The Best Defense Is a Good Offense

TransGriot Note: This is one of my latest posts from the Bilerico Project.

The Montgomery County trans law finally being implemented is wonderful news to all of us working toward and looking forward to the day that all transgender people, no matter where we reside have civil rights coverage. Congratulations to all of you in Maryland who worked your butts off to make it happen.

Now that this battle is won, our friends in Hamtramck, MI, and Gainesville, FL, need our help to fight off the Forces of Intolerance. But before we gird our loins for the next fight, we need to analyze what went right, what went wrong, make the necessary corrections and pass that hard won intelligence to our friends now on the front lines of this next civil rights battlefront.

What we also need to do in the GLBT community is come up with a coordinated strategy for beating back these right-wing attempts to roll back our civil rights, and I'm about to tell you how we do that.

So as we say in football country, the best defense is a good offense.

While I'm not gonna give all my ideas away in this post, since our enemies do read The Project, I will offer some general thoughts on what we proactively have to do to send these referendums to crushing defeat.

1- Get the public to focus on the fact that our opponents want them to take away people's civil rights.

The Forces of Intolerance know that there's irrefutable evidence that transgender people need civil rights protection and public sentiment turning in our direction. They can't throw that "special rights" shade as often as they used to because it's as played out as an 8 track tape. They only have fear to use, and thanks to Barney, their fear-mongering weapon du jour is the "showers and bathroom" argument.

Reasonable people do not want to be put in a position where they are taking away someone's rights. We have to constantly remind them that's precisely what our opponents are asking them to do. The Californians did that brilliantly by changing the title of Proposition 8 to make it clear voting for it would take away people rights.

2-Rewrite their referenda

One of the things the Reichers do well is when they put together these recall referendums, they use deceptive Orwellian language to do so. Ward Connerly's anti-affirmative action ones are prime examples of it. They claim to be protecting affirmative action programs and are confusingly worded or titled. They're designed to deceive you into thinking a yes vote means you're protecting the programs when in fact you are actually voting to eliminate them.

The way we beat Connerly in Houston was force changes in his ballot initiative language to a straightforward yes or no question. It was what I was suggesting the Maryland peeps do as a fallback position if they'd lost the court battle.

3-Make them look like the mean spirited, intolerant jerks they are.

While you're debunking and utterly destroying their arguments, you also want to use humor as a weapon to make them look like the buffoonish, bigoted, mean spirited jerks they are. Think the "Righteous Flock" from the Porky's 2 movie.

Fundies hate to be made fun of, and if you tweak them enough, you can knock them off their game to where they'll make a mistake you can pounce on. Fortunately that isn't hard, because most of the time they'll shoot themselves in the foot. But if they don't, you'll have to do the smart legwork and bury their arguments in an avalanche of facts that will make them overreact.

4- Propose our own ballot initiatives.

Nothing's stopping us from proposing our own ballot initiatives. The initiative process works both ways, people. Let's force them to react and burn up money trying to kill one of our initiatives for a change and bring our progressive voters to the polls at the same time.

These are just four suggestions that I hope will get us to start thinking offensively on these issues instead of defensively. We have the moral high ground on this issue of transgender civil rights, they don't. The public is on our side. 110 plus jurisdictions have transgender rights protections.

So lets go out there and win a few for the civil rights team!

Stayin' Alive

Isis' quest to become this cycle's Next Top Model almost came to a shocking end this week as she came dangerously close to elimination from ANTM.

So if anybody thought that Tyra (or the judges) were gonna cut her some slack because she requested and made the executive decision making Isis part of this show, this episode blew up that budding misconception.



In addition to Hanna's latent prejudices toward Isis starting to bubble up to the surface, it was also neat that people got to see a little glimpse into Isis' world as she gave herself her hormone shot.



She had a tough time on this hot air balloon photo shoot challenge.



If the judges and Tyra hadn't lost patience with Niykesha's tendency to interrupt them when they were trying to give her constructive criticism, Isis probably would be gone.



Exhale sis and go get 'em next week.

Deja Vu For Caribou Barbie?

The GOP Borg and their drones are drooling over the fact that Sarah Palin was a beauty queen back in the day who competed in the 1984 Miss Alaska pageant.

While surfing The Net I pondered an interesting thought. Being the pageant junkie I am, I was struck by the notion that the Rethuglicans and the Right Wing Noise Machine would have been crowing nonstop about the fact if she'd won. Why aren't they?

Turns out Sarah Get Your Gun didn't win back in 1984, she was the runner up. Wanna guess who she lost to?

A sistah.

In a state that has a 3.7% African-American population, she lost to an African-American woman. No wonder Idaho-born Caribou Barbie's hatin' on us.

Yes peeps, there are Black people who live in Alaska. Some came there to work on the Alaska pipeline back in the 70's and stayed. Others were assigned there during the course of their military service and grew to love the state. Others moved there from the Lower 48 to get a fresh start in life. There is a large enough community of African-Americans there to hold their own Juneteenth celebration and elect Bettye Davis to the Alaska Senate.

In some delicious irony Palin lost that pageant to Maryline Blackburn, an Army brat who was born in Europe, grew up in Fairbanks and became the first African-American to win Miss Alaska and represent the state in the Miss America pageant.

Ms. Blackburn is an accomplished singer now based in the ATL and Obama supporter. She also had some interesting things to say about her one time competitor.

Here's hoping that history repeats itself in two months and Ms. Palin finds herself on the losing end of another major contest to an African-American.

Ike's Targeting Houston

It's been 25 years since the last Category 3 or above storm blasted the Houston area. With memories of Hurricane Alicia fresh in my mind I've been concerned ever since Ike finished beating up on Cuba and reemerged in the Gulf of Mexico.

I checked in with my family and so far, they are okay, but I am a little worried. They were caught in the massive traffic jam on I-45 north trying to get to our relatives in Dallas during the botched 2005 Hurricane Rita evacuation, which brewed up as a Cat 5 storm only three weeks after Katrina waylaid New Orleans.

It took them 17 hours to drive the 100 miles north to Huntsville, a normally 2 hour trip on I-45 and rode the storm out there until it slid further east, weakened and made landfall along the Texas-Louisiana border. This time they're taking a wait and see attitude and staying put.

Most of my relatives live on the south and west sides of Houston, and they'll be first up to feel the effects of Ike's rain and wind bands as it draws inexorably closer to the area.

I knew it was a matter of time before Houston's luck ran out and with this storm, it looks like it's about to replicate the conditions of Alicia's San Luis Pass landfall. It's still over 300 miles away from Galveston as I write this, but its predicted 15-22 foot storm surge is already being felt along most of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans.

As a long time Gulf Coast resident until 2001, I and anyone who lives there takes hurricanes seriously. I've ridden out two Cat 3 storms, Betsy and Alicia. After Alicia's August 18, 1983 landfall, I noted the devastation it caused to many downtown skyscrapers thanks to loose roofing gravel and the varying levels of wind damage some neighborhoods took. I made it clear to friends and relatives that if a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane were approaching the area, I was boarding up the apartment windows and heading up I-45 north.

Those of us who grew up in the Houston area know all too well the story of the 1900 storm that almost obliterated Galveston when it made landfall on September 8.

It killed 6000 people in Galveston alone and still ranks as the worst natural disaster to ever strike the United States. It also altered the course of Texas history by putting Houston on the path to becoming the dominant city not only in the region but the state as well.

This storm is large, almost 700 miles across. It got weakened to a Cat 2 after traveling the length of Cuba, but could possibly be a low Category 3 storm by the time it makes landfall later tomorrow.

Even if Ike does make landfall further south along the Texas coast, Houston will get some of the effects before it moves further inland.

It's also going to affect you at the gas pump. Once again you have a hurricane traveling through an area where you have oil rigs drilling away. In addition to that problem, in the Houston-Galveston Southeast Texas area alone are 26 oil refineries. One fifth of the oil refining capacity in the United States is concentrated between Houston and New Orleans. If you do the drive along I-10 you will pass numerous refineries between Houston and Lake Charles.

You readers may not experience the winds or wrath of Ike, but you will feel it in your pocket at the gas pump.

Ironically after it makes landfall Ike's projected path takes it all the way up here to Kentucky. Even being 1000 miles away from the Gulf Coast doesn't keep me from experiencing tropical storms or their effects.

Montgomery Co. MD Trans Law FINALLY Takes Effect

TransGriot Note: Hallelujah! Some logic and reason got injected into this debate and the Montgomery County transgender rights law that passed unanimously finally takes effect almost a year after it was enacted. Now it's time to help our brothers and sisters defend their law in Gainesville, FL


Court upholds Montgomery Co. Trans Measure

Anti-discrimination law skips November ballot, goes into effect

By AMY CAVANAUGH, Washington Blade
Sep 9, 1:09 PM

The Maryland Court of Appeals has ruled that Montgomery County's transgender anti-discrimination measure will not appear on the ballot this fall and must go into effect.

The court reversed today the decision of Circuit Court Judge Robert Greenberg, who had ruled that Equality Maryland missed the deadline to challenge petition signatures that were obtained by the conservative Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government.

That group petitioned to have the anti-discrimination measure put to voters on the Nov. 4 ballot, but Equality Maryland countered in court that some of the petition signatures were improperly obtained.

"The bottom line is that the court said a petition sponsor shouldn't be allowed to cut corners and circumvent legal requirements to get a referendum attacking minority protections on the ballot," said Natalie Chin, a Lambda Legal staff attorney. "We are very happy that this duly enacted law can take effect and protect a vulnerable group of Montgomery County residents."

The measure that Montgomery County officials passed last year prohibits "discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, cable television service and taxicab service on the basis of gender identity." It was unclear in today's ruling when the law would go into effect.

"We're thrilled that the rhetoric perpetuated by the Citizens for a Responsible Government has come to an end and the law can go into effect," said Dan Furmansky, Equality Maryland's executive director.

Furmansky said Equality Maryland was ready to explain to voters why the anti-discrimination measure was needed, "but it's better that our transgender brothers and sisters have these long overdue and vital protections immediately."

State Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery County) also welcomed the court's decision.

"Today's ruling throws the question off the ballot and throws discrimination out of the county, blocking this mean-spirited end run around the democratic process," she said in a statement. "This is not just a victory for our GLBT community, but for fairness, justice and equality for all in Montgomery County."

Basic Rights Montgomery, a coalition of community leaders and organizations that were preparing to fight the anti-discrimination law, will now turn its attention to statewide protections.

"Basic Rights Montgomery was a campaign established to defend the law, so given that the law is no longer in peril, our energies and efforts will move into the realm of passing a statewide anti-discrimination law," Furmansky said.


(c) 2008 | A Window Media LLC Publication

Stealth Was A Mistake

One of the ongoing arguments in the transgender community that's guaranteed to generate heated debate one way or the other is the stealth vs out one.

Basically, stealth is the transgender equivalent of what we call in the African-American community 'passing'. Back during the bad old days African-Americans who had features and skin tones light enough to be mistaken for white would just cut ties with the African-American community and fade away into white society so they could access opportunities for a better life. It's how Anita Hemmings in 1897 became the first African-American graduate of Vassar College 40 years before they even began admitting African-Americans.

Even though they became part of white society, they always lived in fear that someone, someday and somehow would discover their Black heritage.

The late FBI head J. Edgar Hoover's legendary hatred of African-Americans was fueled by the fact that he was himself Black and hated his African roots.

Hmm, the self-hatred part of that sounds like Clarence Thomas and a certain group of Caucasian transwomen I've had run ins with.

Basically, that's a snapshot of what living as a stealth transperson is like. They cut ties to the transgender community. If they don't return home they'll sometimes move hundreds or thousands of miles from their hometown to start a new life where nobody knew them in their old gender role.

Up until the early 90's, as part of the Standards of Care, HBIGDA (the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association now called WPATH (the World Professional Association for Transgender Health) used to require that after surgery, a transgender person go stealth and fade into the background never to emerge.

Many did, but recent cases like Christie Lee Littleton's illustrate, like Anita Hemmings some of the unpleasant complications that can arise when your secret is discovered.

Contrary to the misguided opinions of some stealth peeps we out and proud folks would love nothing better than for transpeople of all stripes to simply be considered as men or women irregardless of the genitalia we arrived with on our birthday.

The reality is that we still have a long road to travel to get to that day. To get to that point requires us to educate the public on transgender issues. Some of that education comes from simply openly living our lives.

But you can't do that education effectively if you're hiding from the general public or won't step up and claim that you are.

I believe that the old WPATH, then HBIGDA requirement that transgender people fade away into society is a major factor in causing many of the acceptance problems that we are grappling with now.

Those acceptance problems are especially acute in the African-American transgender community. We have to overcome not only shame and guilt issues but intolerance and transphobia from inside and outside the African-American community while also grappling with the issues that African-Americans face just living our lives.

To illustrate my belief that stealth was a hindrance to the African-American community, time to drop some more knowledge on you.

The first patient of the now closed Johns Hopkins gender program back in 1966 was an African-American transwoman from New York named Avon Wilson.

Now, instead of her fading into the woodwork and being accidentally discovered by a New York Daily News gossip columnist in October 1966, what if she had become our Christine Jorgenson instead?

Avon Wilson would have probably been covered in JET and EBONY. It's not as far fetched as you think. EBONY until 1953 covered Chicago's Finnie's ball and similar events in New York. JET respectfully covered Justina Williams' story 20 years before the AP Stylebook rules on covering transgender people were written.

We'd have a record of her existence beyond a small mention in a gossip column and she could have become the role model and icon for the next generation of African-American transpeople.

Most importantly, it would have also begun the education and discussion about transgender issues in the African-American community in the more politically friendly climate of the late 60's-70s instead of us having to do the education in the more conservative 90's and 2000's.

Also, the urban legend that African-American transpeople didn't exist would have never gained credibility because we'd have irrefutable proof we do decades earlier.

An Avon Wilson or someone else to point to as an African-American transkid would have helped me sort through some of the issues I had as a 70's era teen and given me the courage to transition early, with the corresponding improvement in my life.

Instead, I didn't find out that African-American transpeople existed and wasn't a white only thang until this JET story on Justina Williams appeared in 1979.

I believe that earlier out role models would have resulted in and facilitated the earlier building of an African-American transgender community and more people would have had the incentive and courage to come out. You would have not only had the core group of transgender elders kicking knowledge to us younglings, we'd also have a better grasp of our history as well with more out transgender people of African descent telling their stories.

We also would have had a community that could have survived the initial onslaught of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 80's instead of nearly being eviscerated by it.

Now, just because I believe that being stealth in an Internet age is a futile stress inducing endeavor doesn't mean that I have personal animosity or contempt for people who attempt it.

While I personally believe we need more equivalents to actress Fredi Washington in the African-American transgender community or people exhibiting the courage that Isis has shown while competing on this current cycle of America's Next Top Model, I understand and have no problem accepting the fact that some people do it for security or various reasons.

Just as I ask that you respect myself and others for being out and proud, I respect the decision that you've made for your life.

I have classy girlfriends who are stealth transwomen of African descent who are beautiful inside and out, are proud of being transgender and unlike some of the WWBT's, want all transgender people to have civil rights coverage.

But at the same time I get a little sick of the shade that comes from some stealth transpeople (predominately WWBT's) who are quick to holler that their exclusionary, racist, surgery-only mantra is the only true path to manhood or womanhood if your body doesn't match your gender identity. They also erroneously assert that anyone who proudly embraces their transgender status isn't in their eyes a man or woman, or their bullshit lie reminiscent of the nasty crap radical feminists say about transwomen, that we're 'oppressing' them.

Yes, you can claim both. You can have degrees of disclosure up to and including keeping your T-business and surgical status to yourself. You can be proud of being a transperson. Being transgender doesn't make you any less a man or woman.

But looking at my people's history in terms of passing, I still think pushing stealth was a mistake.

Why Obama Isn't Running Away With This Election

For you TransGriot international readers wondering to yourselves why a cum laude Harvard law educated constitutional law professor isn't soundly beating like a drum a guy who graduated 894th out of 898 students in his Naval Academy class, here's the major reason why.

Racism.

This was recorded during the West Virginia Democratic primary back in May, but it speaks volumes as to why many African-Americans were pissed that Hillary's campaign team injected race into her attempt to win the nomination and a major reason why we African-Americans were adamant about her NOT getting the Dem nomination for VP.



There are enough white people would rather let this country go down the toilet than see a Black man run it and see his family move into the White House.

Little Sis Wins The US Open

For the first time since 2002 Serena Williams has claimed the US Open singles title, but it wasn't easy.

To earn her third US Open singles title she had to go through her Big Sis in the quarterfinals, beating her 7-6, 7-6 and Russian Dinara Safina 6-3, 6-2.

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia awaited her at Arthur Ashe Stadium. She was playing in her first Grand Slam final and served notice early on that she wanted it just as badly. Williams won her first game but after Jankovic held serve she broke Serena to lead 2-1. Little Sis then stepped up her tennis to another level and won four straight games to lead 5-2. After Jankovic held serve and then broke Serena's to close within 5-4, Little Sis returned the favor to win the set 6-4.

The second set was just as hard fought. Serena held serve and had two break points in the second game, but Jankovic saved both points to stay even at 1-1. They stayed on serve with Jankovic once again having to stave off multiple break points to stay even at 3-3.

In the seventh game with Little Sis up 40-30 she was rattled by a late non-call on a ball that barely kissed the edge of the line and stayed in. Jankovic took advantage and broke Williams' serve for a 4-3 lead. She held serve and had three set points on Little Sis, but Serena saved them all to win the game and narrow the gap to 5-4.

In the tenth game Serena forced five break points, but Jankovic battled back to save them all before double faulting to tie the set and give Little Sis an opportunity to take the lead at 6-5. After holding serve, she kept the pressure on Jankovic and force championship point. Jankovic saved the first one but Little Sis forced another one and won her title on a blistering backhand winner.

In addition to getting paid for the win, she also regained the international Number One ranking in women's tennis for the first time since August 2003.

If Politics Isn’t Child’s Play, Why Should Sarah Palin Get the Kid-Gloves Treatment?

Wednesday, September 03, 2008
by Tonyaa Weathersbee, BlackAmericaWeb.com

It seems there’s a lot more drama tucked into Sarah Palin’s resume than rank-and-file Republicans were led to believe.

So it’s not surprising that the same moral-values zealots who were counting on her story to inject some perkiness into John McCain’s campaign for the White House would be trying to flip the script.

They are, after all, used to doing that; to using their arrogance, the media’s timidity and the public’s fickleness and short memory to obscure the real issues.

It would be a shame if they got away with it again.

The weekend had barely passed when Palin, the Alaska governor and former beauty queen who the 72-year-old McCain tapped as his running mate, was forced to out a family secret: Her 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, was five months pregnant.

Had it been Michelle Obama announcing that one of her daughters was pregnant, the same zealots that questioned her patriotism over a slip of the tongue and Barack Obama’s patriotism for not wearing a flag pin would be lambasting their parenting skills and their lack of moral guidance.

They’d be quoting Bill Cosby and salivating at the chance to plant another seed of skepticism about Obama into the minds of Americans; if he can’t manage his family, they’d say, how can he manage the country?

Oh, but they’re demanding that everyone cut Palin a break.

Reporters and pundits who dare infer that the 44-year-old Palin, who not only has a pregnant teenage daughter but an infant son with Down’s Syndrome, might have too many family issues brewing to be a heartbeat away from the presidency should McCain win, are quickly dismissed as sexist. No matter that it’s a legitimate concern -- and a concern that I would have if Palin were a man.

I’d have that concern because children with special needs tend to need more attention than other children. Add a pregnant teenager to that mix who is on track to becoming a child bride, and the possibility for more family drama is upped exponentially.

That’s a common sense concern, not a sexist one. Because if McCain wins and dies in office -- which would be a real possibility considering his age and his numerous bouts with skin cancer -- this woman would be in charge.

Ironically, many of the people who are playing the gender card to defend Palin’s working mother bona fides are some of the same people who are the most hostile when it comes to supporting things that impact the lives of average working mothers; things like subsidized day care and equal pay.

On top of that, the moral values crowd that is praising Palin for being true to her “pro-life” values because Bristol “chose” to have and keep her baby are the same ones who continue to push saying no to sex instead of pushing safe sex.

They are also the same ones who talk forgiveness and mercy for girls like Bristol who engage in sex outside of marriage, but who elevated Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” at the 2004 Super Bowl to a national symbol of moral decay.

And, eerily enough, it helped get George W. Bush -- perhaps the worst president in history -- re-elected.

I hope that people won’t be cowed by the machinations of the zealots and pundits who now, all of a sudden, are demanding that everyone treat Palin’s issue with her pregnant teenage daughter as a private family matter -- especially when they cared little about the privacy of former President Bill Clinton’s family as they waved a sperm-stained blue dress at him.

And while I’m certainly not suggesting that people condemn Sarah or Bristol Palin, or that the press stalk and harass them, I do believe that the media shouldn’t back off on airing legitimate concerns as to whether any parent with a special needs infant, a pregnant teenager, a thin intellectual resume and little exposure to international issues is best suited to be a heartbeat away from the toughest job in the world.

Most of all, I hope people don’t fall into that same line of thinking that cursed us with another four years of George W. Bush -- that because Palin is going through what a “normal” family might go through, that means she’s qualified to run the country.

A lot of people voted for Bush because they believed that he was an average Joe; a guy they could sit down and have a beer with.

And look at what happened.

Open Mic Reveals True Feelings Of GOP Operatives

Ah, those pesky open microphones. They have taken down many candidates with loose lips. I can think of two memorable ones in Texas that changed campaign outcomes like Jim McConn's 'Shoot the queers' remark that cost him the 1985 mayoral race against Kathy Whitmire, and GOP gubernatorial candidate Clayton Williams 1990 one that handed Ann Richards the governor's mansion (thank God) hot on the heels of his 'relax and enjoy it' rape comment.

Politicians aren't the only peeps who fear open mics. Just ask Jesse Jackson Sr.

So I found the open mic comments of Wall Street Journal conservapundit Peggy Noonan enlightening despite all the nauseating happy talk spin over Sarah 'Get Your Gun' Palin

Goodbye Nikki

Hey TransGriot readers,
As y'all know I've been dealing with the untimely death of a friend over the last few days and just got back home an hour ago from Nikki's service.

I was pleased to not only see the overflow crowd of Nikki's friends and family, we even had besides yours truly, the Louisville transgender and GLB community there in full effect.

It was hard looking at Nikki peacefully sleeping in that white casket realizing she died a few months short of her 30th birthday. There were more than a few tears shed, but simmering under the surface this morning was anger. Anger over the way she was taken from us and anger over the disrespectful way the story was covered by the local media.

BTW, had a chat with GLAAD about that. Will keep y'all updated as to what they're hearing from WLKY and WDRB about it.

The service was a combined wake and funeral that started at 9 AM EDT with the funeral portion starting precisely at 11 AM EDT. They kept the service on a tight schedule, so unfortunately people weren't allowed to speak.

During Rev. Barry Washington's eulogy he talked about love and how it is the binding force that keeps this world from tearing itself apart. He also talked about the love that was in that room.

I was struck by the fact that we had an interesting contrast of people in there. Nikki's family and friends, the GLBT community, and her mother's U of L coworkers.

It was also interesting to note that the transwomen were dressed conservatively church service stylish, while some of the biowomen in the room were wearing jeans and t-shirts.

After the service I went home. I decided not to go to the cemetery. I'd had a rough night trying to get to sleep and Nikki not only was on my mind all day yesterday, she's even moreso in my thoughts today.

But no more pain and suffering for our sister. She's doing her painting and writing her poetry in heaven now.

It's funny, but just as I wrote this line, the cloud cover that has cast an appropriately gloomy start to the day here suddenly parted to allow some rays of sunshine to beam through my window. It was predicted to be sunny and 83 today, so maybe it'll help lighten the sense of loss I and everybody who knew and loved Nikki feels.

What will really help me is for LMPD to find, arrest, convict and permanently send to Eddyville the wastes of DNA who committed the crime.

Nikki, say hello to Tyra, Channelle, Gabrielle, Kellie, Ukea, Stephanie, Saneshia, Ebony and all our other fallen sisters for us.

We'll see you again soon.

'You're No Leader'

TransGriot Note-If the MSM had done their jobs and grilled Junior this way in 2000, he would have never been elected. If they'd done the same thing in 2002, we wouldn't be in Iraqinam.

They need to do the same damn thing to Sarah 'Get Your Gun' Palin on her skimpy record as Alaska's governor, and frack the GOP whining about 'sexism'. They don't have any problem being sexist and racist when it comes to Faux News or right wing talk radio spreading disinformation on Democrats.

This gives me hope that some the youth of our country aren't buying the GOP snake oil.

High School Student to McCain: You're No Leader


September 04, 2007 11:32 AM
ABC News' Bret Hovell and Matt Stuart Report:

Senator John McCain had a testy exchange with a high school student in Concord, NH, Tuesday, but one that McCain himself characterized as “what America is supposed to be about.”

William Sleaster, a student at Concord High School rose to ask McCain a question about gay rights and, ultimately dissatisfied by the answer he received from McCain, told the Republican presidential contender that he'd come looking to see a leader and didn't.

McCain first answered the high school student by talking about his support for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the military’s policy regarding gays, and about his belief in the sanctity of marriage.

“Discrimination in any form is unacceptable in America today,” McCain said.

“I understand the controversy that continues to swirl around this issue,” McCain said. “That debate needs to be continued.”

Sleaster pressed on. “Do you support civil unions or gay marriage?”

“I do not,” McCain answered. “I think that they impinge on the status and the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.”

“So you believe in taking away someone’s rights because you believe it’s wrong?”

“I wouldn’t put that interpretation on my position, but I understand yours,” McCain said diplomatically.

Sleaster went on to ask another question about how to help the working class in America, which McCain fielded by talking about the country’s need to figure out education and health care, and to secure the environment.

Sleaster indicated that he wanted to follow up again.

“You have one more? Go ahead you’re doing good,” McCain encouraged.

“I came here looking to see a leader,” Sleaster said. “I don’t.”

The assembled students murmured, and a teacher started to step in.

“I understand,” McCain said. “I thank you. That’s what America is all about.”

See Ya ShaRaun

I've commented about the ignorance that some of my people have when it comes to transgender issues, and some of it played out on the very first night of America's Next Top Model.

ShaRaun was quoted as saying "America's Next Top Model isn't going to be a drag queen." She needs not only a lesson in definitions but some washcloths to wipe the egg off her face since she was introducing herself as the next 'America's Next Top Model'

As they say in the ballroom community, you've been chopped.



Maybe you need to spend some time hanging out at The Baton when you get back to Chitown. While you're at it, 'ejumacate' yourself on transgender issues.

But she ain't the only Cycle 11 contestant (or in ShaRaun's case former contestant) that needs some education on transgender issues. Clark is quoted as saying, "Isis has no place in this competition."

Well, it's all about how well you can model, not whether you were born with ovaries and a vagina. Hopefully the photo shoots over time will prove me correct.

And since Clark is throwing shade, you better have game to back up your mouth. I will be cracking up laughing and writing about it on TransGriot if in a subsequent show I see you packing your stuff because you 'have no place in this competition' except a one way ticket home.

In the meantime it's going to be a bumpy, ignorant and catty road that Isis will have to travel to fulfill her dream.

It's not like we transpeeps haven't dealt with people like them before. In this case the transphobes will be doing their thang with cameras rolling and their ignorance can be recorded for posterity like this.



If you're reading this Isis, bump them and handle your business with class, elegance and dignity.



For every one of those ignorant witches and smirking media empty heads making light of this situation, remember that you have an entire community cheering for you.

Another Transsistah Disrespected By The Media- In My Backyard

Here we go again with a media outlet NOT reading the AP Stylebook when it comes to reporting on transgender people of color.

This time, it's happening right here in my backyard in Da Ville.

I met Nikki when we held the 2005 Transsistahs-Transbrothas Conference here. Contrary to what the person writing up the report on WDRB Fox 41 thought, she ain't no man.

As per my policy on TransGriot when I come across these travesties of reporting I rewrite them using proper AP stylebook reporting procedures. We'll also be talking to WDRB Fox 41 about the shoddy reporting.

Those of us who knew Nikki will miss her. Tonight Terri Vanessa Coleman hosted a special show tonight at the Connection to help kick start a memorial fund being raised to aid the family with burial expenses.

Nikki's funeral will take place on Saturday starting with the wake at 9 AM EDT and the funeral at 11 AM EDT.

In the meantime, here's the contact info for WDRB-TV.

WDRB/WMYO TV
624 W Muhammad Ali Blvd
Louisville, KY 40203
(502) 584-6441

Fox 41 News Department 502-585-0811

***



This was the e-mail I sent to WDRB-TV

I'm writing this e-mail to point out that the story on Nakhia Williams violated the AP Stylebook guidelines on reporting on transgender persons.

The AP Stylebook states:

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 way the individuals live publicly.

Nakhia was living as a woman, so feminine pronouns should have been used throughout the story.

Nakhia's untimely death was a tragic loss for her friends, family and all who knew and loved her. Was it that difficult for WDRB-TV to pick up the Stylebook and compile a report that stated the facts of the case and respected her as well?

****

Here's the rewrite of the story the way it SHOULD have been done per AP Stylebook rules


Transgender woman dies from gunshot wounds after home invasion

A transgender woman shot during a home invasion dies ten days later. Detectives, of course, are treating this case as a homicide. Neighbors were afraid to talk on camera because the attackers are still on the loose. But one man said he found 29-year old Nakhia Williams lying on the ground outside her apartment on West Market Street.

Police say Williams was rushed to the hospital the morning of August 20th and died this past Saturday, the 30th. The medical examiner says Williams died from a gunshot wound, which complicated a medical condition she already had. Police say another person was home with Williams during the home invasion.

"There was possibly four black males who had forced the victim and another occupant to the ground, a lot of commotion going on," said LMPD Detective Phil Russell.

No one is saying who this other occupant is and whether he or she was injured.

If you have any information that could help solve this case, you can call the anonymous police tipline at 574-LMPD.

Isis' History Making Debut

The highly anticipated debut of America's Next Top Model Cycle 11 premiered last night on the CW with all eyes on Isis, the show's first open transgender contestant.

She was featured in the background of a photo shoot in a previous cycle and is a legitimate contestant competing in this one. Y'all know I'm rooting for sis to win.

The fact that Isis is competing became big news to most of the world, but it's not a surprise to me. Top Model has long had rumors of possible stealth transwomen contestants and they decided to come out of the closet with a secret that fashion industry insiders have long known.

A few of the girls strutting their stuff on the catwalk are transwomen.

Top Model judge and noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker stated in a recent interview, "One of the things about the fashion industry, is that there have been many transgender models over the years. It's very legitimate in our industry. It's a bit shocking for prime-time TV, but it opens peoples' eyes."

During the 2003 Cricket World Cup that was hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe was allowed to compete despite its horrendous human rights record and some protests against human rights violations and homophobic statements by its president Robert Mugabe.

When the month long event opened with a globally televised Olympic style opening ceremony in Cape Town, each of the 14 participating teams was led into the stadium by a model. Zimbabwe was led onto the field by a Senegalese born model who worked in South Africa and Italy named Barbara Diop. During the first week of competition it got leaked to the press that Barbara was a transwoman. That prompted outrage from Zimbabwe's head homophobe and threats to pull out of the competition.

It's no shock to people who follow the ballroom community either. FYI, one of the ball categories is called runway, and as Isis Tsunami she was wrecking nerves and making a name for herself. It's been rumored for years that ballroom legend Tracy Africa went from walking balls in the 90's to getting paid walking the runways in New York and the fashion capitals of Europe.

Isis is the one who is fortunate enough and has the God given opportunity to break through to mainstream modeling success.

But back to Top Model. I applaud Tyra and the show for taking the bold step to include her. I haven't had a chance to look at the replay, so I'll judge later on whether the show is handling Isis with grace and sensitivity.

I know some of the transgender haters have already come out of the closet, and we'll probably see the same from some of Isis' fellow contestants. I hope she continues to handle this with style and grace even in the face of nasty and ignorant comments from some of her competitors and the Faux news masses.

But this is nothing less than a Jackie Robinson moment just as it was when various African-American models did things in the fashion industry that no one else had done before, including Ms. Banks.

Yeah, it's a reality TV show. But it's what we African-American transpeople have to work with until we get mainstream media to actually interview African-American transgender people who are opinion makers and leaders in this community.

Isis is breaking down stereotypes, and as any minority group member can tell you, old stereotypes die hard. It's an evolutionary step in our ongoing coming out process to first class citizenship and taking our rightful place at the African-American family table.

Even though Isis may look at it as if she's doing this alone, doing it for herself and fulfilling a dream to become a model, she's not.

Like Jackie Robinson fifty-one years ago, she's got the hopes and aspirations of many African-American transgender people and the ballroom community walking with her.

On Being T

Another day, another interesting transgender video discovered on YouTube. This one had a brief snippet from my girl Laverne Cox, who's hanging in there on I Want To Work For Diddy.



It's a trailer for a documentary called 'On Being T'. Looks interesting and here's the website with more information about it.

Where's the 'A Different World' Season 2-6 DVDs?

I love collecting my favorite Black shows on DVD. I already own the first three seasons of Girlfriends, own the first season of Living Single, and I'm working on acquiring the various Good Times seasons as well.

I'm a huge fan of A Different World, and even though I hated the first season, I bought the DVD set just to satisfy me in anticipation of purchasing Seasons 2-6. I'd even bought the Season 2 DVD online, but when Urbanworks got bought out, it delayed the release date twice and Season Two's release was eventually canceled.

Now I'm hearing that Viacom, who subsequently bought Ventura after it bought Urbanworks, will not only not release the Season 2 DVD of A Different World, it won't release Seasons 3-6 of the show either. Their excuse is that the poor sales of the Season One DVD is evidence that the show doesn't have a fan base.

Excuse me?

Umm, A Different World was a Top 5 show for five of the six years it was on the air from 1987-1993. Many HBCU's (historically Black college and university) credit this show with increasing enrollments at HBCU's by 25% during the 90's.

So the claim that this show doesn't have a fanbase is about as credible as Sarah Palin's claim to be more qualified for the presidency than Sen. Barack Obama.

Besides, the major reason the Season One DVD didn't sell well is how can I put this, season one sucked.

You had a writing team that had never attended, much less set foot on an HBCU campus try to recreate one on TV. Season One didn't even come close to having the authentic feel of an HBCU and it didn't happen until my Houston homegirl Debbie Allen took over as producer.



Under Debbie Allen, the show not only made a light years leap in quality, it actually began to have the flavor of an HBCU campus. Debbie was not only drawing from her experiences as a Howard University alum, she had the writing staff take an annual trip to Atlanta's Spelman College and talk to students, faculty and administrators about the issues they deal with.

The claim that there aren't enough A Different World fans to justify releasing seasons 2-6 of the show on DVD is crap. It's interesting to note that Seinfeld and Roseanne, Top 10 shows that were on during the same decade as A Different World have been fully released on DVD, but a quality show that tackled some interesting topics back in the day such as teen pregnancy, date rape, homelessness, divesting from South Africa, Black history, interracial dating, HIV/AIDS and the Gulf War isn't?

It's interesting to note that Living Single, another quality African-American show with Top 10 ratings, a loyal fanbase and topical shows hasn't been released beyond Season One either. But I'll save that debate for another post. A Different World's 2-6 seasons not being released on DVD is a travesty that needs to be corrected ASAP.

I'd love to see some of my favorite episodes again such as the battle for Dwayne's affections between Kinu and Whitley, Patti LaBelle's always humorous turns playing Adele Wayne, the always elegant Diahann Carroll playing Whitley's mom Marian, Sinbad's crazy self, Freddie and Ron's love-hate relationship, Jenifer Lewis playing Dean Dorothy Davenport and Debbie's recurring psychiatrist character Dr. Langhorne...well, you get the picture.



But what I'm really hoping to get is an opportunity to purchase and add to my television DVD collection season's 2-6 of A Different World.

On Being Transgender- An African's Viewpoint

TransGriot Note: One of my missions for TransGriot is to introduce you to the stories, viewpoints and voices on transgender issues from the African continent and across the Diaspora. From Sokari Ekine's blog Black Looks, check out the story of Nigerian transwoman Mia Nikasimo, originally published on the Transepiscopal blog.


On Being Transgender

September 01, 2008
10:52 AM

My name is Mia Nikasimo. As a volunteer for Changing Attitudes at the Lambeth Conference I found myself in an opportune position to reflect from a translesbian (i.e. a transsexual woman who identifies as a lesbian not to be confused with above or beyond “lesbians,” or a transgender man) standpoint on the Anglican Communion and attempts to exclude the LGBTI.

I have purposely mentioned my trans status here because “transgender” as an umbrella term (for transsexual female, male, sister, brother, mothers, fathers any of the following might choose to cross dress, are intersexed, queer, kings, drag queens and more) can easily loose ones identity in the mix and because I can only share this reflection as a translesbian in the full awareness that some, like my LGBTI African brothers, sisters cannot. As the founder of an online support group call Transafro I aim to give voice to our various narratives Anglicans or otherwise, to promote, empower and raise consciousness in Africa, the Diaspora and allies.

Transgender, contrary to what is often believed to be the case, is not about sexual orientation. Rather it is about gender identity which, for instance, in the case of transsexuals (i.e. female or male), sexual orientation is something that gradually happens as birth sexuality goes through a sort of transformation and so on and so forth. Even some transsexual people do not fully understand this so I am not surprised that most members of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community do not understand the “T” or transgender enough to change their attitudes towards us never mind the wider Anglican Communion of Bishops which is why education, dialogue and reflection is important.

The consensus will always be that: WE DO EXIST, WE ARE TRANSGENDER AND WE ARE PROUD!!!

Primarily, in conjunction with some members of Changing Attitudes, this stance is saying that I am here, a transsexual woman and a lesbian of African origin (Nigerian, in my case) but also as a member of the wider lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community here to reaffirm our identity in the face of attempts to erase our presence from the Anglican Communion. However, the organisation’s mission statement which states that we are: ‘working for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender affirmation in the Anglican Communion’ is well intentioned we need to be proactive in our efforts.

On reflection, I have found that one significant question in particular seemed to manage to escape our attention. Although we have raised the stakes immensely in changing the Bishops attitudes, what are we as attitude changers doing to bring the same rigour to bear on ourselves? Before we can change attitudes among the Bishops we have a lot of education, dialogue and reflection work to in our community (i.e. the LGBTI) especially with regard to bisexual (although I cannot speak for them I am aware that they have little or no representation) and transgender people. Simple definitions such as what is a transsexual woman/lesbian? still manage to confuse some lesbian and gay men who then amusingly or otherwise call a transwoman or a translesbian a gay man robbing her of her trans identity and or her sexual orientation simultaneously just for a laugh. Likewise, referring to a transgender/transsexual man as a woman denies him his status as a man. Attitudes within the Anglican Communion cannot be changed in an atmosphere of homophobia or transphobia because of deep rooted fear which is why there is a call for more education, dialogue and reflection.

Although my mother is an Anglican which meant I could easily have chosen Christianity I opted for Buddhism. This is not to say that Buddhists are without similar conditioning as the Anglicans but because it was a religion I chose with a full understanding of what I was doing. Rather than the impositions and guilt ridden disposition of the Anglican Communion towards gender identity (i.e. as a transsexual woman) and sexuality (i.e. as a lesbian) I left Christianity and became a Buddhist and found peace of mind albeit formative. With committed and concentrated practice of meditation I was more able to get on with my life.

This suited me. I read broadly about Buddhism finding solace in the stories of practitioners like Tenzin Palmo and Milarepa to mention just two. With meditation practise I also found a sort of peace of mind that meant I could let go of hatred, guilt and fear and approach the world from a position of compassion, love and understanding. I even wanted to become a Buddhist nun and spend the rest of my life in spiritual contemplation in a cave out in the wild somewhere but I quickly realised that that would be indulging my desire to escape it all. Somehow, the city became my cave practice based on Plato’s Cave allegory.

I began to see anew and in seeing saw the Anglican Communion and the human condition as both locked horns and wondered where all the compassion, love and understanding had gone. I followed the Anglican Communion as it observed its rituals I did mine with Buddhist ones evoking the essence of compassion, Tara and or the Boddhisattva of fearlessness, Amoghasiddhi and shared the experience at every opportunity in social engagement.

However, on a final note, I feel the service of the Bishops is not about celebrity or notoriety rather it is about the cultivation of the seeds of compassion, love and understanding in all the Anglican Communion and not just some. This must include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people too or the shepherd fails in his duty to all his flock of sheep. But this mantle is not for them to bear alone. We have our part to play in the affirmation of the LGBT without excluding the “T” as can happen and continues too.

September 2008 Villager's Black Blog Rankings

Hotep!
It's that time of the month that all of us in the Black blogosphere breathlessly await. It's time to head on over to the Electronic Village and check out this month's edition of the Black Blog Rankings.

The Villager got to rank 1407 Black blogs this month, up 78 blogs from the 1329 ranked in August.

The BBR's are now celebrating their second anniversary this month and from the initial 75 blogs, this FUBU production has exponentially grown. If you are an African-American blogger and wish to be part of this, just drop the Villager a line so he can include you in next month's rankings.

Speaking of growth, I set some goals that I gave myself until January 1, 2009 (TransGriot's 3rd anniversary) to reach. I wanted to be in the BBR Top 50 blogs and be at a Technorati ranking of 150.

So how did I do? In August I'd just achieved a goal of cracking the BBR Top 100 blogs and was at Number 92 with a 113 Technorati ranking.

When this month's BBR rankings were compiled on September 1, TransGriot was at Number 67 with a 133 Technorati ranking.

So I jumped another 25 spots to put me in striking distance of the Top 50 and added 20 points to my Technorati ranking. Shoot, as fast as this blog is growing I will probably have to set a new goal in October of cracking the Top 25 BBR ranked blogs.

But I couldn't do this without you, my loyal readers. I thank you for taking the time out of your busy day (or night) to read what I post here. Please know that I deeply appreciate it.

I'm also grateful and humbled to note that some of my fellow bloggers are starting to ask me to write guest posts as well on various topics, so you'll probably in the near future start to see my writing in places other than TransGriot or The Bilerico Project.

We'll see where TransGriot ends up next month. With a historic presidential campaign to blog about, I think I can come up with some interesting things to talk about and keep you peeps happy between now and October 1.

What An Alaskan Has To Say About Sarah Palin

I've got a few choice words about Sarah 'Get Your Gun' Palin that I'll expound on later, but in the meantime let me send you to the Mudflats blog, written about Alaska politics by an Alaskan.

AK Muckraker has some interesting and some illuminating things to say about Sarah Palin that will help you cut through the GOP lies and spin.

Make no mistake about it, this woman isn't fit to shine Hillary's pumps, much less wear them. She's also the new jack intellectual heir to the Phyllis Schafly's of the GOP world and despite the bleating of the Log Cabin Sellouts (oops, Republicans) is no friend to the GLBT community as well.