Shut Up Fool Awards-Moni's In Snowy DC Edition

This Friday finds me waking up in a hotel room bed outside the 713 area code and inside I-495.  Thankfully it's after the 2015 Cirque de GOP, also known as the CPAC conference, has mercifully been over for a week. 

And the beautiful view that greeted me was a snow covered one of Dupont Circle.

At this moment you're reading this I'm knee deep in a Trans Persons of Color Coalition board meeting and loving every moment of it.   I'm proud and happy to be spending this time with my TPOCC family helping to chart the course of this multicultural trans organization for this and the next few years.

Speaking of stuff I'm happy to be doing is calling out every Friday the fool, fools or group of fools that have us shaking our head pondering just how they walk through life being so off the charts ignorant and stupid.

So while I handle my TPOCC meeting business, you TransGriot readers get to find out who won this week's TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards.

Honorable mention number one is a group award for the GOP House and Speaker John Boehner for their failure to legislate and provide funding for Homeland Security

Honorable mention number two I got north of the border for and give a group award to the Canadian Senate Conservatives for stalling passage of the Trans Rights Bill for two years. and adding an amendment to it exempting C-279 from applying to public spaces including bathrooms and locker rooms.

Just another example why marginalized people all over the world hate conservatism.

Honorable mention number three is Tennessee state Rep Sheila Butt (R), who got her butt (pun intended) in trouble with a racist tweet saying it's time for an NAAWP.



Oh Sheila, you already have the National Association For The Advancement of White People.  It's called the Republican Party.  So have several seats and a nice tall sweet tea flavored glass of shut the hell up.

Honorable mention number four is the Liberty Institute.   They are doing loud and long bitching about the fact their petitions to force a May repeal referendum on the recently passed non discrimination law were rejected.  But what they fail to admit to their sheeple is the city of Plano notified the Liberty Institute three weeks before the deadline to submit the petitions they had problems, and they failed to correct the problems.

Oops.  Looks like no matter what end of I-45 they are on, the haters have a demonstrated inability to collect signatures for petition drives.

And when you attempt to dig a grave for someone, better dig one for yourselves.

Honorable mention number five is Flip Benham, who spent far more time at that Monday hearing for Charlotte's failed LGBT rights bill staked out in front of the women's bathroom oppressing trans women  and  trans kids than he did listening to the testimony of over 150 Queen City citizens expressing themselves pro and con about the ordinance.

Doesn't your perverted azz and your fellow faith based perverts have better things to do than creepily standing watch in front of the women's restroom to berate any transwoman going to piss and poop in them?

Let my trans people poop and piss in peace.

Honorable mention number six is Ben Carson, who in addition to the rants he unleashed during the Cirque de GOP, said that science needs religion to interpret it because it could be propaganda, and that prison sex  proves that being gay is a choice.

Honorable mention number seven is Andrea Shea King, who let loose a racist rant on Wing Nut Daily calling for Congressional Black Caucus legislators that boycotted Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to be hanged.

Another racist idiot with a radio show firing up the conservasheeple.   If she were thirty years younger she'd be perfect FOX Fembot material.

And y'all wonder why I continue to call the Tea Party the Tea Klux Klan.

This week's Shut Up Fool is Cal-ee-forn-ia attorney Matt McLaughlin, who has proposed a California ballot initiative, the 'Sodomite Liquidation Suppression Act'. that would if it made it to the ballot in Cali and passed, would mandate the execution of all gay peeps in the state,

Hey, I have to give him props to not only naming and claiming his hatred, he put his own money ($200) down on what he believes in.   Even if it is genocide.

And you know I gots to call his azz out on it.  Here's another example of a white conservamale wanting to oppress (and kill) somebody he doesn't like.

Never mind the fact a federal judge ruled the California death penalty was unconstitutional last June

Matt McLaughlin, have several seats and shut the hell up, fool!

Trans America, Your Humanity Is Under Attack

Maybe it's me being inside the Beltway or simply being pissed off at the spectacle of a grown ass faith based bully berating a trans youngling in Charlotte for simply handling a nature call, or the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday happening in Selma tomorrow, but Moni has something to say about what I've observed going on over the last few weeks in Trans World and beyond.

Like many of you in Trans World I'm not happy about the Religious Reich  doubling down on the thoroughly debunked bathroom predator meme and sponsoring dehumanizing anti-trans legislation that is a straight up attack on our humanity

While one is on its way to dying in Kentucky despite being passed by their GOP controlled senate, there are others in Florida and Texas still floating around that haven't gotten the derisive pushback they need to make the GOP withdraw them or the business community calling them out.about it.

But that's a subject for another post.   I want to talk about what we in the trans community can control.

And Moni's going to be real about it and can't say it enough,  your humanity as a trans person in this country is under attack.   I've been warning you for years that the faith-based haters were going to come for us, and now that day of reckoning is here.

What are you going to do about it? Are you going to meekly submit to right-wing oppression and let them criminalize being trans without a fight?

And don't think you can reason with GOP women on this issue.   Debbie Riddle sponsored our trans hate bill in Texas, and I predict that you'll see more white GOP women acting as useful fools to front these scientifically illiterate anti-trans measures

Let's also not forget that some of our LGB friends voted for some of the GOP legislators who are oppressing us, and are more concerned with their wallets that aiding us and anyone else in our human rights struggles.

How much is your dignity and humanity as a human being worth to you trans people, and are you willing to fight for it?   Are you going to be the trans men and women you say you are and these times demand?   Are you willing to join our younglings in fighting for our human rights against white male conservafools who are basically mad they didn't get to oppress somebody Jim Crow style like their great grandparents did?

Or are you going to cower in the false security of nondisclosure and let others do the heavy lifting of being agents for our liberation while you insultingly say from the safety of your keyboards 'these people don't represent me'?

Your nondisclosed status will not protect you forever from anti-trans oppression or anti-trans bigotry.   Sooner or later that pseudo-cisnormative status you have painstakingly built up will unravel, and you'll be blowing up mine or other activists phones wanting us to drop other important collective work that needs to be done to deal with your personal crisis.


Want to stop or slow down trans youth suicides? The first step to that happening ,is trans adults being visible,  proudly being possibility models living our lives to the best of our ability, and role modeling leadership is such a positive way it inspires our trans youth to live, handle their educational business and take the steps to dare to dream to be productive in society.

When we are doing the trans advocacy, we have to bear in mind that is not just for us.   Some of the policies we're fighting to get passed we may not be around to see them implemented, much less enjoy them.   But fight for them we must.

And finally, we must send the message that our humanity and our human rights are not up for discussion, nor are our human rights to be played with for your personal  political gains.

Don't tread on us or our human rights.  We're tired of it.  We've had enough. That message also goes to our peeps who are willing to throw the entire community under the human rights bus for their own comfort.

We also need to hold those who claim trans leadership status accountable in our community who aren't doing the job of  being trans leaders.

We also need to be on our job of building trans community.   I'm sick of the selfish trans separatist inspired rugged individualism.  We need collective community building for the rest of this decade and beyond.

Trans Americans, your humanity is under attack.   What are you going to do about it?

Black Media, I Expect Higher Standards From You When It Comes To Covering Black Trans People

When I traveled to Boston for last summer's National Association of Black Journalists conference (NABJ) to discuss with fellow panelists Kenyon Farrow, Kellee Terrell and moderator Tiq Milan how to cover Black trans folks, it was with the intent of not only fostering that discussion, but impressing upon the attendees of that panel how accurate reporting about Black trans people from our media peeps is critically important.

In the first two months of 2015, seems like some Black media peeps needed to have some seats in that panel discussion as well.

Been more than pissed off to see disrespectful reporting aimed at my transsisters who have tragically lost their lives.   I've been even more irritated to note that some of the culprits guilty of transphobic reporting and failing to read their AP Stylebooks have been African-American journalists.

I expect disrespectful reporting from non-Black cisgender journalists and media outlets.   But I have a severe problem with it when the disrespectful reporting happens on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, newspapers, my hometown television and radio stations and other Black controlled media outlets and blogs

I don't even waste my breath or bandwith calling out Bossip and Sandra Rose. They are unrepentant cesspools of media transphobia that couldn't spell journalistic integrity even with the help of spell check.  But I do have higher expectations and standards for Black journalists when it comes to respectfully reporting on Black trans people.  

And here is the money paragraph once again from the AP Stylebook that has been there since 2001.

transgender-Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.

If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the individuals live publicly.

If you have questions, peruse those AP Stylebook pages.   There are also the styleguides from the NLGJA and GLAAD to help a journalistic brother or sister out and avoid the wrath of Moni, my chocolate transpeeps and our allies from coming down upon you for some fracked up reporting  that could have been easily avoided.

I'd like to also see as soon as possible an entry in the NABJ Styleguide about transgender people since it seems to have become necessary to request it expeditiously happen.

And yeah, here's the difference between a transgender man and a transgender woman since y'all media peeps have picked up that annoying conservatactic of conflating the two to be snarkily insulting.

A transgender man  (or trans man) is one who was born with female genitalia but has transitioned to and lives life as a male.  

A transgender woman (or trans woman) is one who was born with male genitalia, but has transitioned to and lives life as a female.

And one other thing Black media.  Focus on what's between our ears, not what genitalia may or may not be between our legs.

Also sick of the 'deception meme' being pushed in Black media stories about trans people.  We're living our authentic lives.   You need to deal with and approach us transpeeps as you would any other person you are writing or reporting on.

It's important because ignorance in African-American ranks about trans people is being pushed by sellout Black right wing pastors from their pulpits.

The bottom line Black media is that Black trans people are not only part of the diverse mosaic of human life, we have been and still are part of the kente cloth fabric of Black America.  We aren't going away, and as Laverne Cox, Janet Mock, Tona Brown, Tiq Milan and a host of Black transpeople prove on a regular basis, and still we rise.

We have abundant talents to contribute to our Black community.  Black journalists need to get with the program and take the lead in pointing out Black trans people are Black people and our issues are Black community issues.

Black journalists and bloggers also need to realize that coverage of trans people is not click bait for your blogs, a way for you to add salacious details to your radio broadcasts, newspaper or television stories, or 'scurr' or mislead people about the purpose of non-discrimination laws that cover you and whatever other category they happen to cover.

You also have a journalistic legacy to uphold of being fierce advocates for our community.  Black transpeople once again are part of your constituency.

It's also infuriating and mind blowing to contemplate that Black journalists in the pre-AP Stylebook days writing for JET,. EBONY, HUE and Sepia magazines did a better and more respectful job of writing about transpeople than their 21st century counterparts.

Unchecked anti-trans hate speech kills.   In the wake of the murders of  17 trans women since June with the vast majority of them being African-American trans feminine women under 40, it's past time for Black media and Black journalists to ponder if their media misgendering of African-American trans women is a contributing factor to the anti-trans hatred that leads to anti-trans violence and the far too frequent murders of Black trans women.

Houston Trans Woman Attacked, And I'm Pissed About It

Because of the anti-trans hate speech coming from the kneegrow hate ministers of the Baptist Minsters Association of Houston and Vicinity in relation to the HERO passage battle, and it being greeted with silence from other local Black ministers and Black media outlets not called TransGriot, I was beginning to wonder when it would result in Houston area transpeople being attacked or God forbid, killed because of it.

Unfortunately, I got my answer Thursday.

According to an About magazine article, a  gang of seven people attacked Thailand Warr, who is also known as the popular Houston based female illusionist DeyJzah Opulent Mirage,  in the lobby of her Southwest Houston high-rise condo complex as she was preparing to get into a waiting cab for a performance at the Houston Improv.

She was confronted by a group of five Black men and two Black women, all in their late teens to early twenties, who she said smelled of marijuana.   She sustained injuries to her head, upper body and breasts, along with scratches across her chest when they tried to expose her breasts.

I'm attempting to get in contact with Ms. Warr and find out how she's doing along with the rest of the Houston area TBLG community.  If there are any efforts organized that need some additional love from y'all locally and nationall, I'll let you know ASAP.

But right now I'm going to focus the rest of this post on the kneegrow ministers that have been priming the pump for anti-trans violence to erupt with their hate speech as many Houston Black church leaders, our leading organizations like the local NAACP and Urban League, and media outlets like KCOH-AM and KMJQ-FM among others say nothing to condemn the sellout pastors..

Well, if y''all won't say anything, Moni will.

I and the Houston Black transgender community, in a year in which we lost 11 trans people of color in the USA, and with ten of them being African-American, are beyond sick and tired of the cricket chirping silence coming from the Houston Black church about these murders and assaults on trans people when y'all always have a fracking opinion about other crap as demonstrated in the HERO battle you know nothing about

And the fact this attack happened to Ms Warr on November 20, the day we memorialize our lost sisters, wasn't lost on me or anyone else in the trans community and our allies.

What angers me still further is because of your hatred, (yes, hatred) of transgender, gay and lesbian individuals, you real life Uncle Ruckuses have entered into an unholy alliance with Dave Welch and his conservative Republican friends to attempt to kill a much needed human rights ordinance we have NEVER had for our city. 

The attack on Ms Warr is a prime example of exactly why we need the HERO to be implemented without further delay.

And I have nothing but contempt for you for doing so and allowing yourselves to be the useful fools fronting this effort to kill HERO.

Thailand Warr is one of the few anti-trans assaults we are aware of.   How many more have transpired since you started your rhetorical attack on the Houston trans community that we are not privy to and the victims have declined to report them?

Yes, I'm grateful that Ms Warr survived the attack and I pray for her speedy recovery.  I hope the ignorant wastes of DNA who did this face justice.  But I blame the Baptist Ministers Assn. of Houston and Vicinity for sowing the anti-trans seeds at the behest of their massas in the white conservative led Pastor's Council that have now borne poisonous fruit in Ms Warr's life.

The next trans person that gets attacked by a gang of people inside Beltway 8 may not be so fortunate.

Where you at Houston Black church?    Where are your voices of condemnation for this attack Houston NAACP and Houston Urban League for starters?   Where are you Houston Black Area Democrats?  

And where are you Majic 102 and KCOH-AM?   Both of your stations can provide platforms for the sellout ministers and HERO opponents to speak and demonize the Houston African-American trans community, but you can't (or won't) provide a platform for us to rebut the scurrilous and demonstrably false charges aimed at us?

I' eagerly await the answers to those questions along with our allies

Shut Up Fool Awards- Moni's Back In Da Ville Edition

Yep, it's true.  I'm back inside Jefferson County visiting Da Ville for the first time since I left 4 years ago to move back home to Texas .

And yeah, this is also a pleasure trip.  Not up here for a conference, panel discussion or speaking engagement (yet) but just chilling. 

It's been wonderful so far to see many of my friends here and I'm trying to catch up with as many folks here inside I-265 until I leave to return back to Texas Tuesday

And before I do that, a trip to Impellizzeri's Pizza is a must. 

But today is also Friday, and y'all know what that means.  It;s time to handle our usual Friday 'bidness' of exposing what fool, fools or group of fools I just had to take time out of my whirlwind trip up here to Bluegrass country to call out.

Honorable mention number one is a joint award for ESPN and reporter Josina Anderson for that fracked up homophobic 'report' focusing on Michael Sam and the shower.    They apologzied for it, but WTF were y'all thinking?

Honorable mention number two goes to Dallas PD Assistant chief Malik Aziz for parting his lips on FOX Noise to say that police departments aren't overmilitarized and the solution to negating that perception is painting the tanks blue.

Seriously?  You need to have several seats at Jerryworld for saying something that stupid.

Honorable mention number three is CNN host Ana Cabrera, who was upset that in the 6.1 quake that struck the Napa, CA area, she was heartbroken over the hundreds of broken wine bottles?

And that sums up in a nutshell why CNN's ratings are plummeting.

Honorable mention number four is Craig James.   The failed Texas US Senate candidate probably slept through his history classes at Stratford HS and SMU because he parted his lips on behalf of his new employers in the Family Fascism Research Council demanding judges rule by 'Biblical law'.

Christopimping ain't easy, huh Craig?

Honorable mention number five goes to Pat Robertson, for his double dip of stupidity.   First he tried to claim that single motherhood leads to male kids becoming gay, and then on the 666 700 Club opened his mouth to say Robin Williams killed himself because he was a heathen who didn't worship Jesus.

I need a full post to properly eviscerate this faith-based fool

Honorable mention number six goes to Gov. Rick Perry, (R-TX).   Gov Goodhair continues to let his mouth overload his anus in this developing scandal that has resulted in two abuse of power federal  indictments for him.   He thinks Texas taxpayers should have picked up his legal tab for the trouble he got himself in, but is now paying for his legal team out of his campaign fund because people 'complained about it.

Folks, if you're wondring why we Texans never elected an Aggie governor until Perry, now you know.  

This week's Shut Up Fool winner is hate preacher Michael V. Williams.   He believes that a constitutional amendment should be passed that mandates that homosexuality should be a felony crime punishable by a sentence of 10 years hard labor.

And y'all thought I was being alarmist when I stated a while back the wet dream of the Christofascists was to pass versions of the anti-gay laws enacted in Uganda, Nigeria and Russia here.

Michael V Williams, shut up fool


 

Naw Mark, Shame On Your Clueless Racism Denying Azz

I wasn't even back in Harris County 24 hours from my empowering BTAC 2014 convention birthday weekend excursion to Dallas last week when I was alerted to an attack piece that 'I'm white not Latino' transman Mark Angelo Cummings aimed at me along with a bigoted tweet from Kelli Busey on my birthday of all days.

I've already put Kelli on blast on my FB page for her jacked up shyt.   It's Mark's turn to feel the wrath of Moni now that I've had a few days to marinate on his loud and wrong as usual bigoted screed.

There's the bell.   School is now in session.  

Naw Mark, shame on your clueless azz for trying to step to me when I was on the eve of testifying on behalf of the entire Houston community again advocating for passage of the HERO. 

Too bad you dismissed Kat Blacque instead of listening to her when she was trying to educate your ignorant behind on the fact that race matters, even in the trans community. 

As a matter of fact I find you borderline delusional for trying to claim that racism doesn't exist.  I'm also laughing my butt off at you for even trying to utter the BS 'reverse racism' conservacrap.  Dude, have several sections of seats in Marlins Park and a nice tall glass of shut the hell up with your Cuban sandwich on that one. 

Since you missed it and seem to be confused about what racism really entails, let Moni try to 'ejumacate' you once again on the topic even though I'm tired of having this discussion of these simple to grasp concepts with you and your dwindling cadre of like minded acolytes that even the GEICO cavemen understand.

Ahem, pay very very close attention:  Racism = prejudice and bigotry + systemic power.  
 
Racism is the systematic discrimination, denial of rights and benefits by whites against non-whites in all areas of human activity.  (economics, education, labor, law, politics, religion, sex and war).

Since non-whites (at least until 2040) are not the majority population in the United States, it is impossible for us to be racist.  We can be bigoted and prejudiced, but we do not have the collective societal power to turn our bigotry and prejudices into societal policy detrimental to the lives of white people.  .  


Once again I ask the question I haven't got an answer to from Mark and his like minded side yet.

What is it about Black trans people owning our power and simply doing the same thing that white trans people have done for decades in terms of building community amongst themselves and determining our own political destiny, that terrifies you so much?

As I've said since 1998 and will not back down one millimeter from nor apologize for, race matters in the trans community. 

The fact that you posted such a racist response to my initial February post critiquing your clueless behind on seeing the Black Trans Renaissance as a 'threat' or 'dangerous to the trans rights movement'  is prima facie evidence why I see myself as Black first, trans second.

It's also why I advocate for transpeople of color to have our own blogs, advocacy groups and supportive community infrastructure because we can never be certain of when  vanillacentric privileged white trans peeps like you will throw us under the bus to get your lost levels of white privilege back.

And yes, there is ample precedent of the white trans community doing precisely that.  Riki Wilchins sold out the community and backlobbied her own GenderPac Lobby days in 1998-1999 to curry favor with an HRC then hostile to trans human rights issues.  She then took GenderPac out of the trans rights lobbying fight at the federal level to embark a a failed 'gender rights' approach that led to the 1999 formation of the multicultural NTAC to fill the unexpected trans advocacy void.   

Because NTAC was led by nonwhite executive directors who weren't drinking the 'HRC is our Friends' blue Kool-Aid and had no problem calling out the Equal Sign Org on their transphobic BS, it was savagely attacked by white trans people claiming NTAC 'didn't represent them' to the point they formed NCTE in 2003.

That sorry history is one of the reasons why we are closing ranks and building community in African-American trans spaces now because we are tired of being ignored, dismissed and treated like an emasculated junior partner in mixed trans company. 

We are unapologetically Black trans grown folks determining our political destiny, building community and making informed decisions about who we will and will not ally ourselves with. Can you hear us now?

So yes, white trans people's past penchant for throwing transpeople of color under the bus, ignoring our issues and concerns, and failing to include us in the senior leadership ranks is why I and other trans African-Americans are in the 2K10's executing a multipronged advocacy strategy whether you like it or not.  
And yeah, our people have been doing this for over two centuries, so this is nothing new or shocking to African descended trans people.  

And as long as TransGriot exists, I'm going to articulate those concerns of African descended transpeople here in the United States and across the African Diaspora.    

Mark, since you and your like minded friends have not given us a reason to confidently feel you have our backs or our best interests in mind in national trans advocacy since the late 90's, we're going to be unapologetically pro-Black, seek out allies of all ethnic backgrounds, and build up our community while simultaneously advocating for trans rights for ourselves and the human rights of all.

As the HERO battle is making clear to us in Houston, we have trans issues education to do with our own people, and we African-American trans people are the folks best positioned to do that as we take leading roles in helping push its passage.

I and other African-American trans people are puzzled to hear that our long overdue communal need to close ranks, build unity and pride in being Black trans people in conjunction with our Black trans masculine brothers, build community so that we can be a stronger partner to the entire TBLG community and all the ones we interact with is considered 'a threat' or 'dangerous' to white trans people.

Seriously?   We in Black Trans World are only replicating what the white trans community has done since the late 80's.  Why is it 'a problem' or 'a threat' now?    

I am an unapologetic Black trans community leader, and Black leadership has different parameters from garden variety white trans leadership.  

Because you white trans peeps are already well represented at those leadership tables, and far too many times I may be the only trans POC sitting there, you damned skippy I'm going to make sure the needs of POC transpeople are in the conversation.  I'm also going to be determined in making you aware how we POC's view any proposed trans human rights legislation or how any policy initiative being discussed impacts us.     

The racism and bigot eruptions in the trans community along with the racist misogyny aimed at trans women of color have also fueled this push for us to own our power just like our parents, grandparents and great grandparents have had to do once upon a time.   


As some of you have made crystal clear with your hate pieces and bigoted tweets aimed in mine and the direction of other trans leaders of color, it is impossible for us to exist in Trans World separated from our race and ethnic background.

Neither do I nor any transperson of color wish to operate in any space that demands we separate ourselves from our Blackness just to be a part of a collective group or because us being our  unapologetically Black selves makes you white trans peeps uncomfortable.

We Black trans people can't be 'just trans' because of the deep seated hatred for blackness and Black people that also infects Trans World and you are exhibiting unmistakable signs of.  We are deeply aware of the fact we trans people of color are judged by our skin color first before we can even begin to tackle the trans issues that impact us.

If you don't like the fact I'm unapologetically Black, and I will not allow you or ANY fauxgressive and bigoted trans person or 'ally' to deter me from calling out the bigotry and racism that exists in trans world while seeking to expeditiously root it out of our ranks, then you (and errbody else) that shares your delusional opinion that racism doesn't exist or 'I'm angry' for daring to talk about it can kiss my 'angry' Black trans ass.

By the way Marky Mark.   You and your white trans friends boringly repetitive attempts to tear me down not only reveal your own racist ignorance, but validate what I've been saying and writing about for the last decade and a half concerning your sector of the trans community.  

With every bigoted keystroke you aim at me, you make yourself more irrelevant.  When they see these unwarranted and vicious attacks leveled at me, it also pisses off people in the trans communities of color and our allies who have mad love and respect for me and what I do human rights wise inside and outside the trans community.

And FYI, for every attack you level at me, to quote Maya Angelou, and still I rise.  

So no Mark, shame on you for being bigoted and foolish enough to continue to repeatedly do something so monumentally stupid, and being arrogant enough to think you can get away with doing so without me calling your azz out on it. 

This Is An Afrocentric Blog-Deal With It

There is an on point 1984 James Baldwin quote from a Village Voice interview n which he talked about race in GL World.  I'm going to substitute trans for gay for the purposes of this post.

"Their reaction seems to me in direct proportion to their sense of feeling cheated of the advantages which accrue to white people in a white society. There's an element, it has always seemed to me, of bewilderment and complaint. Now that may sound very harsh, but the trans world as such is no more prepared to accept black people than anywhere else in society."


Over the last week and a half elements of white trans world have been showing their asses and letting their pink, white and blue sheets show because they are jealously pissed off about the deserved and increasing media attention that Black trans people are getting.  

The cadre of white trans women in question are upset that Black transpeople are not only closing ranks and owning their power, they see it as they bump their gums in their not so quiet Facebook rooms that this long ago needed development in the Black trans community ranks as 'a threat'

The star of their offline Two Minute Hates has been moi and my GLAAD Award nominated blog.
Aww, I'm flattered and frankly LMBTAO that I'm the focus of your hatred.  But what I said before to you still stands:  You need Jesus.

And I revel in your irrational hatred.  Why #youmad because for the first time in the 61 year modern history of the trans rights movement that Black trans people and their accomplishments are getting increased media attention and love?

Do you not see the point that a strong Black trans community that owns its power, confidently wields it, helps destroy transphobia in Black cis and SGL ranks, and does the Trans 101 education tailored to our history and culture in those communities helps all of Trans World?

Or do you peeps have so much internalized hatred for Black people that you are role modeling the remixed James Baldwin remark?

If you are, too bad.   We're not gonna let your lack of vision turn us around from our urgent mission of building community and stopping the off the charts violence aimed at us.

Are you that upset because we are finding innovative ways to lead, forming our own organizations and building community infrastructure that reflects our culture, are increasingly tackling the problems that ail our community with the help of our cis and SGL allies, are writing New York Times best selling narratives, are breakout stars on TV shows and have GLAAD nominated blogs that people flock to for intelligent commentary about issues inside and outside the trans, bi and SGL community?

Yeah, obviously you do and this isn't a new development.   Moni ain't the only person that has called you out on your racism that you tried and failed to keep under wraps and don't want to talk about.

If that's your problem. you can #staymad then.    You can also KMBTA because if you don't like the fact TransGriot is an Afrocentric blog founded by an unapologetically Black transperson, and have consistently called crap out in this community, too damned bad.  Deal with it.

As a matter of fact since I mentioned this was an Afrocentric blog, here's the Mission Statement I compiled on January 2, 2011 for it:

The TransGriot blog's mission is to become the griot of our community.  I will introduce you to and talk about your African descended transbrothers and transsisters across the African Diaspora, reclaim and document our chocolate flavored trans history, speak truth to power, comment on the thins that impact our community from an Afrocentric perspective and enlighten you about the general things that go on around me and in the communities that I am a member of.  

Hey, I did warn you and I was blunt about what was going to happen on these electronic pages.  
   
TransGriot was founded on New Year's Day 2006 with the mission of elevating the voice, thoughts, visibility and policy concerns of African descended trans people across the Diaspora as its Prime Directive. I comment on the issues of trans people of color and developments around the world from my Afrocentric perspective as well.

I am unapologetically Black and trans.   I an not going to apologize for that or the over 7000 posts in my tell it like it T-I-S is Afrocentric tone that is in sync with the journalistic style and traditions of my people  

Neither will I separate my transness from my Blackness just to make a certain segment of misguided white trans world comfortable

You don't like the fact I said it or my opinions don't neatly line up with yours, I don't care.   Neither do I give a rat's anus that you have a problem with me owning my power on behalf of my community as I have done since 1998.  

I speak truth to power inside and outside TBLG World and I'm damned sure going to do it on a blog that I founded and have control over.  You have a problem with that, then have several seats and choke on that bottle of Vanillacentic Privileged Frost Haterade you're liberally drinking from

My award winning blog with over 4.4 million hits (and counting), my cyberhome, my rules.   The opinions expressed here are the result of my unapologetically Black behind residing on this planet inside the borders of the United States since 1962 and my two decades of life being a transperson while Black.

If you don't like the opinions expressed here, you are always free to exercise your option of reading the hundreds of trans blogs that reflect your vanillacentric privileged world view.

But you do so with the knowledge that this blog for eight years is proudly rooted (and always will be) in the African-American community.  It is edited by an award winning trans human rights activist with 16 years experience in the game, and who has been blessed with mad writing skills to boot.

This is an Afrocentric blog.   For those of you who like that fact, I thank you for surfing by my cyberhome on a regular basis to check out the posts that I and my guest posters leave here for you to peruse.

For those of you who wanna hate, deal with it.

Trans Younglings, Imagine Growing Old, Not Dying Young

Was perusing my Facebook wall and noticed a post from a young African-American trans person in which she expressed her joy about turning 24 next month.  What saddened me and motivated me to write this post is that she admitted that if you'd asked her ten years ago, she didn't think she would live to see that age.

While she cried about the prospect of reaching her upcoming 24th birthday on December 7,  I was saddened to hear that to the point of shedding tears that too many of our young people believe they won't reach that age.   

And that dynamic needs to change.

Growing up I looked forward to milestone birthdays.  I eagerly looked forward to turning 18 because you were not only considered to legally be an adult, it signified that I could finally vote in elections.  You could also at the time of my 18th birthday in 1980 legally drink at the time in Texas.

I also looked forward to my 21st birthday as well.  

There was also a meme going around at the time that one in four Black male children would not live to see their 30th birthday.  Maybe it was my Taurus stubborn streak talking, but I was determined to not give in to such defeatist thinking. 

I not only made it my mission to be around God willing for my 30th birthday in 1992, but wanted to see the dawn of the 21st century and the year 2000 eight years later.  

I wanted to make it to my 40th, 50th, 60th and 70th birthdays in addition to being the best Moni I can be.  

As someone who works hard to push trans human rights forward, I want to see the results of this hard work I and countless others are doing to plant those civil rights trees for you trans younglings.  I have to be alive to not only do the work, but see those trans civil rights trees take root and grow as a result of that work. 

I make the choices and attempt to do my best to not put myself in negative situations that could result in a premature end to my life.  Sometimes stuff and life events happen that are beyond your control and you have to make snap decisions as you're in the moment that could have an impact positively or negatively on your life.  But the things I can control, I try my best to do so.
 

But that doesn't mean I cut all fun out of my life either.  Ask the peeps who were at the 2012 OUT on the Hill how good my dancing abilities are.    I did my share of partying back in the day and mass consumption of alcohol.  But I also strove to never put myself in the position of being so drunk that I didn't know what zip code I was in.  If I did get drunk, I either slept it off at a trusted friend's house or did so with a designated driver beside me in the club to drive my drunk behind home when we left.


I'm also cognizant of my surroundings, a quality that's even more important as someone navigating society in a feminine body.  I learned once that failure to be aware of that at all times or an ill timed lapse in judgment can result in bodily injury, sexual assault or death.   TDOR's remind me every year that we do have people who irrationally hate us enough to kill us.

Trans younglings, all the slings and arrows and trans hate we expose ourselves to is ultimately for your benefit.  Hell, it does me or no one else any good to fight for the trans human rights laws and policies this community needs if you second decade of the 21st century transwomen or the ones behind you aren't around to enjoy their benefits because you have this misguided belief you won't live to see 30. 

We want you to be able to live your lives to their full potential and make your most expansive dreams come true. But that can't happen if you're not walking on this plane of existence to do so or you robbed this community of your future greatness and talents because you took your life while going through a depressingly rough patch in it.

Getting to be my age is a wonderful, constantly evolving experience.  I enjoy being the mentor for you I didn't have.  There is life beyond age 24.  Life for transpeople is getting better.  It many not be changing as fast as we'd like, but there is ample visible evidence the arc of the moral universe is bending towards justice for trans people. Some of the things you're seeing today were in our wildest dreams territory for trans people when I transitioned in 1994 and we pushed this in conditions far more hostile than you see today.

And don't forget what we did trans human rights warriors did in the 90's-early 2k's was based on the struggles and work our sisters did like Christine Jorgensen, April Ashley, Coccinelle, and Phyllis Frye who put themselves in the public eye in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's.   They built on the work of the trans women who were at the Cooper's Donuts riots in LA, the 1965 Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit-In that occurred in Philly, the 1966 Compton's Cafeteria Riot and Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P Johnson at Stonewall in 1969.

What will life be like for transpeople in 2024?  2034?  2044?  2054?  Some of you reading this post may have the answer to that question. 

You may become the first trans governor of a state.  The trans doctor who comes up with a cure for cancer.  An astronaut who walks on Mars.   Perform at Carnegie Hall.   The next trans state legislator or first trans mayor of a major city.  Come up with the next great business idea that creates jobs for all of us.  Become the first trans Olympian.  When the medical technology develops to that point you may even be able to give birth to your own children should you desire that or even come up with the breakthroughs that make it happen.  You may even become the first trans president of the US, a US senator, a federal judge or congressmember.

You may witness the time when the TDOR's are no longer needed. 

But just like Cheryl Courtney-Evans, Miss Major, Tracie Jada O'Brien, Sharyn Grayson, Gloria Allen and others are around to be mentors to me and trans women of my Baby Boomer and beyond trans generations, and I am proudly mentoring your generation of trans women, you will inevitably get older and eventually be the mentors of the mid and late 21st century trans women now transitioning in the elementary, middle, high schools and colleges right now or just being born.    

But you have to be alive to live long enough to be able to properly mentor those trans younglings when the time comes for you to take on that role.   
 
So please trans younglings, be determined to live long fabulous lives.   Imagine growing old, not dying young.  It's also your best revenge to all the people who reviled you when you were younger to have a more happy and successful life than their miserable ones. 

TransGriot Note: Pics are Cheryl Courtney-Evans, me with Miss Major, Tracie Jada O'Brien, and Sylvia Rivera.

Does Homophobia Go With That Hate?

The latest in my ongoing series of song rewrites was motivated by the recent instances in Kansas and New Jersey of alleged 'christians' stiffing their wait staff out of their tips because of their bigoted perceptions they were gay. 

So y'all know the drill, break out the iPods and sing along to Moni's remixed lyrics

Does Homophobia Go With That Hate?
Sung to the tune of 'Do Fries Go With That Shake' by George Clinton.

Oh oh
Oh ohh
Oww oww

Oh, I see the damndest things
Working in the restaurant game
On duty, my feet are tired and ache
Then a big party comes my way
I had a big tip coming today
Instead all I received was hate.
Making my blood boil again

(chorus)
Does homophobia go with that hate?
Does homophobia go with that hate?
Does homophobia go with that hate?
Does homophobia go with that hate?

They said my gayness they could see
And that means there's no tip for me
A Christian?
That's a big fat lie
All that means is I got stiffed
Less cash for me at the end of my shift
Don't even try it

Does homophobia go with that hate?  (does homophobia go with that hate? X4)
Does homophobia go with that hate?
Does homophobia go with that hate?
Does homophobia go with that hate?

You know homophobia isn't marvelous (x2)

I'm working hard
Don't need this shyt
Judgmental christophobes  
Make me sick
So don't try it
Ooohh, this homophobic bigotry isn't sweet
Its got me and my peeps ready to riot

Ohh, Does homophobia go with that hate?  Does homophobia go with that hate? X4)
Does homophobia go with that hate?
Does homophobia go with that hate?
Does homophobia go with that hate?

Oh oh, oh oh

With LGBT peeps you got beef
So don't blame it on Christian beliefs
You need to stop telling that big lie

Does homophobia go with that hate?
Does homophobia go with that hate?
(fade to end)

Transpeople of Color Don't Get The Luxury of Ignoring Race And Class

Sigh.  Once again, Moni's gonna have to break it down for the wallowing in white privilege clueless. 

And this clueless youngling had the nerve to claim in the subsequent comment thread that she's 'anti-racist'.

Peep this comment posted by Jocelynn Veleta on the mixed company Facebook Transgender Alliance FB page.

It was posted on a comment from Black Transmen Resources ironically posted to promote their upcoming BTAC 2014 conference in Dallas April-May 2014.

At first I was going to be nice and not embarrass her in cyberspace until she deleted her initial comments before I had a chance to copy them, ran, called me 'stupid', said I was 'playing the victim'  and cried the usual 'white women's tears' before I got tired of her mouth and unleashed the 50 megatons of knowledge on her azz.  

im offended when ppl add race, ethnicity, or gender restrictions to anything, Trans in itself is enough of a minority i personally don't feel we need to break up anymore... hey maybe its just me; im not trying to be rude.

No, you weren't rude, you were white privileged clueless.

As I've said on multiple posts here on this blog and on countless discussion threads inside and outside the trans community for over a decade in various ways, race matters, even in the trans community..

We transpeople of color do not have the luxury of separating our race and ethnicity from our trans status. They are inextricably part of us.   And as part of the Black community, we still get whacked by the microaggressive and macroaggressive ways whiteness and white supremacy deleteriously affects us.

Your lived experience as a solitary white trans person doesn't trump (and never will) the lived experience of someone who has taken the brunt of the white supremacist attitudes since birth, much less her people's 400 year history of living in the Americas.

Jocelynn, you may not like the fact that we have Black, Latina and Asian trans groups, organizations and conventions, but they didn't come out of a vacuum.

As Kwame Ture said, 'in order to become a part of the greater society, you must first close ranks.'

People of color face anti POC hatred whether we are trans or not and being trans only magnifies that. And some of the worst manifestations of that anti-POC hatred are in our own TBLG ranks.

What we do have, if the trans community will seize that opportunity, is to lead by example in eradicating racism in its subset of society.

Our little subset of society is infected by the same isms and ills of the parent society, and just because you transitioned doesn't mean you nor transpeople of color are free of that baggage.  Race and ethnicity add to our trans status as bigotry multipliers in terms of the anti-trans hate directed at us inside and outside the TBLG community.   Black trans women have to deal with the same 'ugly black woman' meme and destruction of our images that our cis sisters have had to grapple with for four centuries.  Black trans men when they transition step into being just as hated by society as their cis Black masculine counterparts do and the transmasculine discussion being disproportionately centered on white trans men. 

And when the Teapublicans seek to block the vote of the Black community at the polls, I don't get a pass from that because I'm trans.    

Jocelynn, you aren't even close to being anti-racist if you can't openly acknowledge the point that racist attitudes permeates American society, still affects POC's in the second decade of the 21st century, can't see past your own unacknowledged white privilege and how it has shaped your thinking (as the playing the victim conservacomment demonstrates) and that racism= prejudice plus systemic power.

And before you even part your lips to ever try to bring up the word 'anti-racist' in a conversation, better hit Google and learn the word 'intersectionality'. 

I'm offended Jocelynn when you make such a knee jerk reactive clueless statement on the comment of a Black trans group promoting their upcoming Dallas trans conference open to all, you failing to see how problematic that statement of yours was, and then running when you get called on it.

And you getting your vanillacentric privileged back up, accusing me of 'attacking you' for schooling your barely out of zygote stage behind and you running from the truth isn't going to change one syllable of what I posted about race still mattering in the trans community.     

We do have the opportunity in the trans community to build a society better than the one we left behind but it's going to take honest communication about race relations in our community to do so. 

Honest communications that obviously you're not even close to being ready for or intelligently discuss.
 

I Welcome Your Hatred, Robyn

Because I call crap out, ain't 'scurred' to talk about whiteness, white privilege and how it deleteriously affects this community and call out the TS separatists (and others) for their racism and bigotry I have more than a few white sheet wearing detractors who straight up hate me.

Ho hum, Robyn Carolyn Montague is still bitter because I won't add her to the now 1800 people on my Facebook page.  All I have to say to you and the people that share your opinion of moi is I welcome your hatred.

And yeah, bear in mind that I've been active in this community for 15 years and contrary to your jacked up vanillacentric perspective, my friends in it who have my back don't always share my ethnic background.

The TS separatist ranks that you'd fit in quite nicely with because they are in the 'I Hate Moni' club ranks with you are chock full of bitter, rancor filled selfish idiots like you who are pissed off because they assumed they would hold the same level of white male privilege they used to have in their new femme bodies and society said otherwise.


And yeah, I sure am getting off my fine behind to help do my part to organize the next Creating Change conference coming to my hometown. I'm four videotaped hours and counting into an enjoyable oral history project at Rice University that will preserve my thoughts for posterity.  My seven year old blog is approaching 5 million hits and is archived.   I was honored by BTMI last March with an advocacy award named after me. 

And oh yeah, did you see who made the inaugural Trans100 List?   Sure wasn't you.

As I told your trifling, bitter butt back in February, my Facebook page, my rules.  Your continued nekulturny antics make that decision I made then to NOT add you to it look even wiser in the four months since I made that call. 

And you are still role modeling what I said about you four months ago. 

You're not a lady, you're another late transitioning asshole that still is carrying around that WMPesque attitude you spent much of your life marinating in.

So if you're going to post a derogatory comment about moi making an allegation about what I said, at least make it accurate.  Take the time to cut and paste what I said about you down to the syllable

On that note, I've wasted enough bandwith playing with you.  I have trans human rights I have to help our community get, stories I need to shine a bright spotlight on, trans people I need to inteview who are actually doing something to make a difference, speeches to write and a presentation to finish.

And naw, I'm still not adding you to my Facebook page
  .

Moni's Greatest Song Rewrite Hits-Volume 2

One of the things I like to do on this blog that people tell me they enjoy are my song rewrites.   I have a Volume 1 compilation post for many of them, but the rewrites just kept on coming until I had enough for a Volume 2 post.

And now, for you to peruse at your leisure is Moni's Greatest Song Rewrites-Volume 2.  

And at the rate I'm going there probably will be a Volume 3 in the near future.


Texas Bathrooms Have Transsexual In 'Em

Texas Has Transpeeps Marrying In It

Mama's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Conservative

Parents Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

You Are A Jerk

T-E-R-F's Hate

All The Sabre Ladies

Show Up & Sell Us Out

The Candidates Of The GOP

Please Leave The Abuser

My Name Is Not Steven

The Greed Of Texas

Stop Hating Us On Christmas Day

Shut Up Fool Awards-Moni's Birthday Week Edition

Tomorrow is Cuatro de Mayo, which means I've managed to go through another 366 days of life on this space rock  (2012 was a leap year).

I may have inadvertently (or deliberately) started some of it, but for the most part I got through 2012 without encountering a lot of major drama.  And yes, there was evolution toward becoming a better person during those 366 days. 

Today is my birthday on the western side of the International Date Line, and I thank all my friends on that side of the world for all the birthday wishes you've sent me so far.   Looking forward to the day that I can finally meet y'all

So enough jibber-jabber about my rapidly approaching birthday tomorrow, let's get to why y'all surf over here every Friday at noon central time in the first place.   Y'all want to see what fool, fools or group of fools I put on blast for this week's TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards and it's time to give you loyal readers what you want.

First up, the honorable mentions. 

Honorable mention number one goes to former Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who expressed regrets over the 2000 Bush v. Gore SCOTUS decision that installed Junior in the White House and negatively changed the course of US history.  

Gee, too late now.  Tell the families of over 5000 American military war dead and the 100,000 dead Iraqis that.  Those of us who voted for Vice President Al Gore know you made a partisan mistake that cost this country dearly in treasure and people.  We all knew Gore was the better man for the job and he won the election.  The 8 embarrassingly sorry years of the Bush mispresidency sadly proved to the rest of the country and the world what everyone already knew in Texas (except delusional Republifools) that Junior was not fit to be the POTUS.

Honorable mention number two goes to Sen. Kelly Ayotte (Teabagger-NH)  who admitted in a NH town hall meeting she voted against equal pay for women because 'we have enough laws on the books to enforce it'.




Yeah right, Kelly.   Okay New Hampshire, hope y'all are kicking this conservafool's butt to the curb when you get the opportunity to do so in 2016.

Honorable mention number three is a tie because its related to the same subject of NBA baller Jason Collins coming out.  It goes to former NBA player Larry Johnson and Chris Broussard.   While discussing the coming out story with L.Z. Granderson on Outside The Lines Broussard let his Christobigot flag fly and insinuated that Collins was 'not a Christian for being gay'.    LZ, I would have tore him a new anus for that one, .but we'll hopefully get a chance to discuss that at OUT on the Hill in September.    

Johnson opened his mouth and inserted foot in it by letting fly on Twitter with tweets stating 'homosexuality doesn't belong in a men's  locker room' and he'd be 'uncomfortable' with a gay teammate.

Dude, you put on a dress and a gray wig to sell Converse sneakers back in the day.   I'm just sayin'.

Honorable mention number four goes to The Cleveland Plain Dealer for their unrepentant journalistic hate crime they performed on Cemia Dove Acoff.

Honorable mention number five goes to Rep. Paul Broun (Teabagger-GA) who is now running for the US senate seat of the retiring Saxby Chambliss and decided to use transpeeps as a wedge issue.

This week's Shut Up Fool winner takes us north of the border..

Renee of Womanist Musings has told me a few times about conservafool Toronto Star columnist Christie Blatchford.   She's written a column that has set off many women in the Great White North in a case in which 17 year old Rehtaeh Parsons of Halifax was raped by four boys at a party and subsequently cyberbullied to the point she committed suicide last month  

To quote Renee on this one:

Claiming that it's questionable that a young girl who committed suicide was raped because she was naked with her rapist before hand is pure rape culture. 

Rehtaeh's father also put her on blast for victim blaming and I agree with him and Renee. 
No means no Christie Blatchford.  And shut up fool, eh?.  

2012 Out On The Hill-Moni's Panels

As the days get closer to September 19-22 I get more excited about the third annual Out On The Hill that will happen in Washington DC and being part of the star studded lineup for OOTH 2012..  

While there will be some outstanding panels, lobbying on Capitol Hill, policy discussion, the opportunity to attend the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation-Annual Legislative Conference at the Convention Center during Out On The Hill in addition to opportunities to meet and network with outstanding Black LGBT leaders from all over the country, I am looking forward to the two panels I'm involved with. 

One of the panels I'm taking part in happens on Friday, September 21, 2012, 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT and its entitled ' The System, The Reality, The Solution: Honoring and Protecting the Lives of Black Trans Women.”

Here's the synopsis of it..

“The System, The Reality, The Solution: Honoring and Protecting the Lives of Black Trans Women” -- For some of the most likely targets of hate crimes – Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people – the options for survival are slim. For transgender women of color, in particular, the odds are even less in their favor. The Black and civil rights communities are shamefully silent when victims of violence are both Black and transgender. Stories like CeCe McDonald’s represent a larger system of violence and institutional biases. Her case is part of an ongoing string of attacks and mass murders against trans women of color. But even in the mist of adversity, this community of resilient, powerful sisters has managed to come together and demand a seat at the table. The purpose of this town hall is to discuss the current state of the Black trans community – specifically as it reflects the current policies of our government, the social climate of our nation and the lived experiences of Black trans women. Attendees will leave with an understanding of the systems in place as well as resources available and actions to take in order to see substantial progress in this community. This town hall meeting will feature an unprecedented briefing of prominent Black trans women who are activists, media personalities and experts as they discuss why it is important to be intentional about including the “T” as we develop the national Black LBGT agenda.

The invited panelists for it include Rev. Carmarion Anderson, Kokumo Kinetic, Danielle King, Valerie Spencer, Bali White with our moderator for it being Laverne Cox 


On Saturday, September 22, 2012, 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM. EDT I'll be part of the session “Bloggers' Roundtable: How the LGBT Equality Movement Has Impacted Black America and the Media Landscape."

“Bloggers' Roundtable: How the LGBT Equality Movement Has Impacted Black America and the Media Landscape” -- Since the president’s historic endorsement of marriage equality, civil rights leaders and celebrities—from the NAACP to Jay Z—have come out in support of marriage for gay and lesbian couples. Recent opinion polls suggest a record shift in support of marriage equality among people of color. But despite the prevailing media narrative, research has long shown that the Black community isn’t monolithically homophobic or transphobic. In fact, polling of African Americans has previously indicated that when it comes to issues of harassment and violence (hate crimes, bullying in schools, etc.) more than 50 percent feel that it’s a very big problem for gay and lesbian people. This session will feature a fishbowl style discussion where prominent Black LGBT bloggers discuss how the conversation has changed in new media. Attendees will leave with a more nuanced understanding of media representation and public opinion of African Americans as it pertains to LGBT equality.

Still not too late to register for the third annual edition of Out On The Hill.