I Repeat: Just Because The 'Authorities' Claim You're A Prostitute Doesn't Make You One

In the wake of another San Antonio police officer being busted for sexually assaulting a transwoman, the 'Po-Po's Are Always Right' crowd have been trying to spin their way out of this latest mess and defend the officer.

In the comment threads of the story they are already trying to invoke the Duke Rape case and quoting a line in the Peter J. Holley story which states 'the complainant, authorities say is a prostitute'.

Excuse me? Have any evidence to back that up, or as usual did you believe every word the po-po's said?

One of the things that people of color are painfully aware of is that we know police departments have a cadre of less than honorable police officers who will lie, cheat, steal, fabricate evidence and are racist, homophobic and transphobic.

It also makes it hard on the officers who are honorable and interpret protecting and serving the public to mean EVERY segment of the community.

So it stands to reason that unless there is evidence out there that backs up that statement, just because the 'authorities' say a person is a prostitute doesn't necessarily make them one.

Far too many times transwomen of color are profiled as sex workers by police even if they aren't.

Police also use 'prostitution' as a catch all charge to arrest transpeople who are simply minding their own business, then once they are in custody take that time to harass them or worse.

Bye Vancouver-See You In Sochi In 2014

The XXI Winter Olympics concluded yesterday with the closing ceremonies being held at BC Place.

Despite Vancouver's games getting off to a tragic start with the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili during a practice run hours before the opening ceremony, they spent the next sixteen days of competition building toward a triumphant climax.

I concur with IOC president Jacques Rogge's remarks. Vancouver did a wonderful job hosting the games and as always, I'm sad to see any Olympics end.

While the host Canadians are keeping an Olympic record 14 gold medals, Team USA is taking 9 golds and 37 total medals south of the 49th parallel. It's the best total Winter Olympics haul we've had since the 1932 Lake Placid Games and broke the record set by Germany at the 2006 Torino Games.

All eyes will be on Sochi from February 7-23 in 2014, to whom the winter Olympic hosting torch was passed. While we're waiting for the start of Russia's first winter Olympics, next year in Durban, South Africa the IOC will determine which city gets the nod to host the 2018 winter games.

The 2018 contenders are PyeongChang, South Korea, who is making their third winter Olympic bid and has finished as the runners-up to eventual 2006 and 2010 winners Torino and Vancouver, Annecy, France, and Munich, Germany. If Munich's winter bid is successful, it would become the first city to host a winter and a summer games.

Fear not, Olympic junkies. Singapore will be hosting the first ever Youth Olympic Games this summer. They will be held from August 14-26 and will feature athletes aged 14 to 18 competing in the same events that are contested in a Summer Olympic Games. There will also be a Youth Winter Olympic Games as well contested in 2012 with Innsbruck, Austria hosting it.

Both should be interesting to watch and keep us Olympic junkies happy until London 2012. In the meantime, it's going to be an interesting four years between now and 2014.

Frack, Canada Men Win Gold In OT

This time I got a phone call from Renee and Renee's unhusband when it was over.

After Ryan Parise tied the game with 24 seconds left to stun the crowd into silence at Canada Hockey Place, Sidney Crosby got the red and white party started with a goal in the overtime period to deny Team USA their first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 Miracle on Ice squad accomplished the feat.

Oh well, Sochi's only four years away.

This Time It's For The Gold Medal

It's hard to beat a team multiple times in any sport, but that's what Team USA's men's hockey team will have to do today if they wish to return to the States with a hockey gold medal for the first time in 30 years.

The Hockey Border War between the United States and Canada will kick off again at 3 PM EST. It's not only a rematch of the preliminary round game the US won last Sunday 5-3, it's also a rematch of the 2002 gold medal game in Salt Lake City that the Canadians won 5-2.

Team USA scored early and often in their semifinal game versus Finland Friday and made those goals stand up for a 6-1 victory.

Ever since that 5-3 preliminary round defeat the Canadian men have been on a roll themselves with victories over Germany, Russia and Slovakia.

They also have the pressure of an entire nation on their backs as well.

Go Team USA!

Kristina, Read Your AP Stylebook

Kristina DeLeon is another reporter that needs to learn the difference between a transman and a transwoman.

I know WOAI-TV should have copies of the AP Stylebook around the station, but let me take a moment to school you on the basics of how to properly report about transpeople.



A transgender man or transman is a person born in a FEMALE body like yours who transitions to male.

A transgender woman or transwoman is a person born male but who transitions to female

Transmen are referred to with male pronouns, transwomen with female pronouns irregardless of genital status.

Such a simple concept, but people constantly screw it up.

Another SAPD Officer Arrested For Sexually Assaulting A Transwoman

Back in 2005 former San Antonio police officer Dean Gutierrez sexually assaulted and was convicted in 2007 of violating the civil rights of transwoman Starlight Bernal.

Seems as though the 24 years of federal jail time Gutierrez received in Bernal's case didn't resonate within some elements of the SAPD.

Seven year SAPD officer Craig Nash has been arrested and charged with sexual assault and official oppression of a transwoman.

The alleged victim claimed that Nash picked her up shortly after 3 AM CST at Guadalupe and Zarzamora streets on San Antonio's West Side. Nash handcuffed the victim in the back of a marked patrol car before taking her to an unknown location and forcing her to engage in multiple sexual acts.

The affidavit states Nash reportedly was wearing his police uniform at the time.

The transwoman told police that after the assault occurred, the suspect dropped off the victim at a nearby school on Guadalupe Street.

She boarded a bus for a trip to a police substation to file a complaint, telling officers according to the affidavit, Nash 'wasn't going to get away with this.”

San Antonio police used a Global Positioning System to confirm that Nash's vehicle was in the area at the time of the alleged incident in addition to the complainant being able to pick Nash out of a police lineup.

“We will not for a second tolerate this or make any excuses on behalf of anyone who is found guilty of misconduct in this department,” San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said.

Nash has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of both the criminal and administrative investigations.

But once again, it's concrete evidence of why transpeople, especially transpeople of color, have issues with the people who are supposed to protect and serve us.

When Is A Terrorist Attack NOT a Terrorist Attack?

One of the things I've been pondering since the attack on the building in Austin housing the IRS is this question.

Why is it that when Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan killed 12 of his fellow soldiers and wounded another 31 at Fort Hood back on November 4, the T-word came out with no hesitation and the obligatory slamming of Islam soon followed?

But flip the script and you have a white male burn his house down, leave an anti government manifesto on the Net, and dive bombs a plane into a federal building housing the IRS, or another white male in 1995 instigates the destruction of another federal building in Oklahoma City, the MSM twists itself into a pretzel to avoid calling it a terrorist attack or say it's the work of a lone individual?

To delve further into Bizarro world, the same conservapeeps decrying the foiled Christmas underwear bomber and giving the president 'soft on terris' grief on it are calling this vanilla flavored one a hero.

Hmm.

So when is a terrorist attack NOT a terrorist attack?

When North Americans Dominate An Olympic Sport, Why Does The IOC Want To Cancel It?

While I'm still disappointed about the Team USA women losing to Canada in the gold medal game last night, what has bothered me even more are the comments attributed to IOC president Jacques Rogge concerning the future of women's hockey in the winter Olympic games.

He said this to the Vancouver Sun on the same day of the US-Canada women's final.

“There is a discrepancy there. “Everyone agrees with that. This is maybe the investment period in women’s ice hockey. I would personally give them more time to grow, but there must be a period of improvement. We cannot continue without improvement.’’

The IOC doesn't have enough women's sports in the Olympic program to begin with, and refused to add women's ski jumping to it for this Olympic cycle.

So why the chatter about canceling women's hockey?

I believe much of this carping about women's hockey has to do with the fact that it has been a US-Canadian party so far. How much of a hue and cry would there be to end it if a European nation such as Russia or Sweden were dominating it instead of the United States or Canada?

When the Russian women were dominating women's Olympic basketball by capturing the 1976, 1980, and 1992 golds, deafening silence.

Softball got yanked as a Olympic medal sport for the 2012 London Games probably because of American domination of it. Never mind the fact that Japan knocked off Team USA for the 2008 gold medal in Beijing.

An attempt to bring it and baseball back into the Olympic program for 2016 was defeated despite the fact both sports are played all over the planet.

As was pointed out by IIHF president Rene Fasel men's hockey in his Swiss homeland experienced a lopsided 22-0 butt kicking in the 1930's administered by the Canadians. Swiss hockey grew to the point in which they knocked off the Canadians in the 2006 Torino games, and extended them to a hard fought 3-2 shootout loss in Vancouver.

Same story with the USA men's dominance of Olympic basketball. We went from sending collegiate all star teams to blow out the world's best to having to send our NBA ballers to uphold national basketball pride.

Even the NBA ballers now are challenged to the point where they only came home with bronze in 2004 and were severely challenged by Spain in 2008 before subduing them for gold.

Team USA women's basketball since the 1996 Atlanta Games has won four consecutive gold medals and six overall (1984, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008). Instead of jibber-jabber about canceling the sport, the rest of the planet is rolling up their sleeves and raising their level of play to compete with us.

The result is that Team USA, even with WNBA players in the lineups are being stiffly challenged now by the Australians and the Russians. The Russians upset us in the 2006 FIBA worlds semis, and the Aussies have been our Olympics finals opponent in three consecutive Olympiads.

So if you non-North Americans want to end Canadian-US dominance of women's ice hockey, lower your level of complaining and raise your level of play.

We had to do that in the States and Canada to be competitive in sports Europeans dominate like Nordic combined, bobsled, speed skating and ice dancing.

Team USA has had to step up their hockey game just to be competitive with the Canadians. It's paid off with consecutive world hockey championships, two silvers and a bronze medal in Olympic competition, but no gold since 1998.

But as we American sports fans painfully know, all good Olympic sports dynasties come to an end, and this current Canadian run of Olympic hockey success will one day as well.

Step up your game, don't end it.

Shut Up Fool! Awards- We Own The Podium Edition

The Canadians went into the games wishing to 'Own The Podium'. So far the podium at the XXI Winter Olympic games in Vancouver has witnessed a record setting performance by Team USA.

With three days of competition left, we have already eclipsed our total medal count record set at the 2006 Torino games for medals won in a non-US hosted winter games.

USA! USA! USA!

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled post.

It's Friday, and you know what that means TransGriot readers. It's time to see what fool or fools reached Olympian heights in stupidity and foolishness.

So let the games begin!

Our bronze SUF medal this week goes to Howard Kurtz, for perpetuation of the 'liberal media' lie. He makes the assertion that the Washington Post editorial pages are 'left-leaning' in response to criticism of Faux News all conservative all the time propaganda.

Knoxville, TN: Why do so many media outlets, when mentioning "Fox News", say "which some say has conservative views"? This seems to be the equivalent of saying "The Washington Post, which some say is a newspaper..."

Why is the rest of the press corp afraid to call a spade a spade, particularly when (as in this case) it is so virulently blatant?

Howard Kurtz: Because some say a distinction must be made between Fox's opinion shows (O'Reilly, Beck, Hannity) and its news programming. Just as you have to make a distinction between The Post's news pages and its left-leaning editorial page.

Yeah right, according to Media Matters.

Our silver SUF medal goes to the entire CPAC convention and it's weekend long display of conservative buffoonery, grade school level jokes, racism, homophobia, and logic defying soundbites.

And the SUF gold goes to senator Jim Bunning (R-KY), who cares more about the UK-South Carolina game than extending unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits past the February 28 deadline for thousands of unemployed workers in this state and across the country. He's the lone holdout among his other 99 colleagues and said on the Senate floor during the debate on this issue.

So what does he have to say for himself?

"I have missed the Kentucky-South Carolina game that started at 9:00 and it's the only redeeming chance we had to beat South Carolina since they're the only team that has beat Kentucky this year."

And you wonder why I can't stand right wing Republicans.

Sen. Jim Bunning, shut up fool

Oh Well-Canada Wins Olympic Gold

Renee is happily drinking her green tea this morning instead of crying in it like she was Monday because the Canadian women did something their male hockey playing counterparts haven't been able to do in these Olympics so far:

Beat Team USA.

They parlayed two early first period goals by Marie-Philip Poulin and the goaltending of Shannon Szabados into a 2-0 win for gold. Szabados stopped 28 shots to help Team Canada win their third straight Olympic gold medal and rack up their 15th straight Olympic win.

While Team USA did walk away with silver medals, it's one of the times in the Olympics when you aren't happy about it. When you lose to your bitter rival, it's even worse.

“Szabados played out of her mind,” Monique Lamoureux said. “It’s never fun to lose, especially in a championship game.”

“When you give your whole life to something and you come up short, as a team, it’s just awful,” four time Olympian Angela Ruggiero said while choking back tears. “It’s a little different than playing on the men’s side. You really give your life to it. You make lots of sacrifices to win the gold medal.”

Well ladies, you played your butts off to be so young. There were 15 Olympic rookies on that squad and you're still the two time world champions.

All Olympic sporting dynasties end sooner or later. The Canadian women will eventually lose an Olympic hockey game. Just get 'em in Sochi in 2014.

Assuming the IOC doesn't end women's Olympic hockey because Canada and the USA are dominating it right now.

It's On Renee-USA Vs Canada Women For Gold

At 6:30 PM EST what me and Renee have been trading barbs across the 49th parallel about for several months will finally happen.

The Clash of the Women's Hockey Superpowers at Canada Hockey Place.

It's the two time defending Olympic gold medalist Team Canada versus the two time reigning world champion and number one ranked Team USA.

This game is also taking place in the shadow of the 30th anniversary of the 'Miracle on Ice' game and the historic men's win over Canada on Sunday.

Interestingly enough, Mark Johnson, one of the major catalysts of the 4-3 win over the Russians is Team USA's coach.

Team USA has outscored its opponents 40-2 enroute to this Olympic final with 12-1, 13-0 and 6-0 wins over China, Russia and Finland in the preliminary round and a 9-1 semifinal win over Sweden. It avenged a 3-2 upset shootout loss in Torino that denied Team USA a trip to the 2006 Olympic final.

Canada has been just as dominant on its side of the Vancouver bracket. It steamrolled Slovakia 18-0, Switzerland 10-1 and Sweden 13-1 before posting a 5-0 shutout win over Finland in the semifinals.

It may be your house Renee, but we're coming to spoil the party. We want to do unto Canada what was done unto us at Salt Lake in 2002. Deny them the opportunity to win gold on their home soil.

My two time defending world champion girls won't be intimidated either.

"There's nothing better as an athlete – let alone a hockey player – than to play in a building of this magnitude, to have all the fans screaming," said Angela Ruggiero, who is one of two Americans to play in all four Olympic women's hockey tournaments.

"A lot of us were able to see the men win just, if anything, to get a sense of what the atmosphere is going to be like – hostile, fans chanting against you. And that's OK because I think our team thrives off of that."

It's on, Renee. Looking forward to watching my girls win gold, owning your podium and seeing the Stars and Stripes rise high in Canada Hockey Place.

Thanks blkout and Zeta Phi Beta!

Wanted to take a moment to thank blkout and the Delta Theta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc for extending to me an invitation to participate in the panel discussion they held last night as part of their PHIner Womanhood Week.

College kids these days are doing some amazing work and stepping up to the plate in terms of holding the discussions on TBLG issues.

Despite the fact I'd been in Frankfort earlier that morning, wasn't missing this 'Black and Gay In America' panel discussion. It was also the first time I'd been on a panel in which the 'B' part of the community was represented.

While Dr. Story unfortunately couldn't be there last night, blkout's Jaison Gardiner did a wonderful job as moderator of the two hour discussion that covered a wide range of issues on and off campus.

It was an informative and interesting discussion in which some cogent and intelligent questions were asked by the audience concerning issues such as family acceptance, spirituality, how to be a better ally to the TBLG community and where we fit in the overall African descended community.

Thanks once again blkout and the distinguished sorors of the Delta Theta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. for giving me the opportunity to take part and kick some knowledge to you about my segment of the BTLG rainbow.

Gone To Frankfort Again

Headed down I-64 east to our state capitol along with other liberal-progressive minded folk to exercise our right to talk to our state legislators.

Progressive orgs such as the ACLU KY, the Fairness Campaign, and the Kentucky Fairness Alliance will be taking part in Kentuckians Value Fairness Day culminating in a 1 PM EST rally in the Capitol Rotunda.

If anything interesting happens, will tell y'all about it when I get back.

Drama With Blacks And Gays Aint New

For those who think that the tensions between Black folks and gay folks is a recent, post Prop 8 phenomenon, peep this early 90's video from the Arsenio Hall show when some Queer Nation folks interrupted his monologue.



The question Arsenio asked was also valid. Why did these activists interrupt his show, but not the Tonight Show or other white-hosted late night shows?

Historic Winter Success For Team USA

The Canadians wanted to 'Own the Podium', but with a few days left to go Team USA is having historic winter Olympic success

Team USA has won 25 medals (seven gold, eight silver, and ten bronze) at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. That total matches the number of medals won at the 2006 Torino 2006 Winter Games. With one more medal, the United States will set a record for the most medals won at an Olympic Winter Games not held on US soil.

There have been historic breakthrough performances that have fueled this medal run. Lindsey Vonn became the first American woman to win a downhill gold medal. The Nordic combined team has won its first medals ever in 86 years. The men's hockey team is doing better than expected, and snapped a 50 year Olympic losing streak to Canada.

Shani Davis was a repeat medalist in his best speedskating events, picking up gold in the 1000m and silver in the 1500m just as he did in Torino.

There are a few days of action left in the Games, and if you want to keep track of it you can check out the latest Team USA news at this link.



Go Team USA!

Go Brittany Go!

I talked about Brittany Novotny, who is running for the Oklahoma state House seat currently occupied by Repugnican homobigot Sally Kern.

Her campaign is humming along. Despite only beginning to raise money on August 24, by the time the first mandatory reporting deadline arrived in November 2009, she'd raised $9,465 in nearly six weeks.

Incumbent Sally Kern in the entire three month reporting period only raised $10,843.94 with much of it coming from large donors. Only 19 of Kern's donors gave $50 or less while Novotny had 129 $50 or less donors.

You can keep track of Brittany's campaign via her website Brittany4HD64. You may want to help a sistah out with a donation as well. Every little bit helps. If you're in the Oklahoma City area you may want to help her out with some volunteer hours as well.

Go Brittany Go!

Beauty Day

Going to be away from the computer for a few hours to have a beauty day.

The Phenomenal Transwoman is going to get waxed, plucked, manicured, pedicured and all the other necessary evils to look good.

I also get to destress for a few hours while doing so.

Fear not loyal readers...I do have my usual commentary on the various news stories of the day and my chocolate flavored trans life coming when I return.

'Black And Gay In America' Panel Discussion At U of L

I've talked about from time to time how my people need to have a serious inside the family dialogue on GLBT issues.

This Wednesday on the University of Louisville campus, blkout, the campus GLBT group for African descended students will host a panel discussion in conjunction with the Delta Theta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. as part of their PHIner Womanhood Week.

The topic is 'Being Black and Gay in America' with the keynote speaker being one of my fave U of L professors, Dr. Kaila Story, the Audre Lorde Chair for Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality.

It will take place at the Red Barn on campus and starts at 7 PM.

It should be an interesting and informative discussion, especially with Dr. K being part of it.

The TransGriot will definitely be in the house for that one.

30th Anniversary of The 'Miracle On Ice'

Do you believe in miracles? Yes! Al Michaels, February 1980


It's fitting that we are in the midst of a Winter Olympic Games being held on the North American continent as the 30th anniversary of Team USA's improbable February 22, 1980 Olympic hockey victory 4-3 upset victory over the Soviet hockey team is being celebrated.

I was a few months from graduating from high school when I arrived home from tennis practice and was informed by my mother that the United States had beaten the Big Bad USSR in Olympic hockey.

To grasp the magnitude of that win, as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) picked the Miracle on Ice as the number-one international hockey story of the century.

Bear in mind that this was a semifinal medal round game. Team USA still had to win the game against Finland to secure the gold medal.

This was also the same USSR team that embarrassed Team USA in a February 9 game at Madison Square Garden 10-3.

But what a difference two weeks makes.



It's 30 years later and I still get goosebumps watching that game.

5-3 USA! USA! USA!

The last time the United States beat Team Canada in Olympic hockey, my parents were a few months shy of graduating from high school.

Since that 2-1 February 25, 1960 win in Squaw Valley, CA Team USA has gone 0-5-1 in Olympic competition against Canada.

Until tonight.

Fittingly wearing replica 1960 uniforms and playing a day before the 30th anniversary of the 1980 'Miracle on Ice', Team USA followed the script of the 1960 and 1980 teams in riding the hot goaltending of Ryan Miller and some timely shots to a stunning 5-3 upset of Team Canada in front of a raucous crowd in Vancouver.

Ryan Miller did his best Jack McCartan and Jim Craig impression by stopping 45 shots in upsetting the heavily favored Canadians. It was the first time in 50 years that the United States men have beaten Canada in hockey and helped them close the preliminary phase of Olympic play with an unblemished record in Group A.

Team USA not only clinched the top spot on Group A, but also gained a bye into the quarterfinal round.

While Team Canada isn't out of the medals, their road to win gold became that much tougher. They not only have to play an extra game, they will have to win four consecutive games to do so.

The 1960 'Forgotten Miracle' team not only went unbeaten to gold at Squaw Valley, but went through Canada, the USSR, and Czechoslovakia in consecutive games to do it. The 1980 'Miracle on Ice' squad, well you know the story.

Can this 2010 United States men's team join those legendary Olympic hockey teams and come back with a gold medal?

They are only three tantalizing games away from doing just that.