Ohio House Passes TBLG Non-Discrimination Bill

History was made in Columbus, OH yesterday as HB 176, the Equal Housing and Employment Act passed the Democratically controlled House by a 56-38 vote.

All the Democratic members of the Ohio House of Representatives voted for the bill except one. Rep. Lorraine Fende didn't cast a vote. It also garnered yes votes from five Republican representatives.

The EHEA would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations in Ohio, and its passage in the House marks the first time a pro-LGBT bill passed either chamber of the Ohio Statehouse.

The Ohio Democratic Party sent out this press release after the passage of the EHEA.

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Ohio Democratic Party Praises Passage of H.B. 176
Bill Prohibits Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity


COLUMBUS – Today, the Ohio Democratic Party praised the passage of H.B. 176, the Equal Housing and Employment Act, a bill to prohibit discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. All House Democrats supported the bill. It is the first bill that was passed in the Statehouse when legislators returned to session today and the first bill in our state’s history that would expand rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Ohioans.


“With today’s historic vote, we are one step closer to ensuring that Ohioans will not be fired or kicked out of their homes just because of who they are or who they love,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern.

“The fact that all House Democrats supported H.B. 176 is a testament to our Party’s commitment to equality for all Ohioans. I congratulate Equality Ohio and their coalition partners, the Human Rights Campaign and Stonewall Democrats, as well as Representative Dan Stewart, House Leadership and all who worked so diligently to make passage of this bill possible. We urge Senate President Bill Harris to move it through committee and to a vote on the Senate floor.”

The LGBT Caucus of the Ohio Democratic Party joined LGBT groups in working to pass this bill. The Ohio Democratic Party is the only State Party in the country with a full-time staff member dedicated to outreach to the LGBT community.

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Unfortunately the Ohio Senate is GOP controlled, so it is highly unlikely the EHEA is going to pass there.

But the gang at Equality Ohio, LGBT Democrats, supporters and Senate Democrats led by Sen. Dale Miller, D-Cleveland will give it the old college try.

Lynne Bowman, the executive Director of Equality Ohio, stated in a Columbus Examiner interview aid she is gearing up for a push in the Senate, which will include convincing Republicans that this is not a politically risky vote. However, she also realizes that, because a number of Senate Republicans are in safe seats where the only true challenge could come in a GOP primary, the bill may not see action until after the 2010 May primary.

"We've had preliminary conversations over the last few years, so we know where we need to do our work and where our opportunities are," Bowman said of the Senate.

Good luck and congratulations on getting it one step closer to becoming law in the state of Ohio.

H/T Law Dork

President Carter Tells It Like It T-I-S Is

"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man," Carter said. "I live in the South, and I've seen the South come a long way, and I've seen the rest of the country that share the South's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African Americans."

Carter continued, "And that racism inclination still exists. And I think it's bubbled up to the surface because of the belief among many white people, not just in the South but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It's an abominable circumstance, and it grieves me and concerns me very deeply."

Boo yah!

I always loved Jimmy Carter and felt like he has gotten a raw deal in terms of his presidency. Had Raygun not reversed many of his energy policies we'd be in much better shape and a more energy efficient nation now,

Read 'em and weep 'white' wing.

Congrats To The 2009 Best Black Blog Nominees

Thanks to JasmyneCannick.com I discovered that one of the blogs I guest post on, Racialicious, was nominated in the Best Black Blog Category for a Black Press All Star Award.

The 5th Annual Black Press All Star Awards event will take place on Friday, September 18 in Harlem, NY.

Unfortunately the September 10 voting deadline has already passed, but here's the full slate of nominees for the Best Black Blog category.

Black Agenda Report
Jasmyne Cannick
Mario Armstrong
Opinionated Black Woman
Racialicious


Congratulations to both Latoya and Jasmyne for being nominated. While we don't get into blogging for the awards, it sure is nice when people recognize the hard work you put in to make your blog a quality one that people will want to visit.

It's even more rewarding when your own people recognize the work you do.

Yo Right Wingers, This Is What 1.5 Million People Looks Like

I've been cracking up over the last three days about the right wing lies coming fast and furiously about their Washington 'Hate On Obama' protest last Saturday.

Matt Kibbe, the head of FreedomWorks and the organizer of the "Tea Party" protest in Washington falsely claimed while on stage at the event ABC News estimated the turnout at 1 million to 1.5 million people.

They've even gone as far as to try to circulate on right wing blogs an old photo claiming it was their hatefest. In the interim their leaders and the attendees of these tea parties reveal what we already know.

They hate President Obama.



The very next day ABC News rebutted that claim on their website and said they reported the DC Fire Department estimate of 60,000 to 70,000 people.

Nice try people. If you 'white' wingers really want to know what 1.5 million people look like, you need only to dial back the clock a few months to January 20 and the Obama presidential inauguration.

The crowd size was estimated by the DC Fire Department at 1.8 million

You only make yourselves look more pathetic every day.

Where's The Civility? You're Kidding, Right?

I was shaking my head the other day when CNN and other outlets continued to play Serena's outburst at the just concluded US Open, Kanye West's trip out on Taylor Swift and Joe Wilson's dissing of the POTUS.

Then they asked the question where's the civility in American society?

You're kidding, right? Where in Hades have y'all been for the last twenty years? In a coma?

The conservative movement, the Religious Reich and right wing shock jocks have been attacking, denigrating, falsely labeling, demonizing, slandering and shouting down people for decades and now you say it's a problem?

Where was your concern over Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and a cavalcade of right wing idiots making patently false but mean spirited statements?

In Michael Savage's case, his hate speech has earned him the distinction of being banned from traveling to Britain.

Where was MSM outrage when over the month of August you said nothing as the GOP Know-Nothings turned town hall meetings on the health care issue into WWE free for alls?

This is a question and a problem you should have highlighted and called out twenty years ago. You're late.

Quit Trying To Muzzle Me

One of the things I constantly battle as a African descended person trying to tell my stories or speak my mind about issues is vanilla flavored privilege filled folks deploying an array of silencing techniques.

They attempt to shut down or divert the conversation from whatever points I was attempting to make.

Just because what I or any other POC has to say makes you uncomfortable or does not neatly line up with your worldview doesn't make it wrong.

It also doesn't give you the right to attempt to shout it down.

I'm not 'racist' when I call out whiteness, the insidious way it operates in our society, instances of white peeps behaving badly or vanilla flavored privileged peeps saying stuff that is, let's say it, racist.

Speaking of racist, that stunt when you post epithet filled comments while hiding behind anonymous screen names is so nekulturny.

If your pointed sheet wearing behind is bold enough to say it, be bold enough to claim it.

I love it when you call on the mythical Black 'friend' who just happens to have a viewpoint that is diametrically opposed to mine and lines up neatly with yours.

Um, that's the oldest trick in the book, and doesn't fly because conservative Black peeps are currently about 2% of our voting population.

The likelihood that you know a Black person that just happens to have a viewpoint that neatly lines up with yours is about the same odds as the LA Clippers winning back-to-back NBA championships.

Oh yeah, don't try the fake comments trick either. You know, the one where you claim you're Black, biracial, a 'minority' (dead giveaway) _______________ (fill in the blank).

But you post a talking points filled commentary that sounds like you got it from Rush Limbaugh or WingNutDaily, express thoughts that put you in the Clarence Thomas or Condoleezza Rice sellout club or stick in links that go directly to right wing websites.

Writing styles are as individual as fingerprints. There are certain historical, racial, cultural and gender nuances that you vanilla flavored poseurs don't get or miss that will always get you race (and gender) perpetrators busted.

You can personally attack me by calling me, 'angry', 'emotional' or whatever euphemism du jour you're using at that moment, but it still doesn't change the fact that the crap happened and I'm calling it out.

So you can chill with your weak attempts to use various silencing techniques to muzzle me. I'm still going to call your BS out when I see it and when it happens.

If you want a meaningful dialogue on various issues, it can't be a one way conversation. Just as you wish for me to listen to what you have to say, I need, deserve and demand the same respect.

Arlington ISD Cancels Jerrydome Trip

There were several school districts in Texas and at least five other states didn't show President Obama's education speech to schoolchildren last week.

Arlington ISD was among the North Texas school districts who opted out. They cited not wanting to disrupt already prepared teacher lesson plans as their excuse for not doing so.

So when word leaked out the AISD was planning to bus approximately 600 fifth graders on September 21 to a 2011 Super Bowl kickoff event at Cowboys Stadium featuring George W. Bush, the reaction in the Metroplex and nationally was swift and immediate.

In the wake of the developing media firestorm, the AISD canceled the field trip to see former President George W. Bush.

"In retrospect, I can see how the district’s decisions concerning these two events could be seen as favoring one event over another," AISD Superintendent McCullough said. "I sincerely regret that this chain of events has occurred and brought negative attention to our district. I apologize that my decisions on behalf of the district have disappointed or hurt people."

We native Texans all know that North Texas is mostly right wing territory.

The initial action of not showing the Obama speech was wrapped in the foul stench of partisan GOP politics. Then you prepare to bus AISD kids to another event for the previous (white) president.

It not only appears hypocritical, but injects the problematic element of race into the situation. It also smacks of unfairness in addition to giving the impression that AISD was politically partisan.

An urban school district such as AISD, especially one with significant POC enrollment can't afford that perception,

Glad Superintendent McCullough recognized the PR mess and corrected the mistakes.

Williams Sisters Win 2009 US Open Doubles Title

Serena shook off Saturday's semifinal drama, the $10,000 fine it cost her and joined her sister Venus in winning their first US Open doubles title in a decade.

"I'd like to thank the fans for supporting me through everything," she said to applause from a few thousand fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium. "I really, really love you guys and never want to have a bad image for you guys."

The Williams sisters made quick work of the world's number one ranked and tournament number one seeded doubles team in Liezel Huber and Cara Black.

It took Big Sis and Little Sis only 89 minutes to defeat Black and Huber 6-2, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium and claim the $420,000 first prize.

In the process of extending their unbeaten record in Grand Slam doubles finals to 10-0, they captured their third Grand Slam doubles title this year and 10th overall in their careers.

The only Grand Slam doubles title that eluded them was the French Open.

"I have a great partner," Venus said. "I believe in her just as much as I believe in myself."

Patrick McEnroe, whose brother John was notorious for tennis meltdowns during the 80's tried to press the issue during the post match interview.

The crowd started booing until Big Sis stepped in.

"I think what the crowd is saying is, 'Patrick, let's move on,'" Venus said

Yep, let's move on to 2010 and see if the sisters can catch the team of Natasha Zvereva and Gigi Fernandez, who captured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and eventually Navratilova and Shriver.

UH Cougars Ranked Number 21 In AP Football Poll

Thanks to their 45-35 victory over the then number 5 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, my alma mater's football team is ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since since September 17, 1991.

That was during the run and shoot era of Cougar football. Our quarterback was David Klingler and we were ranked number 10 in the nation at the time with a huge nationally televised game against the Miami Hurricanes coming up.

We got blown out 40-10 in the Orange Bowl, tumbled to number 21 in the rankings, then got beat down the next week by Illinois 51-10 to fall out of the Top 25 and start what turned out to be an 18 year trip in football hell.

Through it all we were snubbed by the Big 12 (with much help from Texas), and suffered through some lousy Saturdays and an 0-11 season just eight years ago. There were agonizing losses and even calls from some people (probably Wronghorn fans) for the school to drop football or downgrade it to Division 1-AA.

But the Coogs are back on the prowl, starting the season 2-0, the first C-USA team to be ranked this year and we Cougar fans are deliriously happy about it.

I agree with the fans and alums calling for the university to give coach Sumlin a long term extension on his contract. We have the coach, let's do what it takes to keep him there hopefully as long as Bill Yeoman stayed.

We still have much football left to be played in this young 2009 season so I'm trying not to get overly enthused about how its started so far.

We're back in the AP football rankings, but as I'm painfully aware of, the hard part will be staying there.

Kalamazoo, MI TBLG Rights Ordinance Under Attack

I posted earlier this summer about the Kalamazoo, MI commissioners unanimously passing a TBLG rights ordinance on June 29 that expands legal protections for gays, lesbians and transgender citizens in the city.

But as I've pointed out before, passing TBLG rights laws is the easy part. It's defending them that's hell.

Predictably, the Forces of Intolerance mobilized and got enough validated signatures during their petition drive to force a November 3 vote on the issue.

So once again TBLG civil rights are up for a vote, and the folks in the Zoo could use some help in defending the ordinance. A organization called One Kalamazoo has been formed to spearhead the drive to defend the ordinance.

Fortunately Kalamazoo has Western Michigan University in its city limits, citizens who value the civil rights of everyone who lives in the Zoo and commissioners who see the value of this law.

The peeps in Kalamazoo, MI will need some help to preserve the law. If you're in the area, consider volunteering to help One Kalamazoo and make sure your voter registration is active.

If you're not, how about donating some cash ASAP to do so? Even if it's $5, $10 or $20, as the Obama campaign proved, thousands to hundreds of thousands of small contributions can add up quickly and give this group the resources it needs to beat back the christohaters.

The Forces of Intolerance lost in Gainesville, FL. They need to taste defeat in Kalamazoo, MI as well.

Kola Boof Podcast Up

I joined my Womanist Musings partners Allison and Renee yesterday in presenting another interesting Blogtalkradio show Sunday night and 'tellin' you something good'.

Our guest last night was author, womanist and activist Kola Boof.

She had a lot to say about multiple subjects ranging from how the Arab world and continental Africans really view African-Americans to her life living in Sudan and in the United States.

It was a interesting and informative hour and a half, and we sincerely thank Kola for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk to us.

The podcast is available here for download if you wish to listen.

Don't forget to check out our podcast on Sundays at 8 PM EDT every two weeks.

The FLOTUS Is Headed To Copenhagen

There are two weeks to go until the big International Olympic Committee meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 2 that will decide which of the final four contenders gets the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

The final four cities still in the running in this extremely tight race to secure the 2016 Games are Chicago, Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro.

The trend over the last two IOC Olympic decision meetings is for the current national head of state to personally lobby the IOC decision makers to swing the votes for their candidate city.

Then British Prime Minister Tony Blair traveled to Singapore in 2005 to help London land the 2012 Games. Then Russian President Vladimir Putin flew to Guatemala City in 2007 to push Sochi's winning bid for the 2014 Winter Games.

The Chicago 2016 bid committee hoped to have President Obama's help in Copenhagen in light of the fact that Brazil's president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has already said he'll be there, as will King Juan Carlos of Spain and Japan's group inviting incoming Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Crown Prince Naruhito to attend.

President Obama not only enthusiastically supports the Chicago group's attempt to bring the Summer Olympics back to the United States for the first time since 1996, he has taped four messages in support of the bid. He will probably do another as part of the city's final presentation.

In a message to African Olympic leaders, President Obama stated in a video, "From the beginning I have fully supported Chicago's dream of hosting the 2016 games. "If Chicago is selected for this honor we will ensure that the Olympics and Paralympic Games are a key priority for our nation...."

"You can count on our government to work as a committed partner in Chicago's quest to host a great and historic games and strengthen the Olympic movement worldwide."

But with health care reform at a critical juncture, President Obama personally called IOC President Jacques Rogge and let him know he couldn't be there.

Rogge said in a recent statement that Chicago's chances shouldn't hinge on whether Obama makes a personal appearance in Denmark.

"If they want to come, this is an honor for the IOC," Rogge said. "We'll feel honored by their presence. It would be absolutely legitimate if they go to defend the bid of their country. We are not asking for heads of state to come there.

Fear not Americans, an Obama will be in Copenhagen to charm the world and push our Olympic bid to a hopefully successful conclusion.

The First Lady will travel to Denmark along with White House adviser and former vice chair of Chicago 2016 Valerie Jarrett in advance of the critical October 2 meeting.

"It is with great pride that I will go to Copenhagen to make the case for the United States to host the 2016 Olympics." the First Lady said in a statement. "There is no doubt in my mind that Chicago would offer the world a fantastic setting for these historic games and I hope that the Olympic torch will have the chance to burn brightly in my hometown."

She's probably a better choice. She brings some international star power of her own into this event in addition to being a lifelong Chicago resident.

The proposed Olympic stadium should Chicago's bid be successful will be built on the South Side where she was born and grew up.

"I think she will represent our country extremely well as first lady, she'll represent her husband, her life partner, extremely well, and she'll represent our bid extremely well," Ryan said. "I think it's a great opportunity for us."

Mayor Richard M. Daley agreed. "Michelle's passion for Chicago is contagious," Daley said. "She will be able to share her unique perspective as to why Chicago and its residents are poised to further the Olympic movement across our country and around the world."

Ryan stated that in his travels around the world, IOC members have told him how "very, very impressed" they are with Mrs. Obama and said they hoped she'd come to Copenhagen.

Well, they're getting their wish.

Here's hoping it results in the Olympic torch relay ending with the Olympic flame being lit in a stadium on the shores of Lake Michigan in the summer of 2016.

Upset! Coogs Win!

I spent a very enjoyable afternoon watching my alma mater not only beat a Big 12 school to move to 2-0 in this young 2009 college football season, but win their first game against a top ranked opponent in 25 years.

We beat Oklahoma State 45-35 in Stillwater, OK for UH's first win against a Top 5 football program since we knocked off the hated Number 3 ranked Longhorns 29-15 in Austin on November 11, 1984.

When I was a UH student, we were a top 5 ranked program under coach Bill Yeoman. His Veer offense gobbled up yards at a prodigious rate along with wins and championships in the old Southwest Conference.

My school has fallen on hard football times since then, but may be finally turning it around under our second year coach Kevin Sumlin.

Sumlin is one of the few African-American collegiate head football coaches in what used to be known as Division 1. UH has won three consecutive encounters against ranked opponents since he arrived on campus.

The last time UH put together that long a winning streak against ranked opponents was in 1978.

Last year we won our first bowl game since 1980. This was a marquee win against a Big 12 school, a conference we feel as Cougar fans we should have been a part of from its formation.

It's already starting to get the attention of the various sports networks and college football pundits, and I'm hoping it also gets the attention of high school football players back home as well.

"For us as a program, this is a big win," UH coach Kevin Sumlin said. "It legitimizes our university and legitimizes our program. There's no doubt that one win does not make a season. But any time you can go on the road and beat a top-10 team, it really helps your confidence as a program and your pride as a university. That's more important to me than what's happened in the last 100 years."

This was a huge win, and after this bye week the competition gets even tougher as we play another Big 12 school, the Texas Tech Red Raiders September 29 at Robertson Stadium.

Congratulations Coogs, you've got this alum standing a little bit taller tonight, and I'm not using my heels to do it.

Williams Sisters In 2009 US Open Doubles Finals

For the first time in a decade, my favorite tennis playing siblings are in the US Open doubles finals.

Little Sis and Big Sis battled sustained 20 mph winds Thursday and the Russian duo of Alisa Kleybanova and Ekaterina Makarova to prevail in three sets 7-6, 3-6, 6-2.

"Good to make the final again. Encouraging and very cool," Serena said.

It put the Williams sisters in their 10th Grand Slam doubles final. A victory in the final would not only give them three of the four Grand Slam doubles titles, but would put them halfway to matching Pam Shriver's and Martina Navratilova's record of 20 Grand Slam doubles titles.

Whoever their opponent is will have to bear in mind the fact that the Williams sisters record in Grand Slam Doubles finals is a sparkling 9-0.

"Hopefully, that's a record that won't end yet," Serena said. "We really want this. I'm sure whoever we play really wants it, too."

Speaking of finals, assuming the weather is clear, Little Sis will take on Kim Clijsters at 8 PM EDT in a semifinal matchup for a spot in the finals.

Little Sis seeks to continue her march to repeat as the US Open women's singles champ and win her 12th Grand Slam singles title.

Here's hoping that this ends up as a very good weekend at Flushing Meadows for the Williams siblings.

C. Vivian Stringer Enters Basketball Hall Of Fame

Despite all the hype, Michael Jordan isn't the only person getting inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA today.

The Class of 2009 also includes David Robinson, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan and one of my fave women's basketball coaches, C. Vivian Stringer of Rutgers.

"To be a part of history and stand there and have your name in the same sentence as all those people who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame is nothing short of earth-shattering to me," Stringer said. "To think about those names and what they've done. They are even greater people than they are athletes if that's possible."

During her 38 year career spanning four decades, Stringer has led three separate teams to the Final Four and is the third winningest coach in women's college basketball.

Her 825-280 career mark puts her behind only Tennessee's Pat Summitt and Jody Conradt of Texas on the career victories list. In addition to being the 11th women's basketball coach inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, she's also a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame;

Her coaching career started in 1973 at Pennsylvania's Cheyney State University. Stringer took over a newly minted program and during her 12 years there guided the school to the Final Four in 1982.

Stringer moved on to Iowa, where she also stayed for 12 seasons. She took the Hawkeyes to the Final Four in 1993 before leaving for her current position at Rutgers.

Sports Illustrated named Stringer in 2003 one of the most 101 Influential Minorities in Sports and she has written an autobiography entitled, "Standing Tall: A Memoir of Tragedy and Triumph."

Thar tragedy included her daughter Janine contracting spinal meningitis during the year of her 1982 trip to the Final Four with Cheyney State. Her husband Bill died of a heart attack on Thanksgiving Day 1992 at age 47 during the season her Iowa squad made it to the 1993 Final Four.

She's been an inspirational figure for not only the young women she coached, but off the court as well. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in recognition of her remarkable life bestowed an honorary membership on her in 2008.

Her off the court leadership came to the forefront in 2007 in the wake of shock jock Don Imus infamous comments aimed at the team she coached.

She turned it into a teachable moment that captured the nation's attention, jump started a dialogue on the ways that women are disrespected in addition to garnering an apology to the team from Imus.

She'll be introduced at the ceremony by her good friend John Chaney. They met when he was coaching the Cheney State men's program in the late 1970's-early 80's.

"Vivian Stringer is a true gem with exceptional courage who believes success is a marathon and as you climb you should lift others up," said Chaney, "She has been my beacon."

Congratulations, Coach Stringer. Here's hoping you finally get that elusive national championship and continue to be an inspiration to young women everywhere.

Caster Semenya Case Opening Old Wounds

I was watching the track and field championships in Berlin last month when Caster Semenya won her 800m gold medal in the fifth fastest time ever run by a woman.

But as I know from my time on planet Earth, if an African descended female athlete excels in spectacular fashion, we get accused of cheating or have ‘that’s a man’ shade hurled at us.

When you combine it with the hypercompetitive world of international sports in which national pride and prestige is on the line, it was inevitable that somebody would try to find a way to knock this talented runner out of international competition, especially with the 2012 London Olympic Games on the horizon.

Gender testing for female athletes exists thanks to the blatant cheating of Nazi Germany in 1936, several former Communist bloc nations sending female athletes into competition with questionable external gender characteristics, and the East Germans feeding their female athletes steroids for more than a decade,

But in 18 year old Caster Semenya’s case, it’s ripping the scab off some old wounds. The ripple effects of this case are reverberating across the African diaspora.

For us African descended people in North America, we see it as the continued centuries old attack on the images of African descended women and our femininity.

It’s even more acute for Black women involved in sports. The Williams sisters have not only dominated the sport of tennis in the 2K’s, but these proud, statuesque ladies are making history off the court as well.

I and many other tennis fans found it quite curious when the 2009 Australian Open website omitted them from their list of the 10 Most Beautiful Women.

It wasn’t surprising that the list was full of Eastern Europeans in addition to fawning commentary about Jelena Jankovich’s ‘Number One body to go with her (then) Number One ranking’.

The old saying is beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Black women have always been seen thanks to racist myths rooted in slavery as ‘unfeminine’ vis a vis the vanilla flavored beauty standard.

If you think I’m off base, here’s a challenge for you.

Go to your favorite bookstore or drug store and head to the magazine rack. See if you can find a beauty magazine aimed at a predominately white female audience that has an African-descended woman on the cover.

And no, Oprah magazine doesn’t count.

Our continental African cousins see this in the context of the European colonial powers seeking to embarrass Africa.

Despite the fact that the current president of the Monaco based IAAF, Lamine Diack is from Senegal, the IAAF leadership since its inception in 1912 has been dominated by Europeans.

Continental Africans still haven’t forgotten how 800m runner and 2000 Olympic champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique was dogged throughout her illustrious decade long career by ‘that’s a man’ accusations despite passing test after test.

The way the Semenya case has been handled by the IAAF has only crystallized that impression on the mother Continent.

It’s probably why officials in South Africa are backing her all the way. Makhenkesi Stofile, South Africa’s sports minister said that Semenya and her family maintain she was gender-tested without her consent and that lawyers were being consulted over possible action.

In addition, Stofile has written to the IAAF demanding an apology and seeking a response to those Australian reports claiming that she’s intersex.

Yes, if he IAAF had questions, they should have quietly done those tests. Somebody leaked the info in Berlin that got this hot mess started. It’s also not a coincidence that another leak in this case results in an Australian newspaper publishing those allegations that Stofile reacted to with “shock and disgust”.

You have to feel for Semenya in this case. It has not only put her personal business out there, but has been done so in the most humiliatingly public way possible

In the meantime, her athletic future rests on the results of the gender test and an IAAF Council meeting set to take place in Monaco November 20-21.

Semenya has also received some advice and support from India’s Santhi Soundajaran, the last woman to be subjected to this type of withering international scrutiny.

“She should not let them take away her medal or allow one test to determine her fate. “She is a woman and that’s it, full stop,” Soundarajan says. “A gender test cannot take away from you who you are.”

Even if the people behind this are determined to take away her 800m world championship.


Crossposted from Feministe

Shut Up Fool! Awards-GOP Stuck On Stupid Edition

Before we get started, since today is the anniversary of the 2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack, let's take a moment to remember the people lost to that heinous crime.

Today is September 11, and once again we take time out of our week to scour the news cycle to expose the fools in our midst.

As our Shut Up Fool Awards mascot Mr. T constantly reminds us, fools are everywhere.

Doesn't it seem like there's been a bumper crop of them in the Republican Party and the conservative movement lately?

There were many worthy fools this week. Our usual triumvirate of Hannity, Beck and Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, FOX 'news', Sarah Palin, the 'birthers' and Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH).

But the landslide winner this week is Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)

This fool shouted 'You Lie' while interrupting President Obama's prime time health care speech. Then when he got lambasted for it issued a half-assed apology.

It's not the first time Wilson has exhibited signs of foot in mouth disease.

This is not the first time the Wilson has stirred controversy with his remarks.

In 2004, Wilson challenged the patriotism of Rep. Bob Finer (D-CA) by calling him “viscerally anti-American.” and was forced to walk-back his statement.

Later that year Wilson called on Sen. John Kerry to apologize for testimony the Democratic presidential candidate and Vietnam veteran gave to a Senate panel in 1971 about the Vietnam War.

“Many veterans, including myself as a veteran,” Wilson said at the time, “view John Kerry's testimony that day as one of the worst public slanders ever against the valor and character of the American military.”

That statement drew the rebuke of former Democratic senator and Vietnam veteran Max Cleland, who noted that Wilson had in fact avoided fighting in the war by receiving a student deferral.

In addition, Wilson was a staunch defender of embattled former Republican Minority Leader Tom DeLay throughout his political and legal travails.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) said about the disrespectful outburst, “Joe Wilson took our state's reputation to a new low. I thought Mark Sanford had taken it as low as it could go, but this is beyond the pale."

Rep. Clyburn, I concur with your assessment.

Rep. Joe Wilson, shut up fool!

Arlington Independent School District Hypocrisy

I love my birth state, but hate the right wing yahoos that seem hell bent on giving it a bad name.

Like Mansfield and other North Texas school districts such as Aledo, Grapevine-Colleyville and Eagle Mountain-Saginaw,, the Arlington Independent School District after complaints from right wing parents declined to broadcast President Obama's Tuesday live back to school message.

Students who wanted to hear it had to not only get permission slips for excused absences, but go to off site locations to hear the speech.

The AISD cited it didn't want to disrupt already prepared teacher lesson plans their excuse to opt out of the Obama speech, but is firing up the school buses to take kids off AISD campuses to the Jerrydome on September 21 to hear that paragon of educational excellence, George W. Bush.

Can you say hypocrisy boys and girls? Thought you could.

Can Bushie boy spell it? Probably not.

It's not surprising since the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex was Republican decades before the rest of the Lone Star State succumbed to the conservamadness.

AISD officials said it's part of a Cowboys Stadium field trip that the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee invited 28 fifth-grade classes to attend several months ago.

It's the kickoff event for their youth education program.

Those students who have permission from their parents to go to the Jerrydome will be hearing from Junior and former first lady Laura Bush, legendary Dallas Cowboys players and North Texas business and community leaders.

Cornerstone Baptist Church senior pastor Dwight McKissic, Sr. asked the question that many inquiring progressive minds around the Metroplex, the stare and the country want to know.

In a press release from his church, he asked, "I do not understand the duplicity in this situation. I believe the students and the public deserve and need to have these differences explained."

I can do that in one word for you, Pastor McKissic. It's spelled R-A-C-I-S-M.

I'm ALWAYS Ready For Some Football

I've written more than a few posts on this blog about my love of football.

It's the state religion of Texas, and whether it's high school, college or pro, a Texan doesn't care. I was in heaven last week enjoying the smorgasbord of college football games during Labor Day weekend.

It's part of our DNA to love the sport no matter what gender we are and a major piece of Texas culture.

One of the things I do miss about home (besides my favorite creole seasoned chicken) is Texas high school football.

Tonight the NFL season kicks off with a game between the defending NFL champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Traitors (oops, Titans).

Yeah, I have the Houston Texans to root for, but I still have my hate on about Bud's shady move of the Oilers to Nashville.

You have to be an original Cleveland Browns fan to understand why I won't let it go.

I grew up not only watching high school football from the stands (Go JJ Falcons) and the press boxes of the various HISD stadiums, but watching the Texas Southern University Tigers do battle with their SWAC opponents from the Astrodome and Rice Stadium press boxes as well.

The Dome press box buffet had some slamming chicken and roast beef. To me as a kid, bottomless soda cups were the best part of it.

Nah, actually it was watching those high stepping SWAC bands at the TSU games like the Ocean of Soul.

I also remember being envious (and jealous) when the Prairie View Black Foxes majorettes and TSU's Oceanettes sashayed their fine brown frames into the press box for on-air interviews to rep their schools.

I watched my beloved Cougars as a fan and later a UH student repeatedly beat the hell out of the Texas Longhorns during their days in the Southwest Conference.

Those SWC beatdowns are probably why we're not in the Big 12 now. Texas being responsible for UH not getting into the Big 12 is a major reason why I gleefully enjoy every loss for that Austin based burnt orange wearing college football team.

So yeah, I'm ALWAYS ready for some football. I'll be parked in front of my TV with my popcorn watching tonight's game and a few others from now until the BCS Championship Game and Super Bowl Sunday.

And note to the Houston Texans. Can y'all do better than 8-8 and at least make it to the NFL playoffs this year?