Nicole's 'Royal Pains' Episode To Be Broadcast June 23

I mentioned in a recent post I wrote about her last month that the amazing trans teen Nicole Maines was taping an episode of USA Network's show Royal Pains

Well, get ready to set your DVRs because that episode in which she plays a character named Anna will be broadcast starting June 23.

Will be looking forward to seeing it when it gets broadcast, and hope it leads to more acting work for you.

And best of luck to you as you start your freshman year of college

Blake Brockington Commits Suicide

“I’m still a person, and trans people are still people. Our bodies just don’t match what’s up (in our heads). We need support, not people looking down at us or degrading us or overlooking us. We are still human.”
Blake Brockington

I have mixed emotions as I'm writing this post because I have the sad duty of informing you courtesy of QNotes that history making trans activist Blake Brockington took his own life March 23.

18 year old Brockington made history last year as the first ever African-American trans masculine homecoming king when as an East Mecklenburg High School senior he beat out 12 other nominees and raised $2355.55 for a school chosen charity to win the honor.

Since his graduation from East Mecklenburg HS he has been involved in the #BlackLivesMatter movement, a mentor to other trans kids and an outspoken advocate for our community.  I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to his at the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference to congratulate him on his historic win and tell him how proud I was of him.

And that's one of the parts that is pissing me off and literally has me in tears as I compose this.  Brockington is the third trans person of color youth suicide this year, and that unhappy trend must end.  22 year old Aubrey Mariko Shine jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge February 24, and was preceded by the February 11 death of 19 year old Melonie Rose of Laurel, MD.

And to add insult to both those deaths, the families of Shine and Rose added to the hurt and anger we feel over these death by deliberately erased their trans identities at their funerals

We lost another one of our trans younglings to the ramped up anti-trans violence and hatred.   If #BlackLivesMatter,  don't #BlackTransLivesMatter too?

Trans younglings, your best revenge is living well and setting the goal of living to see your 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th and 70th birthdays.  If you need to talk to someone, find a trans elder or call the Trevor Project.  
It would have been interesting to see how Blake's life would have turned out, but we've been robbed of that opportunity.   

Rest in power, Blake


 For TBLG youth (ages 24 and younger) contemplating suicide, the Trevor Project Lifeline can be reached at 1-866-488-7386. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 can also be reached 24 hours a day by people of all ages and identities.

D.W. Just Needs To Pee In Peace

Another day, another transphobe tripping because a transperson is living their life.

Meet 13 year old DW Trantham.   Because the Office Of Civil rights has informed school districts that they must provide access to the bathroom of the trans students' choice,  and DW is obviously trans feminine, two parents at South Junior High in Boise pulled their kids out of the school.

Gee, that bigotry sounds familiar.



And here's DW's and her family's response to their transphobic ignorance




The bottom line is that transpeople need to pee, poop and wash our hands when we're done.  We are facing more danger from you haters than you are from us, and no, sending trans masculine and trans feminine people to bathrooms that don't match our gender presentation doesn't solve the problem, it exacerbates it.

All  DW and other transpeople want to do is pee in peace.and have you cis people stop demonizing us for it.

Jazz Breaking Historic Ground Again!

Y'all know how much I love Jazz Jennings, and finally got to meet her and her family at last year's Philly Trans Health Conference.

There are two major pieces of news for those of us who love keeping up with our fave trans teen.

The first is TLC has tapped her to do a reality TV show.  Broadcast date to be determined, but this is wonderful to hear.

As y'all know I'm not a big fan of reality TV shows, but for this one I'll make an exception.

The second piece of news is that she has been tapped to be the new face for the Clean and Clear skincare lines 'Be The Real You campaign.

This is historic and groundbreaking in the fact that a trans feminine teen has had this happen.

But it's par for the course for the now ninth grader who has been named by TIME magazine as one of the world's most influential teens along with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.

It's also timely in the wake of four trans teen suicides this year.

Congrats Jazz!   Best of luck in both those new ventures, and hoping they will be megasuccessful.

Jazz Speaks At The Time To Thrive Conference

Y'all know how much I love the amazing Jazz Jennings, and when I finally met her and members of her family last summer during the Philly Trans Health Conference, I was more excited about it than she was.

She is not only one beautiful and amazing young woman, she has been an advocate for trans kids and our community since she was six years old.

So you'll always see Jazz videos here on TransGriot, and here she is speaking at the recent Time To Thrive conference.

Jazz Named To 2014 Time Magazine 25 Most Influential Teens List

In a year in which a teen has won a Nobel Peace Prize, and is garnering attention as an emerging leader in the Hong Kong democracy protests, why am I not surprised when I see this young woman's name on any list of outstanding or influential people?

I had the pleasure of finally meeting Jazz this summer, and I am exceedingly proud of her.

Between all of her other projects, promoting her bestselling I Am Jazz children's book and her award winning advocacy for the trans community, she's already accomplished at age 14 what it takes many people most o their lives to do.

She can add being named to the 2014 Time Magazine's 25 Most Influential Teens List to that ever lengthening list of accomplishments.

And I'm not surprised she's on this list along with Malala Yousafzai, Malia and Sasha Obama, Mo'ne Davis, Joshua Wong and other accomplished teens.  

May wish to scroll down to the bottom of the page and show her some love in the poll that's on the bottom of the article as well.

Congratulations Jazz on another major accomplishment!.

Zeam's MSHSL Testimony

Because Minnesota is not among the 32 states that have policies or procedures for participation by transgender student-athletes, the Minnesota State High School League is debating implementing an inclusive competition policy that would allow transgender high school athletes to compete on the teams that correspond with their gender presentation

News of this was met by the Minneapolis Star Ledger, the state's largest newspaper, making the controversial decision to allow the trans hate group the Minnesota Child Protection League to post in the Sunday edition of the paper a full page falsehood filled ad seeking to stop the policy.

Trans student Zeam Porter appeared before the MSHSL committee debating the policy to give some emotional testimony in favor of it. 

“My love for basketball last year made me believe I could handle being on the wrong team. That was wrong. Constantly being misgendered and called the wrong name took away my soul. I already feel like I don’t have my body -- now I am soulless." said Porter during the hearing.

Unfortunately, the vote on the proposed policy was delayed until December.


All I have to add to this is let my transkids play sports just like everyone else matriculating on a Minnesota high school campus, and do so on the teams that correspond with their gender presentation.

Scarlett Lehn Crowned Homecoming Queen In Colorado

Scarlet Lehn has only been officially out as a transfeminine student at Sand Creek High School in Colorado Springs, CO since the start of this school year, but the 16 year old mas made a little history in the wake of doing so.

Lehn was chosen by her classmates to be their homecoming queen on September 12, the same weekend as transmasculine student Mel Gonzalez was chosen as the homecoming king at Austin High in Fort Bend County. 

It's also delicious to me that Sand Creek High School is located in the backyard of the odiously transphobic and homophobic Focus on The Family.  FOTF is headquartered there. 

While she's gotten some predictable flak from right wingers and the usual haters, the homecoming win was a surprise to her.  “I didn’t think I’d be nominated, but now it really matters to me,” Lehn said in a recent interview. “This is something I’ve wanted to do since my freshman year. I want people to be themselves and not feel uncomfortable in their own body and mind.”

And it's wonderful that your coming out was accepted by your classmates so quickly that they voted for you to be honored as their homecoming queen.

Congratulations Scarlett!   Looking forward to this happening in my home state soon.

Janet's Letter To Jane Doe

Still pissed off to hear through my contacts in Connecticut that 16 year old Latina trans teen Jane Doe is still unjustly locked up in an adult correctional facility.   

This is unacceptable, and a solution needs to be found NOW to end this unjust situation

On her blog Janet Mock has penned an open letter to Jane Doe that need to be read and signal boosted.
Here's a sample of it:

But my dearest Jane Doe this letter is about you, and as you sit in a lowly institution unsuited for a girl queen like you — all I want is highs for you.

In your letter, you said being brutally and wrongfully placed in that adult prison made you feel “thrown away.” You are not garbage. You cannot be discarded and disposed. You are life. Your existence gives me life. You are an unflickering fierce flame that reminds me every day that girls like you — the ones who have unjustly been forced to jump insurmountable hurdles — are the ones our leaders should be centering in our movements. You are worthy of all of our attention, care and resources.

You can read the entire letter by clicking this link

Louisville High School Has Trans Drama

Back when I lived in Louisville as a Texan in exile, one of the fights I was involved in was a 2007 battle with the JCPS school board to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the JCPS nondiscrimination school board policies for students and employees.

To my dismay gender identity was stripped out of it in committee.   After some contentious public hearings the gender identity free policy passed on a 4-3 vote. 

I warned at the time the issue of transpeople in JCPS was not going to go away and it was better to be proactive about it than reactive.   JCPS superintendent Sheldon Berman claimed during the committee hearing in which gender identity was stripped out of the proposed additions to the JCPS non discrimination policy, that gender identity issues were 'too new' despite the presence of moi and a newly out trans teacher present to suggest otherwise..   

Now that lack of forward vision by the JCPS board is popping up seven years later.

A freshman Atherton High School trans feminine student recently asked AHS Principal Thomas Aberli for permission to use the girls facilities.   He granted permission for the trans student to do so, and seven cis feminine students immediately complained along with their parents at the Highlands area school.

Atherton was named to US News and World Reports list of Best High Schools in the US in 2013 and is the only public HS in Louisville with an International Baccalaureate program.

This has now blown up into a kerfluffle that will involve the Atherton Site Based Decision Making Committee with a meeting being held later today at 2:45 PM EDT to discuss adding gender identity to the school's non discrimination policy.  

It also makes crystal clear just how shortsighted the 2007 JCPS board decision to not address gender identity and be proactive in creating policies to cover thedistrict's trans students and JCPS employees was. 

"I have a responsibility to ensure that all of our students and staff are treated fairly and justly," Aberli said in a recent interview with the Louisville Courier-Journal. "At the same time, I also have a responsibility to educate our community on an issue that many are not familiar with and inform them about the rights of transgender individuals."

Chris Hartman, the director of Louisville's Fairness Campaign, said allowing a transgender student access to gender-specific restrooms is important not only for basic civil rights, but also for the safety of the trans student.

“A great deal of violence and sexual assault against transgender people, in general, and transgender youth occurs in restrooms,” he said.  “When we are talking about restroom accommodations being important it is about safety of all students and in particular the trans students.”

Dawn Wilson, member of the Metro Louisville Human Relations Committee had this to say in a statement. "As Education Chair of the Metro Louisville Human Relations Commission, I find it important that we show support for the students and the school; while urging the school board to adopt all aspects of the Metro anti-discrimination ordinances as a system wide policy rather than have school based decisions. This is the path we must tread."

Atherton High School's motto is Scholarship, Service and Self Respect.   Hope they, the AHS community and other interested parties keep that motto in mind when they conduct the SBDMC meeting later today.

TransGriot Update:  The meeting had several hundred people in attendance pro and con, and the policy passed.  

DeSoto ISD Posts Problematic Prom Dress Code

Well Trans* Class of 2014, I did warn y'all last June to be ready to fight your trans oppressors.   And word to the wise Trans* Class of 2015, you may want to start prepping now so you have a stress free senior year.   

In the eight years I've been chronicling the events of the trans community on this blog, one of the things you'll note as you peruse my archives is the frequent fights between trans students and transphobic school administrations that sometimes have to get resolved in the court system.

In the fall it's trans students having to fight the school powers that be because they were barred from having the opportunity to run for homecoming king or homecoming queen. 

Sometimes it's battles just to be able to take and put in the yearbook a senior class photo that reflects the person you are now like Jeydon Loredo had to do back in November versus the LaFeria ISD board.  

And yeah, I'm willing to bet there will be in May and June more instances of  transphobic school boards and administrators fighting tooth and nail to not allow trans students to attend their high school graduations or receive their hard earned diplomas wearing the cap and gown and clothing appropriate to who they present as now.

Now with the 2014 calendar in mid-March, thoughts are turning to prom season and the next looming high school gender expression battleground before the commencements start.     

There has been drama with prom dress codes between trans students and school administrators going back over two decades now, but it's happening far more frequently now as trans students transition earlier, assert their human rights to be themselves and school administrators cling to the gender binary like winos holding their last bottle of MD 20/20 

The DeSoto ISD in the Dallas 'burbs is the latest one to go there.   They attempted set a policy to ban cis feminine students from wearing tuxedos and men's suits and cis masculine ones from wearing prom dresses to their May 17 event.  

DeSoto ISD has every right to set those policies and general standards like requiring formal wear or barring revealing clothing.   But as written, the DeSoto ISD prom dress codes are problematic for trans masculine and transfeminine students. 

Not allowing a cis female or transmasculine student to wear a tuxedo or barring a cis male or transfeminine student from wearing a dress may subject the school to legal liability, including a sex discrimination claim under state education laws, antidiscrimination laws, Title IX or the U.S. Constitution.  

With Lambda Legal's regional office being located n Dallas, they are already on the job reminding the DeSoto ISD about what happened in the K.K. Logan case. 

Back on May 19, 2006  Logan was physically barred by her transphobic principal from entering the venue hosting her Gary, IN high school prom in feminine attire despite the fact that Logan had been presenting as female since the start of her junior year of high school.

West Side HS principal Diane Rouse probably wasn't aware the battle she was fighting that night had already been lost.  Diamond Stylz sued and won a similar court case against her Indianapolis area HS back in 1999.
 
Logan sued with the help of Lambda Legal, arguing that the school violated K.K.’s First Amendment right to freedom of speech, symbolic action and expressive conduct.

The matter was resolved in 2010, including an undisclosed amount paid to K.K. as well as revisions to the school district's dress code and nondiscrimination policies.  The Gary school district's policies were revised to contain specific protections for TBLG students.  The Gary, IN  school district also agreed to conduct training for the administration and school board members on LGBT issues and respectful treatment of LGBT people.

DeSoto ISD, it would be wise for you to make the necessary adjustments in that problematic policy before you find yourself in court on the losing end of a lawsuit. 

Stay tuned, because the 2014 prom season is coming up.  I'll be willing to bet I'll have one school district somewhere in the United States that shows its anuses before the 2013-14 school year concludes. 

H/T Lone Star Q
 

Jewlyes Gutierrez Case Update

It's not the result we'd like to see in the Gutierrez care (drop the charges, Dan Cabral) but in her recent February 6 juvenile court hearing Jewlyes Gutierrez was ordered by Judge Thomas Maddock to participate in a restorative justice mediation hearing with the girls who started this mess in the first place. 

I still find it problematic that Jewlyes was the only once charged with battery when the other three girls bullied her for months, instigated the fight and were getting their shots in on Jewlyes who was defending herself. 

The other element that bothers me is that no one except this blogger has has really asked the hard things that make you go hmm questions about how much influence the obviously transphobic detective investigating this case had to do with that outcome.

The mediated restorative justice sessions will take place, with Jewlyes returning to Maddock's court May 1 to report on the progress and a possible dropping of the battery charge. 

“I am relieved to know that Jewlyes will now have the chance to find peace and safety outside of the criminal justice system," said Transgender Law Center Executive Director Masen Davis.  "Youth belong in schools not jails. All students, including transgender students, should be able to go to school feeling safe and supported. At Transgender Law Center we have heard time and time again from transgender youth, especially youth of color, who are being excluded from being able to participate fully in school due to concerns about safety.”

While I eho the sentiments of Masen, I'd be more relieved if the charges had been dropped,

First Ever Black Trans Homecoming King Crowned

Just in time for Black History Month, some more Black trans history being made.

17 year old Blake Brockington became the first trans homecoming king in the state of North Carolina and the first out Black trans homecoming king ever in the United States when he was crowned during a halftime ceremony last night at East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte.

Blake was one of 13 seniors nominated for and competing for the honor, and raised the most money for East Mecklenburg High's chosen charity, Mothering Across Continents.  It's a non-profit organization that funds the building of schools in the Sudan.

"It's an honor to become part of East Meck's history," he said in a WCNC-TV interview.
  .
Brockington thanked his supporters, and says he wants to inspire students to never give up on their dream.
"They can be themselves regardless of what anybody else says. Even though you go through some things and have some negative encounters in your life, anything is possible. You can do anything you set your heart to," said Brockington.

As to what the newly crowned king's future plans are?   Brockington is headed to the University of North Carolina Charlotte in the fall, and plans to continue playing rugby and mentoring young trans students.   

Justice For Jewlyes

Now that Creating Change 2014 is receding into history, I have some time to refocus my attention on what's happening in the trans community while I was doing my part to make our Houston flavored event an off the charts successful one.

There has been increasing pressure being applied on the Contra Costa County DA's office to drop the case against Hercules HS transteen Jewyles Gutierrez, who is being charged with battery  for defending herself against three girls who were bullying her nonstop for several months .

And just in case you were wondering, outside of the three girls who bullied her being suspended from school for the fight, they aren't facing charges. 

A Change.org petition calling on Contra Costa County DA Daniel Cabrera to drop the charges has garnered almost 200,000 signatures and sponsorship from Transadvocate, and GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) as of this writing.

If you wish to add your name to that list of people outraged over what is increasingly appearing to be charges based on a recommendation from a transphobic cis female detective, you can follow this link to add your name to this petition.

The lengthening list of people speaking out against these unjust charges also includes San Francisco Supervisor David Campos, who along with four co-sponsors introduced on January 28 a non-binding resolution  urging that the unjust charges be dropped. 

"What happened to Jewlyes Gutierrez is reprehensible," Campos told the SF Weekly. "Prosecuting Jewlyes for defending herself merely stigmatizes and bullies her again, this time in an official capacity and by the institutions who's duty it is to act as her protector. It is important that as a city, we in San Francisco stand for what is right and acknowledge that we must commit to protecting the most vulnerable among us and demand the same of communities around the country, especially in the Bay Area."

Will be keeping an eye on this situation.

Change.org Petition For Jewlyes

I posted about the jacked up situation trans teen  Jewlyes Gutierrez  finds herself in in terms of being charged with one count of battery by the Contra Costa county assistant DA Dan Cabral for defending herself against three girls who were bullying her.

He's claiming it's 'out of his hands', but we'll see about that.   Just as they charged Jewlyes, they can drop them as well.

This petition to get them to drop the charges has over 23,000 signatures at this writing, so let's see if we can get more.   International trans peeps, you are welcome to sign his one as well.

Here's the link to it.

Bullied Trans Teen Girl Being Charged For Defending Herself

When 16 year old Jewelyes Gutierrez got fed up after being bullied by three girls for being trans and defended herself, the last thing she was expecting after the November 15 fight at Hercules HS was to be charged by the Contra Costa County DA for it.

But that's exactly what has happened in this case.  Gutierrez is being charged with a single count of misdemeanor battery for defending herself against three cis female attackers who had been bullying her. 

Wanna guess what happened to the bullies?  Nada.

What the hell was Contra Costa County DA Mark Peterson and assistant DA Dan Cabral thinking?  One of the girls takes spit laden gum out of her mouth, threw it in Jewelyes' face, and Jewelyes is the one getting charged? 

You've got to be kidding me.

"When I initially received this case, I was shocked that the district attorney's office decided to charge Jewelyes," said Kaylie Simon, Jewelyes' public defender. 

"I don't understand quite why the District Attorney's office would prosecute someone who's already been a victim of bullying. I think it's a further victimization of somebody who's been a target of homophobia and transphobia."  

So do I.    DA's Peterson and Cabral need to drop the charges they leveled at Jewelyes and let the school handle it, which it already did with suspensions to all the girls involved.

Charles Ramsey, the President of the West Contra Costa School Board, says this should have been a teachable moment and not "something that should rise the level of where it has to go to the District Attorney's office for prosecution."

So do the right thing Contra Costa DA's office.  Drop the charges.

TransGriot Update: Here's a petition asking the Contra Costa DA to do precisely that.

Christian Has Been Found!

Some good news to report on the missing transteen front concerning Christan Kukahiko, the 15 year old teen who was last seen November 9 at her home in Maunawili. 

According to a comment on the Crimestoppers Honolulu Facebook page dated December 3,  Christian was located and reunited with her family.

While we are happy for Christian's family that there was a happy ending in this case, there are far too many others in which successfully finding a missing person is the exception and not the rule, especially when the child is non-white or TBLG.

Just happy that Chris is home and this missing trans persons case had a successful resolution. 

California Trans Teen Tells Her Story To The School Board

Hercules High School sophomore student Jewelyes Gutierrez got fed up with the bullying and transphobic harassment being aimed at her on an almost daily basis.  She appealed to the school's vice principal for help in stopping it, who ignored her request.

That frustration finally boiled over in the on campus November 15 fight between her and three girls egged on by other students that was captured on video, went viral and they were all suspended for it.

Jewelyes told her story in a December 3 community meeting convened by the West Contra Costa School Board

"As I was telling her how she was being disrespectful and rude, she spits gum in her hand and throws it in my face," said Gutierrez. "It was just build up after build up after build up and no one was there to really, like, help me."

"I was just sticking up for myself," she said. "Because you're different, you'll get picked on, you'll get name calling, bullied, taunted, harassed -- all those."





The West Contra Costa School Board to their credit in the wake of this incident is working on a new anti-bullying policy they will vote on January 29.

Will definitely be keeping an eye on this situation.

Hawaii's Still Looking For Chris

In case you're wondering what's the story concerning Christian Kukahiko, the Hawaiian trans teen who has been missing since November 9, unfortunately there is no news to report at this time good or bad.

The 15 year old Chris was last seen at 3 PM local time around her family's home in Maunawili.   She is six feet tall, weighs 230 pounds, has black hair with red highlights and a tattoo on her lower back with the last name "Kukahiko."

Anyone with information about this situation is asked to call CrimeStoppers at (808) 955-8300, or *CRIME on your cellular phone. Free cellular calls are provided by AT&T, Nextel Hawaii, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless Hawaii, Mobi PCS, and Hawaiian Telcom. The public may now send anonymous text and web tips. Text "CS808" plus your message to 274637 or CRIMES.

Let's help the Kukahiko family get what they most want to happen this Christmas.  Their child returned safe to them for the holidays.

Tracey Fighting To Be Herself

Where are the trans teen kids who share my ethnic background?  It's a question I've been asking and frankly so have my readers for a while.

One of my readers recently sent me a story about 10 year old Tracey Wilson, who lives in British Columbia with her parents.

While I was happy to read about her transition and her loving parents supporting it, the part of the story I'm not happy about is that the seeds of the transphobia that Dr. Paul McHugh sowed in the Vatican back in 2003 continue to bear poisonous transphobic fruit at the flock level. 

Tracey is now living as a girl full time.  When she wanted to do so at her semi-private Catholic school as well and her parents Michelle and Garfield informed Sacred  Heart of Tracey's wish, the school said no.   They offered to let her use the disabled bathroom, but not the girl's one and refused to authorize a name change or allow Tracey to wear the girls school uniform claiming they didn't have a policy for it.

The great thing about living in Canada besides universal health care and Timmy's is that they have strong human rights protection enshrined in their Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  Tracey's parents have filed a human rights complaint with the BC Human Rights Tribunal against the Independent Catholic Schools of Vancouver.

And yes BC, it's past time for you to join the other four provinces and the Northwest Territories in your home and native land that protect the human rights of trans citizens of your province.

Tracey's human rights complaint will be heard in the spring, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it along with everyone else in Trans World and the African Diaspora