Chevara's Letter Concering The Cyberbullying Of Aaron

TransGriot Note: Chevara Orrin's letter concerning the recent homophobic cyber-bullying of Aaron McCorkle.   She was the co-founder and former advisor to the WSSU Gay-Straight Student Alliance 

Good morning:

Please find attached the response from Aaron McCorkle regarding Brian "B-Daht" McLaughlin's apology and the cyber-bullying incident involving students at Winston-Salem State University. Although Mr. McLaughlin has attempted to distance himself from the entities and organizations that he represents, it is troubling that there have been several bias incidents across the nation during the past several years in which Entercom Communications radio personalities have made disparaging comments about the LGBT community.

As you know, in 2005 Gerry Callahan made insulting comments regarding the cast of Queer Eye; in 2006 John DePetro made inflammatory comments about gubernatorial candidate Grace Ross and Massachusetts Turnpike Authority chairman Matthew J. Amorello; and in 2010, derogatory comments were made by Janet Snyder and Nicholas Picholas about transgender people.   

Although in all instances, Entercom executives declared the remarks unacceptable, I have been unable to locate information regarding Entercom's current EEO non-discrimination policy. Please send me the most recent statement.

You may be familiar with the work of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the excellent resources and training modules they offer that could be useful in creating better understanding of the LGBT community and promote a diverse and inclusive culture within your organization. The HRC Corporate Equality Index is the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

http://www.hrc.org/campaigns/corporate-equality-index

According to Entercom Greensboro EEO Annual Public File Report, training was provided in 2013 in the areas of EEO compliance/best practices and workforce diversity. It appears that Entercom recognizes the need for such training, but questions remain. Would you provide more details about the specifics of the training and outcomes? What metrics are currently being used to determine training effectiveness? How frequently is training provided? Are there specific non-discrimination guidelines for on-air personalities (on-air and within the broader community as representatives of the station)?

It is unacceptable for a media personality to make disparaging comments about any marginalized group of people and as such, we formally request an on-air apology and retraction from Brian B-Daht" McLaughlin. These statements are especially hateful since Entercom has already faced several similar incidents.

As the co-founder and former advisor to the Winston-Salem State University Gay-Straight Student Alliance, I am especially troubled as we worked diligently and intentionally during my tenure with WSSU to create a campus culture of understanding and collaboration, partnering with national organizations such as the White House Office of Public Engagement, Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG and the National Black Justice Coalition.

http://goqnotes.com/2292/wssu-becomes-gay-friendlier/

http://yesweekly.com/article-8855-lgbt-student-leaders-enjoy-signing-moment-with-president.html

http://www.journalnow.com/relishnow/outdoors/article_f52f1568-3a17-5f04-8bdc-de15253283f3.html?mode=jqm

http://rampages.wssu.edu/archives/5267

As founder and co-creator of We Are Straight Allies, I have continued that work in Florida securing support from internationally renowned feminist icon and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Gloria Steinem, Florida Blue (formerly Blue Cross Blue Shield) CEO, Pat Geraghty, and Olympic gold medalist and civil rights attorney, Nancy Hogshead-Makar among others.

www.wearestraightallies.com

http://folioweekly.com/United-We-Stand,7982

http://wearestraightallies.com/press-coverage/

I welcome the opportunity to discuss with you the role that Entercom might play in helping us create a more supportive and protective environment for LGBT students, faculty and staff at WSSU. We are planning a series of programs in partnership with the HRC, Pride Winston-Salem and Equality Winston-Salem, and would be most interested in your support and collaboration.

Warm regards,

Chevara Orrin

Chief Creative Catalyst

EQ3 Media

"Creative Campaigns for Social Evolution"


TransGriot Update: Here's the link to the Change.org petition calling on WSSU to add the gender identity and expression language to their non discrimination policy and institute mandatory campus wide Safe Zone training.

Josephine Tittsworth Act UH Town Hall Wednesday

The University of Houston SGA has proposed a bill that seeks to have the University of Houston follow existing EEO and non discrimination policy by allowing students to update their university identification with their preferred name, discerned gender and titles.  

The bill is named the Josephine Tittsworth Act after my awesome homegirl, fellow Cougar and who while on the UH campus was an SGA Senator.

It's expected to get voted on April 16, but in advance of the vote, to do a little education on the issue, a town hall meeting will be conducted on Wednesday in the UC North Senate Chambers in the UC North starting at 5:30 PM

The Josephine Tittsworth Act will be discussed and what it means for student safety, academic success, and fulfilling our Nondiscrimination Policy's promise.  As a Cougar I support the passage of it and plan on being at the town hall to report on what happens.  

Tired Of Black TBLG Women Getting Harassed For Going To The Bathroom

Had a nice conversation with Andraya Williams Saturday in which she reminded me we'd met when I was in Charlotte in 2012 to deliver the keynote speech for the TransFaith In Color conference. 

The subject then turned to the battle she and her attorney Sarah Demarest are currently fighting with Central Piedmont Community College.

Appears as though the CPCC peeps seem to think that if they keep stonewalling instead of coming to grips with the fact they have seriously screwed up by disrespecting Andraya and resolving the matter, this will all go away.

Umm hmm, keep thinking that.   The more you stonewall, the more you piss people off to where this will escalate into you having to deal with your transphobic sins in federal court and probably paying for them.





The well attended protest that occurred Friday should have been a wake up call, so CPCC, I would urge you to expeditiously apologize to Ms.Williams,discipline the security officers involved, get busy enacting non discrimination policies that cover sexual orientation and gender identity, and create some clearly marked and designated gender neutral bathrooms.

You can either do that now or pay Ms. Williams much more in cash later.
 
One of the things I told Andraya was she isn't the first transwoman to face anti-trans harassment over the bathroom, and sadly won't be the last one. I pointed out this crap happened to Tyjanae Moore in 2010 at the Houston Public Library downtown location instigated just like in her case, by a transphobic security guard.   Another incident happened to a transgender UHD student last year that led to gender neutral bathrooms being established on their campus.. 

But there have been far too many of these incidents aimed at Black trans, SGL and gender variant women.  There was Khadijah Farmer's 2007 case in New York against the Caliente Cab restaurant.   
No sooner had the ink dried on the settlement agreement in the Farmer case we were hearing about producer Tanya White being thrown out of the posh Beverly Hills Hotel and disrespectfully being called 'it' in September 2007 for using the ladies room while attending a party at the hotel for actress LisaRaye McCoy.

In Arkansas Kaye Bowens was fired from her job because somebody had a problem with her using the ladies room. 

Bottom line is we transwomen of all ethnic backgrounds are beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired of being harassed and in some cases violently confronted by cis people just for going to the damn bathroom. 

We've got to poop and piss too, so let my trans people do that in peace, will you?  Or is your need to bully and oppress somebody that deep seated?  

Y'all also need to stop believing the 'bathroom predator' woof tickets the right wing is selling you peeps because they have no logic and reason based argument to justify their opposition to trans human rights laws.        

All that I or any transwoman does when we go potty is the same thing you do.  Poop, piss and wash our hands when we're done.   We don't need your harassment aimed at us because you have insecurities you haven't dealt with yet and you want to feel like Mr. Big Cis Man or Ms. Big Cis Woman by messing with us. 
  

Unveiling Of Houston MLK Jr. Plaza Statue Delayed

Across the street from the soon to be opened MacGregor Park-MLK Station on the METRORail Purple Line a memorial plaza is being built.  

That plaza will contain an 8 foot bronze statue of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 30 year old 'Tree of Life' that was planted by the Black Heritage Society back in 1983 in the middle of the MLK Blvd esplanade at Old Spanish Trail. 


The Black Heritage Society founded by Ovide Duncantell in 1974 was instrumental in getting South Park Blvd. renamed for Dr. King in 1978 and starting the parade held on his January 15 birthday.   He and the BHS have been pushing the city of Houston for 33 years to get a statue honoring the Good Doctor erected at that site.  

When METRO began planning the Purple Line route down MLK Blvd they were unaware the 'Tree of Life' was in the middle of the planned MacGregor Park-MLK Station they were set to build in the esplanade.

In 2012 METRO agreed to move the 30 year old oak tree and contribute funds to build the memorial plaza across the street.    

The statue was scheduled to be unveiled on Friday, but unfortunately was damaged just prior to being shipped to Houston and is being repaired. 

The candlelight vigil went on as scheduled.  The rescheduled date for the statue unveiling and a parade starting at Griggs Rd heading north up MLK toward the statue and MacGregor Park that was supposed to take place yesterday along with other events connected to the statue unveiling has yet to be determined or announced.

The memorial plaza was completed in January.   The theme of it has the Tree of Life as part of the Atlanta Birth Axis and a Memphis Assassination Axis with 8 foot wide sidewalks.  The statue will be located in the center including a four foot pedestal it will be anchored to that raises the total height to 12 feet. 

Pink granite benches for sitting and meditation, pavement lights, a granite donor wall and MLK quotes verified by the King Center from the 1963 'Letter From Birmingham City Jail' laid in the granite flooring complete the design of the memorial plaza that will have Houston join cities such as Atlanta and Washington D.C. which have memorial plazas dedicated to the memory of Dr. King.     

Looking forward to seeing the H-town version when the statue is finally added to the completed plaza. 

It's been a long time coming, and it will definitely be a nice addition to MacGregor Park and that corner..   

Isis Coming To H-town For WorldFest!

Well well, looks like I'll finally get that opportunity to give my sis that hug I promised her a few years ago.


The 47th annual WorldFest Houston Film Festival started yesterday at  the AMC 30 just west of the Galleria and runs though April 13.  When I lived over on the southwest side of town that theater was one of my fave places to watch a movie, but now that I'm on the other side of town I actually have movie theaters downtown and in Greenway Plaza that are closer to where I live now.    

I found out that one of the movies WorldFest will be screening this year is Hello Forever starring a certain New York based girl like us I know and owe a hug.   

Yes, I know it shocks some of you, but as I keep reminding you peeps, Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States, has culture and it's predominately a liberal-progressive oasis in the red and soon to be purple state. 

WorldFest also happens to be one of the oldest independent film and video festivals in the world.


Isis shot Hello Forever two years ago in the Philippines.  It is now having its debut during Worldfest at 9 PM Monday night and is up for several awards.

Since little sis is coming to H-town for it, I'm definitely planning on taking my behind there to see her and the movie.  

It'll also give me a reason to attend WorldFest for the first time ever as well.
  

Aaron's Response To B-Daht

As you TransGriot readers are aware of courtesy of the viral post I wrote earlier this week (14,000 hits and counting), some homophobic hating broke out in reaction to Winston-Salem State University junior Aaron McCorkle's run for Mr WSSU.  

102 Jamz DJ and WSSU alum Brian 'B-Daht' McLaughlin let fly with some homophobic tweets of his own that poured gasoline on this toxic situation. 

In the run up to Wednesday's election that unfortunately Aaron lost, WSSU Chancellor Donald J. Reaves in a statement concerning the rapidly escalating controversy said in response:

“Winston-Salem State University strives to be a campus where diversity can thrive. We believe strongly that the educational environment is enriched by the unique attributes, perspectives and outlooks embodied in the people who make up our university family and community. Words or actions that seek to marginalize any person or group constitute unacceptable behavior and are not tolerate.”

McLaughlin apologized for the tweets, but the damage to McCorkle's Mr. WSSU campaign had already been done.   Brandon Bowden garnered 727 votes to McCorkle’s 565.   


In the wake of this, a Change.org petition has been created asking WSSU to not only add gender identity and expression the EEO policy, but mandate institution wide Safe Zone training.

McCorkle has responded to McLaughlin's apology in a letter I was sent a copy of by Chevara Orrin of wearestraightallies.com.       

April 4, 2014

To Whom It May Concern:

My candidacy for Mr. WSSU and the events that have followed have deeply impacted me.  I am eternally grateful for the WSSU family and others across the nation that stood beside me and believed in me, even as attacks have been made against me.  I am also heartened that Brian "B-Daht" McLaughlin has apologized for the statements h made which questioned both my candidacy and my fitness for office because I am --unapologetically--a Black gay man. 

While I accept Mr. McLaughlin's apology, I hope he is willing to learn why his actions were so destructive.  I hope he will challenge his limited understanding of our vast and varied differences as human being by joining me in the advocating for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU).  It is not enough to apologize if you are not willing to be the change you wish to see in the world.  

Poet and novelist Audre Lorde said, "It is not our differences that divide us.  It is the inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences."  

This tragic circumstance has created an opportunity for us as a WSSU family to begin an authentic dialogue about how to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our community.  I invite Mr.McLaughlin to join me in calling on our university to expand its non-discrimination policy to include gender identity and expression, to mandate LGBT sensitivity and Safe Zone training for its students, faculty and staff, and to hold a campus wide dialogue about homophobia that includes myself, Mr. McLaughlin, the Chancellor and other members of the WSSU community.  I believe this is just a starting point to creating a campus climate and culture of inclusion that we can all be proud of.

Sincerely,

Aaron McCorkle
Winston-Salem State University
Class of 2015

Tona Brown To Carnegie Hall Campaign Update

In case you're wondering where our sis Tona Brown's indiegogo campaign is in terms of raising the $3,500 she needs to get to Carnegie Hall this June, she's more than halfway to her goal.

She has as of this writing raised $2,685, but let's keep the positive momentum going.  Even if you can only spare $1, that one dollar closer to her goal.   Of course if you can do $5, $10, $20 or more that would be deeply appreciated, too

Help Tona make some more history.     And to understand why this is important to me and other transwomen, here's Dane Figueroa Edidi to explain why.

 

Mayor Parker Discusses TBLG Inclusive Human Rights Ordinance

During Mayor Annise Parker's State of the City address she gave to a crowd of 1600 members and guests of the Greater Houston Partnership on Wednesday, she outlined many of the issues that she'll be tackling during her final term as Houston's leader. 

She also addressed the one question that has been on the minds of TBLG Houstonians ever since San Antonio's contentious passage of their trans inclusive human rights ordinance last September made Houston the largest city in the state and the only one of the top five population US cities that doesn't have one:  What's up with the LGBT inclusive non-discrimination ordinance she's been talking about for months now and even mentioned in her third inauguration speech back on January 2? 

You know as a native Houstonian I believe it's past time we do so, and have already spoken to Houston City Council twice urging them to pass such an ordinance.

That's why she discussed during the GHP speech and in the press conference afterward the long needed Human Rights Ordinance, which will prohibit discrimination in city employment, contracting, housing and public accommodations.  It will also add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected classes of people and will create a seven person Human Rights Commission that hears complaints and refer them to the proper authorities

Mayor Parker is expecting that ordinance to be rolled out sometime next month, and as you probably guessed, the usual H-town conservahaters in Dave Welch and the Houston Area Pastor Council are already trying to scuttle it.

But we are just as determined in liberal progressive H-town to pass it, and the fun will begin when we finally see the initial draft of the proposed ordinance next month.
 

Shut Up Fool Awards- It's April, Fool! Edition

Today is the first Friday in April, and there's a lot going on connected with this April 4 date.  

Today happens to be the 20th anniversary of the day I began my physical transition.  It's also sadly the 46th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The men's and women's NCAA Final Fours are taking place this weekend in Arlington, TX at the Jerrydome and for the women in Nashville. 

Only one of my men's March Madness picks survived the NCAA tournament run and it was Florida.  But two made it to the Elite 8 and one to the Sweet 16.  

As usual I did better on the women's side with two of my four surviving to play in Nashville.  The two who survived are unbeaten UConn and unbeaten Notre Dame who I picked to be in the title game.

And oh yes, it's time to slam dunk four more Final Four Fools and see which one is cutting down the net and claiming the championship level titles of hypocrisy, ignorance, and jaw dropping level stupidity.

Final Four Fool number one is Brian B-DAHT McLaughlin, who put homophobic tweets up slamming the candidacy for Mr. WSSU of openly gay junior student Aaron McCorkle.  When he got called on it by me and others in the media ranks about it along with advocates, defiantly changed his name to Teflon DAHT before apologizing for the tweets

Guess that Teflon wasn't as protective as he thought it would be.

Final Four Fool number two is the GOP majority on the SCOTUS for another jacked up ruling on the McCutcheon vs FEC case that guts the campaign finance rules, builds on the insanity of Citizens United and lets the 1% spend as much money as they want on political campaigns. 

Final Four fool number three is Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte that got an 'F' in respecting the human rights of Andraya Williams, then tried to lie and stonewall their way out of it probably hoping it would blow over.   Protest started at about an hour ago and looks like CPCC will be explaining themselves to a federal judge soon. 



Final Four Fool number four is Hobby Lobby for suing the federal government concerning the ACA's federal contraception mandate because it is against their 'religious principles', while hypocritically investing in companies that produce those same contraception drugs. 


Our winner this week is a joint award for sportscasters Mike Francesa, Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton for going off the rails into male chauvinist pig territory when they criticized New York Mets baseball player Daniel Murphy for missing the first three days of the new 2014 MLB season to be with his wife for the birth of their child.

Seriously?  There are 162 games in a baseball season and the right to take up to 3 days of paternity league is part of the 2011 CBA.  And childbirth is not a given that it will go smoothly. 

And it not like the world was going to end because David Murphy wasn't on the field for the last few days.

Mike Francesa, Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton, shut up fools!
.

Today Is My 20 Year Transition Anniversary!

Today is the day 20 years ago I walked into Houston Intercontinental Airport's Terminal C to clock in at my then seven year old airline job to begin my first nerve wracking work week evolving into the Phenomenal Transwoman you see today.

It had been a long road to get to that April 4, 1994 day.  I'd had my first appointment with my gender therapist Dr. Cole just two months earlier.  

That first work week was filled with me having one on one emotional conversations with my airline co-workers spelling out why I was handling my transition business.   Some of them led to tell it like it T-I-S is revelations and epiphanies.   Others were simply people wanting to know what the process was like as I would evolve in front of their very eyes.

The now 16 years and counting of activism around trans human rights issues started four years later, but from 1994-1998 my thirtysomething self was more focused on becoming the best woman I could be.  

I felt at the time I was going from zero to femininity and needing to play catch up with the other cis sisters in my peer group, my workplace and elsewhere around H-town. 

On that April 4, 1994 day I was facing the task of needing to have the acquired knowledge of a thirtysomething Black woman and not having three decades to learn and make mistakes while doing so.   I also accepted the mission of going through a body morphing second puberty with a wide variety range of reactions from friends, family and society ranging from unconditional acceptance to virulent hostility.  Add to the body morphing and other changes bumrushing me at that moment at a dizzying pace the frustrating at times documentation and paperwork changes combined with rolling down I-45 south to Galveston every few months for check ups and chats at the gender clinic with Dr Emery and Dr. Cole.

Some of those challenges I encountered were quickly learning that sexism, misogyny, and the straight up hatred aimed at Black women is no joke. 

I also received an early reminder of the transmisogynistic hatred trans women face inside and outside our community when Tyra Hunter died at the hands of a transphobic Washington DC EMT a mere 15 months into my transition.  

I had a scary 1996 incident that taught me paying attention to my personal safety was a must and that any lapse in attention could result in severe injury, sexual assault or my untimely death 

I discovered the wallet in my purse was going to take a bigger hit now that I was on the femme gender side because of the added expenses and the new wardrobe I was having to build from scratch. 

I also discovered that the weight gain you pick up after starting HRT is no joke either.  

I already knew this from sitting in locker rooms during my teen years, but it got it reinforced as an estrogen based lifeform just how much men can be pigs at times.

There were humorous and sometimes touching moments along the way as I adjusted to my happier life as Monica. 

I built my network of cis and trans sistafriends who broke down the evolving feminine journey I was on.  They praised me when I was handling my business and put their foot up my ass when necessary to give me that needed motivational kick.  

My sistagirls (and they know who they are) stayed on my behind to make sure that I not only continued to evolve to be a better person, I kept my promise to evolve to be a complement to Black womanhood and not be seen as a detriment.to it.  

And yes, my transbrothers have played their parts in helping me become the person I needed to be. 

Because I stepped out on faith and did so, I have been afforded some amazing opportunities.   I get to travel and participate in discussions about trans and other issues at various conferences and college campuses in Houston and around the country.

I have a blog that has been visited by 5.5 million people around the world since I started it in January 2006.  It has led to a new column at Black Girl Dangerous and being published at EBONY.com, Loop 21, the Huffington Post and a long list of other blogs

I have gotten to meet wonderful people inside and outside the trans community I probably wouldn't have come in contact with otherwise had I continued to unhappily muddle through my pre-transition life.  My network of friends and chosen family encompasses the United States and the world.  

And the question I asked at the beginning of my transition has been emphatically answered in 2014.   The girls like us who share my ethnic background are all across the African Diaspora.   I have also gotten the opportunity to meet and befriend beautiful, smart and talented transwomen of all ethnic backgrounds and ages.

I have had the opportunity to be a witness to the last 20 years of trans history, helped shape some of it, and meet some of the people who made that history before I transitioned like Phyllis Frye, the late Sylvia Rivera and Miss Major.   I get to unearth chapters of our Black trans history as one of the missions of this blog.   

I would be remiss if on this day I didn't mention all the transwomen who started that journey around the same 1994 time with me that for various reasons fell by the wayside and didn't continue their evolution, passed on far too soon, or lived their lives well and are now watching over me with the ancestors like Dana Turner and Roberta Angela Dee.

I also need to acknowledge the people cis and trans who popped in on this journey with me for a short time who had lessons good and bad to teach me but who are now out of my life for various reasons.   

There are some things that have happened in that 20 years I didn't foresee.  Becoming an activist wasn't in the original 1994 plan, that just happened because of my strong social justice leanings that were there long before I swallowed my first Premarin tablet and a jacked up IFGE Tapestry article   The nearly nine years in Louisville was something else I didn't see coming, but overall was important to my growth and development as moi.  

I also didn't foresee at the time having a generation of young trans people who see me as a iconic leader and role model, a fact I got reminded of during Creating Change 14.  That amuses and humbles me at times.   I'm honored that people think highly enough me to not only nominate me for and sometimes give me awards, but actually name them after me as BTAC did.

I  keep that iconic status in mind when I have the conversations with them about the history I've made and seen (and I'm still making) as I encourage them to fearlessly be the best girls and boys like us they can be.

I've seen some amazing progress for the trans community here in the States and internationally over the last twenty years, but we are not done yet.  There is still a long way to go before transpeople have full societal equality in my nation and around the world.  

My transition started 20 years ago today, but it is still an ongoing evolutionary journey that won't end until I'm meeting the ancestors. 

And you better believe I'm deliriously happy I took that first small, nerve wracking step in 1994 that has resulted in a giant leap in the quality of my life.  

Thanks To My Trans Sistas, Too

Tomorrow will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1994 day I began the very public coming out phase of my gender transition.   I wrote a post thanking the cis women in my sistahcircle who were there at various points along the way cheering me on and helping me evolve to become the Phenomenal Transwoman you see before you today.

I could have said it in the April 1 post, but as I wrote that post I took it out because I felt the influence of the trans community on my development needed more than just a paragraph or two, but needed to be in a separate post of its own. 

It wasn't just my cis sisters that had a hand in pushing me to become the best woman of trans experience I could be, trans women of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and nationalities had a hand in it as well. 

Transwomen were also during these last 20 years teaching me the good, bad, and ugly lessons I needed to learn at various point in my transfeminine journey.  From those first TATS meetings I attended in various locales around Houston from 1994 until I moved in 2001 to Da Ville, the first group of trans women who had active influence in shaping the person I am today were the ones who came in and out of TATS during that period.  

There are others here and elsewhere who I can't name who have chosen to non-disclose, but who had wisdom to pass on to me as well about life, love and generally dealing with many of the issues that only another transwoman would be able to break down.  

There were my activist mentors and possibility models like Phyllis Frye, Dainna Cicotello, Sarah DePalma, Vanessa Edwards Foster, Josephine Tittsworth, Dawn Wilson, A. Dionne Stallworth and Dr. Marisa Richmond who not only reawakened my interest in politics, but reminded me that as someone who has been blessed with great talents, leadership skills and the ability to have been able to transition, we needed to give something back to our community.  

There were trans women in the Louisville area I have much love for as well who helped me feel at home during my Texan in exile years and also had more lessons to teach.

There are international trans women who not only helped 'ejumacate' me about how trans issues are evolving in their parts of the planet, they have also become wonderful friends and colleagues in the trans human rights struggle.  

The new kids on the trans block, the Generation X, Generation Y and Millennials who even though I'm old enough to be their mom or Big Sis in some cases, have qualities that I admire and inspire me to step up my game.  Some of them at times like my little sisters Jordana LeSesne and Tona Brown have not hesitated to give Big Sis a much needed motivational kick in the butt when necessary. 

My trans elders are also part of the equation.   They are kicking that trans herstory to me along with their hard earned and won wisdom.  They are also giving me and everyone else in the transfeminine community examples of how to age regally and gracefully.

I have much love for the transkids like Jazz, Natalie Maines, Tracey Wilson and countless others who are fighting these inspirational battles to be themselves at the elementary, middle and high school levels.   I not only envy and admire them for being able to do so at such young ages with the help of supportive families, they remind me and my generation that the primary goal of the activism we do in our time on the planet is so that when the younglings get to our ages, they'll hopefully have less societal drama.

There are my trans sisters in the pageant and drag worlds who while on their own evolutionary journeys, made time in their busy lives to help straighten a sistah's presentation out and look her gender best..  

The transbrothers have had their input from the late Alexander John Goodrum to the men of BTMI.  They have reminded me that I have been just as much an inspiration to them as they have been to me.     

Just like the cis sisters who have been or still are a part of my evolving feminine journey,  some have been here with me the entire two decades. 

Some were only here for certain parts of it to teach me lessons I needed to know at that time and have moved on to live their own lives, while others came in a bit later but are hanging with me now. 

And sadly, there are the people who I met along the way like Lois Bates, Dee McKellar, Christie Lee Littleton Van de Putte, Michelle Myers, Roberta Angela Dee, Sylvia Rivera, Dana Turner,  Jaci Adams, Tracy Bumpus and Nakhia Williams who have passed on. 

So to the girls and guys like us out ther who had a hand over the last 20 years in helping me become the best Moni I can be and own my power while doing so, thank you. 

Will April Be A Deadly Month For African-American Transwomen This Year?

With the calendar page flipping from March to April, the weather gets warmer (at least in some parts of the country), the shorts come out and people emerge to enjoy the wonderful spring weather. 

And over the last two years, what has emerged is a distressing pattern of the month of April being a particularly deadly one for African-American trans women.  

There were three slayings of African-American transwomen in April 2012, and that pattern continued in 2013.   Kelly Young and Ashley Sinclair were killed 48 hours apart in Baltimore and Orlando, and Cemia Dove Acoff's lifeless body was discovered on April 17.

So will we see a threepeat of that pattern in 2014?   I hope and pray we don't, but with the increased attention transpeople and trans issues are getting in the media, it has also fueled backlash.  Some of that backlash will be manifested in people who are mean spirited, hateful and angry enough to take their transphobia to murderous levels. 

And let this post serve as your wake up call.   Remember you are walking around in Black feminine bodies, which like our cisgender Black feminine counterparts, draw their share of murderous attention, too.

So my transsisters, be vigilant and most importantly be safe so I don't have to type out stories of a transwoman being killed somewhere in this country during the month of April.   

Safe Bathrooms DC To Launch Today

As you've noticed, with all the 'bathroom predator' lies and shade throw by TERF and our right wing opponents in their morally bankrupt attempts to stop trans inclusive laws and hate on us, it has had the result of causing more drama for trans people of color when we simply go to the bathroom to relieve ourselves as the Andraya Williams case is the most recent example of.

Later this evening at Casa Ruby LGBT Community will be launching in conjunction with the DC Office of Human Rights the Safe Bathrooms DC campaign in order to remind everyone in the District that single stall restrooms must be gender neutral by law.

Public bathrooms are never enjoyable, but for transgender people and many others, using a public bathroom can be a highly stressful and even dangerous experience. In the District of Columbia, we are attempting to reduce that stress by making every single-stall public bathroom in the District gender-neutral. It’s the law, but currently many businesses are unaware of the requirement, and we need your help to let them know. Join us on Thursday, April 3, 2014 to find out what you can do, and to see the unveiling of our new ads.

For those of you who live in the District and wish to attend, the kickoff event with free food starts at 5:30 PM EDT at Casa Ruby, located at 2822 Georgia Av, NW.   RSVP isn't required but would be appreciated and I know they will be happy to see you there for the launch of the #safebathroomsDC campaign..
 

Countdown To The GLAAD Media Awards

The Los Angeles ones are happening April 12, and congrats to my homegirl Laverne Cox for receiving GLAAD's Stephen F Kolzak Award.    The Kolzak Award is presented to a person who has made a significant difference in the promotion of LGBTQ equality and yep, Laverne definitely fits that bill.  .

The past winners of it are Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes, Melissa Etheridge, Rufus Wainwright and Sir Ian McKellen.

As for my category, I'll find out a month from now along with my fellow nominees in the GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Blog category if I make history by becoming the first trans blogger ever to win it.

Would be a nice early birthday present, but have some stiff competition in this category with Kimberley McLeod's Elixher (of which my posts appear at times) , Alvin McEwen's Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters, multiple nominee Autostraddle and The New Civil Rights Movement.

As I said in my post when I heard about the nomination, it's nice when you get recognized for the hard work you put in to maintain a quality blog.  When you get nominated, the hard part is over.  All the nomination does is give you a chance to win it.  

While I have appreciated the congratulations and the confidence many of you have expressed in me and my chances to win this with my first nomination, it's not official until they call my name May 3. 

And nope New York trans peeps, since this category won't be announced during the live show, no point in me coming up there.  But there is probably a New York trip in my future assuming I get an invite to speak in the area.  

Christie Lee Van de Putte Dies

When I traveled to San Antonio for their TDOR last November, one of the people I was hoping to see but didn't that evening was Christie Lee Van de Putte

I was shocked and saddened to hear the news that Christie Lee Van de Putte passed away on March 15.

She was a San Antonio native born on March 29, 1952 and was a hairstylist for 35 years.   But what many of us in the community know her for was as the plaintiff in the 1999 Littleton v Prange case. 

As her obituary said, Christie Lee loved bringing out the beauty in everyone and she did.  She got remarried to Pierre Van de Putte who preceded her in death.   Christie Lee's funeral Mass was held on March 25 at Holy Family Catholic Church and she was laid to rest the same day at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.  

I had the pleasure of meeting her during a 1999 Texas Lobby day, and seeing her again on my end of I-10 for Houston Pride.  I stayed in touch with her even after my move to Da Ville until about 2005 and our lives went in different directions. 

I'm hearing community chatter there might be a memorial service, so if that turns out to be the case, I will pass that information along to you.

Nikki Araguz Loyd commented upon hearing the news, "Rest In Peace Christie Lee Littleton Van De Putte. I hope you knew your case had been overturned and I will always remember you, as our lives are forever intermingled in history."

So do I and everyone else who had the pleasure of knowing Christie Lee.  

Rest in power and Peace Christie Lee.  We will miss you.  

Speech For Britney And Crystal Memorial Vigil

Here's the text of the speech I'm delivering at tonight's memorial candlelight vigil for Britney Cosby and Crystal Jackson

Giving honor to God, Pastor Turney, the families of Britney Cosby and Crystal Jackson, civic leaders, my fellow Cougars, my SGL and LGBT family, friends and allies. 

Despite the reason we are gathered in this space this evening,  I am honored to be here this evening at the invitation of Laila Khalili, the Student Feminist Organization at UH , Texas Freedom Network Student Chapter at UH, Global at UH, the UH LGBT Resource Center, the NAACP UH Chapter and the UH Women's Resource Center

I sincerely thank you for the opportunity to say a few words at this vigil as an ally and a member of the Houston transgender community.  

Normally when I get the opportunity to come back to the UH campus as a proud alum, I'm elated and happy to do so.   But unfortunately, this is not one of those times my heart is filled with joy to be on my Cougar stomping grounds, but a moment tinged with sadness.   It is a feeling that is far too familiar to me as a longtime member of the trans community when I walk into this same AD Bruce chapel and remember the brutal and excessively numerous deaths of my trans sisters here and around the world every November 20.

We are gathered here tonight to honor the memory of two 24 year old women who had barely begun the journey of living their lives and experiencing all the world has to offer.   Britney and Crystal had barely begun the evolutionary process of determining the type of women they wanted to project to the world before they were called home to be with the ancestors.  

And just like in November when I have to contemplate that so many of the transwomen we memorialize during TDOR are Black, Latina and under 30,  I'm pissed off about it.

And why am I angry about that?   Because we will never know how the rest of Britney and Crystal's lives would have turned out.  We won't get the opportunity to discover what kind of contributions these young women would have made to their families, our society or our community.   We won't get to see with the passage of time how they would have evolved as young women and fellow human beings.  

I'm also pissed off because it plays into a longtime problem of violence being directed at LGBT women of color.   On May 11, 2003, Sakia Gunn was with a group of friends returning to Newark from a night of hanging out in New York City.  She was murdered because she didn't respond to the advances of two African-American men, and was just 15 years old.when she died.

Three months later Shani Baraka, the daughter of the late poet Amiri Baraka and her partner Rayshon Holmes were murdered by an African-American male who disapproved of their relationship  

According to a 2012 National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) study on Hate Violence, 73% of the anti-LGBT murder victims that year were people of color, and 53% of those murder victims were African-American.   

I bring up those stats because it's time for a little telling it like it T-I-S is truth telling in this AD Bruce house tonight.  I'm tired of seeing the homophobia, transphobia, misogyny and hypermasculinity in Black community ranks manifesting itself into us burying our kids and more distressingly, African-American women be they cis or transgender. 

That disgusting pattern needs to stop.  If you claim to love all Black people, then that includes those of us in the LGBT community ranks as well.  The bottom line is that none of us in the African American SGL, bi and trans communities gave up our Black cards or our humanity simply because we are living our authentic lives.   Neither is living our authentic lives a crime punishable by the sentence of death. 

And as Audre Lorde eloquently said, "Black women sharing close ties with each other, politically or emotionally are not the enemies of Black men."

So my fellow Houstonians, what would be the best way to honor Britney and Crystal's memory this evening?   We start that process by driving home the point that the 628 square miles of Texas territory that we call Houston is home to all of us, be we same gender loving, bi, trans or cisgender.

We honor Britney and Crystal by teaching our young men that violence against women no matter what their age is wrong, and there are better ways to project your masculinity to the world than imitating media created crotch-grabbing sagging pants wearing cartoon characters.

We honor Britney and Crystal by working diligently towards permanently eradicating the foul stench of anti-LGBT attitudes and hate speech that have the deleterious effects of ending the lives of LGBT young people either by their own hand via suicide or by the misguided hands of someone else.
We honor Britney and Crystal by committing to have an ongoing dialogue with the goal of coming up with concrete solutions to end the off the charts violence aimed against women in the LGBT community

I'm going to close with the words of one of our great Houstonians in Barbara Jordan,who once stated, "One thing is clear to me: We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves'.
.  
And in memory of Britney and Crystal, we need to get busy not only accepting people who are different from ourselves, but unconditionally loving them, too.

Charlotte Trans College Student Harassed, Detained For Using The Bathroom

While I was busy focusing on a developing situation on the WSSU campus in Winston-Salem, just down the road in Charlotte more TBLG injustice has been brewing on the campus of Central Piedmont Community College.

Meet Andraya Williams.  She's a 22 year old student at Central Piedmont Community College who is handling her academic business there.  She has been transitioning since age 18 and started the medical part of it two years ago.  

On March 18 she was exiting the women's restroom and according to an article by QNotes Matt Comer ran into transphobic security officers who detained, disrespected her, informed her she was suspended and escorted her off campus.

CPCC does not have a non-discrimination policy that covers sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, and Williams and her attorney Sarah Demarest of Charlotte’s LGBTQ Law Center have been trying to resolve the issue since then in the face of intransigent stonewalling by CPCC officials.

“CPCC’s decision to apprehend [Ms. Williams] in the restroom was based on their visual assessment of her gender,” said Demarest in the QNotes interview. “While CPCC is allowed to maintain sex-segregated facilities for male and female students, they decided that Ms. Williams fell outside both categories and treated her differently than other students. Furthermore, the differential treatment occurred in front of other students, highlighting to her peers that she does not conform to gender stereotypes and outing her as transgender.”

Now that this campus transphobia story is getting national and international attention, Central Piedmont Community College comes out with a statement from CPCC Public Information Officer Jeff Lowrance claiming they are trying to 'balance the rights of transgender students with the rights of the rest of the student body.'  

Since when CPCC?   Don't even try to tell that lie. You have no policies that protect the rights of trans, SGL and gender variant students and were in no hurry to enact them until your campus security got caught harassing and disrespecting an African-American trans student. 


Demarest said to QNotes that CPCC needs to review their polices and practices immediately, and I concur with that assessment.

“There are many transgender students who need to know what their rights are and need to know how it is they are supposed to navigate this issue,” said Demarest. “The way CPCC has handled this situation was inadequate and allowed [Williams] to be humiliated and feeling like she was without recourse.”

Demarest also pointed out the school violated her client’s due process rights, CPCC’s actions were unlawful and constitute a violation of Title IX, the 1972 federal law that bans discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities.   Federal courts, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, she says, have held that unlawful sex discrimination extends to gender stereotyping.

The 2011 Glenn v. Brumby case found that discriminating against someone based on their gender nonconformity is sex based discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause 

discriminating against someone on the basis of his or her gender non-conformity constitutes sex-based discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause. - See more at: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-11th-circuit/1587416.html#sthash.RXe6VMwF.dpuf

discriminating against someone on the basis of his or her gender non-conformity constitutes sex-based discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause. - See more at: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-11th-circuit/1587416.html#sthash.RXe6VMwF.dpuf

Williams and Demarest are considering filing a federal civil rights complaint and I hope they do.  I and other trans people of color are sick and tired of being jacked with for going to the bathroom..   

There is a protest being organized by CPCC students outraged over this incident in support of Andraya that will take place Friday, April 4 starting at 11 AM EDT.

We will be holding a protest in response to the treatment of our fellow CPCC student Andraya Williams, who on March 19, was harassed, detained and eventually suspended and denied due process because CPCC staff is insufficiently educated on transgender inclusion. We are protesting to show that intolerance and the violation of student rights is not something we as students believe should be part of our school's values. We welcome community members and other allies to join us to show that we stand behind Andraya Williams and all transgender students at CPCC.

It will take place on the corner of Elizabeth and Kings Streets if you wish to attend.

Will be keeping an eye on this situation as well.

Thanks To My Cis Sistas

I'm rapidly approaching the April 4 day that I started the public phase of my transition 20 years ago. 

It was an exciting but anxiety filled few days as the calendar turned to April and the day I'd been emotionally building up to for years was finally arriving.

While I had feminine role models that I wanted to emulate, it's a big jump from imagining the person you wish to become and doing the hard work to make that person a reality.   
 
Becoming me was a team effort.  In addition to my medical team at the gender clinic ensuring that I stayed healthy as I morphed the body and navigated the dizzying emotional changes,  I also had a support team of my cis sistas.

They helped me understand what I was embarking on by sharing their own stories about their evolving feminine journeys.   Some of the things they told me were fascinating to hear, others were humorous, while others were raw, painful deeply personal stuff they had yet to share with anyone else but did so with me. 

Some of them took it to another level and became some of my first sistafriends.

My cis sistas who were in my corner were my swords and shields against the haters.   They gave me the motivational kick when I needed it, challenged me and helped me figure out my evolving fashion style.  They told me to pull up the big girl panties when I would complain about getting whacked by the sexism they've had to navigate their entire lives. 

My African-American cis sistas helped me understand the challenges of navigating the world in a Black female body.  They stayed on my butt to ensure that I would become the woman I promised them in our conversations post April 4 I wanted to be and wished to project to the world.   

Some have been there by my side since the beginning.  Others moved on or our lives took us in different paths after they taught me the lessons I needed to learn at a particular point in my evolutionary feminine journey.   Some have joined me at a certain points in that journey and been along for the ride dispensing their wisdom along the way.

For those of you in my sistacircle as I approach this anniversary date, thank you.   You not only have qualities that I admire and incorporated into my own life, your unconditional love and support made it a lot easier for me to tackle going from zero to femininity. 

You are all loved and deeply appreciated by me for doing so and helping me become the Phenomenal Transwoman you see standing before you today.

Houston Britney and Crystal Candelight Vigil Tomorrow

For those of you in the Houston area and can do so, hope you're planning on joining me in the chapel of the AD Bruce Religion Center on the University of Houston main campus tomorrow evening, April 2  for the candlelight vigil honoring our fallen sisters Britney Cosby and Crystal Jackson.

Both died on March 8 and were just 24 years old.

I will be speaking along with Tamira 'Augie' Augustine, Dr. Rachel Afi Quinn and Pastor Ernie Turney from Bering United Methodist Church.

The event starts at 6:30 PM CDT and is being sponsored by the UH Women's Resource Center , UH LGBT Resource Center, Global at UH, NAACP UH Chapter, Equality Texas, Texas Freedom Network, the Student Feminist Organization at UH and  The Montrose Center .

AD Bruce Religion Center is on the Wheeler St/Cullen Blvd side of the campus with the closest entrance to AD Bruce and parking lot being Entrance 13 off of Cullen Blvd.    

Please consider joining us and the Houston community tomorrow  as we remember these young women and begin an open and honest dialogue about violence against the LGBT community.

And since it is being hosted on campus, I hope to see a strong UH Cougar presence at the vigil.

Mr. WSSU Election Wednesday

There's another election that has gotten my attention besides the mayoral one in Washington DC that is happening today.  

It's the one on the Winston-Salem State University campus Wednesday that will determine who wins Mr. WSSU.

We're about to find out whether using someone's personal information along with heaping helpings of transmisogyny and homophobia to smear them for an on campus election is a winning campaign strategy. 

I'm hoping the student body on the WSSU campus says no and they send a message with their ballots that they didn't like it either and Aaron emerges triumphant.

But it's in the students hands as to who they will elect as their Mr. WSSU representative and we'll have to respect the results.

But I don't have to respect the shady shenanigans that transpired over the last 48 hours.  

As Jane Vaughn said in her letter, 'Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for appalling silence of the good people." I refuse to stand in silence. I stand in active solidarity with Aaron McCorkle and others at WSSU who are marginalized and victimized for being their authentic selves.'


And I will stand in solidarity with you as well, in addition to using this blogging platform I have been blessed with to get the word out when people are being marginalized and victimized for being their authentic selves.

The Winston-Salem State University’s mission states, "Preparing diverse students for success in the 21st century..  In the 21st century a diverse student body also includes SGL, trans and bi students.

It's an example of why WSSU's short sighted removal of gender identity and expression language from their non-discrimination policies passed in 2008 was a mistake that needs to be rectified as soon as possible. 

This is also another prime example of why the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act is sorely needed.   It is a bill that Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) revived the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced back in 2010 that would require colleges and universities receiving federal aid to establish anti-harassment policies and recognize cyberbullying as harassment.   She did so after hearing about Kristopher Sharp's story, who is now working as an intern in her office.

Good luck Aaron, and hope we're hearing good news from you Wednesday.. 


TransGriot Update: Discovered the Mr WSSU election is actually happening Wednesday from 8 AM-8 PM EDT.  Post has been corrected to reflect this.    

And unfortunately, appears the hate speech did have an effect.  Aaron lost.

30th Anniversary Of Marvin Gaye's Death

Now that I've gotten my April Fool's prank post out of the way, back to giving you readers what y'all surf over here for. 

This one is making me feel my age.  

It was 30 years ago today on April 1, 1984 when I and the rest of America learned that the story we were hearing about iconic soul singer Marvin Gaye being shot to death by his father on the eve of his 45th birthday was not an April Fool's Day joke, but was tragically true.  .

Marvin was just 44 years old when he was shot twice by his father at 11:38 AM PST after intervening in a argument his parents were having.   His wounds were fatal ones, and he was pronounced dead at 1:01 PM PST once he arrived at the hospital

It's 30 years later, and I find myself wondering what Marvin's music would sound like if he was still around and still writing songs today.   The ones he did write are still as relevant today as when he penned them back in the 60's and 70s'.    'Sexual Healing' is probably responsible for some of my readers being here today .

And he's one of the few singers who put their own spin on the national anthem as he did at the 1983 NBA All Star game in Los Angeles and made it a memorable. 




Rest in Power, Marvin.  You're still missed.   

Moni's Going On CNN

TransGriot readers, just wanted to let y'all know I'm going to be traveling to the ATL soon to talk about trans issues in the African-American community on CNN.

I'm going to be interviewed by Don Lemon and unfortunately that fool Ben Ferguson will be part of this discussion, but it's going to be an opportunity to not only get our message out there, but put those GLAAD media training skills to the test.

And boy will they be sorely tested in this situation.  

Y'all know I don't like the programming direction CNN is traveling and I 'm even more pissed off about the ethnic cleansing that happened there.   I've blasted Lemon in the past for his trans fails, and y'all know I have no love for conservafools like Ben Ferguson, so this could get contentious.    

But for the greater good of our trans community, I can put my pissivity on pause for a few moments and handle mine and the community's business. 

As to the date and time it's going to take place, check today's date.

Every year I do a prank post on April 1, and you just read it.  

This was last year's April Fool's Day post.  

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, time to return you to the news and commentary you expect when you surf here.  ;)