I saw the original 1971 Shaft movie starring Richard Roundtree, and the 2000 John Singleton directed Shaft remake starring Samuel L Jackson that along with the OG Shaft movie is part of my DVD collection.
I was happy to discover that another Shaft movie is due to hit my fave multiplex on June 14.
Samuel L. Jackson is reprising his role as John Shaft II and Richard Roundtree is reprising his as his uncle John Shaft. They are joined by Jessie Usher playing John Shaft, Jr.
JJ is an MIT educated FBI cybersecurity expert who enlists his father and uncle's help to investigate the murder of one of his friends. Regina Hall plays his mother in the new film.
And as you guessed, there is plenty of butt kicking going on as the investigation gets deeper. As Shaft II tells his son, "I'm an equal opportunity azz whupper."
And yes, I'm already planning on being there for opening weekend.
I met Daniel Villarreal during an LGBTQ Media Journalist Convening event several years ago, and have a lot of respect and love for him and his journalism work.
He recently gave a talk at the 2019 SXSW on the subject of 'Ten Emerging Topics In LGBTQ Media'. I was in Austin during SXSW for TENT's Lobby Day on the march 7, but had to return home on the date of his talk..
While 70 people attended his talk, there have been a lot more people who expressed interest in the subject, so Daniel has decided to record it so more people can see it.
'The anti-Black, pro-Asian and pro Miss Tiffany showgirl bias has got to end in order for the Miss International Queen trans pageant to have international credibility with people around the world who are thinking about competing in it.'
-TransGriot, March 2, 2018
Since 2004 the Thailand based Miss International Queen pageant has billed itself as the most prestigious transgender beauty pageant on the planet. It has grown to that status in large part because until recently, trans women were barred from participating in the major pageants systems like Miss World and Miss Universe.
The 2019 edition of the Miss International Queen pageant will be crowning its newest queen in Pattaya on March 8 (March 7 our time).
It also has a dubious distinction that smacks of anti-Blackness.. In the decade plus history of the MIQ pageant, it has NEVER crowned a Black winner.
Two have been first runner up (2011, Miss SaHHara, 2015, Valesca Dominik Ferraz). Stasha Sanchez finished as a second runner up in 2010.
There are peeps, myself included, who still believe Miss SaHHara was robbed of the 2011 MIQ title. The Thai contestant, Sirapassorn Atthayakorn horribly botched her final interview, but STILL shockingly won.
Then again it shouldn't have been a shock, since she like all four Thai MIQ queens, she won the Miss Tiffany's pageant. Tiffany's Cabaret in Pattaya is the host venue for that Thai trans only Miss Tiffany's pageant that produces the Thai rep to MIQ and the Miss International Queen one.
This history of shady MIQ anti-Blackness and favoritism for Miss Tiffany Cabaret showgirls has discouraged many Black trans contestants from even plunking down their hard earned money for entry fees and attempting to make that long trip to Thailand to attempt to snatch that crown.
That shady treatment of Black MIQ contestants is a major reason why I stopped writing posts about this pageant as well.
This year Jazell Barbie Royale is the lone African descended contestant in this 2019 Miss International Queen event. She captured the 2016 Miss Continental title, and is attempting to break that negative MIQ cycle, rep the USA and make some history as its first ever Black winner.
If she does so, she would also become the first American winner since 2005 when Mimi Marks took the MIQ crown.
Wishing you the best of luck, Jazell.
We'll see if Jazell does so, or is just the latest Black contestant to fall victim to the anti-Blackness permeating the Miss International Queen pageant system.
"To all of the young people who think that they have to choose between going to church or honoring who they are as a person - their sexual orientation or their gender expression - you don't have to. There are many churches who will welcome you with open arms. I as a Christian will welcome you with open arms." -CO state Rep. Leslie Herod
I met this amazing woman several years ago through my interactions with the National Black Justice Coalition, and was pleased and proud when she was elected to the Colorado House back in the 2016 election cycle.
Herod also made some history when she did so as the first out Black lesbian legislator in Colorado history.
She's now in her second term as the rep for HD-8, and if you aren't aware of it, Rep Leslie Herod (D-Denver) is all that and five bags of chips. Don't be surprised if you see her in a higher office someday
She took to the House floor to school some folks trying to use religious to fearmonger on HB19-1032, a comprehensive human sexuality education bill.
