Transpinay Enters Philippine Big Brother House

The good news about transpeople around the world just living their lives and being positively visible just keeps on coming.

Pinay TG actually posted this on October 10, but it bears repeating anyway.

Pinay TG wrote that STRAP member Rica Paras is entering the Philippine Big Brother house. From reading the post, hell, I want to meet Rica. She's got it going on as we'd say in my old neighborhood.

There is a show website with individual profiles of the housemates that you can peruse at your leisure. Was a little irritated that they put Rica's old name out there in her profile, but hold your fire gang. STRAP is wishing to use Rica's appearance as a teachable moment for Philippine society, so let's let them handle their local business.

If they need more international firepower backing them up, Pinay TG and STRAP will let us know.

So just show Rica some love and support. Two fan sites with much content written in Filipino have popped up. Pinay TG will advise me about other things they are coming up with to better support our sis.

Congratulations, Rica and good luck.

The Miss International Queen Pageant Is Back!

After a year's absence due to political turmoil in Thailand, the 2009 edition of the Miss International Queen transgender pageant will finally take place.

The pageant has garnered international media attention in its short existence and was missed by contestants and pageant fans alike.

The cool thing about this pageant and the Miss Tiffany's Universe one, which is reserved for Thai transwomen only, is that the winners of these pageants are treated with the same respect and attention as the ciswomen who represent Thailand in the Miss Universe and Miss World competitions.

There was a kick off press conference held October 2 in Bangkok for this 5th anniversary edition of Miss International Queen, which has become a prestigious title in the trans pageant world. The winner receives $10,000 USD plus prizes, and Tiffany's management reported they received 68 applications around the world from potential contestants interested in competing in this year's edition of Miss International Queen.

It was whittled down to the 25 contestants from 15 countries who will journey to Pattaya and Tiffany's Show Theatre October 26–31 to battle for the crown

NBJC Statement On Interracial Louisiana Marriage Denial

STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL BLACK JUSTICE COALITION ON THE DENIAL OF MARRIAGE TO AN INTERRACIAL LOUISIANA COUPLE


WASHINGTON, D.C., FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 2009

The following statement may be attributed to Sharon J. Lettman, Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC):

“It is hard to believe that a Louisiana state official could simply refuse to follow the law of the land as set forth in Loving v. Virginia. The status of this person as a justice of the peace is something that needs to be revoked.

“Time and again we have seen public officials discriminate against loving, committed couples and claim that their discrimination is really motivated by concern for children. That justification is wrong when it’s used to deny marriage to a couple on the basis of their race. It’s wrong when it’s used to prevent committed gay and lesbian couples from being able to marry. And it’s our responsibility to speak out against it, whenever it happens.

“Every child who is a minority faces discrimination, exclusion and oppression at some point in their lives. It is actions like those of this state official – refusing to marry a loving couple because of personal prejudice – that perpetuate the discrimination and racism that continue to pervade our culture.

“There is also the fact that this state official is just plain wrong. There are countless children of interracial parents who grew up to embody the strength of our families: President Barack Obama, Tiger Woods, Soledad O’Brien. And parents themselves -- like Seal and Heidi Klum, former Defense Secretary William Cohen and journalist Janet Langhart. And the lists go on and on, with millions of successful families who have thrived in the face of prejudice directed at their parents and their children.

“The story of Connecticut state Rep. Jason Bartlett, also deputy director of the National Black Justice Coalition, illustrates this truth. When he grew up, his mother told him that he might not be accepted by some who are white, and might not be accepted by some who are black, because of his mixed heritage. But he learned through understanding who you are in the knowledge of your family’s love, that he could overcome those obstacles.

“It is that very love of a family that helps overcome the oppressions that so many Americans continue to face. And knowing who we are – as people, and as a family -- is at the heart of survival in a culture that is too-often still hostile to our lives.”


***

Lettman resides in the Washington, DC area and recently married a Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force, who returned this past July from a tour of duty in Balad, Iraq.

The National Black Justice Coalition (www.NBJC.org) is America's only nationwide Black gay civil rights organization and is dedicated to empowering Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Our mission is to end racism and homophobia. NBJC envisions a world where all people are fully empowered to participate safely, openly and honestly in family, faith and community, regardless of race, gender-identity, or sexual orientation. Founded in 2003, NBJC is the authoritative source on LGBT issues as they affect Black communities.

What Does It Mean To Be A Woman?

Eternal Lizdom asked this question at her blog and invited women from various perspectives to answer it.

Some of my trans sisters have chimed in with their thoughts, and now it's my turn to do so.

What does it mean to be a woman? I interpret that question the same way that philosopher Simone de Beauvoir does. One is not born a woman, you become one.

My life is a living testament to that de Beauvoir quote. I wasn't born with a female body, but I morphed into my fine brown frame as fast as I could.

I've been evolving toward being the statuesque African descended women who loves her some Monica for 15 years now and I'm still a work in progress.

Diana Ross said it best in an October 1989 ESSENCE magazine interview.

'I never considered it a disadvantage to be a Black woman. I never wanted to be anything else. We have brains. We are beautiful. We can do anything we set our minds to.'

My mind is set on evolving into a Black woman of trans experience who is viewed as a compliment to Black womanhood, not a detriment to it. I'm on an evolutionary path to be a Black woman who is cognizant of her history, is eager and willing to serve her people, am proud to be trans and is just a phenomenal transwoman joyfully living her life.

While there are some aspects of being in a female body from birth I'll never know, I do know all too well the sting of sexism, was a target for assault long before I transitioned, have the heightened awareness of personal safety and share the pain with my cis African descended sisters about our beauty and Black womanhood in general being demonized, denigrated and dismissed.

In addition to that, I have to deal with the baggage that society heaps upon me for being Black, trans and having the temerity to stand up and boldly demand my place at the African American family table.

I think about the threads of Black womanhood that stretch back to the African continent and how they were spread throughout the Diaspora.

I think about the faith and spirituality that is part of a Black woman's life, be she cis or trans. I ponder where I fit in and what is the status of my and my African transsisters relationship with my African descended cis sisters.

So what does it mean to be a woman? It means comfort in my own chocolate skin so that I can love and accept the person I am and was born to be. It means standing up for my constitutional rights. It means mind and body being in harmony for the first time in my life. It means using the talents God gave me to help my country, my community, and myself. It means striving every day to be the best person I can be. even if there are some days I fall short of that.

But most of all, it means being the best sister, friend, aunt, cousin and daughter I can be, and being blessed that I'm finally able to do so.

Nepali Transwoman Eager For Miss International Queen Challenge

Sudeshna Sarkar of Thaindian News wrote an interesting article about one of the 25 people who will be competing in the 2009 edition of the Miss International Queen pageant.

21 year old Sandhya Lama, is the reigning Miss Gay Nepal and is eager to walk the stage at the most prestigious transgender pageant in the world.

“I am excited,” said Sandhya, who not only is the reigning Miss Gay Nepal, she beat 54 contestants last year to win the Miss Beauty and Brain 2008 pageant title. The pageant was organized by the Blue Diamond Society, Nepal’s pioneering gay rights organization,

“I look forward to telling the world about the leaps made by the gay rights movement in Nepal. The Supreme Court has recognized us as citizens who should have the rights enjoyed by other citizens. It has also approved of same-sex marriages.

“Moreover, when a new constitution, written by the people themselves, is promulgated in May 2010, it will also include recommendations given by us.”

Sandhya's day job is working as a counselor for the Blue Diamond Society. She counsels her peers about the perils of intravenous drug use and advocating measures to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in addition to fulfilling her official duties as Miss Gay Nepal.

Looking forward to seeing if she can add the Miss International Queen title to her increasing list of pageant wins.

Shut Up Fool! Awards-Rush Flushed From NFL Edition

It's Friday, and you loyal TransGriot readers know what that means. It's time to choose our Fool of the Week.

This week Rush's racist chickens came home to roost when he got bounced as a minority partner in an ownership group seeking to purchase the St. Louis Rams.

Couldn't happen to a nicer Oxycontin popping anus.

He and his Dittoheads are trying to spin it, but if Rushbo and his fans really want to know who cost Rush his shot at NFL ownership, Limbaugh need only look in the mirror.

Oh yeah Rush, don't bother trying to buy an NBA franchise either because you've pissed off peeps in that league as well with this racist comment.



Now lets see who else besides Rushbo showed championship level stupidity in earning our Shut Up Fool! Award this week.

Our winner got this for trying to defend and spin the fact that Rushbo got so publicly smacked down by NFL owners, the commissioner and players.



Ann Coulter opened up her big mouth and stuck her pumps in it by saying NFL players would pick Limbaugh over "Nazi collaborator" Soros because "a lot of them" are "real Christians".

Um, Ann. This comment by Matthias Kiwanuka is a sample of the sentiments echoed by African American players, who make up about 60% of the NFL.

"I am not going to draw a conclusion from a person off of one comment," said Kiwanuka. "But when it is time after time after time and there's a consistent pattern of disrespect and just a complete misunderstanding of an entire culture that I am a part of, I can't respect him as a man."

Many players are saying the same things, but not as publicly.

Ann Coulter, shut up fool!

Choi Han Bit-Korean Supermodel

Those of us with longer memories would probably dispute that title by pointing out Harisu was the first Korean transwoman to garner international attention.. But 23 year old Choi Han Bit has done something that even trailblazing transwoman Harisu hasn't.

In Korea there is a television show called Open Hall in which beautiful women compete for a chance to become a supermodel. Out of the 1,200 applicants they received for this show, Choi Han Bit was one of the 160 initial contestants selected.

Over the 20 days of competition Choi has continued to impress and advance. She got through the first preliminary round which whittled those 160 contestants down to 50, and then made it through the July 28 second round which cut the remaining ladies down to 32 competitors.






Making the September 25 finals virtually guarantees her 'supermodel status' regardless of whether or not she actually wins

During her speech, according to AllKpop she had lots to say and many people to thank, including her parents.

"Looking back, the situation I'm in would have seemed impossible to me as a child. I'm just so happy to be here right now and I want to become a dignified supermodel as well as a great role model. I would like to thank my parents for actively supporting me through the surgery and the pursuit of my dreams."

When asked if she would like to be a celebrity, she said that she did not want to use her transgender status to become a celebrity, but would rather become a celebrity through her hard work and passion.

At the conclusion of her speech, Choi said, "I would like to send a message to any other transgenders. Be dignified and proud of who you are."

Amen sis. Your transsisters around the world are definitely proud of you.

I'll have to do some searching to find out if she ultimately won the contest. Here's hoping she did.

Louisiana Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License

Looks like gay couples aren't the only ones being denied the ability to get married in Louisiana.

We made the argument in Kentucky when our marriage ban was on the ballot in 2004 that if you banned same gender marriages and gave local clerks the power to deny or annul people's marriages, then the marriages of people they didn't like would also be on the chopping block.

Hmm, didn't take long for them to go after interracial marriages now did it?

A justice of the peace in Hammond, LA put on his pointed white sheet and denied a marriage license to an interracial couple.

Guess he hasn't heard about the 1967 Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case in which they ruled 9-0 the government cannot prohibit marriages simply because of the race of the spouses.

Tangipahoa Parish justice of the peace Keith Bardwell said he refused to issue a marriage license to 31 year old Beth Humphrey and 32-year-old Terence McKay of Hammond citing concern for any children the couple might have.

While predictably denying in the Hammond Daily Star he wasn't a racist, he then offered his opinion that most interracial marriages do not last long.

"I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house," Bardwell said. "My main concern is for the children."

He said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of Black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does White society, he said.

"I don't do interracial marriages because I don't want to put children in a situation they didn't bring on themselves," Bardwell said. "In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer."

If he does an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all. "I try to treat everyone equally," he said.

Yeah, right. Where's the equality in this situation?

The couple stated they will consult the US Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.

Humphrey told the newspaper she called Bardwell on October 6 to inquire about getting a marriage license signed. She says Bardwell's wife told her that Bardwell will not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples.

“I simply can’t believe he can do that. That’s blatant discrimination,” Humphrey said.

The Louisiana American Civil Liberties Union and the Tangipahoa Parish Chapter of the NAACP agree.

Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Marjorie R. Esman said Bardwell’s refusal to sign the license is both “tragic and illegal.”

Pat Morris, NAACP Tangipahoa Parish chapter president, said she was shocked to hear that the choice of a spouse is still an issue in Tangipahoa Parish.

Humphrey and McKay met where she works and the couple and had planned to go to South Carolina for a traditional wedding ceremony to be officiated by her youth minister brother. But McKay lost his job, and by the time he was re-employed he was unable to get off for the wedding. They decided to go ahead and get married in Lousiana “to make it right before God,” she said.

“We decided on a very short, simple ceremony with a couple of my friends as witnesses,” she said. “Later, when he got some time off, we would go to South Carolina for the traditional ceremony, although we would actually already be officially married.”

According to the Louisiana clerk of court's office, application for a marriage license must be made three days before the ceremony because there is a 72-hour waiting period. The applicants are asked if they have previously been married. If so, they must show how the marriage ended, such as divorce.

Other than that, all they need is a birth certificate, the $35 license fee and a Social Security card. The license must also be signed by a Louisiana minister, justice of the peace or judge with the original being returned to the clerk's office.

"It is really astonishing and disappointing to see this come up in 2009," said American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana attorney Katie Schwartzman. "The Supreme Court ruled as far back as 1963 that the government cannot tell people who they can and cannot marry."

The ACLU was preparing a letter for the Louisiana Supreme Court, which oversees the state justices of the peace, asking them to investigate Bardwell and see if they can remove him from office, Schwartzman said.

"He knew he was breaking the law, but continued to do it," Schwartzman said.

Bardwell has been a JP for 34 years and his term expires December 31, 2014.

With the attention this case has garnered, he might be leaving sooner than that.

Countdown To Bryn Mawr and TDOR Speeches

I'm writing and rewriting my speech, updating a Power Point presentation, packing, getting divafied and eagerly anticipating my upcoming trip to the Philadelphia metro area and the Bryn Mawr College campus.

I'm heading there to do a 4 PM speech in the M. Carey Thomas Library's Room 224 on Tuesday October 20.

These trips never get old for me because I've always liked public speaking, traveling to different areas of the country and I enjoy doing these events.

It also gives me another opportunity to pick up another college coffee mug and a sweatshirt.

I was blessed last year to speak at CU-Boulder for a gender conference they held on their beautiful campus in the shadow of the Flatiron Mountains. I've already been on the U of L campus this academic year, and I'm looking forward to another trip that I'll be taking in March to SUNY-Oneonta.

I have an upcoming trip next month I'm taking to Long Island in which I'll be the keynote speaker for a November 22 TDOR event being hosted at the UCC Church in Centerport, NY.

Just like the Bryn Mawr and any speaking event I participate in, I want to be on my 'A' speaking game. It's just something about being on a college campus around our future leaders that energizes me.

Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of long time African descended trans activists getting these speaking opportunities at college campuses. Some of that you can attribute to many of us not being as public.

Some of us are doing work locally that doesn't give them a high enough national profile so that academia will seek us out and include our perspectives in these gender conferences and speeches that occur on these campuses.

I'm cognizant of that fact and consider it an honor when they choose me. It's a major reason why I want to give 150% effort in putting together an event that's not only informative but enjoyable as well. I'm keenly aware that I'm not just representing myself, I represent an entire community. I want to make it easier for the next African descended transperson to get that same opportunity I was blessed to get.

I'm also hoping that one day, I and my African descended trans brothers and sisters will begin to get opportunities and invitations to do these speeches and participate in gender conferences on HBCU campuses.

As for the upcoming LI TDOR event, this particular one has had some previous speakers that are a Who's Who of the trans community such as Diego Sanchez, Pauline Park, and Melissa Sklarz.

They are people that I respect and admire, so yeah, I'm honored that this group wanted me to speak at their event.

So if you want me peeps for 2010, start early with your requests.

I had the honor in 2002 and 2003 of speaking at my local TDOR sponsored by the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. I was even more thrilled by the fact the 2002 one was their first annual one.

Time to wrap this post up and get back to work polishing the speech.

For those of you in Philly or on the Bryn Mawr campus, looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday.

Rush Flushed From Potential NFL Ownership Group

Rush Limbaugh's racist chickens have come home to roost.

With significant opposition mounting inside and outside the NFL, the ownership group headed by Dave Checketts dropped him from the group attempting to purchase the NFL's St. Louis Rams

"It has become clear that his involvement in our group has become a complication and a distraction to our intentions; endangering our bid to keep the team in St. Louis," Checketts said. "As such, we have decided to move forward without him and hope it will eventually lead us to a successful conclusion."

24 of the league's 32 owners would have had to approve any sale to Limbaugh and his group. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay predicted that Limbaugh's potential bid would be met by significant opposition.

"I, myself, couldn’t even consider voting for him," Irsay said from the NFL owners meeting currently taking place in Boston. "When there are comments that have been made that are inappropriate, incendiary and insensitive ... our words do damage, and it’s something that we don’t need."

Several NFL players have also voiced their displeasure with Limbaugh's potential ownership position along with NFL Players Association head DeMaurice Smith.

Smith has also urged players to speak out against Limbaugh's bid.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has also commented on the potential Limbaugh ownership as well

"I have said many times before that we are all held to a higher standard here. I think divisive comments are not what the NFL is all about. I would not want to see those kind of comments from people who are in a responsible position within the NFL. No. Absolutely not."

Rush of course is going to spin it as the 'mean old liberals' are ganging up on his Oxycontin popping behind. The facts are that it's his big mouth that cost him a shot at owning a piece of an NFL team, and I and a lot of people are very happy about that.

Exhibit A:

* "Look, let me put it to you this way: The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it."

Exhibit B:

* "I mean, let's face it, we didn't have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: Slavery built the South. I'm not saying we should bring it back. I'm just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark."

Exhibit C:

* "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in (Donovan) McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve."

And I won't even bring up the reams of other hateful crap Rush has said about African-Americans, liberal progressives, and other POC and laughed all the way to the bank for saying it.

The bottom line is that the NFL didn't want or need a Marge Schott for the new millennium.

The NFL is still getting over the racist legacy of the late Washington Redskin owner George Preston Marshall. He refused to allow African-American players on his team until 1962, and only because then Interior Secretary Stewart Udall threatened to revoke the team's 30 year lease on RFK Stadium if he didn't.

The NFL has recently been cracking down on the shady behavior of players. The last thing Commissioner Goodell needed was to have a NFL owner who on an almost daily basis has a radio show in which he makes jacked up racist and sexist statements.

Transgender Children's Bill Of Human Rights

TransGriot Note: While doing research for another post, I stumbled across a site with this Draft Transgendered Children’s Bill of Human Rights. It was penned by Natacha Kennedy, who got the inspiration for it from an original idea by Trans Youth Family Allies.


Transgendered children have the right;

· to be called by a name they recognise as their own and to have the personal pronoun (he/she) which they prefer used to describe them,


· to be accepted by everyone as the gender they prefer,

· to appear on the outside the way they feel on the inside,

· to live with their parents, not be taken away because of their gender identities and to have their parents informed about gender identity issues

· to know that they are transgendered, even if they decide to conceal their gender identities from adults, and to know that they are not weird, deviant, unacceptable or evil.

· not to be abused, teased or bullied by other children or adults for being transgendered,

· to be supported by all adults working with them in school and other support services,

· to be taught by teachers who understand the nature of gender identity in transgendered children, and to be given the language with which to talk about themselves.

· to be in a school where other pupils have been taught about gender identity and where they can feel safe,

· to wear whatever clothes make them feel comfortable,

· to decide which toilet to use and which clubs or sports teams to join,

· to learn about other people whose gender identities are different from the majority of people,

· to go through puberty in a way which is acceptable to them,

· to be given the same opportunities to succeed in their education as all other children,

· to self-determination, dignity, respect, non-interference, to make informed personal decisions,

· to a voice in any situations where decisions are being made about their future.

Anxiously Watching The 2009 Houston Mayoral Race

Despite being 1000 miles away from home, I am keeping a close eye on the Houston mayoral race. Since mayor Bill White is term limited, that opens up the mayor's chair for a new occupant.

I'm hoping that it will be current city controller and former at large city councilmember Annise Parker.

Thanks to the Net, I've been able to keep up with the latest happenings in the campaign and some of the debates as well.



As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm familiar with Annise thanks to her time as a member of the Houston activist community. I had the pleasure of voting for her for city council three times and believe that she's well qualified to be the next mayor for my hometown.

We're a few weeks from the November 3 election day, but also bear in mind in Texas we do have early voting.

With four major candidates and a few minor ones, it looks like there will probably be a runoff election in December, and the other person in it might be city attorney Gene Locke.

There's also a sense of history to it as well. If Gene Locke gets it, he would become my hometown's second African-American mayor. In Annise's case she would become the second female mayor in Houston history and the first GLBT one of a large US and Texas city.

So I'm checking all the various news station websites back home, Annise's campaign one and nervously watching this potentially historic campaign unfold.

Hopefully I'll get to see in January 2010 Annise being sworn in as the city of Houston's 61st mayor

Vietnam's Miss Angel Pageant -A Vehicle For Change

Like most places in Asia and the Pacific Rim, Vietnam is crazy about beauty pageants.

Since being trans is a worldwide thing and there are transpeople in Vietnam, and some of those transpeople like competing in pageants as well, that means there are popular ones reserved for transpeople and gay men who are female illusionists.

Pham Thu Nga reported on the GLBT pageant phenomenon in Vietnam, and one of the increasingly popular ones is the Miss Angel pageant.

This pageant is getting an increased profile and cachet in Vietnam in just four years despite the fact that it hasn't been approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of Performing Arts.

That organization has to approve all live events in Vietnam.

Lam Thi wanted nothing more than to walk the stage at a glamorous beauty contest, but Vietnamese regulations prohibit transwomen from participating in beauty contests with ciswomen. That unfortunately limits her competition options.

So when she heard about Miss Angel. she did everything she could to compete in the 4th annual edition of this pageant and was determined to win it.

But it was more than self-interest that inspired her, she also wanted to bring greater acceptance to the Vietnamese GLBT community.

“Through such contests, I hope society will learn to keep an open mind about gays,” she said.

GLBT pageants are attracting scores of contestants like Lam Thi who say they just want to be considered normal. Though prize winnings are usually low, around US$100-300, most pageant hopefuls spend an average of $600 getting prepared for the events, according to Minh Quan, director of Miss Angel.

Miss Angel was first held in 2005 by The Gioi Thu Ba (The Third World) Ltd. and gay club Bau Troi Xanh (Blue Sky). Contestants, aged 16-24, compete in three rounds that cover evening gown, question and answer about current events and one in which they must demonstrate their knowledge about HIV/AIDS and safe sex, since the pageant's mission is to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

The Miss Angel judges panel consists of make-up artists, psychologists and members of the Ho Chi Minh City’s AIDS Prevention Committee.

Minh Quan, 29-year-old director of The Gioi Thu Ba Ltd. and moderator of thegioithu3. com, which boasts the largest number of members of all gay-themed websites in Vietnam, said he held Vietnam’s first gay beauty contest at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City “just for fun.”

Quan, who has come out publicly about his homosexuality, said a group of about 20 gay men competed in the first competition.

But as support grew through his website, which had 8,000 members by 2006, he decided to organize larger, more highly-publicized competitions.

“Later contests drew a lot of media attention with headlines like ‘Homosexuals vie for beauty queen title,’” Quan said.

“We received a lot of support from the public in the beginning. Many thought it was just a normal event. But, of course, there was strong opposition as well.”

This year’s Miss Angel pageant was held in June and attracted hundreds of contestants from Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces.

But it was 20-year-old Thi’s dream that came true at the 4th Miss Angel pageant.

In an interview with Thanh Nien after being crowned the queen of the contest, the native of the southwestern Tay Ninh province said she'd had breast augmentation surgery and would undergo more complicated sex-related surgery in the near future.

Like beauty queens in any other pageant, the 4th Miss Angel said she would use her position to carry out charity work.

“I will launch an awareness campaign calling on homosexuals to have safe sex to prevent AIDS.”

Minh Quan is now also training contestants for the next Miss Angel Contest as well as the Prince Style for lesbians and drag kings. Quan said his biggest wish was that gay pageants would one day be officially licensed so they can expand and attract larger sponsorships.

Quan added that he wanted to organize a contest for transsexuals next year and said that he longed for the day that the gay community would have the full acceptance of the rest of Vietnamese society.

That's a wish GLBT people all over the world fervently hope will come true as well.

Leiomy Maldonado Interview

This one was shot during Week 3 of America's Best Dance Crew which sadly, Vogue Evolution didn't win.

I'm still proud of sis and Vogue Evolution.

Uruguay Congress Approves Gender Change Law

Uruguay is considered the most liberal-progressive country on the South American continent, and yesterday they lived up to their progressive reputation.

On Monday Uruguay's Senate approved a gender change law that sets the legal guidelines for men and women who want to change from one gender to the other. It was already approved last month by the Chamber of Deputies,

An early draft of the legislation allowed people to choose a different gender starting at age 12. The text of the passed law reads, "Every person has the right to freely develop their personality in accordance with the proper identity of their gender, independent of their biological, genetic, anatomic... identity."

The measure authorizes gender reassignment surgeries starting at age 18 and allows people to change their name and gender codes on identification documents.

It now awaits President Tabare Vazquez's signature to become law.

Diego Sempol of the pressure group Ovejas Negras (Black Sheep), told BBC Mundo its approval was a "big step forward for transsexuals" and said it would ease their integration into the education and health systems, as well as the labor market .

The new gender change law comes only a month after Uruguay became the first Latin American country to allow gay couples the chance to adopt. Same-sex civil unions were legalized in 2008.

Earlier this year, the Uruguayan Congress also cleared the way for gay candidates to enter military schools by lifting the ban imposed under the 1973-85 military dictatorship.

However, the Catholic Church is hatin' as always, and made it clear that they would support candidates in the upcoming October 25 elections in Uruguay that promoted laws with 'Christian values.'

I submit the current center-left government reflects Christian values moreso than the old military dictatorship or center-right governments did.

We'll get the people of Uruguay's verdict on how they feel about their government on October 25.

Yes, There Are Black Mounties

Living Single is one of my favorite shows. One of my favorite episodes was broadcast in its third season and entitled 'Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow... Dammit.'

Overton takes the gang to the Jones family cabin in Canada for what he thinks will be a old fashioned Christmas similar to the idyllic ones he had in his childhood.

He not only finds that things have radically changed in the town since he was a kid, it's now a tourist mecca. The trip is turning into a nightmare for Overton as his cherished Santa suit gets accidentally washed and turned pink by Synclaire and he destroys the gingerbread house when he accidentally sits on it.,

He also keeps running into and getting ticketed by an overzealous Constable Robeson.

When the gang first meets Cst. Robeson, they stare at the brother in the Mountie uniform as he wearily replies, "Yes, there are Black mounties."

So watching that episode again drove me to ponder the question, who was the first Black member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police?

The first Black Mountie was Constable Hartley Gosline from Saint John's, New Brunswick.

As the first African Canadian recruit, he didn't have it easy. As documented in the Cpl. Craig Smith book You Better Be White by Six A.M: The African-Canadian Experience in the RCMP, Smith recounts an incident from early in Gosline's training.

He was the only Black in a lineup of young white men, and his drill corporal noted it as he marched in for morning parade.

The drill corporal looked over his troop, stopped in front of him and said: ‘Gosline, you stick out. You make your troop look bad and you better be white by 6 a.m. the next morning.’ "

After graduation from the RCMP Training academy in Regina, SK in 1969 he was posted to New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Cst. Gosline was later transferred to the Dartmouth detachment and other locations during his career including the Security Service Division (now CSIS) in Toronto, as well as postings in both Jasper and Edmonton, Alberta. Cst. Gosline left the force in 1978 and currently resides in New Brunswick.

In 1970, the first mountie from Nova Scotia joined in RCMP in Yarmouth resident Clarence Bodden. When it comes to Black Canadian representation in the RCMP, Nova Scotia is the runaway leader with over 40 officers hailing from that province.

Women joined the RCMP ranks in 1973, but it wasn't until 1992 that Christine MacDonald became the first Black female recruit.

If you're wondering who the highest ranking African Canadians are in the RCMP, it's Ted Upshaw, who was promoted to the rank of Inspector in 1999. He was followed by Craig Gibson in 2001.

Today, out of the 17,000 members of the RCMP, 225 of them are African descended Canadians. They are blazing a historic path that they hope future generations of African Canadians will follow.

Blog Donate Buttons

One of the things I didn't put on this site for a long time on this blog was a DONATE button in my sidebar.

I wasn't really concerned about it even though I saw sites much larger than my own not only put them on their blogs, but in some cases aggressively solicit donations to it.

One thing that changed my thinking on it in addition to a certain Canadian blogger pointing out that fact about blogs larger than mine having them in a phone conversation one evening was visiting Pat Buchanan's blog.

I surfed over there to read his 'Brief For Whitey post and noted that his blog had a DONATE button on it. This is a man who makes ten times the money I do, but has a DONATE button Thirty minutes later I had one on my sidebar as well.

A goal of mine is to eventually get to the point where I can write full time and get paid for it.

I'm also thinking about future expansion. I'm weighing the pros and cons of moving to my own server. People have asked for transcripts for videos. Unlike some blogs that have a team of people to split the writing chores, it's moi wearing a lot of hats as editor in chief/correspondent/researcher/writer. I'd have to hire someone to produce that transcript.

Basically, it's there so that if you really like a post or feel moved enough to support what TransGriot does, you have the opportunity to drop a dollar (or two or three) if you wish.

Thanks to those of you if you choose to do so

Laramie Project-Ten Years Later In Louisville

I'm bouncing out of the house toward downtown Louisville in an hour to the Pamela Brown Theatre.

My purpose for my night out is to check out the performance of The Laramie Project-Ten Years Later at 8 PM EDT.

Laramie is the hometown of the late Matthew Shepard, whose gruesome 1998 murder galvanized support for hate crimes legislation that has yet to pass Congress.

The Tectonic Theater Project conducted a series of interviews with Laramie residents in the wake of Matthew Shepard's murder in order to better understand the community. Those interviews became the seeds in 2000 for the Laramie Project, one of the most performed plays in America.

Ten years after Matthew Shepard’s death, the Tectonic Theatre Project returned to Laramie to see how the community had changed since the murder.

“One of the things we found when we got there,” shared playwright Moisés Kaufman, “which greatly surprised us, was people in Laramie saying this was not a hate crime.”

“We found the people of Laramie still fighting their own history…their own story,” continued playwright Leigh Fondakowski.

Actors Theatre of Louisville is joining over 100 theatres in all 50 states and across the world premiering a stage reading of the Tectonic Theatre Project’s The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, an epilogue to the original theatre piece.

The evening will commence with a live Lincoln Center webcast address from Kaufman, followed by the Actors Theatre’s 2009/2010 Acting Apprentice Company reading of the piece.

The night concludes with a panel discussion led by the Fairness Campaign addressing the importance of Hate Crimes legislation protecting LGBTQ individuals, and what citizens can do to make the passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act a reality.

Birthday girl and C-FAIR Co-chair Dawn Wilson will be taking part in the post performance panel discussion along with Director Michael Legg, Chris Hartman, Director of the Fairness Campaign, Michael Aldridge, Director of the ACLU-KY and a student leader from the University of Louisville.

Should be an enjoyable and informative evening at Actor's Theatre.

Governator Vetoes California Bills Affecting Trans People

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was busy yesterday signing and vetoing a pile of bills sent to him by the California State Assembly.

Two bills affecting and of concern to California trans people were ones that got sent to the veto pile by the Governator.

One of those was AB 1185, filed by Assembly Member Ted Lieu (D-Torrance). It's a bill that would have allowed better access to birth certificates for transgender people.

AB 1185 would have allowed qualified transgender people born in California to return to the county of their birth to obtain a new birth certificate reflecting the correct gender, as well as any accompanying name change.

It would have ensured that transgender people born in California can return to the county of their birth to obtain a corrected birth certificate. It would also have provided greater access to transgender persons living in the state, allowing them for first time to petition the court in their home counties. This legislation would have had no fiscal impact to the state.

Schwarzenegger also vetoed AB 382 which would have established protections for LGBT prisoners, which he said was “unnecessary.”

The measure was sponsored by openly gay Assembly Member Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) and would have amended the Sexual Abuse in Detention Elimination Act by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the current list of factors that should be considered in the classification of prisoners for purposes of housing.

According to the Bay Area Reporter, during committee testimony for the bill Ammiano stated, "While anyone can be a victim of sexual violence in prison, typical victims are young, nonviolent, or first-time offenders. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender prisoners or those perceived to be LGBT are also exceptionally vulnerable to violence."

He cited a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation study that found 67 percent of LGBT prisoners report being sexually assaulted by another inmate, "a rate 15 times higher" than the overall population, explained Ammiano.

Miss Major also testified before the committee in her role as a community organizing director for the TGI Justice Project.

She cited a 2007 University of California Irvine study that showed, "transgender women in California's prison system are 13 times more likely to be sexually assaulted in prison, and that half of all transgender women in prison in this state have been raped."

Um, Governator, seems to me the evidence is overwhelming that when there are cases of GLBT prisoners being raped in California jails at alarming levels, AB 382 was necessary.

UH Back In College Football Rankings

My favorite college football team has had an interesting season so far. They started 3-0 and knocked off Big 12 schools Oklahoma State and Texas Tech on national TV to get to and eventually climb to a No 12 ranking in the college football polls for the first time in a decade.

Then came the disastrous trip to El Paso for their C-USA opener. The Coogs played matador defense as the UTEP Miners ran over, around and through them while springing a 58-41 upset that made the Sun Bowl homecoming crowd very happy, knocked us completely out of the college football rankings and may have cost us a shot at a possible BCS bowl bid.

Saturday we got to play on the road against a tough SEC team for their homecoming. This time the Coogs played rude guests as Case Keenum passed for 434 yard and four touchdowns in their 31-24 win against a Mississippi State Bulldogs team in Starkville that came an inches short goal line play of knocking off LSU.

Not bad. 2-0 against the Big 12 and 1-0 against the SEC. If they won't let you join 'em, just beat them.

That victory put the Coogs back in the AP and USA Today Coaches poll rankings at Number 23 on both polls.

Now just handle your C-USA business so we can stay there for the rest of the season this time.

And will somebody at UH please sign Kevin Sumlin to a long term contract?