds, fierce opposition and other challenges, they managed to leave a legacy of success for the African American community to build on. 

Now that we are in the second decade of the 21st century, as heirs to that legacy, it is past time that we African descended transpeople role model what our ancestors did.

We need to build a trans community that is consistent with our values as African descended people and that can be a better and stronger ally to others.   We also need an African descended trans community that can determine its own political destiny and make decisions for itself that are mutually beneficial to us and the trans community at large.  


One of the most important factors in that effort will be knowing and reclaiming our trans history while simultaneously gleaning lessons from our African American one.   If you don't know where you've been and what you've done, you don't have a measuring stick to compare your past progress to what is happening presently, and you will have a harder time in making wise decisions that build community for the future.

I believe by examining our history, we will find the keys to building community are contained in replicating much of how our ancestors did in the last century.

Because now is the time for us to do so.   To paraphrase what W.E.B. DuBois wrote over a cenutury ago in his 1905 Statement of Principles for the Niagara Movement,  "We refuse to allow the impression to remain that the African-American transperson assents to inferiority, is submissive under oppression and apologetic before insults.”

Frankly, we're tired of looking inferior when compared to our white trans brothers and sisters,  frustrated that we seem impotent as we take the brunt of the oppression aimed at this community and are fed up with looking apologetic while insults are hurled at us by friend and foe alike.

It's nation time, people.   Time for the dawning of a new and wonderful decade of achievement, pride and success for African descended transpeople.   Time for us to tap into our energy, talents and determination to reverse the jacked up status quo situation we find ourselves in.

And the beautiful part is that we don't have to reinvent the wheel to do so.   We already have the roadmap to do so in place.  All we have to do is peruse it and adapt it to current conditions.  .