Subpoena of DA Records in Morris Case ‘Imminent’

By Timothy Cwiek
PGN Writer-at-Large
© 2008 Philadelphia Gay News

As the city’s Police Advisory Commission prepares to subpoena the District Attorney’s Office for records in its possession related to the Nizah Morris case, commission members expressed hope the effort will improve relations between police and the LGBT community.

“This [subpoena] certainly won’t hurt police-community relations,” said William M. Johnson, executive director of the PAC. “And I hope it will continue to build trust between the two groups. Anything that can contribute to a better relationship between the police department and the community is a good thing.”

At press time, Johnson said issuance of the subpoena was expected to take place within the next few days.

Morris was a transgender woman who died shortly after receiving a courtesy ride from Philadelphia police during the early-morning hours of Dec. 22, 2002.

Johnson said the PAC received a letter from the D.A.’s Office on Aug. 8, indicating it won’t cooperate with the subpoena due to investigative exemptions, privacy rights and other grounds.

Johnson emphasized that the PAC in no way wishes to interfere with any ongoing probe of the Morris homicide, nor does it wish to violate anyone’s privacy.

“All we’re looking for is additional information as it relates to what actions the three police officers took in their response to Nizah Morris that morning,” Johnson said. “We’re in no way trying to conduct a criminal investigation into the murder of Nizah Morris. We’re not doing that.”

The three officers involved in the Morris incident are Thomas Berry, Elizabeth DiDonato and Kenneth Novak. They remain on the police force, and were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in December 2003.

Johnson said the PAC is particularly interested in any information the D.A.’s Office possesses concerning cell-phone conversations the officers had that morning.

“I think any cell-phone records, in particular, will help clear up suspicions or confusion surrounding the actions of police that morning,” he said.

Complicating matters is a claim by police that the entire Morris homicide file — consisting of multiple boxes — has disappeared, Johnson said; the missing homicide file is a key reason for the PAC’s effort to obtain additional records concerning the case.

Johnson also said it may be possible that the D.A.’s Office possesses information about several missing 911 transmissions recorded over police radio during the Morris incident.

Police say the transmissions no longer exist.

“We can at least ask the D.A. for information concerning these additional transmissions,” Johnson said. “I don’t know that the D.A.’s Office possesses that information, but we can at least try.”

Even if the D.A.’s Office follows through on its pledge to fight the subpoena in court, Johnson said he’s optimistic that the PAC will prevail in a legal battle.

“I think there’s a good possibility that we’ll be able to get at least the information that we’re looking for, and to review that in connection with the actions taken by the officers that morning,” Johnson said. “That’s the real focus on what we’re trying to do.”

The PAC also is considering more public hearings on the Morris case, but will not make a final decision until it reviews any additional documents obtained by the subpoena, Johnson added.

Kathleen R. Padilla, a local transgender activist, lauded the PAC for its commitment to the Morris case.

“The disappearance of Nizah Morris’ official homicide file causes deep consternation among so many community members,” Padilla said. “Anything the PAC can do to shine a light on this murky case will only serve to improve relations between the community, police and [the] D.A.’s Office.”

Morris was severely inebriated when police responded to a 911 call, canceled medics and decided to take Morris on a ride from Juniper and Chancellor streets to 15th and Walnut streets, where they purportedly thought she lived.

Minutes later, Morris was discovered by passing motorists lying on her back, unconscious and bleeding, at 16th and Walnut streets, with a fractured skull. She died two day later.

Timothy Cwiek can be reached at (215) 625-8501 ext. 208.

The Willie Houston Story

One of the things I need to point out is how pervasive gender and gender role stereotyping is prevalent in our culture. The rigid gender binary has such a powerful connotation that transgressing it as you see played out in transgender people's lives leads to harsh treatment, ostracizing and even death in some cases.

Sometimes even for people who aren't transgender.

On the Remembering our Dead lists are the names Pfc. Barry Winchell and Willie Houston. Neither of these men are GLBT, but died at the hands of others because of the PERCEPTION that they were.

Barry Winchell's story is familiar to anyone who saw the movie Soldier's Girl or who has heard Calpernia Addams speak about it from time to time.

But Willie Houston's story won't been told in a movie, and it's past time that it be heard again. People need to remember the insane reason why we memorialize him on this list. It's an example of the ignorance that some of my people show on gender issues, and unfortunately, that ignorance in this case caused an unnecessary death.

On July 28, 2001, 38 year old Willie Houston, his fiance Nedra Jones, and their friends Valerie and Melvin Holt celebrated their engagement by taking a midnight dinner cruise on the General Jackson Showboat in Nashville, TN.

When the boat docked at 2;45 AM EDT, out of concern for Mr. Holt they decided to wait until most of the passengers had disembarked from the boat before doing so themselves. Ms. Jones had to use the dockside restroom, so she asked her fiance to hold her purse. While Ms. Jones was doing so, Mr. Holt had to also use the restroom so Willie escorted his blind friend to the men's room still in possession of his fiance's purse. Ms. Jones was told by Valerie Holt what was happening when she returned.

A few moments later Houston and Melvin Holt returned from their trip to the men's room. He was still carrying his fiance's purse slung over his shoulder and he and Melvin Holt were laughing about and recounting the homophobic remarks directed at Houston in the men's room.

A few moments later a man later identified as then 25-year-old Lewis Maynard Davidson III and another man started cursing at Houston. When Ms. Jones told Davidson that he didn't have to talk to Houston like that, Davidson responded,"F--k you, fat b---h." Ms. Jones then read Davidson like a cheap novel while Houston warned the man not to disrespect his lady.

As the Holts, Houston and Jones exited the General Jackson, Davidson and his friend continued to spew abusive language and threats at them. Houston finally told Ms. Jones to stop and let Davidson and his companion pass and as he did said, "I'll f--k y'all up-you and your friends."

As they continued walking with the Holts to the parking lot, Davidson shouted insults at them again before heading off to his car. As Houston was unlocking his Davidson approached him again brandishing a gun.

As Jones shouted for security guards, Houston tried to reason with Davidson by saying, "Man, there ain't no need in acting like this. We just came on the boat to have a good time,...and we are just ready to go home."

To drive home the point that he wasn't looking for trouble, Houston pushed the gun in a downward direction, stepped away from Davidson with hands up and open palms faced outward. Davidson still shot, hit Houston in the chest and jumped into a waiting car that rapidly left the scene. Houston unfortunately died a few hours later

Davidson was caught in Ohio two months later and extradited back to Tennessee. He was tried, convicted of first degree premeditated murder and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Willie Houston.

While Lewis M. Davidson III is rotting in jail, it still doesn't erase the pain for Ms. Jones and everyone who knew Willie Houston. It's also mind boggling to think that this tragic series of events started because the shooter was tripping about someone carrying his girlfriend's purse and ignorantly assumed they were gay.

2009 IFGE Conference Call for Presenters

The International Foundation for Gender Education is requesting presentation and workshop proposals for its upcoming 2009 IFGE Conference. The event will be held February 4-7, 2009 at the Alexandria Hilton at Mark Center, in Alexandria VA, and is being hosted by the Transgender Education Association (TGEA) of Washington DC, in coalition with other groups in the mid Atlantic region. The theme for this year's gathering is: "Working Together for Change."

This year are giving priority to presentations on the following themes:

* Issues impacting Transgender Youth, and Children of Trans Parents
* Issues impacting Transgender Elders
* Issues and concerns of FTMs (We are reserving a full track for FTMs)
* Issues and concerns of Crossdressers
* Transgender Health, Medicine and Legal Concerns
* TGs in Relationships - for Significant Others, Couples & Individuals
with or without partners
* Changing the perception of Transgender People through Education.
* Creating unity in the Transgender Community

New ideas, new topics and new faces are also of strong interest. We will be holding special panel discussions for the benefit of students, researchers and educators to learn more about the trans community.

(Student registrations rates will be available.)

Presenters and panel moderators will receive a $100 discount on any conference registration package. Registration information is available online at http://www.ifge.org/register/

If you are interested in presenting, please submit your proposal as soon as possible to insure space and schedule availability, but no later than September 30, 2008. Use the online Program Proposal Form on our web site http://www.ifge.org/conference or fill out the attached form and mail it to us.

Your proposal must include a short biography and any A/V needs. If it is for a panel, the moderator should submit the proposal and list the names and pertinent information (as to addresses, etc.), and provide bios for the other panel members. If this panel information is omitted from this initial proposal it may not be included in the program book.

If you have additional questions regarding your proposal, please contact Alison Laing by email at programs@ifge.org, or by writing:

IFGE Programs
P.O. Box 540229
Waltham MA 02454-0229

Faux News Ignorance

Y'all know how much I loathe Faux News or any right-wing conservaoutlet. It's nothing but a propaganda organ for the Republican party for starters and racist to boot. Add transphobic to the list of reasons why I make sure any TV I own doesn't spend a millisecond parked on any channel that carries it.

The news broke of Isis' groundbreaking addition to America's Next Top Model and wasn't even 24 hours old before the Faux News KKKlowns, with an assist from Us Weekly magazine's editor ar large Ian Drew started their insulting and demeaning comments.



Soon after the segment aired, GLAAD contacted both Fox News Channel and Us Weekly, calling on both to apologize. Us Weekly issued the following statement: “We apologize if any group was offended by our editor’s comments as it was by no means his intention.” Fox News did not respond.

Typical of Faux News, the bigoted white boys (and girls) club masquerading as a news organization. Feeling bad because you can't measure up, little boys?

If you feel like letting out some frustration at Faux News, here's the contact info.

Fox News Channel

Gregg Jarrett - Anchor
(212) 301-3000
gregg.jarrett@foxnews.com

Jay Wallace - Executive Producer
(212) 301-5168
jay.wallace@foxnews.com

Tom Lowell - Senior Producer
(212) 301-3000 (outlet)
tom.lowell@foxnews.com

Fashion Blackout

It seems incredible to hear that in a year in which we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the EBONY Fashion Fair fashion show, been buzzing about the first transgender contestant on America's Next Top Model and had a long list of African-American women who broke ground as models that we'd even be talking in the early 21st century about how racism still impacts the fashion world.

Even if Isis manages to win the upcoming cycle of the show, she may find it hard getting work when African-American biofemale models aren't rocking the runways like they used to.

The blackout in the modelling world has gotten so bad that if you want to see an African-American model strutting her stuff on stage in a fashion show, you'd better buy a ticket to the Ebony Fashion Fair when it hits your town.

The September 2008 issue of EBONY magazine contains a fascinating Constance CR White article entitled 'Black Out-What Has Happened To The Black Fashion Models?'

The February New York fashion shows were melanin-free, and in the European fashion capitals of London, Milan and Paris the situation was far worse. The article even reported that the situation is so bad that Miuccia Prada has gone ten years without using a Black model.

It's not like they can't find them. The modeling agencies have plenty of beautiful sisters that they're willing, able and ready to book, they just aren't getting called.

It's nothing like the 90's when sisters such as Iman, Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Georgianna Robertson, Veronica Webb, Roshumba, Gail O'Neill, Cynthia Bailey and Phina were getting called and getting paid as well.

They were the heirs to a legacy of doors broken down by models such as Pat Cleveland, actor Kadeem Hardison's mother Bethann Hardison, Beverly Johnson, Mounia, Wanakee, Katoucha, Lana Ogilvy, Alva Chinn, and Peggy Dillard.

Today, you can count the number of superstar Black models on one hand. Liya Kebede, Jaunel McKenzie, Chanel Iman and up and comer Jourdan Dunn.

The article delves into some causes for the blackout. Bethann Hardison points out that this problem isn't a recent phenomenon, it has been a decade in the making.

In addition to the racism in the industry, it cited the flood of Eastern European models that mirror the blond hair blue eyes beauty standard into the mix. It also touched on Asian designers preference to feature Asian models in their shows, the rising power of casting directors for fashion shows and the lack of African-Americans in decision making capacities in the fashion industry.

Whatever is causing the blackout, it needs to be fixed. The people buying those high end clothes aren't exclusively of European or Asian ancestry. The models strutting those catwalks need to reflect not only that reality, but the reality that this is a diverse, multicultural world as well.

Transgender View Of DNC Platform

Dr. Marisa Richmond, our first African-American transgender delegate to the Democratic National Convention, has posted her comments at the Avalon Farmblog about the 2008 Democratic Party platform.

She'll also be blogging over at the Avalon Farmblog about her experiences at the upcoming convention in Denver.

As y'all know, I have much love and respect for 'Number Two' and I'm happy that she will be representing Tennessee and our community at this historic convention.

So check out her thoughtful commentary about the platform.

Good Olympic News, Bad Olympic News

This is a good news bad news kind of Olympic day so far.

Dawn made sure I was up for the 8 AM EDT start of Team USA's men's game versus Greece. The 'Redeem Team' has several members on it that have not so fond memories of the 2006 FIBA World Championships. That squad was upset by the Greeks 101-95 in a game that sent seismic shock waves through the international basketball community and led to a major reorganization in the States of how we handle our basketball business on the men's side.

The 'Redeem Team' in their first tough game of the tournament, beat down Greece 92-69 to avenge that shocking 2006 loss in Japan and go 3-0 in their pool. They also qualified for the medal round no matter what happens in their remaining pool games versus Spain and Germany.

The women kept their record perfect in pool play as well. They beat Mali 97-41 as Lisa Leslie scored 16 points on 7 of 7 shooting from the field to help Team USA earn their 28th straight Olympic victory and go 3-0 as well in Group B. Seimone Augustus chipped in 12 points, while Cappie Pondexter, Candace Parker and Tina Thompson each chipped in 10 points apiece. Lisa broke the US Olympic record of 6 for 6 shared by Katie Smith in the 2000 games and Nikki McCray in 1996. Team USA closes out pool play versus Spain and New Zealand.

I was disappointed that Houston Comet Hamchetou Maiga-Ba suffered a high ankle sprain and couldn't play. She's out for the Games and may not be able to play for the Comets when the WNBA resume play after the Olympic break.

I was watching that fantastic relay race for the ages a few nights ago. I knew Cullen Jones was making history as a member of that team, but I didn't realize just how until after they obliterated the world record in the 4 X 100m freestyle relay and edged the trash talking French for the gold.

With the upset win Cullen Jones became the second African-American swimmer to win a gold medal, and in the process helped keep Michael Phelps quest to win eight gold medals alive and on track. He's the second because in 2000, biracial swimmer Anthony Ervin tied for the 50m freestyle gold medal and won a silver medal as a member of the 4 X 100m freestyle relay team.

As a tennis fan, I watched as James Blake shockingly beat world number one ranked (until he cedes it to Spain's Rafael Nadal in a few days) and slumping Swiss Roger Federer 6-4, 7-6 (6-2) in men singles for the first time in nine tries.

Federer still has a chance to earn his first Olympic gold medal in doubles, while Blake moves on to the semifinals against 2004 Athens singles bronze medallist Fernando Gonazalez of Chile.

But unfortunately my tennis playing sistahs got zapped by the same upset bug that claimed Roger Federer. The only way the Williams sisters can win a medal in Beijing is in doubles because both lost their respective singles matches. Baby Sis lost to Elena Dementieva of Russia 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 while Big Sis was upset in straight sets to the delight of the crowd by homegirl Li Na 7-5, 7-5.

Isis-The Transsistah On 'America's Next Top Model'

You loyal TransGriot readers know that I can't stand reality TV shows.

However, with transsistah Laverne Cox being a contestant on I Want To Work For Diddy and now hearing the news that a transwoman will be one of the contestants on the upcoming season of America's Next Top Model, it's making me reexamine my militant stance on reality TV shows.

Long time TransGriot readers know that I love Tyra Banks and when I was beginning my transition in 1994, she was one of my role models. I was happy to discover that Tyra loves us transwomen back as well.

Ironically an e-mail popped up back in May 2007 from one of her talk show's producers on the Transsistahs-Transbrothas Yahoo discussion group I founded seeking transpeople willing to talk about dating for an upcoming show. It popped up too close to the show's air date for some TSTB members to let them know they were interested, but the producer made it clear that Tyra was serious about her support of and being an ally and friend to the transgender community.



Not long after that e-mail popped up on TSTB, several transgender themed shows aired on her talk show. Tyra has treated the subject with a knowledgeable respect and dignity I haven't seen since Phil Donahue tackled the subject on his Emmy award winning talk show in the late 80's.

During the previous ten years America's Next Top Model has been on, there was speculation that there may have been a stealth transwoman contestant or two, but those rumors were never confirmed.

For Cycle 11, there will be a transwoman openly competing amongst the other 13 girls on America's Next Top Model to get the top prize.

22 year old Isis is an executive assistant for a non-profit organization from Prince George's County MD, but now resides in New York. If she wins, she'll get a management deal with Elite Model Management, a $100,000 CoverGirl contract and a cover story and six-page fashion spread in an issue of Seventeen magazine.

Isis is also known in the ballroom community as Isis Tsunami. She rocks the runway category and now she'll get the opportunity to do so on a much larger stage.






Isis stated in an US magazine interview on newsstands now, "My cards were dealt differently. I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams."

ISIS TSUNAMI RUNWAY ICON BALL 2008



With Tyra handling this, it'll hopefully be treated much more seriously than Janice Dickinson disrespectfully did with Claudia Charriez on her first season of 'The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency.




Here's hoping that Isis makes her dream come true. We'll get to watch her progress towards making that dream a reality starting on Wednesday, September 3 at 8 PM ET.

Are Black Transwomen Fighting A Lost Cause?

I just think that it is sad, to see a people who were fighting for their rights as second class citizens, just to get those rights, and now turn their noses up at their own brothers and sisters who are in the trans movement.

Monica Roberts, sometimes I wonder if we are fighting a lost cause? I never thought that I would ever envy a white T-Girl, but I do right now. I do, because they have more acceptance into their community, than we do ours.

Eboni T-Girl made this statement as part of a comment in my 'Speaking of Ignorance' post. It got me thinking about the subject she addressed in her comment of whether we should even bother trying to 'ejumacate' our African-American community about transgender issues even though that education is sorely needed.

Yes, we do need to continue trying to educate our people on these issues. One of the projects I was working on before I moved from Houston in 2001 was expanding the Transgender 101 educational efforts that we in TATS (Texas Association for Transsexual Support) were already doing at local universities and the Baylor College of Medicine to HBCU's Texas Southern and Prairie View.

Contrary to the spin that's out there, our people aren't the most transphobic ones when it comes to transgender issues. I've noted that outside of the Hi Impact Leadership Coalition, which is a subsidiary of white fundie Lou Sheldon's Traditional Values Coalition, the majority of those organizations fighting transgender inclusion and the ringleaders of those organizations tend to be non African-American in terms of their ethnic heritage.

But I agree our people need to step up to the plate and pay attention to science and logic on this issue moreso than loudmouth Christopimp preachers cooning for white fundamentalists brandishing faith-based bucks.

I know it's discouraging because we transsistahs love our people, honor our history, use it as a guide to chart our own destiny. We only want them to love us as much as we love them, not be disrespected, denigrated, and dismissed by people who share our ethnicity.

Yeah, it hurts, but the first people we African-American transwomen owe love to are ourselves. If our people won't or refuse to give us the love and respect we deserve as fellow African-Americans, then we need to do it for our damned selves.

Be as transsistah Sharon Davis put it, and I'm borrowing the title from her 1987 book, a finer specimen of womanhood. Be better than our biofemale detractors. Conduct ourselves with class and dignity. Stand up for ourselves when people attempt to disrespect us. Be stylish and classily dressed when we're out and about. Carry yourself like the descendant of African royalty you are.

It's time for us to organize, gather together the clusters of African-American transwomen around the country who are doing positive things in their various communities and talk to each other. We need to befriend and bond with each other. We also need to immediately band together locally while thinking and acting nationally and globally with our transsisters around the world.

If our African-American family won't embrace us, then we make our own.

We do have allies within the African-American community who see the big picture. Embrace them. If you are fortunate enough like I am to have biofemales as friends, treasure those friends. They can teach you much about the joys and pains of being Black and female in our society. They can help you make sense of those days when you're feeling unpretty. If you have biofemale relatives kicking knowledge to you as well, listen to the wisdom that's being told to you as well. It will help your own transition in the long run.

As a transwoman you are also a resource to our biosisters for helping them understand not only what we deal with as African-American transwomen, but for those of us who spent some time on the other side of the gender fence, we can help them decipher the mysteries of the male mind that their fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and brothers won't tell them.

For those biowomen who figure out that transwomen are not 'The Enemy', embrace and honor us by adding us to their sistahfriends circle, they will soon discover that it's a win-win proposition for both parties.

Education is never a lost cause. It may take us a while to get there since we're starting later in the game than our white transsisters, but get there in terms of educating our people we will.

The grass isn't greener in terms of acceptance for white transwomen either. They've got their own Astroturf situation in terms of their decades-long battle dealing with the Hateraid heaped on transwomen from white radical feminists. That's despite the advantage of massive media coverage ever since Christine Jorgenson stepped off the plane in New York from Denmark in 1953.



I'm betting that the caring, compassionate and justice loving side of African-Americans, the desire of some of our people to educate and inform ourselves on issues, the realization that we don't have the luxury as a people of ignoring and throwing away the abilities and talents of African-American transpeople, and realizing that it's the morally correct thing to do will eventually carry the day.

And it will happen sooner rather than later.

Stephanie And Ukea Anniversary

Six years ago today two young friends died in a hail of bullets. Ironically it was on the same Washington DC street corner in which Tyra Hunter had her fatal car accident a few years earlier.

And unfortunately they died for the same reason Tyra did. Somebody didn't like the fact they were transwomen and felt that gave them the right to terminate their lives.

The story of Stephanie Thomas and Ukea Davis.

Rest in peace, ladies. We'll never forget you.

More Transgender Themed Commercials

Theere was a post I did a while back on transgender themed commercials from around the world. Found some more on YouTube for you to peruse.


The Sierra Mist Undercover Oramge one with a Get Smart theme.




The NTAC PSA we cut.




A Braun commercial featuring the late Karen Dior

Tina...Tina ...Tina

As a card carrying member of the Sea of Red and a former Comets season ticket holder, I love me some Tina Thompson.

She had a relatively quiet opening game for her Saturday with only seven points, so you know I was having a blast watching my girl light up the Chinese women for 27 points on 7 of 8 shooting that jumpstarted a 23-0 USA run. Team USA exceeded what the men did yesterday and beat China 108-63.

The guys beat China and Yao Ming 101-70 in what's being called the most watched basketball game ever played.

The rest of the team shot lights out as well. Candace Parker added 12 points, Sylvia Fowles chipped in 16 as Team USA shot 57 percent from the field and outrebounded the Chinese 47-30. They are now 2-0 in their pool and extended their Olympic winning streak to 27 games.

My favorite tennis playing siblings are also doing well so far. Venus, the 2000 Sydney Games singles and doubles gold medallist won her opening Olympic match versus Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 6-2. Baby Sis concluded her rain delayed beatdown of Olga Govortsova of Belarus, 6-3, 6-1 in her frist singles match of the Beijing games as well. The Williams sisters are also competing in doubles as well. James Blake is the only American left on the men's singles side after defeating Aussie Chris Guccione 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in his opening Olympic singles match.

The summer Olympics come only come once every four years, and you can't beat it for excitement and drama.

Speaking of Ignorance...

This is an example of what I was talking about in the 'My Peeps Transgender Ignorance' post

I posted this rebuttal comment to Smokie's 'The Wendy Williams Disconnect' post that I linked to as an example of the ignorance on transgender issues that is pervasive in some elements of the African-American community and the African-American blogosphere.

The ignorance level prevalent in this post is so breathtaking I don't know where to begin.

You get half your genetic material from mommy, half from daddy. Despite what some of the scientifically challenged may think, no one on this planet is '100% man' or '100% woman.'

There are also women who have the parts but can't bear children. Does that make them men too?

There are more than a few guys walking around who look like their mothers and vice versa.

Ever heard Toni Braxton sing? I also know of genetic women who have more bass in their voices than some so called men.

FYI Smokie, not all transwomen are the height of WNBA point guards. There are also transwomen that are of average height as well.

So in your wisdom, any genetic woman who is sensitive to the plight of GLBT people or gay men, or has a mix of physical or social traits that are associated with the opposite gender is automatically a 'man' herself?

And what was Smokie's reponse?

Thanks for stopping by, Dude!

You're welcome, Sir Smokie. No, thank you for brilliantly illustrating in one sentence what I was talking about in that post. That some people in the African-American community are so narrow minded and Bushian level stupid that they can't, won't or refuse to open their minds, much less even give another human being the dignity and respect that they demand for themselves.

It's kind of ironic that this commentary was inspired by a response to a Wendy Williams post. I'm not a big fan of hers since she spends too much time on her syndicated afternoon WBLS radio show obsessing over who's sleeping with transwomen, who's gay and calling female celebrities 'men' while getting painted with the same 'transgender' brush she wields on her show.

Smokie, you claim you're fly on your blog, but your actions and intellect sure don't reflect that. A fly person carries themselves with class, elegance and sophistication. They are open to learning things in which their knowledge base is insufficient and can have an intelligent conversation on many subjects.

Nice feminine gesture on the picture, too.

So what's your beef with transgender people? Go ahead, share with us since you seem to have some prescient ability that allows you to discern who's biofeminine and who's not. We call that T-dar, and usually people who have that ability are either transgender themselves or part of the rainbow family

Smokie, I hope and pray that if you have a child, that child doesn't turn out to be transgender or gay. Based on the disrespectful comments that you've previously posted on this blog and the post highlighting your own homophobia and transphobia, you'd be the type of mother that if you discovered your child was wearing your pumps and a dress, told you they were transgender and wanted to transition, would put her child on the street.

And that's keeping it real for you, dude.

My Peeps Transgender Ignorance

I continue to be amazed and appalled at the breathtaking levels of ignorance that have been leveled at transpeople by some of my fellow African-Americans.

That ignorance takes many forms. Sometimes it's people spouting anti-transgender comments steeped in bigoted stereotypes across the Net. Sometimes it's bloggers writing endless posts speculating on whether celebrities such as Ciara or Wendy Williams are transwomen because they have physical, emotional or behavioral traits that some people perceive as not belonging to their gender.

Sometimes it's hurling the 'tranny' epithet at women they don't like. Sometimes it's disrespectfully and cattily calling a transwoman who is unmistakably feminine on the outside and lives her life that way for decades a 'man'.

As I and every other African-American transperson will unfailingly remind our people, just because we transitioned doesn't mean we forfeited our Blackness as well.

It pains us African-American transpeople who deeply love and respect our people when the love and respect we show you isn't reciprocated.

It's irritating to African-American transwomen like myself that a man in drag who plays a semi-cartoonish caricature of a Black woman in a movie role is given more authenticity, respect, cachet and consideration by some of our biosisters.

At the same time, someone who has spent the time, money and exerted major effort to permanently morph their body to match that gender role, is daily living the life of one and wishes to be the best she can be at doing so is dogged out and disrespected.



Much of the ignorance on transgender issues in the community is because some of my peeps don't know about gender issues, don't wanna know, and want to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that transgender people don't exist.

Some of them not only don't want to educate themselves on these issues, but want to pontificate, quote Bible verses out of context and pass judgment on our lives as if they do.

We transpeople are sick and tired of the increasing transphobia and our fellow African-Americans sitting silently on the sidelines as our civil rights not only get attacked by the Forces of Intolerance, but in many cases some of them are the facilitators of those attacks on our civil rights.

We are tired of some of you feeling you have the right to terminate, judge or jack with our lives to make your insecure behinds feel more like a 'man' or a 'woman'.

The point is, whether you want to believe it or not, gender is not an either/or proposition. Nothing in nature is, and you can ask our intersex friends about that if you think I'm kidding.

The fact that gender research keeps getting published that emphasizes what I and other transgender people talk about anecdotally and we're at least 3% of the population will ensure that we'll be garnering headlines for quite a while.

So get used to the fact that transgender people aren't going away, nor are we going back into the closet to make you feel better. Our existence causes you to exercise your brain cells and question every assumption ever made about gender identity and it's time for the African-American community to do, to paraphrase Dr. King, some hard solid thinking on the subject.

Ignorance is not bliss in this situation. We are part of the African-American family, and its past time that you treat us as such. We have far more in common than not and we would rather spend that time working together to solve what ails the African-American community rather than wasting time in a debate about our humanity.

The Transwoman Who Wants To Work For Diddy

Usually I avoid reality TV shows like the plague because frankly, I'm old school about my shows. I want a TV show that has great writing and compelling characters.

I was planning on ignoring I Want To Work For Diddy until I heard that one of the contestants was transwoman Laverne Cox. So as usual when you Google someone, interesting things sometimes pop up.



She had this to say on her site about being a Black transwoman that echos much of what I've been saying in various ways here on TransGriot.

Ain't I a woman? Black America, my brothers and sisters. I love you and claim you. Do you love and claim me as the black woman I am? My trans identity doesn't make me any less black.

Acknowledging me and my complex identity is an opportunity for us to reconnect to that dream of liberation that doesn't exclude but is about all oppressed people joining together to have a united voice, united in love and the possibility of deliverance. Ain't I a woman.

But back to the show. As much as I despise reality shows and consider some of them a waste of TV time, I may have to watch it. I'm definitely going to keep my eyes on this sister as well and hope she not only wins the job, but does the African-American transgender community proud in the process.

Good Day For Dawn and US Olympians

My roomie Dawn bounced out of the house early this morning to compete in the 2008 Bluegrass Games fencing tournament. She came back home a few hours later with an overall silver medal in the open saber competition and a gold in the women's division.

In addition to that, while she was at the venue they were using for the fencing competition, the announcement was made to a cheering crowd that the US won their first medals of the Games courtesy of a US sweep in the individual sabre event. Mariel Zagunis beat her teammate Sada Jacobson 15-8 to sucessfully defend the championship she won at the 2004 Athens games.

In the bronze medal match, Becca Ward came back from a 6-1 deficit to defeat Russia's Sofiya Velikaya 15-14 and assure the US fencers of their history making triumph. It was the first time since Germany swept the foil medals at the 1988 Seoul Games that a nation had swept all the medals in an individual fencing event. Zagunis was also the first fencer and first woman to win back to back gold medals in her event.

I watched nervously as Team USA in their opening game versus the Czech Republic pulled out their bricklayer's union cards. The Czechs took advantage of their early shooting troubles to race out to an 11 point lead. After coach Donovan called a timeout, out came their pressure defense and poof, away went their deficit.

Big Syl came off the bench to score 16 points and snag 14 rebounds as Diana Taurasi led all scorers with 17 points to pace a 40 point 97-57 win. All 12 Team USA lady ballers scored and team captain Lisa Leslie grabbed 10 rebounds. It was Team USA's 26th consecutive victory in Olympic competition and got their quest to win a fourth consecutive gold medal off to a positive start.

Da Fellas play tomorrow against Yao Ming and the homestanding Chinese as the 'Redeem Team' begins their quest to claim our first men's baskeball gold medal since the 2000 Sydney Games.

Wow Beijing!

London and Vancouver,
Y'all have some work to do in 2010 and 2012 to top what the Chinese pulled off for the opening ceremonies of these games. I've been watching Olympics since the 1972 Munich games, and so far this opening ceremony was the best I've seen.

Ever since Barcelona used an archer shooting a flaming arrow to light the Olympic cauldron in 1992, everyone's been trying to one up each other. The Chinese upped the ante with Olympic great Li Ning walking through the air to light the cauldron at the Bird's Nest.



It's going to be interesting to see what they came up with for the closing ceremony, but for the next two and a half weeks, I'll sit back and enjoy the competition.

Tobacco Roading

I just got back into Louisville a few hours ago. Polar and I just completed a 450 mile run down to Charlotte and back to help our friend Joshua move.

I was definitely ready for another road trip, especially after the day from Hades I'd had at work Wednesday.

This one got off to a slightly late start Thursday morning, but it wasn't long before we got Joshua's belongings loaded into the back of Polar's Toyota Matrix, Joshua dropped his key off at the apartment office, said goodbye to a few neighbors and off we rolled off toward the Gene Snyder Freeway (aka I-265) Louisville's outer beltway. The weather was beautiful as we eventually reached I-64 east and pointed the car toward Lexington and rolled past the horse farms in Woodford and Scott counties.

We were having a great time enjoying life on the road again with lots of lively conversation on a wide variety of subjects. However, I was having a hard time getting a word in on this trip because I had two guys dominating it.

We eventually reached the junction of I-75 and I-64 in Lexington one hour later. It overlaps for a few miles before the highways separate and we began our southbound leg on I-75 toward Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountains. We decided to grab something to eat and refuel in Richmond, KY before resuming our southward run toward the Tennessee-Kentucky border.

Once we got back on the road, other than noticing the fact that gas was significantly cheaper than inside the Louisville city limits, I also noted that despite the fact we were on a major north-south interstate route that terminates in Florida, there wasn't as much traffic on the highway. I also noted that more than a few gas stations at various exits were shuttered.

When we arrived in Knoxville around 3:30 EDT and prepared to enter I-40 east for our run through eastern Tennessee to Asheville, NC, we had to creep past an army of heavy-duty wreckers trying to deal with an 18-wheeler that had broken its axle and flipped over on its side.

We were still making great time as we zipped through eastern Tennessee, passed the exit for Dollywood and Pigeon Forge, Dolly Parton's hometown and got closer to the Smokies, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Tennessee-North Carolina border as I-40 wound its way through the Pigeon River valley.

Once you cross the North Carolina state line, you also cross the Eastern Continental Divide at mile marker 22. I-40 as it approaches Asheville also runs very close to the highest peak in North Carolina, Mount Mitchell. It is at 6,684 feet the highest peak east of the Mississippi River and has a state park surrounding it.


By 7:40 PM EDT we were in Gastonia, NC and the Charlotte suburbs after being slowed down for two miles by a paving project on US 321, which is a divided highway that runs between Hickory, NC and Gastonia. It also connects I-40 and I-85 and shaves some time and miles off the run to Charlotte. The nearest north-south interstate that cuts through Charlotte is I-77, but to get to it would mean going to Statesboro where it intersects with I-40, which is way east of Hickory.

A few minutes later we were at Joshua's new digs in an apartment complex two blocks from UNC Charlotte. We spent the next hour getting his stuff unloaded, took him to a nearby store to grab some goodies and for a ride around his new Queen City neighborhood.

Charlotte's called the Queen City because it's named for King George III's German-born wife Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Streilitz and was founded in 1768. Queen Charlotte is also a sistah. She's a direct descendant of Margarita de Castro y Sousa, who is a member of the Black branch of the Portuguese Royal House. Charlotte street signs have a crown on the left hand side of them to reflect the city's nickname.

After we got Joshua safely back to his new crib, we said our goodbyes and headed back toward Gastonia, grabbed some food and hit our hotel room to get some sleep for our return trip.

We didn't get up and hit the road until 10 AM. We'd had some overnight showers in the Charlotte metro area that cleared out into a beautiful and relatively cool day for driving.

But neither one of us were 100 percent. I spent most of the early portion of the drive battling an upset stomach. In the process of moving Joshua into his apartment Polar missed a step while carrying Joshua's TV and aggravated an old knee injury.

I spent most of the day drinking mass quantities of Sprite to settle my stomach while talking politics and a few other subjects with Polar. By the time we stopped for lunch around 1 PM in the Knoxville 'burbs I was starting to feel better. We stopped again at a truck stop near Corbin, KY to refuel and I noted the college kids were starting to roll back to campus.

We finally arrived back in Da Ville around 6 PM. Despite the upset stomach, as always I love doing these road trips. I get to see some great scenery, engage in some thought provoking conversation, and change up my daily routine. It was also neat getting to see another part of the country I haven't visited before.

Tyra Hunter-13 Years Later

I couldn't bounce out of town without pointing out today's sad anniversary. Thirteen years ago today transsistah Tyra Hunter died at the hands of a transphobe named Adrian Williams. But she didn't meet this transphobe as the result of a date.

Tyra crossed paths with him as the result of a traffic accident while she was on her way to work. A traffic accident she would have survived had she received timely emergency medical treatment but didn't, because this transphobe failed to do his duty and serve this particular Washington DC resident when she needed it most.

In addition to not doing his duty, he disrespected her in the process as she lay there dying.

Here's the story.

Hitting The Road Again

In a few hours I'll be hitting the interstates and taking another road trip with Polar. This time I'll be heading to the Tarheel State and the Queen City of Charlotte via eastern Kentucky and Knoxville, TN.

Tell ya'll about my latest road trip and why I'm riding the highways again when I get back.