Blogtalkradio Show This Weekend

This weekend's edition of Womanist Musings will feature Renee and I talking to the women of Thistle Farms.

It's a community of women who have survived lives of abuse, sex work and violence, and we'll be talking to them about how their lives are progressing and moving on.

You can also check out their blog The Voices Of Thistle Farms in addition to the website link.


The show has moved to a new time, 8 PM EDT and as always we'd love to hear from you. If you can't tune in live, the show will be archived so that you can listen to it at your convenience.

If you'd like to suggest a guest or a topic, you can leave them in the comment thread for this post.

Congratulations Renee!

Putting a quality blog together is hard work. It involves long hours just researching info, composing multiple drafts and sometimes multiple edits to get them polished to your satisfaction before you post your thoughts to the world.

So I was happy to hear that my podcast partner was nominated for a 2009 Canadian F-Word Blog Award in the Best Feminist Blog Oh!Canada! English category.

She's been writing thought provoking and quality posts at Womanist Musings for almost a year now, and it's nice to see her Top 25 BBR blog (number 13 last month) finally get the recognition it deserves in her home country as well.

Nominations were accepted starting on April 1st and the last day for them is today.

The First voting/elimination round: April 11-12
Final Vote: April 18-19
Winners announced April 25th

I hope she has better luck than I did with the 2008 Weblog Awards. Congrats for the nomination, Renee and hope it's just the first of many more to come.

Not Feeling The Term 'Passing'

The term 'passing' in the transgender community means you are consistently at your gender best. You're at the point in your migration to your desired gender role that you are comfortable in your skin and relatively proficient in performing your desired gender to the point where you are moving around in the world like any cisgender individual.

But as a person of African descent, passing means something different and brings a different visual to mind.

When we hear the word 'passing', we think of African descended people who had a combination of characteristics- be it light enough skin, straight hair and the physical features for example to 'pass for white'. They cut ties with the Black community and used them to avoid the crushing negativity that Black people operated under mostly for their own personal gain.

I and increasingly some of our African descended cisgender allies don't like the term 'passing' being used to describe transpeople who are basically living their lives.

The problematic imagery with slavery and Jim Crow segregation was one of the factors that caused a shift to the term 'stealth'. It describes a transperson who has the looks and ability to perform gender to the point they are indistinguishable from a cisgender person and also cut all ties to the transgender community for various reasons to ensure that they aren't read as such.

'Stealth' is problematic as well. I believe it reinforces the 'we're being deceptive' meme all too prevalent in cisgender society about transpeople.

So if you see me talk about those issues on TransGriot, I'll be using the term 'blend', because that's exactly what we're doing. We're blending into society. We're making an active choice toward becoming the men and women we were destined to be despite the body we started off with.


TransGriot Note: The woman in the photo is Anita Hemmings, the first African-American graduate of Vassar College in 1897, 40 years BEFORE it began to admit qualified African-American students.

April Edition of Tell It WOC Speak Coming Soon

It's almost that time again. The April edition of the Tell It WOC Speak Blog Carnival is rapidly approaching. The blog carnival will be posted on April 15 so submit those posts in to Renee by April 12 if you wish to participate.

It's a great way to introduce people to your writing who may not have previously surfed by your blog previously.

The two previous ones had some dynamite writers and thinkers posting, so why wouldn't you want to be part of the cool blog kids?

I discovered some great blogs as a result of the previous editions of Tell It WOC Speak and hope the participation in this carnival grows.

The posts can be about any topic you desire to talk about by any woman of color. They can be previously written posts or brand new material, it's your call. Of course I'm going to be contributing a few posts to it, and I'd like to see some new writers join in.

So let's get busy, send those posts in and be a part of the only blog carnival dedicated to showcasing the work of WOC bloggers.

Just Because A Brother Dates A Transwoman Doesn't Make Him Gay

One of the tired memes I hear which gets repeated far too often is if a cisgender male dates a transwoman, he's automatically slapped with the 'gay' label.

I saw that crap repeat itself after the recent Tyra show in which Isis was proposed to by her boyfriend Desmond. The homophobic/transphobic negativity instantaneously erupted in the comment threads.

Sounds like some peeps were jealous.

The bottom line is that when we transition, one of the Prime Directives of our WPATH real life tests is that we blend in with society. Being a transperson also doesn't stop our sex drives or the fact that we gotta have it too.

Transwomen need love just like any other person walking Planet Earth. If you haters haven't gotten the memo by now, the stereotype of transwomen looking like NFL linebackers in dresses has long since been thoroughly discredited.

There have been some stunning looking transwomen over the last half century emerge from their cocoons to become beautiful butterflies. If they're hetero oriented in their sexual orientation, they like going out on dates, revel in being in the company of men, getting candy, flowers, chocolate and enjoy getting intimate with them just like any other estrogen based lifeform.

Since the male species that's hetero oriented checks out the beauty first as a prelude to chasing the booty, these transwomen, like any beautiful woman do get attention from the male species. Sometimes it doesn't matter whether we've had the surgery or not when they meet us. If we turn them on, they want to get to know us, and like us enough to want to get intimate with us, then nothing's gonna stop it.

The people that take the time to step to us, aren't 'scurred' of the drama and get to know a transwoman beyond the stereotypes discover we have varied personalities just like our cisgender sisters. We transwomen also realize how much crap you have to deal with just to date us and it's deeply appreciated.

But that doesn't mean just because we have a tough time finding men not 'scurred' to date transwomen you get a free pass to disrespect us. We're also looking for quality men just like our cisgender sisters and not scrubs.

Just because a cisgender guy dates one of us doesn't make him gay. Anybody who holds on to that antiquated thinking needs to go back and retake Sexuality 101. A gay male is attracted to another gay male. Generally they aren't interested for the most part in having relationships with transwomen, but after almost thirty years of observing the TLBG community I've seen some interesting couplings.

You also never know what a person likes to do in the bedroom once the door is closed, and it's nobody's business if that person likes a transwoman who just happens to have a neoclit in her panties. Love is funny that way.

If two people find that type of deep committed love and want to stay together for the rest of their lives, then what's wrong with that?

It's hard enough for a transwoman, be she straight or lesbian to find love. Are we supposed to let plumbing issues get in the way if we have found our soul mate and he doesn't care about it? I think not.

2009 NCAA Women's Championship Game

I'll have to DVR it, but tonight's NCAA women's title game in St; Louis is an all Big East affair between the surprising (to the rest of y'all) 34-4 Louisville Lady Cardinals and the unbeaten 38-0 UConn Huskies.

This is the third meeting between the two teams. They met in the regular season and the Big East women's tournament title game and the Lady Cards have been on the short end of both of them.

But as I know painfully well from my college days, just because you have a dominant team doesn't mean that you can't be beaten or you can't have a bad night. It's also hard to beat a team three consecutive times in the same season.

Talk about what a historic upset that would be. Here's a UConn team that beat them badly twice by 28 and 39 points, is playing for perfection for the third time, their seventh NCAA title and is chock full of high school All-Americans versus a Louisville team with none.

If you check my 2009 women's NCAA bracket, I have UConn picked to win the title and actually had the Cards losing to Oklahoma Sunday.

The Lady Cards have a chance to elevate this program to an elite level and shocking the world like a loquacious boxer from the West End once did over 40 years ago.

And here's hoping they do. Go Lady Cards!

Lateisha Green Murder To Be Prosecuted As A Hate Crime

The Andrade trial in Greeley, CO is about to kick off next week and here's hoping that the trial results in closure and justice for Angie Zapata's family.

In New York the alleged murderer of Lateisha Green will be facing hate crime charges as well. She was shot and killed outside a house party in Syracuse on November 14, 2008 with the media reporting that Dwight R. DeLee, 20, allegedly shot her because he thought she was gay.

On Friday, April 3rd, the grand jury investigating her murder indicted Dwight DeLee on hate crimes charges in connection with her death. This is the first murder classified as a hate crime in Onondaga County.

When the trial starts, I'll keep you updated on it. I hope it not only results in closure for Lateisha Green's family, but it finally sends the message that hunting season on transgender people is over and won't be tolerated.

Matthew Henson-Pole Brother

Today is the 100th anniversary of Matthew Henson becoming the first man to reach the North Pole.

Born in Charles County, MD on August 6, 1866, he became a cabin boy on a steamship after his parents died during his youth. He became a skilled navigator and seaman while self educating himself during those around the world voyages for the next several years.

He met Admiral Robert Peary in November 1887, who promptly hired him for an expedition to Nicaragua to survey a possible canal route. Impressed by his seamanship, he recruited Henson as a colleague and together they undertook many voyages together to the Arctic. Henson was admired by the Inuit people for his hunting and sled-driving skills, as well as his ability to fluently speak their language and fathered his only child with an Inuit woman.

On his and Peary's eight attempt to reach the Pole, on April 6, 1909, Henson arrived along with four Inuits at Camp Jesup, 89°47', 45 minutes ahead of Peary, concluding by dead reckoning that he had reached the Pole. Henson greeted Peary, "I think I'm the first man to sit on top of the world."

Henson later recalled that this angered Peary. "Oh, he got hopping mad … No, he didn't say anything, but I could tell," wrote Henson. Henson wrote that Peary "fastened the flag to a staff and planted it firmly on top of his igloo."

Peary was heated because he'd been ill, was exhausted and could no longer continue on foot. He sent Henson ahead to scout, and he was supposed to stop just short of the pole so that Peary could arrive later on sled and claim the historic first. They overshot their target by a few miles, but it was clear by Henson's footprints that he'd arrived at the Pole.

In the wake of that expedition, Henson and Peary's once warm relationship turned as frosty as the terrain.

Henson in 1912 wrote a book called Negro Explorer at the North Pole which chronicled that trip, since history was being whitewashed and Admiral Peary was being lauded as the first man to reach the Pole.

Henson did eventually get his props for his historic achievement. In 1944 Congress awarded him a copy of the same medal they gave Peary, and he was honored by Presidents Truman and Eisenhower before his death on March 9, 1955.

On April 6, 1988, in the presence of his Inuit and American relatives, Matthew Henson was reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery next to Admiral Robert Peary. The United States Navy in 1996 commissioned the Oceanographic Survey ship USNS Matthew Henson in his honor.

Interestingly, one of those relatives is actress Taraji P. Henson

On November 28, 2000 The National Geographic Society posthumously awarded Henson the Hubbard Medal, which is given for distinction in exploration, discovery, and research. Admiral Peary had been given the award in 1906 but race relations being what they were at the time, snubbed him.

So on this historic anniversary, it's time to pause and reconnect with another one of our outstanding African-Americans on this historic anniversary.

Clean Up Feminism, Then We'll Talk

TransGriot Note: This is a post I've written for Global Comment..

In the days since I wrote a post about finally claiming the womanist label and the warm welcome I've received since, I've had some of my white transsisters express movement envy and surprise that we transwomen of color would be embraced by our cisgender sisters of color.

Some of them have read about the principles of womanism, see the night and day comparisons and contrasts between it and feminism and asked if they can join the womanist ranks.

The answer I've heard from other womanists is no, and not for exclusionary reasons.

Womanism started because of profound disagreements between Black and white feminists over the shabby treatment of Black women inside and outside the feminist movement, the unacknowledged class privilege, and alarm over the transphobia being expressed by radical feminists.

There's also no love lost between some radical feminists and womanists as well on a wide variety of issues besides their hatred of transpeople.

While I emphatize with my white transsisters, womanism evolved because feminism became so narrowly defined, was blind to the ways that it ignored race and reinforced privilege, and became so toxically hostile to anyone who pointed out the obvious shortcomings that people left or disassociated themselves from it.

Just as you have conversations with various groups that we WOC aren't privy to that fall under the 'family business' label, there are conversations that womanists need to have as we explore the role of transwomen within the movement that fall under the same header.

The point I'm making is that you already have multiple social justice movements geared toward white people. Womanism is a FUBU production that we treasure and need to cultivate due to the constant infusion of fresh ideas that continue to fuel its growth and stimulate discussion on various topics.

I can understand why you’d want to be a part of a movement that is growing, welcoming and continually evolving, while the feminist label has become something to be reviled. Rush Limbaugh’s frequent use of the ‘feminazi’ epithet, spewed forth from his radio studio to the ears of his dittoheads and feminism’s detractors, highlights the image problem that has resulted from the stagnation and tainting of the feminist brand.

If you truly want to embrace the good parts of feminism, then you’ll need to fight within those circles with other transgender feminists and your cisgender allies to make that happen. It’s going to be a long, messy undertaking because the entrenched factions won’t make it easy for you, but nothing worth fighting for is particularly easy.

You’ll have to respectfully demand your place,  just like African-American transpeople have done (and are still doing) to take our rightful place with our allies at the African-American family table.

Until then, until feminism becomes more like womanism – in which all people are respected and welcomed into the fold -  and the issues that caused the split in the first place are dealt with, it’ll probably be a while before you see white women being accepted into the womanist community.

Musing About Avon Wilson's Blended Life

One of the things that I've lamented in terms of being a transwoman of African descent is that unlike my white sisters, I don't have marquee transwomen to point to such as the Christine Jorgenson's, April Ashley's and Coccinelle's of the world.

We know from Teenie Harris' Pittsburgh Courier photos of the Pittsburgh TBLG/SGL community, the coverage of Finnie's ball in Chicago and the New York balls that we existed during that time period, so why didn't a Black transwoman emerge with the same kind of star power?

In October 1966 transsistah Avon Wilson was revealed by a New York Daily News gossip columnist as being the first client of the Johns Hopkins Gender Clinic in Baltimore.

"a stunning girl who admits that she was once male less than one year ago had her sex change surgery done at, of all places Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore."

I always wondered since I discovered that tidbit of information what happened to her.

Recently I received a tip that shed some more clues toward what happened to Avon Wilson. Johnson Publishing Company cut a deal with Google to digitize Ebony and Jet magazine back issues for easy web searching. One of the commenters on a Racialicious thread discussing Tami's post on whether Ebony/Jet magazines should be saved left a link to that, and after clicking on that link just for grins I Googled Avon Wilson's name to see what would pop up.

In addition to some other African-American transgender stuff I'll share with you in later posts, the July 13, 1967 issue of JET popped up as well. This interesting note pops up after you scroll down to page 58 of that issue with the late Yvonne Brathwaite Burke on the cover.

A former New York City dancer who appeared under the name of Avon Wilson underwent special treatment at the Gender Identity Clinic at Johns Hopkins Hospital and married a man in Baltimore, MD. A hospital official disclosed that Wilson had undergone treatment at the clinic whose pioneering also includes 'sex changing' techniques. The former dancer became the bride of Warren Combs, a musician.

So far that's the extent of what I know happened to the first African-American to undergo SRS at the now closed Johns Hopkins Gender Clinic. (no thanks to right wing Catholic transphobe Dr. Paul McHugh, the Vatican advisor on transgender issues)

But it still leaves a lot of unanswered questions for me. The obvious one is if she's still alive. Was her marriage a happy one? Did she stay married or did the transsexual history play a role in breaking them up? What were her thoughts and feelings as she lived out her life as a married transwoman?

It would have been nice to know the answers to those questions and had a role model that shared my heritage to follow.

In the Black Community, Our Allies Deserve More Than A Cookie

I'm keenly aware of the fact that womanists have long supported and embraced transwomen, and it's one of many reasons I've embraced and claimed the label for myself as well.

One of the things I'm gratified to see lately is more of my cisgender sisters who may or may not claim the womanist label stepping out there on their own blogs to talk about transgender issues and how we fit into the sisterhood.

And when they do I encourage and applaud them for doing so.

I recently left this comment on Twanna A. Hines' funkybrownchick blog on a post she'd written about transgender children.

I definitely don't pretend I'm an expert on the topic, though I'm always open to learn more.

And that's all we ask for Twanna. I'm willing along with other transpeople to openly talk about our lives and provide that 'ejumacation' if my cisgender brothers and sisters will open their hearts and minds and listen..

The point is we transpeople have always been a part of the AA community, and we didn't forfeit our Blackness when we transitioned.

All we want is to be able to contribute our talents to uplift the race and peacefully live our own lives free from harassment .

I don't think that's too much to ask.

While I agree with my H-town sistah Jo Jo in theory on the valid points she made in this post while talking about the 'no cookies' policy, I think when it comes to transgender people, it's different.

We're so used to having to slog it almost alone and getting slimed in the process, even by our allies. When we finally do run across someone who takes being an ally seriously, complete with the willingness to educate themselves on the issues, first we're shocked, then we treat them as the precious jewel they are.

If we get to call them 'friend' it's even more of a blessing.

In the African-American community, we need to get up to speed on transgender issues. There's too much faith-based ignorance and misinformation floating around about transgender people of African descent despite the fact we've been part of the community since before we took the involuntary boat rides to the Americas.

All you have to do is peruse the comment threads on stories about transgender people to see that.

Our cisgender female allies who do talk up these issues are looked at with crossed eyes, or if they state for the record they have transgender girlfriends have their femininity questioned.

With coordinated information sharing and action from us and our cisgender sisters, we can help break down that wall of ignorance, have those informed conversations and begin to get the resistant element of the Black community to see that we're proud Black people, too.

For those of you who take up that challenge, not only do you deserve a cookie, you've earned a standing ovation and our deepest thanks as well.

Once the applause fades from that standing o, then we go back to diligently working to create a better community for all of us.

Michaelle!

Thought I'd show some love today to the fly sister residing at Rideau Hall, Canada's Governor General Michaelle Jean.

She's got it going on as well, and it's going to be interesting to see what transpires when she comes to Washington for a visit later this year. In the meantime, while we're waiting for the details and the dates of the visit, check out the photos.

Western Kentucky Pride Association Events

The Western Kentucky Pride Association will be hosting a variety of special events as part of this year's "Pride in 09" celebrations.

Among these will be a Luau Pool Party on May 16th, the 2nd Mr & Miss Stonewall Pageant on June 6th, and last but not least the 6th Annual Stonewall Picnic on June 27th.

The Western Kentucky Pride Association is a seven year old not for profit non-discriminational social organization, based in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and the Western Kentucky region, which is dedicated to promoting a positive image for the local Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgendered community. Membership is open to all who share similar values.

For more details on the upcoming events or the organization we encourage you to visit the official website at http://westkypride.tripod.com

Your support and or participation in these events will be greatly appreciated.

If you need more information, wish to help support the WKPA efforts or are interested in setting up a Vendor or Information booth then please contact Kenneth (Andy) McIntosh at (270) 886-0010 or by e-mail at kycowboy41@aol.com.

Advertising opportunities and sponsorship packages are available through the official website.


For any further information or questions, contact
Kenneth (Andy) McIntosh, WKPA President
http://westkypride.tripod.com
kycowboy41@aol.com
270-886-0010

The Obama's Excellent European Trip

It's so cool to see my president go away on a foreign trip and I don't have to cringe like I did over the previous eight years in horrified embarrassment because of his breathtaking stupidity or nekulturny behavior.

It's been an absolute joy to watch President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama represent us well while on the first European trip of his presidency for the G-20 London summit and the NATO meeting in Strasbourg, France.

It's also been gratifying to see the love showered down on both of them from other world leaders and the world press while the conservahaters sip on their GOP red Kool aid and rant. I know German Chancellor Angela Merkel is happy that Junior's back in Texas. She won't be getting any more unwanted massages from him.

It galls you even more when Queen Elizabeth II is so enamored with the First Lady that she hugs her first.

He's heading to Turkey before coming back to this side of The Pond

And riddle me this conservaidiots, when did Bushie boy during his misadministration not only give a speech in which the English language wasn't mangled, but took questions from the audience like President Obama did in Strasbourg?



And we're not even 100 days into his presidency yet.

Hate on conservatives. Can't help it if you poor babies are bitter because the world loves our current president and First Lady and hated yours.

Dr. John Hope Franklin 1915-2009

I was saddened to find out that 94 year old Dr. John Hope Franklin, one of my favorite historians, passed away on March 25 due to congestive heart failure.

I own one of his books and loved listening to him speak on various issues.

You also have to think about the things that this man as a historian saw unfolding across the sweep of his own life as he kept us informed and educated about our history.

Another one of our academic icons has moved on to his well earned rest, and while he'll be missed, he left a legacy of work behind that will never be forgotten.

Dr. King Assassination-41 Years Later

Today is the 41st anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis.

I tend to get a little introspective on this day on multiple levels. First because of the historical significance of the event. I think about the man being taken away from us at age 39 and wonder how differently would life in the United States have been if his strong voice reminding us about our moral and ethical responsibilities to each other weren't stilled on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel.

I think about what he achieved in his 39 year lifespan and remember to make every day count. I'm also reminded of the fact it's exactly one month before my birthday, and I tend to for the next four weeks take a hard look at where I am in my own life, if I've reached any goals I'd set for myself to achieve in the past year and try not to get depressed if I haven't done so yet.

But back to the drum major for justice.

If Dr. King were around I think he'd be pleased on some levels as to what we've achieved in American society, but on others he'd tell us we have much work to do. I believe that Dr. King would also be critical of megachurches and their 'prosperity gospel', and their reluctance to fulfilling the traditional role of the Black church in standing up for the powerless and speaking truth to power.



This day is also a solemn reminder that fighting for justice and equality for all is not an easy endeavor. Some people like him paid with their lives so that the rest of us, as he said in his 'I've Been To The Mountaintop' sermon, could get one day closer to the Promised Land of achieving 'The Dream'.

Shut Up Fool! Awards-April Fool Edition

Hope you TransGriot readers enjoyed my annual tradition of spoof posts on April Fool's Day. I'll have to come up with something to top it next year.

The Final Four is happening for the men in Detroit and for the women in St. Louis this weekend. While the U of L men's team will unfortunately be watching it from the comfort of their dorm rooms, the Lady Cards will take on Courtney Paris and the Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday.

I hope you're also enjoying the podcast that Renee and I are bringing to you every two weeks. We're working hard to bring you some interesting guests inside and outside the blogosphere and some thought provoking topics.

Our next show happens April 11, so call in, join the chat room, e-mail us and join the conversation.

We'll have news as soon as we finalize the details about an exciting guest we'll be interviewing, so stay tuned to TransGriot and Womanist Musings as we reveal the identity of that guest and the date and time we'll interview them for our show.

Now, let's move on to the business of this post. I'll reveal who the April Fool is this week that needs to shut up.

There is no contest this week. It's Rush. Still popping pills and hatin' on President Obama. This week he was so pissed about the praise that the British media heaped upon the Obamas and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown gave the prez during the G-20 summit in London he said on his show:



"if Gordon Brown keeps slobbering all over Obama, he come up with anal poisoning and die from it."

CNN's Rick Sanchez called OxyContin Man out for his nekulturny rant as well, commenting that it was "one of the most disgusting comments that anyone could possibly make".



Rush is already working on the SUF Lifetime Achievement Award along with Dummya, but I think this puts him in the lead for it. He may have earned it for the month with this one.

Rush Limbaugh, Shut up Fool!

Intersex Separatists, Transpeople Aren't Your Enemy

Intersex people are finally beginning to get the attention that they have long deserved concerning their issues and I couldn't be happier for them.

But one of the things that makes me shake my head are the separatists in our alphabet soup movement that seem to get their jollies from saying stupid crap that hinders coalition building.

Lately we've had some intersex activists who have been either regurgitating the same hate screeds from rad fems, claiming that transpeople want to 'oppress' them, or ignorantly state that 'their problem is medical while transgender is mental'.

Yeah, right. The increasing pile of medical studies pointing to a biological cause for transsexuality is exponentially growing, so peddle that BS somewhere else.

What you people exhibiting Bushian level stupidity don't seem to understand is that transgender peeps aren't your enemy. If you're looking for your enemy, you needn't look any farther than at the same Bible thumping right wing idiots we have to fight.

If anything, intersex people and transgender people have some things in common such as the general public phobic at times misunderstanding our issues, shame and guilt issues in conjunction with that, and the fallout from the Religious Right attacks on same gender marriage affecting the legal marriages of intersex and transgender people.

Those are intersectional starting points that which we can respectfully work together on in terms of fighting the Religious Right. But at the same time, we're serving notice that disrespecting or trashing transpeople so intersex separatists can build up your own movement won't be tolerated. If that's what you're attempting to do, it's a strategy that's doomed to failure.

We are not your enemies, intersex people. I think many transpeople would agree that we'd rather work in concert with intersex people on issues of mutual interest that are beneficial to both parties. Contrary to the lie that's being told by some of these disproportionately white separatists, transgender leaders have no desire to 'hijack' your movement or issues. But if you choose to follow your separatists and use the neo-Mattachine gay/lesbian playbook and spew transphobia in the process, then it's on like Donkey Kong and we'll give as good as we get.

We don't need or want that drama right now. The transgender community has been there, done that and we're tired of fighting rear guard actions with our 'allies' while fighting tooth and nail with the Religious Right.

Time for cooler heads to prevail in the intersex community leadership ranks and to repeat this message like a mantra until it sinks in.

Transgender people aren't your enemy.

Michelle O Ain't Trying To Be Jackie O

One of the things that's become a regular pattern that I'm getting sick of is the right wingers veiled (and not so veiled) racist attacks against her such as Tammy Bruce or Michelle Malkin have done and the deafening silence of the feminist movement about them.

We also see the First Lady as the subject of breathtakingly ignorant stories about her hair and curves that try to be hip but fall flat, or ones that nitpick about certain things like her penchant for sleeveless dresses and tops.

Still can't get over the fact you got blown out last November by an intelligent Black man despite all your time tested racist campaign tactics and tacking Caribou Barbie on your presidential ticket, huh?

Too bad. Go sip on more GOP Red Kool Aid and sulk in the corner for the next four years while President Obama and the Democratic congress cleans up the fiscal and societal mess y'all conservatives made.

Ann Coulter made the ignorant assertion recently that Michelle Robinson Obama was trying to pattern herself after Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and she's wrong as usual.

The major difference is that Jackie O grew up with wealth and privilege in a divorced family traveling between palatial estates, while Michelle grew up with two working class parents on Chicago's South Side in a one bedroom apartment.

Another note to the haters. Jackie O liked sleveless wear as well.

While there are some superficial similarities between the two women in terms of their intelligence, charm, beauty, devotion to their families and wanting to do meaningful work in society, Michelle Obama is being Michelle Obama.

While many people try to compare her to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and like Michelle I grew up in the 60-70's era in which I had until the time I graduated from high school knew and still know legions of girls named Jacqueline, Michelle is different from the women who previously served as First Lady.

In addition to the obvious being the first African-American First Lady, she just has that combination of beauty, off the charts intelligence, charm and regal presence in addition to her modelesque height that makes even Queen Elizabeth II breach royal protocol and hug her.

Oh yeah, and like Eleanor Roosevelt, can't forget that she's a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

She's not only redefining the way in which we look at the position of First Lady, she's redefining how we look at African-Americans as well. The First Lady demonstrates the saying in the African-American community that Black women have curves. Even her daughters Malia and Sasha are redefining and generating long needed discussion focused on Black girls.

What you are being introduced to is a sistah that has flava. She's got it going on in many areas of her life. Some of you wingnuts can't stand it that once again, it is a progressive Black woman who exudes all of these qualities and then some that the entire world just loves, and the Black women you hold up as examples on the conservative side for us to admire don't.

Your failure is compounded when already accomplished Black women pose for photographs emulating our First Lady or lovingly speak about the immense pride they have in someone like Michelle representing them.

So no, Michelle O ain't trying to be Jackie O. She's one of the best and brightest of our community working on being the best First Lady she can be in her own way.

Too bad you're hatin' on her so much that you refuse to understand or acknowledge it