NCAVP Notes To Journalists

TransGriot Note: This will come in handy for the next transgender murder trial in New York state when Lateisha Green's accused killer Dwight DeLee is prosecuted.


A Note To Journalists From NCAVP:

NCAVP applauds the attention that some of these incidents are receiving in the local and national press and encourages continued coverage. Many news outlets have made a sincere effort to portray victims fairly, but we are saddened by some of the mis-characterization of transgender people by some news sources. NCAVP member organizations work with victims everyday who are struggling to heal from trauma in the face being blamed for the violence they experience at the hands of someone else. We encourage journalists to use language that is both un-biased, accurate, and based on the individual's self-described identity, in covering incidents related to anti-LGBT violence.

NCAVP recommends the following when reporting about transgender people-

Avoid referring to transgender people as "really a (man or woman)." The term "transgender woman" is an appropriate term to use for someone who identifies as a woman but was assigned the male gender at birth and the term "transgender man" is appropriate to use for someone who identifies as a man but was assigned the female gender at birth.

Avoid sensationalizing the very difficult and personal decision that many transgender people are faced with about how or when to disclose personal information about their genitals to a potential sexual partner. Examples of sensationalizing language include: "sexual secret," "shocking secret," "duped," "fooled," "shocking discovery," to name a few.

Avoid justifying "the trans panic defense" in news articles (i.e. avoid statements such as "his uncontrollable rage stemming from the discovery that she was really a man"). Much like "gay panic," which many defendants of anti-gay violence have used (violence resulting from a man being hit on by another man, for example), such statements sound very victim-blaming and imply that the violence was excusable or understandable.

Avoid victim-blaming phrasing, such as: "Police believe that the man may have been attacked because he is gay." Instead, pair the action with the actor: "Police believe the suspect may have attacked the victim out of anti-gay bias."

And lastly, it is considered best practice to refer to someone as the gender they identify (or identified with when alive) rather than their legal gender or the gender they were assigned at birth.

For questions relating to these tips, contact info@ncavp.org or 212.714.1184.

Shut Up Fool! Awards-NFL Draft Edition

The 2009 NFL Draft is tomorrow, and we'll finally find out who not only becomes the Number One overall pick, but where the rest of the college football studs will (or won't) end up.

Just a heads up, Renee and I have another edition of our blogtalkradio show coming up tomorrow with Crystal Ann Gray and Ethan St. Pierre. We'll be talking about the just concluded Andrade trial. So please join us at 8 PM EDT for what should be an interesting show.

We'll also be making an announcement about two exciting upcoming guests for our radio podcast.

Now, let's find out who earned our Number One pick as the fool of the week.


This week's fool is Perez Hilton. Perez bit off more than he could chew during this year's Miss USA pageant when he asks Miss California Carrie Prejean a question on same-gender marriage and got the smackdown by her on national TV.

Hello, she's from San Diego. A CONSERVATIVE part of Ca-lee-forn-ia.

So what does he do? Insults her, then arrogantly asserts that he's Perez Hilton, he's not a rep of the gay or Latino communities and speaks for himself, and he can be offensive.

Yeah right, you are still gay and Latino, race still matters in America and you insulting a white female is not going to be tolerated. I already had major problems with him for his ad nauseum penchant for insulting cisgender women with the 'trannies' or 'drag queen' epithet.

Hell, I'm surprised that hasn't come out of his mouth to diss Carrie Prejean with.

But what he has done is made her a right wing star and created another PR disaster for the GL community.

Perez Hilton, shut up fool!

CAVP and NCAVP Reponse To Andrade Verdict

Colorado Anti-Violence Program & National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs Responds to Verdict

Allen Ray Andrade Found Guilty of First Degree Murder and Bias Motivated Crime


Greeley, CO - April 22, 2009

The verdict today brings us mixed emotions. We are reminded that we have lost yet another young member of our community to hate. The fact that Angie's killer was found guilty of first degree murder and a bias motivated crime shows that this murder was taken seriously. This verdict sends the message that violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people is unacceptable. We applaud the Weld County District Attorney for making Colorado a leader in showing that violence against the LGBTQ community will not be tolerated.

We must not leave today thinking that this is an isolated incident or that our work is done. In 2008 alone, there were at least 19 reported anti-LGBTQ murders in the United States. We remember Lawrence King, Duanna Johnson, Latiesha Green, Sanesha Stewart and Simmie Williams Jr.

Since the time of Angie's murder, we at the Colorado Anti-Violence Program and many others have witnessed the mourning of the Zapata family, the Greeley community, the transgender community and the greater lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and ally communities. We have also witnessed incredible perseverance, strength and love unite people as they began to organize to raise awareness and educate others to prevent this from happening again.

Fear, misunderstanding or hatred of LGBTQ people does not justify violence. It takes incredible courage to be who we are in a world that makes us invisible, forces us to hide, and condones violence against us. Angie was not only a loving daughter, sister, aunt and friend but a beautiful young woman courageous enough to be herself.

Throughout this trial we've heard many myths about transgender people including attempts to blame Angie for her own murder. We witnessed the defense continually focus on the behavior of the murder victim, rather than on the violent actions of her killer. The fact is that transgender people are faced with a Catch 22. Being out about one's transgender status often means experiencing a tremendous amount of violence, the blame for which is often placed on the individual for being out. However, not speaking about ones transgender identity often means being stereotyped as deceptive and yet again, blamed for the violence that one experiences.

Implicit throughout this trial was the dangerous assumption that outing oneself as transgender guarantees safety. On the contrary, in some instances, outing can increase the risk of violence. Many transgender people struggle to know when and how to talk about their bodies and gender. This can be extremely difficult and scary to decide when and with whom to have this conversation. CAVP and NCAVP stand by the truth that the right to live free from violence is not conditional. It is a right granted to all of us regardless of whether or not we identify with the gender we were assigned at birth.

Ultimately, this is a human rights issue. Transgender people, like all people, have a right to self-determination, safety and respect. We call on our lawmakers to pass legislation that funds restorative and transformative justice, victim's rights and accountability programs for offenders as well as community-based prevention initiatives and public education that works to counter the stereotypes and misinformation at the root of hate violence. We call on the people of Colorado and the rest of the country to stand up, speak out, and organize to create safer communities where we are all free to live our lives without the fear of violence.

Reaction To Andrade Trial

Zapata Family Statement

read by Angie's brother Gonzalo Zapata

“Angie was my sister.

“She was a member of our family. We loved her very much, and we will miss her every day. Every day and every night our mom has to deal with great pain of ... one of her babies being buried. Every day our siblings and I reach for the phone and realize we’ll never hear her voice. There’s no answer anymore.

“A part of our family is missing, stolen from us. Angie was 18, her life was just beginning. She was brave, she had guts, she had courage, and she was beautiful, fun and loving. She was our little sister.

“Through the last week, we’ve watched as our sister Angie was lied about in court, angrily as the defense presented an image of my sister that wasn’t true. Their strategy of tearing down my sister to make a monster look better will not work.

“It is clear: Angie was our sister, an aunt and a daughter. Life was sometimes difficult for her, and we learned along with her to understand she was born a girl with a body that was wrong for her.

“Above all else, she was honest. It took such courage to be who she was. She was strong, there was no reason to believe my sister was anything but strong and honest with everyone.

“This week, we are deeply saddened as we witnessed graphic details about the last few minutes of my sister’s life. A big brother is supposed to protect his little sister. It breaks my heart to think there was nothing I could do.

“My sisters, Monica and Ashley, when they saw what this monster had done, they wanted to hold her, to comfort her and make her feel better. It was hard to realize nothing could have been done.

“He stole something so precious from us.

“Only a monster can look at a beautiful 18-year-old and beat her to death. This monster not only hit my sister, but continued to beat her head in over and over and over until her head was crushed in. He left her there to die.

“He’ll (never) understand how angry we are at him and how much he has hurt us. This past week and half, we’ve seen attorneys working their hardest to seek justice for my sister. ...

“We are grateful Colorado has tough laws that make it clear that attacking people because of anti-gender bias will be taken seriously. It will be prosecuted aggressively ... in Weld County.

“In memory of Angie, we call on Colorado’s leaders to pass a federal hate crime law to protect everyone.

“Justice was achieved. A message was sent loud and clear that crimes targeting LGBT will not be tolerated in Colorado ...

“Remember her as we do, as a beautiful, wonderful, precious teenager. She would want us to remember the happy times in her life. And make the world a better place.

“We will always love you Angie and we will always miss you, mija.

“Thank you!”



GLAAD

New York, NY, April 22, 2009 – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today responded to the verdict in the murder case of Angie Zapata. Angie was a transgender woman who was brutally murdered in 2008. Today the Colorado jury found Allen Andrade guilty on four counts including first-degree murder and hate crime charges.

"Today's verdict was about justice for Angie Zapata, although no verdict will ever be able to heal the tragic loss experienced by Angie's family," said Neil G. Giuliano, President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

"The past few months have offered Greeley residents, as well as people throughout Colorado and across the nation, an opportunity to better understand transgender lives and the horrifying reality of anti-transgender violence. Media coverage of this case has played a vital role in broadening that understanding, and it has helped more people understand the importance of a fully inclusive hate crime law like Colorado's."

Radio Podcast This Weekend

This weekend's latest episode of the Womanist Musings show will feature Crystal Ann Gray and Ethan St. Pierre. We'll be talking about the just concluded Andrade trial.

So tune in live at 8 PM EDT to have me and Renee 'tell you something good' and infotain you at the same time.

As always with our blogtalkradio podcast, if you can't listen live, you can always listen later at your leisure.

For those of you who can listen live, you can join in the conversation at (347)326-9452 or join our chat room. From time to time we will ask our guests a question that comes straight from you peeps in the chat room.

So join us this Saturday April 25, from 8-9 PM EDT.

Yes Perez, You ARE A Representative Of The Gay Community

I'm not a representative of the gay community, in the same way that being Cuban, I'm not representative of the Latino community.

I just speak for myself. And I'm Perez Hilton, Rick Sanchez. I can be offensive. I don't have to be politically correct. I can call her the B-word.

Perez Hilton, April 2009

One of the major errors of the GLBT community is they continue to forget that once you declare that you're gay or transition, you are a minority and the old 'rugged individualist' rules no longer apply to you.

As a matter of fact, in the Houston GLBT community we used to have signs posted in many GLBT clubs that stated:

What I do reflects on you
What you do reflects on me
What WE do reflects on the ENTIRE gay community.

It's something we already know in the African-American community, but it reminded people of the fact that whether you like it or not, the parent society will look at you as a representative of the marginalized community and your behavior better be on point lest you paint the entire community in a negative light.

One the continued problems of this movement and a reason it continues to have PR problems is the consistent failure to realize that you ARE a minority and the rules you USED to operate under are different.

You have to be cognizant of the fact that every GLBT person is a potential ambassador to the community. It's even more important to remember that point when the media spotlight is on you. When the unblinking eye of a camera is on or a tape recorder is running for a print interview, at that moment you are a representative of the GLBT community.

And as a former employee of GLAAD Hilton should know that better than anyone.

Yeah, what Carrie Prejean said was jacked up on many levels. I was even more pissed off about the 'in my country' comment that got lost in this dustup over her opinion on same gender marriage.

You had a perfect poster child for bigotry right here, but Perez Hilton fracked it up by arrogantly going too far with his criticism of Ms. Prejean.

Calling her a 'dumb bitch' was out of line. You do not have the right as testosterone based lifeform, be you gay, straight or trans to call any woman the b-word. Hilton then compounded the mistake by arrogantly stating on an international network the next day that you have the right to be offensive. I sincerely doubt you'd feel the same way if someone called you the derogatory terms for a Latino or the f-word.

That was Grade A stupid.

You also forgot the element of race that's always bubbling under the surface in American life. A Latino publicly calling a White woman the b-word ain't gonna fly.

Perez Hilton played right into the meme of the 'selfish gay male' because he grossly overreacted instead of blasting her for the comment without being offensive, then backing off and letting her get justifiably whacked in the court of public opinion.

But because he didn't, Prejean now has a plausible argument she can peddle to the Faux watching sheeple that the 'mean gay blogger' cost me the pageant, and Hilton's reprehensible antics have now turned Carrie Prejean into an aggrieved poster child for the Reichers to use as a baton to beat the community with instead of the inarticulate bigot she really is.

Gee thanks Perez, way to go.

The bottom line is that your actions, positively or negatively, DO have an effect on the entire gay community, even if you don't think so.

Guilty!

In case you have not heard Allen Andrade was found guilty of all counts including 1st degree murder and hate crime. He also was found guilty of auto theft, identity theft, and starting riots in the jail. The 1st degree murder has a mandatory life sentence with no parole and the others will give him another 60 years. Total is life +60. This case set president with the hate crime conviction on the murder of a transgender person. It was justice served, however we reached this point because of the taking of a precious life.


Crystal Ann Gray
Volunteer Transgender Advocate
LGBT Center of Colorado


TransGriot Note: Thanks to Crystal Ann Gray for her hard work over the last few days putting together these trial recaps.

Black Transpeople's Burden

"It is a burden of Black people that we have to do more than talk."
Rep. Barbara Jordan (D-TX) 1992

My fellow Houstonian uttered those words over a decade and a half ago, but they ring true for every person of African descent. For the last two centuries we've had the burden of having to do more than just pay lip service to the ideas of freedom and equality for all.

We've had to sometimes put our lives on the line for it in addition to march, shed blood, write about, orate, agitate and litigate as well.

As a transperson of African descent I don't have the luxury of disengaging from the battle for transgender civil rights because I'm 'stressed' over the tidal waves of bad news that come at regular intervals as some people do.

I'm helping to fight a two-front war not only for overall societal respect, but also to garner that same respect in my African-American family as well.


Since my skin color didn't change and as far as I'm concerned my Black Card is still in good standing, I also have to fight the same issues that my African descended cisgender sisters and brothers labor against in terms of police brutality, unequal justice, racism, sexism, and all of the other ills and isms that plague our community.

So no, I can't focus too long on the happy-happy joy-joy aspects of transition, not when Black transwomen are disproportionately targets along with our Latina transsisters for anti-transgender violence.

My transition along with those of my African descended transbrothers and transsisters is a reality based one. If talking about real life issues upsets some people's delicate sensibilities to the point they can't handle reading the truth on this blog about transgender life being harsh and unfair sometimes, then that's too bad.

I also look at many issues through an African flavored prism. That means my take isn't going to always line up neatly with the predominately WP flavored groupthink.

As the late poet Gwendolyn Brooks said, 'Truth tellers are not always palatable. There's a preference for candy bars."

We have people that hate us enough they want us to die. Ignoring that fact or drowning it in melted white chocolate won't make it go away.

As Black transpersons we are always in combat mode. When we step away from the civil rights battlefield for R and R, we have to keep our rifles loaded, boots shined, combat fatigues by our bedside ready to put on and be ready to step back into combat at a moment's notice.

That's just life as a minority for you folks new to that status, and it's the burden we Black transpeople share with our African descended cisgender brothers and sisters as well.

Colorado Anti Violence Program Press Release

TransGriot Note: The press release from the Colorado Anti-Violence Project

Zapata Family and CAVP will make statements

Greeley, CO - April 22, 2009

The prosecution and defense teams have rested their cases in the trial of Allen Ray Andrade, who is accused of killing Angie Zapata in her Greeley apartment last July. Closing arguments are expected Wednesday morning and the case will likely go to the jury around noon.

The family of Angie Zapata will not comment about the verdict immediately after it is returned but will make a statement shortly thereafter. The Colorado Anti-Violence Program will respond to the verdict immediately following the family's statement approximately one-half hour after the verdict is announced in the lobby outside of Courtroom 11 where the trial has occurred.

"This is an emotionally difficult time for the family," said Kelly Costello, director of advocacy for the Colorado Anti-Violence Program. "For that reason, the family has requested their privacy be respected immediately after the verdict. They ask that the media please be present for their statement and recognize that that will be their only statement for the day."

About Colorado Anti-Violence Program

The Colorado Anti-Violence Program has been dedicated to eliminating violence within and against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities in Colorado, and providing the highest quality services to survivors since 1986. CAVP provides direct services including crisis intervention, information, and referrals for LGBTQ victims of violence 24 hours a day.

The CAVP also provides technical assistance, training, and education for community organizations, law enforcement, and mainstream service providers on violence issues affecting the LGBTQ community. The most common types of violence they respond to are hate crimes and partner abuse, as well as cases that involve random violence, sexual assault, and HIV-motivated violence.

LGBTQ victims of crimes or those who have witnessed a crime are encouraged to call our 24 hour free and confidential hotline at 303-852-5094 or 1-888-557-4441 or visit our website at http://www.coavp.org/.

Andrade Trial-Tuesday Update

TransGriot Note: Crystal Ann Gray is doing trial updates for the LGBT Center of Colorado and I'm thrilled to post her commentary here on the blog. You'll get a chance to hear her and Ethan St Pierre's commentary this Saturday about the trial in Renee and I's next episode of our Womanist Musings podcast.

Tuesday, April 21

Not much has really happened of significance this morning. The rest of the jailhouse tapes were played. I almost fell asleep while they were playing.

There was testimony by several witnesses on the content of the cell phone material as far as phone calls and number of text messages. There were no actual text messages that they could retrieve. Since about 1055am there has been a witness from the Greeley PD (detective) who has been testifying about his involvement in the case. Also, they played the police interview with Andrade at the Thornton, Colorado PD. After that DVD it was time for lunch. The prosecution is to finish up today.


Afternoon Session

This afternoon testimony continued with the detective on the stand. The detective just testified about what was already known. The prosecution rested their case and the defense started theirs. Before the defense started they tried to get the first degree charge and hate crime charge thrown out. The prosecution defended themselves and told the judge that there was enough reasonable doubt for the charge to stand. THE JUDGE AGREED!!

The defense motion to get rid of the 1st degree murder charge and hate crime charge was denied. The defense then started with their witnesses which amounted to nothing. At one point there was a witness on the stand and she testified that her and Angie went to a club (trying to show she would pick up straight men). On cross examine by the prosecution they asked if the nights that her and Angie went there was LGBT night. She said yes and the prosecution asked no more questions. I heard a big sigh coming from the defense table after that.

Anyway, the jury comes back tomorrow for closing arguments which are to be done by noon. Then the jury will get food delivered for lunch and will start deliberation.

Meanwhile, the judge and the 2 sides are working on a 30 page instruction sheet for the jury. I will be back there at 8am and will keep you updated throughout the day as much as possible.


Crystal Ann Gray
Volunteer Transgender Advocate
LGBT Center of Colorado

How's Your T-Dar?

One of the issues that goes hand in hand with how well we are blending in with society is the concept similar to our gay and lesbian cousins of 'gaydar'.

We call it T-dar, and it's our alleged ability to pick out a transperson as they're out and about in the world based on our insider knowledge to transgender issues and other myriad characteristics.

There was one day several years ago I was visiting a transgender friend in New York and she challenged me to a test of my T-dar abilities by screening one of the Maury Povich 'Can You Tell' shows he does during sweeps month.



I got nine out of ten. I also didn't tell my friend I was 90% percent because many of those transwomen on that particular show I'd seen in various places on the Net, or were transgender porn world celebs like Allanah Starr.

Just like 'gaydar', it's an inexact science. Sometimes you're dead on target in terms of picking out transpeeps, and other times you are so far off base it can lead to some very embarrassing moments.

It can also lead to moments that can put you in danger, whether you are a cisgender or transgender woman.

A few years ago in Louisville we had an incident in which a six foot tall broad shouldered white woman with a short haircut was accosted by several inebriated white males, peppered with accusatory derogatory insults of either being a transwoman or a lesbian and nearly attacked before a bystander came to her rescue.

The ironic thing was that she was attending the Southern Baptist Theological seminary at the time, a place and a religious denomination which has pimped anti-GLBT hatred for right wing political reasons.

T-dar basically speaks to the point that I've noted over and over again that we are a blend of characteristics from mommy and daddy. I know 5'4" girls that wear double digit shoe sizes and men who have faces and hand sizes in what would be considered the feminine range.

We all have something about us that is assumed to be part of the other gender, and cultural obsessing over it needs to cease and desist.

Dear Haters

Dear Haters,
You have many names, but you nattering nabobs of negativity gorging yourself on Hateraid and Hater Tots know who you are.

I occasionally monitor your blogs to see what you're up to and get a good laugh out of it. When I read your lame attacks I consider myself in good company.

I remind myself that throughout world history there were people blessed with visionary foresight and thinking who were similarly denigrated for simply wishing to do the right thing and expand civil rights coverage for their people while educating others about the mutual intersectionality of the issues involved.

While I'm not claiming to be in the class of a W.E.B. DuBois, a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr or an Audre Lorde, I'm on this Earth at this particular time and blessed with specific talents. I believe I need to give it my best efforts to help accomplish the task of integrating transgender people in society's mainstream while you peeps on the wrong side of the moral arc of history keep wandering in the swamp of privilege fueled ignorance.

I'm not going to be sidetracked by your snide comments, your faith-based ignorance, racism, and mind boggling stupidity just because it makes you feel more like a man or a woman to do so.

I don't have time, nor will I waste precious positive energy jousting with you. I have a blog to build, people to educate on transgender issues, a community to uplift and positive people to interface with who do wish to learn and grow as human beings.


Have a blessed day,
The TransGriot

Erie, PA Cop Joking About Murdered Man

If you wonder why the African-American and other minority communities have the negative attitudes about the po-po's we do, peep this video of an Erie, PA cop making jokey-jokes about a just-murdered man and mocking the man's grieving mother.

"We're looking at it like, 'One less drug dealer to deal with,'" the Erie, PA, police officer says. "Cool." The murder victim, described as a loving father, had no history of drug violations, according to news reports.

The NAACP isn't laughing.

There are too many police offices who have attitudes like this toward the communities they are patrolling. Those attitudes can have deadly consequences for the people living in those neighborhoods and lead to outrages like the New Year's Day shooting of unarmed Oscar Grant by transit police in Oakland; the police shooting of Robert Tolan on his front lawn in Bellaire, Texas; and the questionable death of high school football player Billie Joe Johnson, killed in what was described as a "routine traffic stop" in Lucedale, Mississippi.

Bigots with badges exacerbate the problems of racial profiling, the high rate of unsolved murders in African American communities, police brutality and other forms of unequal justice for African Americans and Latinos.

There are two bills that have been filed to provide long-needed regulation of harsh and careless police actions throughout the United States called the End Racial Profiling Act and the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act. The NAACP is asking that you e-mail your congressperson and ask them to co-sponsor these acts.

The NAACP is also asking people to e-mail Erie, PA mayor Joe Sinnott and ask him to order an immediate independent investigation into the practices and policies of the Erie police department and to establish an independent civilian review board to investigate citizen complaints.

Andrade Trial-Monday Recap

TransGriot Note: Much love and deep appreciation to Crystal Ann Gray for these updates. She's observing the trial for the LGBT Center of Colorado.

Monday, April 20

Hello everyone from Greeley, Colorado.
The trial started this morning with testimony of a forensic investigator. The jury got to see more pics of Angie's battered body. He testified that the injuries were from blunt trauma and that it was a homicide.

He also testified that Angie had many fractured skull pieces on her right side along with bruising by the eyelid and eye. She also had bruising and bleeding just between the lid and the eyeball. The rest of the testimony concerned establishing the trail of receipts of the stolen debit card and also this morning was the court tape recording in which Angie was in court for her traffic citation and we heard the call JUSTIN ZAPATA on that recording. Just before lunch Angie (the former girlfriend of Andrade) was on the stand and is expected to go back on after lunch. THIS IS SOMETHING TO WATCH!!!

She is very nervous and I have already caught her in some lies. She still has feelings for Andrade and I believe that they will be playing the jail recordings between him and her. This will be an interesting afternoon. Also, the Judge on lunch break will be reviewing transcripts from the web page Mocospace that the prosecution has obtained from that site. These are from Angie. The defense is trying to say that they are hearsay and should not be admissible. We will soon find out. Court starts at 130pm. Inform you all later.


Afternoon Update

This afternoon did prove to be interesting. Before I get to that I did forget to mention that the alleged murder weapon (the missing fire extinguisher) was brought into evidence. It was found alongside the highway two months after the murder occurred. The Mocospace text from Angie's site was not allowed into evidence.

However, another ex-girlfriend of Andrade was on the stand. Her name is Felicia. She was also on recorded tapes from conversations with Andrade from jail. There are three interesting points to her testimony and tapes so far. First, she testified that Andrade when angry snaps. This would be bad except the way she said it sounded to me like it was rehearsed. After all, he spent two weeks with her after killing Angie and was the girlfriend he gave two of Angie's purses to.

Second, in the taped conversation she mentions that Andrade was on the Mocospace in the BI-SEXUAL area. Also, she asked Andrade if she had to be tested for anything (referring to STD's) and he replied that nothing ever got that far. He had claimed to have had oral sex with Angie.The agent with the Crime Lab who did DNA testing on some evidence came up with (what I believe) is a significant finding. The police sent to the lab a pink vibrator and it had a significant amount of DNA on it that belonged to Andrade. To give you some information the Agent testified that the only way to get that much DNA on the vibrator was by semen, vaginal secretions, or through anal penetration. The defense tried to say that maybe sweat on the hands could produce that much, but the Agent said very highly unlikely.

Trial starts tomorrow at 830 am with Felicia on the stand and more jailhouse tapes to listen to. The prosecution is supposed to rest their case tomorrow. Possibly in the morning.

Crystal Ann Gray
Volunteer Transgender Advocate
LGBT Center of Colorado

Andrade Trial - Crystal's Snowed In

TransGriot Note: Much love and deep appreciation to Crystal Ann Gray for these updates. She's observing the trial for the LGBT Center of Colorado.

Friday, April 17

Hello! I am at home and not at the courthouse due to a snowstorm. I am watching the case at home and it appeared to me today that the judge cleared the courtroom. The reason is that video and pictures that were taken from the crime scene and autopsy were private.

As I watch this on TV I saw a poll where 70% believed that the agree with the hate crime additional charge. Most people leaving comments at the CNN.com/crime (also where you can find live streaming video of the trial) said that it is her fault if she did not tell him. However, the prosecutor says she is able to show that he knew 36hrs before he killed her. So those that believe he did not know about her transgender status may have to eat their words.

CNN also did an on street interview with people on the street and asked them about the tolerance of transgender people in the US. Most said one of two things. Either that it depended where you live or that there is not enough tolerance by the general population toward transgender people. This is the latest and I will keep you all informed if there is any more interesting news.

Crystal Ann Gray
Volunteer Transgender Advocate
LGBT Center of Colorado

Still Missing 'Lufer'

April 20 has a lot of negativity associated with it in terms of being Adolf Hitler's birthday and the anniversary date of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, CO. The 10th anniversary of that event is being marked today.

But it's also the birthday of one of my favorite singers in Luther Vandross, who was born in New York on this date in 1951.

He's been gone from us since July 1, 2005, but for those of us who bought his albums, got our groove on or conceived our children by candlelight with his voice in the background, got married with someone trying to sing one of his songs or attended his sold out concerts, we definitely love and miss him.







'Lufer' was a once in a generation kind of singer, and this legend was taken away from us far too soon.

Tami's Podcast Now Archived

Thanks to Tami of What Tami Said for the kind invitation to participate in yesterday's podcast along with Renee of Womanist Musings and AJ Plaid of The Cruel Secretary.

This was one of those free ranging discussions that could have gone on all afternoon and all night. We only had an hour an a half to try to tackle the complex subject of Black femininity, and tackle it we did.

The podcast is now up along with links to various posts from all of our blogs that talk about the subject.

So if you didn't get to hear the live show yesterday, check it out at your leisure.

Just Because You're Younger Doesn't Mean I Can't Learn Something From You

One lesson I was taught by my parents growing up was even though I possessed off the charts intelligence, in order to keep me from developing the arrogance that can sometimes accompany that level of intelligence, I was told and have observed that there's always someone on the planet who is smarter than you.

I like surrounding myself in my circle of friends with people of not only diverse backgrounds that I can have intelligent, thought provoking conversations with, but of different ages who can teach me something as well.

Sometimes those people are younger than me.

Just because I've lived longer on Planet Earth doesn't necessarily mean I'm automatically more intelligent than a twenty or thirtysomething. I have a life experience advantage on them, but if I sit down and have a conversation with a young brother or sister who has some profound insightful knowledge to impart to me, I'm in shut up and listen mode.

We must remember that the twenty and thirtysomethings grew up being immersed in information and are far more tech savvy than those of us whose first computer was a Radio Shack TRS-80.

I take time to listen to the younglings. They may have a fresh way of looking at a problem or have come up with new tactics to achieve an old goal.

If you're too busy dismissing their idea simply because the person proposing it doesn't have more birthdays under their belt, then you run the risk of driving them away and you and the cause you're championing never having the benefit of their wisdom again.

One of my goals has always been that I want to continue to grow and evolve as a person throughout my lifespan. Sometimes the people that will help you achieve that goal happen to be part of Generations X, Y and Z and not the Pepsi or Greatest Generation.

When they wish to speak to me, they'll have my undivided attention.

Why Black Transgender Role Models Are Important

Wyatt T. Walker wrote in a December 1967 Negro Digest article, "Rob a people of their sense of history and you take away hope."

So when I stated that I wish I'd had pioneering transgender role models to look up to of African descent growing up like white transwomen have with Christine Jorgensen, April Ashley, and Phyllis Frye, I was speaking not only from a personal frame of reference, but from a historical one as well.

Yes, those people and many others have wonderful qualities that anyone can admire and emulate. But they also have in common the fact they are white.

That hasn't changed even though there are three African-American transgender people who have Trinity Awards on their mantels. That hasn't changed even though there are countless examples of transgender people of color stepping up, being intimately involved in shaping the history of this community and blazing trails such as the Alexander John Goodrums and Roberta Angela Dees of the world.

I'm lamenting the history that either hasn't or is just beginning to be told.

The point is that a young Euro-American transkid always has people representing them that affirm, reflect and share their cultural heritage. They log into computers for information on transgender issues, and the websites and the history they tell about the community disproportionately reflects them.

Go to the library or search for books on transgender issues, and there's a plethora of books, be they fiction or non-fiction, written from their point of view. They even see themselves reflected in the few movies and TV shows that have been done with transgender characters in them.

Now if you're a person of color, it's a different world.

Black transwomen have been whitewashed out of the transgender community narrative despite playing major roles in crafting it. We're rarely interviewed by the MSM, have books written by us, about us, or for us, asked to speak at colleges on transgender issues, or reflected in the predominately white middle-upper middle class leadership ranks of the community.

Don't even get me started talking about the images of African descended transwomen.

So when people consider me a role model or tell me they're honored to talk to me, I realize the seriousness of it. It's something I wish I'd had growing up, and it's the same lament shared by current day transwomen now in their twenties and thirties.

It's important in any marginalized community, especially as a transperson of color to have role models that share your ethnic heritage. They give you a concrete example of the fact that you aren't alone for starters. Their existence lets you know they are proud to be who they are, a roadmap to living your own proud life and the strength to persevere against adversity.

It also lets you know that you have a valued history that we have an obligation to defend and build up to greater heights. It also gives you the sense that you are another runner in the relay race of life and it's your turn to pick up the baton and carry it forward.

That has what's been denied us through intentional and unintentional whitewashing of transgender history, our community being disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS and taking the brunt of the hate violence directed at transgender people.

It has also served as Wyatt Walker's quote states, taken away our hope.

It's a negative pattern that needs to be reversed, and it starts with us. We have to claim and fiercely defend our history, trumpet our accomplishments, and document what's happening for current and future generations to read as well.

I want future generations of cisgender people inside and outside my African descended community to know not only what Alexander John Goodrum, Roberta Angela Dee, Dionne Stallworth, Kylar Broadus, Dawn Wilson, Dr. Marisa Richmond, Lorrainne Sade Baskerville, some transgender blogger who's the 2006 IFGE Trinity Award winner and many others accomplished in their time here on Earth to build this community, it's important for future generations of transkids to know this as well.

What Tami Said Podcast Appearance Today

Renee and I along with AJ Plaid from the The Cruel Secretary will be discussing the subject of Black femininity on The Best of What Tami Said podcast at 4 PM EDT today.

So if you wish to hear an informative and entertaining chat or participate in the chat room, you can either call in your questions at (646)716-4672 or surf over to the show page.

On the next installment of our Womanist Musings show that takes place on April 25 at 8 PM EDT, Renee and I will be talking to IFGE's Ethan St. Pierre and Crystal Ann Gray from the GLBT Center of Colorado about the ongoing trial of Allen Andrade, the accused killer of Angie Zapata. You can call us at (347) 326-9452 or join our chat room this weekend to ask questions of our guests or comment.

As with all blogtalkradio shows, if you can't listen live, you can always listen to it at your leisure by clicking on the link to the show website.