Not Feeling The New SCLC President

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has a historic and symbiotic connection to the African- American civil rights movement.

It was founded to coordinate and support nonviolent protests of segregation and played a key role in many of the most famous demonstration of the civil rights movement. Its history is so intertwined with that history the SCLC's website can rightfully say 'Welcome To The Home of The Movement'.

One of the SCLC co-founders and its first president was none other than the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He ran the organization from its founding in 1957 until his 1968 assassination. His son Martin Luther King III led the SCLC from 1997 to 2004.

Can you guess who was one of the other co-founders of the SCLC?

If you said Bayard Rustin, congratulations and go to the head of the class.

This morning the SCLC announced the results of their October 29 presidential election. For the first time in SCLC history they will be led by a woman and she has accepted the position.

Interim SCLC president Rev. Byron Clay told reporters about their new leader, "She is excited. I am excited. The nation will be excited."

The TransGriot, much of the African-American GLBT community and our supporters aren't giddy about this news. It's because of who the SCLC selected as their first female president.

It's none other than Dr. King and Coretta Scott King's baby girl, the Rev. Dr. Bernice King.

Even though she'll be the third King to lead the organization and she's more than qualified to do it, I'm not feeling her in that post.

So why is Moni not feeling her? Glad you asked that question, TransGriot readers.

For starters, she's a minister and elder at New Birth Baptist Church in Lithonia, GA, the 25,000 member predominately African-American megachurch run by Bishop Eddie Long.

He spent most of the 2K's kissing up to the GOP, the Bush misadministration and the conservative movement's behind shilling for faith-based bucks.

New Birth Baptist Church was the outfit that sponsored an anti-marriage equality "Reigniting the Legacy" march in 2004 that started at the foot of Dr. King's tomb in the ATL and ended at Turner Field.

There's also this problematic statement she made as well.

“I know deep down in my sanctified soul that my father (Dr. King) did not take a bullet for same-sex marriage.”

Never mind the fact that King's late mother Coretta and her late older sister Yolanda had other ideas. Her mother was a long-time supporter of GLBT rights.

For too long, our nation has tolerated the insidious form of discrimination against this group of Americans, who have worked as hard as any other group, paid their taxes like everyone else, and yet have been denied equal protection under the law.... I believe that freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience.


My husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' On another occasion he said, 'I have worked too long and hard against segregated public accommodations to end up segregating my moral concern. Justice is indivisible.' Like Martin, I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others. The great promise of American democracy is that no group of people will be forced to suffer discrimination and injustice."

Yolanda King was an outspoken advocate for GLBT rights as well.

Coretta Scott King has stated she believed her husband would have supported the quest for equality by gays and reminded her critics that the 1963 March on Washington was organized by Bayard Rustin, an openly gay man.

The Rev. Eric Lee, the Los Angeles SCLC chapter president that the previous leadership tried to force out because of his support for marriage equality in California, said in a statement that he hopes King will follow her parents' example with respect to the rights of lesbians, gays and transgender people.

"We know that her mother, Coretta Scott King, was supportive of LGBT equality, and we believe that Dr. King would have been as well," Lee said. "My hope is that her election is a sign that SCLC is returning to its spirit of equality for all people."

I'm with Rev. Lee. Even after expressing my reservations about the latest Rev. Dr. King to helm the SCLC, I'm going to take the advice I give to the white GLBT community or a regular basis about President Obama and give her time to prove me wrong.

I want to see if the Rev Dr. Bernice King is going to live up to her father and mother's legacy and take the SCLC in a different, more positive direction for the 21st century.

A direction that recognizes Black GLBT people are part of the African American community and a stakeholder in the civil rights legacy that SCLC brought about.

If she doesn't after a reasonable amount of time has elapsed, well, you know the TransGriot and other Black GLBT bloggers definitely won't be shy about calling her out about it and reminding her that we are.

Trans People Are Part Of The Diverse Mosaic Of Life 2

I compiled a post which has photos of transpeople from various parts of our planet just living their lives.

Since our haters want to continue to deny our humanity, we exist and pimp other lies and falsehoods about us, here's some more photographic evidence that transpeople are part of the diverse mosaic of human life.





Harisu kisses her hubby on her wedding day in South Korea.


Iran's Maryam Khatoon Molkara getting ready


Bulent Ersoy during her successful free speech trial in Turkey.


German pole vaulter Balian Buschbaum


Director Linda Wachowski at a Hollywood event


Britain's April Ashley back in the day

Rabbi Elliott Kukla


Coccinelle in 1963 at the Olympia Revue in Paris

Uganda's Victor Juliet Mukasa after winning a court judgment.


Hawaii State Board of Education member Kim Coco Iwamoto speaking during a legislative hearing.

Former New Zealand MP Georgina Beyer, the first transwoman in the world elected to a national legislative body.

A group meeting of Cuban transwomen

The mother of the US transgender rights movement, Sylvia Rivera

Indian TV talk show host Rose

A Charles 'Teenie' Harris back in the day photo of Pittsburgh transwoman at a club

The Canadians Have A Point-Hate Speech Should Be Regulated

You know, I'm beginning to agree with the Canadians on the point they make about regulating hate speech, especially in light of the unprecedented racist abuse that President Obama is taking.

Many of us progressive Americans are fearing that some fool will go to the next level and attempt to do with a bullet what they couldn't do at the ballot box.

The Canadians use the standard under their Charter of a 'reasonable person'. Any speech that would be considered racist and offensive by that person is subject to regulation.

Yes, as a blogger and civil rights advocate I'm a staunch defender of the First Amendment. I have a copy of the US Constitution right next to my computer that I read on a regular basis. I'm quite aware it guarantees your right to free speech and dissent. But at the same time it guarantees my right as a person with contrary views to yours to have my say as well.

But with free speech comes consequences. I not only have an equal right to challenge you on it, but sue the crap out of you if your hate speech results in physical harm to my person.

When it comes to hate speech, while you have the right to say it, it doesn't add anything positive to the political discourse of the nation. All it does is fuel animosity and hatred. As a person of African descent I know all too well that unchecked hate speech far too often leads to escalating violence which can ultimately lead to death or genocide.

Too many times in this country's history we have seen hate speech used by vanilla flavored people to incite discourse and fan the flames of dissent in order to exploit the fears of people for their narrow political and economic interests.

Over the last fifty years, particularly during Democratic administrations we have seen a ratcheting up of hate speech by the conservative opposition to demonize politicians and people they don't agree with.

That has unfortunately led to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the murders of many others working for progressive causes or social change.

We have seen this play out ever since President Obama was elected on November 4. The 'white' wing has been uttering increasingly nastier, false and devoid of logic rhetoric by the day. When you call them on it, you're accused of being 'politically correct' or 'stifling their constitutional First Amendment rights.'

And as a transperson, I see with grim regularity the hate of the 'christian' right, the Roman Catholic Church, radio shock jocks and transphobic bigots manifest itself into murdered transpeople that we end up memorializing every November 20.

Don't even get me started about the 'Kill him' cries that rang out during McCain-Palin rallies last year. Many of us are fearful that the unprecedented unhinged rhetoric being disgustingly spat by 'white' wing conservafools and pimped for ratings by Fox News at President Obama will lead to another tragedy.

So based on this backdrop of history, is it any wonder why I would be in favor of hate speech being closely monitored?

Shut Up Fool! Awards-Halloween Weekend Edition

Happy Halloween Weekend peeps!
Wow this year is definitely moving along. Only eight more weeks left until New year's day and the dawning of a new decade.

Not only are we getting ready to move into November, Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 AM. It's fall back time, so you'll get that hour of sleep back you lost in March.

Getting prepared for the invasion of ghosts. goblins, ghouls and other costumed creatures begging for treats Saturday night.

Speaking of goblins and ghouls, it's time to see if scary creatures like Ann Coultergeist or Rush Limbaugh made us scream about their stupidity or if we have some other fool that distinguished themselves this week.

As always, there were many worthy fools to choose from, but my winner this week was brought to my attention courtesy of Renee and a post she read at Feministing.

It talks about a USA Today article about conscience clause legislation. The right wingers have been pushing these bills which would allow pharmacists and health care workers to deny women access to birth control pills if it goes against the pharmacist's religion. These laws are also of concern to transpeople because we can be put in the situation in which a Bible thumping pharmacist could deny us access to our hormones and other medication we need for transition.

But our winner of this week's Shut Up Fool! Award is Dr. Michele Phillips from San Antonio, TX.

She had this to say in the opening paragraph of the USA Today article.

She had a request to give an unmarried female patient a prescription for birth control pills and refused to do so. She then resigned her position and does contract work at a 'faith-based' practice that permits her to "prescribe according to my ethical values. "Her reason?

"I'm not going to give any kind of medication I see as harmful. The drugs would not protect her patient from "emotional trauma from multiple partners," Phillips reasoned, or sexually transmitted diseases. "I could not ethically give that type of medication to a single woman."

Can you say 'evangelical christian'? Thought you could.

Michele, you're an embarrassment to the home state. To think my tax dollars paid for the med schools where you got that medical education.

You need to focus more on the Hippocratic Oath and less on injecting your personal religious beliefs into people's medical needs.

Dr. Michele Phillips, shut up fool!

Catholic Priest In Italy Given Involuntary Vacation After Marrying Transperson

For those people who continue to waste their time trying to argue with me that the Catholic Church doesn't have open hostility for transpeople, here's more evidence they have lost their damned minds.

According to an Agency France Press story, an Italian priest who blessed the marriage of a 64-year-old transsexual to her 58-year-old male partner was suspended, the Archbishop of Florence said in a statement on Monday.

Father Alessandro Santoro, a priest based in Piagge, an industrial suburb of Florence, married postoperative transwoman Sandra Alvino and Fortunato Talotta in a religious ceremony on Sunday.

Florence archbishop Giuseppe Betori said he had invited Santoro to take time off for "reflection and prayer" after he ignored protests from the Catholic Church not to go ahead with the union.

Betori described the couple's wedding as "devoid of value because of the absence of the necessary components of a religious marriage".

Excuse me?

"The act is particularly serious because it is misleading for the two people concerned," he added.

Betori claimed the ceremony had sparked "confusion" amongst Christians and the general public.

"They could think the essential conditions for a religious marriage have changed," he said.

The only 'confusion' here is how and why you clowns continue to call yourselves 'christians'.

Santoro defended his decision, stating it was "not an act of rebellion," but rather "an act of loyalty to my congregation, to the church and to the people that I love... It was my duty".

Cardinal Renato Martino, a senior Vatican official, had strongly criticized the decision to wed the couple.

"I do not understand how something like that can be done. It's against nature and it does not bring anything to the church," which does not recognize same-sex partnerships.

"Biology, that God made man and woman, cannot be changed by trickery," he said.

No, Cardinal Martino, you and your Vatican adviser Paul McHugh are the clueless idiots who refuse to deal with the reality that transpeople are part of the the God given diversity of human life.

Ms. Alvaro had SRS 20 years ago. It is an opposite gender marriage and it's time for y'all to wake up and smell the cappuccino on that.

But then again, why am I expecting rapid change from an institution that still won't admit it made an error when it persecuted Galileo and Copernicus for daring to suggest several centuries ago the Earth revolves around the Sun?

Little Sis Will End Year Atop World Tennis Rankings

For the first time since 2002 the final world tennis rankings will reflect what the whole planet already knows:

Serena Williams is the best women's tennis player in the world.

This elite tournament in Doha, Qatar matches up the top eight players in the world. Little Sis entered this $4.5 million season ending WTA Championships event trailing Safina by 155 ratings points.

The players are divided into two groups, the Maroon and White ones, with the top two from each group advancing to the semifinals after playing a round robin schedule. In addition, each victory in this tournament is worth 230 points.

After Serena dispatched Svetlana Kuznetsova in her opening Maroon Group match 7-6, 7-5, Safina entered her White Group match against Jelena Jankovic trailing by 75 points. After stepping onto the court and earning 70 ranking points for doing so, Safina was forced to retire two games into the mach due to a back injury.

Unfortunately defending champ Big Sis lost her Maroon group match to Elena Dementieva 6-3, 6-7, 2-6. The win gives Dementieva a share of the Maroon Group lead with Little Sis.

Even if Serena doesn't win any more matches, she will finish the year ranked Number one. Then she and Big Sis will get a well deserved break until January 18-31, 2010.

What are those dates, you ask? The scheduled dates for the first Grand Slam event of the 2010 tennis season, the Australian Open.

Trans Peeps In NY State No Longer Need Doctor's Note To Change Name

The good news just keeps on coming for the transgender community. A New York State appellate court on October 21 struck down a lower court requirement that transgender people seeking to change their names provide medical evidence of their need for the name change.

The case concerned Olin Winn-Ritzenberg, a 23 year old trans man who attempted to change his name earlier this year.

His name change petition was denied by the lower court because he had failed to provide a letter from a doctor, therapist or social worker establishing his need to change his name.

When he was told by a New York court clerk he had to show a note from his doctor detailing his "need" to change his name, he contacted the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund for help.

The appellate court wrote,

"[t]here is no sound basis in law or policy to engraft upon the statutory provisions an additional requirement that a transgendered-petitioner present medical substantiation for the desired name change." The court's decision sends a powerful message that transgender people must be treated equally and that they cannot be subjected to different legal requirements than everyone else. People’s names are fundamental to their identities. This decision confirms that each one of us has the right to be known by a name we choose. That decision can’t be second-guessed by doctors, therapists or anyone else simply because someone is transgender.

Upon learning of the ruling, Olin said in a statement, "This means that I can finally change my name and move forward with my life. My gender transition has been a very personal journey, and no one is in a better position to decide that I need to change my name than I am."

Thanks once again to TLDEF for being fierce advocates for our legal rights.

Former Senator Edward Brooke Gets Congressional Gold Medal

Former Senator Edward Brooke (R-MA), the first African American senator elected by popular vote in 1966 was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal yesterday in a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

The honor is Congress' highest form of appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions to society. The legislation to honor Brooke was sponsored by the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, and U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, (D-DC) and passed in March 2007. President Barack Obama presented the medal to Brooke.

He grew up in a segregated Washington DC before heading north to Massachusetts after graduating from Howard University.

The now 90 year old former senator served for two terms from 1967-1979, and was the first Black person elected to become the Attorney General of any state when in 1962 he became the Attorney General of Massachusetts. He was reelected to that position in 1964.

“Today Massachusetts Sen. Edward Brooke was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, a great tradition of our Congress that is awarded sparingly in recognition of tremendous accomplishments,” Jennifer Nassour, Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman, said in a press release. “Sen. Brooke served Massachusetts as a Republican in the United States Senate from 1967 to 1979, and his story is one that shows how much one person can make a difference in America.”

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) said, “I proudly sit in the Senate seat once occupied by Ed Brooke. And in 2005, I had the privilege of writing the Senate resolution awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Jackie Robinson, himself a trailblazer who once said that “a life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”



Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) campaigned for Brooke's honor on the House side, lauding the former senator for his work on behalf of full voting rights for District of Columbia residents.

The ceremony "will help drive home the disempowerment of DC residents as Congress gives its highest honor to our native son, who left his hometown, unable to vote for president, mayor, House representative, or senator, and became our nation;s first popularly-elected African-American senator,'' Holmes Norton said in a statement.

President Obama noted in his remarks that he and many others followed the trail that Edward Brooke blazed.

"He didn't care whether a bill was popular or politically expedient, Democratic or Republican -- he cared about whether it helped people, whether it made a difference in their daily lives. That's why he fought so hard for Medicare, for mass transit and the minimum wage, for civil rights and women's rights. It's why he became a lifelong advocate for affordable housing, establishing protections that are the standard to this day."

"So it's a record that defies the labels and categories for which he had little use and even less patience. When pressed to define himself, he'd offer phrases like 'creative moderate,' or 'a liberal with a conservative bent.' But in truth, Ed Brooke's career was animated not by a faith in any particular party or ideology, but rather, by a faith in the people he served."

Too bad more of his former colleagues on both sides of the aisle don't keep that in mind when they are on Capitol Hill, a fact noted in Sen. Brooke's remarks

He chided his former colleagues about working together across the partisan divide. He said there are issues more important than partisan politics: the hungry, the homeless, and diplomacy, among them.

Continuing his advocacy for the District of Columbia, he said he'd trade his medal if it meant voting rights to district residents, who are now represented by a non-voting delegate.

Congratulations to a trailblazing hero who Black Republicans should be emulating and imitating, not the 'white' wing conservafools.

President Obama Signs Byrd-Shepard Hate Crimes Law

This is a day I've been waiting, working, agitating for, and praying would happen for over eleven years.

The beautiful thing is that an African-American president is the one signing it.

Not Feeling Halloween

The peeps on Hillcrest Ave here in Da Ville are once again living up to an over twenty year tradition and going all out to outdo their neighbors and spooktacularly decorate their houses for Halloween.

They are expecting more than the 20,000 kids they had last year traipsing up and down the street between Frankfort Ave. and Brownsboro Rd.

Since it falls on a Saturday this year, the goblins and ghouls get an extra hour of sleep since Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend.

It's also considered by some people the Transgender National Holiday, but I'm definitely not feeling the festive spirit of it at the moment.

Probably some of what I'm feeling is related to my childhood in H-town, the cloudy weather we're having today in Da Ville and thinking about the 1974 Ronald Clark O'Bryan case.

Because his business was failing, O'Bryan took out large insurance policies on his children one month before the date. On Halloween night he gave his kids and in order to cover his tracks, five other neighborhood kids cyanide laced Giant Pixy Sticks.

It's a powered candy that comes in a straw. You can also get (and still can) an almost two foot long one for you to eat to your heart's content.

Unfortunately his 8 year old son Timothy tore into his and later died a painful death. His daughter and the other kids he handed the poisoned treats to fortunately didn't eat them. One of those jacked up Pixy Sticks became the evidence they used to convict him of murder and later execute O'Bryan on May 31, 1984.

He was actually sentenced to die on Halloween 1983, but since state law required at the time you give the condemned 180 days to appeal the decision, the execution date was pushed back.

Pixy Sticks were one of my fave candy treats at the time, but after that night I stopped eating them for almost two years. Even when I spot the giant ones on display I get a twinge of sadness when I see them.

It also put a permanent crimp in Halloween for me and every kid in Houston after that. No more could I freely range in two or three neighborhoods and get enough candy to last until Thanksgiving Day. After that I was limited to my neighborhood and the neighbors we knew for years. We also ended up with more church and other youth group sponsored events like costume contests.

Over time Halloween just became an adult costume dress up day. It was also the one day on the calendar next to Mardi Gras in New Orleans in which we transpeeps knew we could dress up and not be called derogatory names.

But I'll just have to shake it off, put a smile on my face for the kids and yell "Happy Halloween" as I pass out the candy to the kids who show up on our doorstep Saturday night.

If I'm lucky, maybe I'll shake off the blahs I'm feeling long enough to get into costume myself and find a party in the gayborhood.

Black Trans-Activist Lectures at Bryn Mawr

TransGriot Note: This is the article that appeared in today's Bi-College News, the student newspaper for Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges.

I had a great time talking to Kaori, who is an exchange student at Bryn Mawr from Japan majoring in journalism. We had an interesting discussion pre-interview about the developments for transpeople in Japan. Once again, deep appreciation for the invite and all the hard work that went toward making my visit as smooth as possible. I'm glad to hear that the students on campus enjoyed the speech and the discussion afterward.

Bi-College News (Bryn Mawr & Haverford Colleges), PA, USA
By Kaori Hatama

Monica Roberts, writer of the blog TransGriot, gave a lecture at Bryn Mawr Tuesday about transgender issues from an African-American perspective.

Roberts, 47, was the third African-American transperson to receive International Foundation for Gender Education Trinity Award in 2006, the "second highest honor” award in the transgender community.

“I’m not just any old blogger,” Roberts said. “I have been a witness to and a chronicler of transgender history.”

Roberts’ blog, TransGriot, contains “news, opinion, commentary [and] history” about the world from her point of view.

“Trans people of color do face higher violence than the Caucasian trans people," said Nicole Matos ‘10, head of the Women’s Center and the organizer of this lecture. "[It] has not been spoken [about] a lot on this campus, so I thought it great to invite a trans activist of color on to campus. I first thought of Monica Roberts because I am a big fan of her blog TransGriot.”

Roberts talked about the history and the people that had not been discussed in GLBT circles—mainly black trans people.

She said the attention to black trans people has been ignored by the mainstream media until recently and explained how hard it was for her to find a role model as an African-American trans person in the 1970s.

“Our problems as African-American trans people mirror those of our parent society," she said. "The only thing tougher than being a black man or black women in this society is being a black man or a black woman in this society with a mismatched body.”

“It was interesting that there is a microcosm of U.S. society in this trans gender community,” said Michelle Smith ’12 who attended because she is part of The Women’s Center and a columnist on gender and sexuality for the college news.

“Like in the gay community, the figurehead [in the trans community] is white, upper middle class, male cisgendered but gay,” she commented.

However, Roberts also pointed out recent positive developments in the black trans community.

“We’re finding more acceptance among our families, ciswomen and fellow
African-descended people,” she said.

She thinks her TransGriot blog and other blogs like hers have been succeeding in revealing the myths and lies that had been prevailing wisdom.

“I really enjoyed it," said Christine Head ‘11. "It was refreshing to hear that perspective and I liked the fact that she was really earnest about everything.”

Head, who is a CDA, attended the lecture because she felt minority issues such as differences in race, socioeconomic status or gender identity are forgotten in general Bryn Mawr dialogue.

“Basically, we are human beings too. That is the major lesson that I wanted to impart. Not just for them [students], but to everybody they come [in] contact with. For instance, when they are in a one-on-one conversation with someone who is making derogatory comments, hopefully they would take some of what I pointed out in the lecture and go ‘Hey that’s not the case,’” Roberts said.

After her lecture, there were some time for questions.

“There are some brilliant young minds that are matriculating on this campus that [they] are going to do some great things,” Roberts said.
“The fact that they are broadening their minds by taking the time out of their busy schedules to listen to our stories and listen to our issues really gives me great hope for the future.”


Copyright © 2008 The Bi-College News Online. All rights reserved.

http://www.biconews.com/?p=20351
Posted By eheld On October 28, 2009 @ 12:29 am In News

Bigot Harry Jackson Gets Smacked Down By DC Council

It's hard out there for conservapimps. Bigot Harry Jackson slithered in from suburban Maryland to lead the anti-marriage equality peeps and got smacked down.

Enjoy.

Dr. Dana Beyer Running For Maryland House Seat

It seems as though the 2010 election cycle is shaping up to be a potentially historic one for the transgender community.

Kim Coco Iwamoto's first term on the Hawaii State Board of Education is coming to a close and she has yet to declare whether she will run again or seek higher office.

Brittany Novotny's a candidate for the Oklahoma legislature, Pam Bennett's making another run for the Aurora, CO city council after nearly winning in 2007, and Dr. Dana Beyer has decided to make another run for the Maryland State Legislature.

Dr. Beyer currently serves as the senior adviser to Montgomery County MD council member Duchy Trachtenberg and sits on the board of Equality Maryland.

“People should vote for me because they want someone looking out for them, not just taking orders from the antiquated leadership,” Dr. Beyer said. “We need a new approach to very serious economic difficulties if we are to reset our economy and move forward, building a better world for all.”

She's running for Maryland House Seat 18, but will have to get through the primary which takes place September 14, 2010. If she successfully does that and wins in the general election, either she or Brittany Novotny would become the first United States based trans people to win election to a state legislative body.

She's already been endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

I wish Dr. Dana the best of luck and hope that this run for the Maryland state house ends in a more satisfying conclusion for her than it did in 2006.

Pam Bennett In The Homestretch For Her Aurora, CO City Council Race

After nearly winning in her first attempt in 2007 running for an at large seat on the Aurora. CO city council, Pam Bennett is making her second run for public office.

She's part of a six candidate field trying to convince the voters of Denver's neighboring city they are the best candidate to garner their votes on November 3.

They are vying to be the at-large member of City Council for the suburban city of 297,835 that lies just east of Denver. Pam's a US Air Force veteran who currently serves as a commissioner for the City of Aurora Veterans Affairs Commission, but wants to do more for the city of Aurora.

Bennett stated on her campaign website:

I am running for Aurora City Council because I want to help Aurora achieve its full potential as a world class city. I am a veteran and a Commissioner on the City of Aurora Veterans Affairs Commission. I have worked in businesses large and small. I volunteer in our community to help others.

I have a diverse background and can bring many resources to the challenges ahead. I will use the strength and experience that I have gained to help the City of Aurora address its variety of challenges during the next four years.

Aurora is emerging as a major U.S. city and a city with a great future. Our city needs a leader ready to work hard for that future. We find ourselves at a time where we must find the path to economic growth and quality of life. Our working men and women and our neighbors need the economic security of a strong working city. Bringing jobs to Aurora is important for our future.

Aurora needs a leader during these difficult economic times; a leader working to bring jobs for our working men and women. Aurora has the start of our future as a healthcare city with medical care and research at Fitzsimmons and the world class healthcare facilities throughout our great city. This is an opportunity few cities ever have. These jobs and jobs created by new businesses will be the new Aurora.

If she wins on November 3, Pam would become the first open transgender politician elected in the state of Colorado, and nationally the first one elected to the city council of a municipality with a population of over 250,000.

Good luck, Pam on election day, and may you have better results than you did in 2007.

The 2009 Amazing Philippines Beauty Winner Is....

Bem Bem May Razada!




The 5th annual Miss International Queen pageant is currently being contested at Tiffany's in Pattaya, Thailand as I write this with 24 contestants from around the globe vying for that increasingly prestigious crown in the trans pageant world.

But the other trans pageant that garners international attention, Amazing Philippine Beauties held its finals in Manila on October 23.







There are transgender pageants like the Queen Of Cebu one PinayTG mentioned on her blog across the Philippines. Miss Amazing Philippines in six years has become the most coveted title of them all.

It not only carries a large cash prize to the winner but a contract to work in the Amazing Philippines Show, a cabaret show similar to the trans ones done in Thailand.

Congratulations to the new Amazing Philippines Queen for 2009 and may she have an enjoyable reign.