Checking Out The 2010 Women's Final Four

I'll get my hate on for Dork, er Duke tomorrow night, but tonight I'm going to sit down and watch the Women's Final Four and the national semifinal games from the Alamodome in San Antonio.

First up is Stanford versus Oklahoma. I'm rooting for Oklahoma not only because of all the Texans on their squad, but because they have an Olajuwon on the team.

Abi Olajuwon that is. And yes, she's the daughter of NBA Hall of Famer and my UH classmate Hakeem Olajuwon.

Number 2 Stanford made UConn work to beat them earlier this season. They had a two point halftime lead before they succumbed 80-68 and also has a Houstonian on their squad in sophomore and Pac-10 Player of the Year Nnemkadi Ogwumike. Interestingly enough her sister, high school All American Chiney will join her on the Stanford campus next year.

But the game I and every NCAA women's basketball fan is waiting for is UConn versus the Baylor Lady Bears.

It's my Houston homegirl and Baylor freshman phenom Brittney Griner and her baby Lady Bear teammates versus the b-ball juggernaut that is UConn.

Seems this season Brittney has become known more for blocking shots than dunking them. She broke the NCAA tournament record for blocks in only four games, and will probably add to that tonight.

Baylor is also playing 150 miles down I-35 from their Waco campus. Sic 'em Bears.

But they have an Amazonian task in playing mighty UConn.

The Huskies have won 76 straight games are only two games away from becoming the first NCAA women's team ever to repeat as national champs with unbeaten records in both seasons.

The last loss for UConn? The 2008 Final Four national semifinal against Stanford.

So will Maya Moore and Tina Charles lead UConn to a historical title coronation? Will Oklahoma finally break through and win their first title? Will Baylor get a dunk or two and lots of blocks from Brittney Griner in order to slay the basketball giants UConn and win their second title in school history? Or will Jayne Appel and Stanford add another title to their storied women's basketball tradition?

Should be fun to watch.

Happy Birthday Jill Scott!

Happy birthday to the sister from Philadelphia who seemed to just blow up on our radios in 2000, Jill Scott. The singer, poet, songwriter and actress in 1972 was born on this date in the city of Brotherly Love.

In addition to owning every Jill Scott CD produced, I'm so happy to hear according to a recent TJMS interview they are finally getting around to doing a second season of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency on HBO.

ooking forward to seeing Jill playing Precious Ramotswe again.

Happy birthday, Jill

Not So Happy Easter

My joy at the arrival of another Easter Sunday is tempered by the fact that this one falls on a sad date in American history. Today is also the 42nd anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It's a little tough to concentrate on listening to your minster give their annual Easter themed sermon about resurrection with the backdrop of Dr. King's senseless death weighing on your mind.

But in a sense, the themes of resurrection and rebirth kind of play out in Dr. King's life. He was a leader who resurrected our pride in ourselves as a people and got us African descended Americans to throw off the mental chains that were oppressing us.

That resurrection and rebirth of pride allowed us to become tough minded enough to march boldly for our constitutionally guaranteed civil rights.

As he said in his 'I've Been To The Mountaintop' speech, we as a people would get to the Promised Land. We're not there yet, but on every April 4 I take time out of my day to ponder what I can do to help myself and other Trans African Americans get to that promised land of freedom and fairness for all.

And Easter seems to be a perfect day to ponder that as well.

Moving Back Home

It's something I've known for a few months could possibly happen and I've told a few people, but now it's time to let everybody else in on the secret.

After eight years, the Texan in exile is ending that status. Due to a combination of factors, my time here in Louisville will be coming to a close as I head back to my beloved hometown and the Lone Star State in May.

Some of it is driven by family. My parents and grandmother aren't getting any younger. My niece just turned ten on January 20 and I'd like her to get to know her Aunt Monica a little better.

The imminent sale of the house I was living in was another contributing factor that forced me to decide whether I wanted to live in Louisville for another ten plus years, move to another city or go back home.

When I arrived here in September 2001 I was welcomed with open arms by the Louisville activist community, Edenside Christian Church and my pastor Rev. Sally McClain, U of L, the Fairness/CFAIR family and the wonderful people at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's Women's Center.

Besides Dawn, Polar and Karen having my back, I've gotten to meet wonderful folks like Dawne Gee, Dr. Kaila Story, Angie Fenton, Carla Wallace, and a long list of local and state politicians. I was the bridesmaid/DJ of a wedding. I've gotten the opportunity to meet wonderful people like Shaha Sharron, Chrystal Russell Hawkins, LynAnne Evans, Sheila O'Bannon, my neighbors Lee and Selena Burchfield, Jaison Gardiner and many others too numerous to list among the people who reside here I'm proud to call my friends.

Despite the circle of supportive friends, associates and allies, the invitation to sit on several civic boards, chances to contribute my talents to making this community and state better and opportunities to expand knowledge of trans issues, I've been unhappy here for the last two years. Much of my unhappiness is centered on my belief that my personal growth has plateaued and stagnated and I'll need to relocate in order to get those growth opportunities.

There's unfinished business back in Houston that I'm ready, more knowledgeable and in a better mental space to tackle. I like big cities and the smorgasbord of entertainment options they have to offer.

Add to that increasing demands for my talents as a speaker and panelist discussing transgender issues from an African flavored perspective and it has become apparent to me that I need to be in a city with more air service options than what I have currently available in Da Ville.

And frankly, after eight years, I just missed home and all things Texan.

So I'm heading back to H-town at an interesting time in the city's history and development. We have our second female mayor in Annise Parker. Metro has broken ground on four new light rail lines that will be completed in 2012, and the new Green Line will terminate six blocks from where I'll be living. A family reunion and my 30 year high school reunion will be taking place a few months after I arrive along with the November elections. Being near my childhood friends and family will be a major plus.

And the 2011 and 2016 NCAA Final Fours will take place in my hometown.

So yep, it's been real Louisville. There have been some positive moments, but it's time for this native Houstonian to head back home.

I will be back to visit and who knows, may end up with a speaking engagement or two up here as well. Besides, you can't get Impellizzeri's pizza anywhere but here.

Houston Extends City Civil Rights Policy To Trans People

This is wonderful news for me as a proud Houstonian.

Mayor Annise Parker updated the 12-year-old Houston non-discrimination policy to include trans individuals. It's won praise in the Houston GLBT community but the christo-conservahaters are already sniping at it.

Mayor Parker signed two executive orders last week that prohibit and protect city employees from harassment or discrimination in hiring, promotion and contracting based on gender identity. It adds to existing prohibitions based on race, creed, color, sex, national origin, age and disability.

They also allow transgendered individuals to use restroom facilities in city-owned buildings for the gender with which they identify.

Previously, transgender city employees had to write a letter to a city official asking for permission to use restrooms of the gender with which they identified.

There is a city ordinance still on the books that can charge you with a Class C misdemeanor for entering the restroom of the opposite gender without permission from the owner of the building where the restroom is located with the intent to cause a disturbance.

Unfortunately, while transgender employees no longer have to seek permission from the city's Director of General Services, the department that oversees city buildings, transgender residents must do so.

“The mayor wanted to put in writing what has already been the city's practice, which is that we do not discriminate,” said Janice Evans, Mayor Parker's spokeswoman.

Kris Banks, president of the Houston Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Political Caucus, lauded the move as an important protection that will help GLBT employees feel safe at work.

“This is essential,” Banks said. “A non-discrimination provision that protects sexual orientation but doesn't protect gender identity is toothless. ... It's quite a thing, having a mayor that really understands all these issues.”

City Attorney Arturo Michel said the two orders do not govern restroom use in city facilities for the public, only employees. As mayor, Parker has the authority to issue orders governing the workplace behavior of city employees, but an ordinance would be required for similar changes dealing with restroom use to be made citywide.

Yep, while this is a great first step, looks like the struggle continues back in H-town for first class citizenship for its trans residents.

Sally Trans Pageant Show

One of the talk shows that had respectful presentations of trans issues and trans people throughout its 18 year run was Sally Jessy Raphael

Here's one from the 90's that has some trans sisters participating in it who are no longer with us such as Tandi Andrews and Catiria Reyes.

Shut Up Fool! Awards-Easter Weekend Edition

It's Friday and the Holy Week observance is coming to a conclusion with Good Friday celebrations followed by Easter Sunday services. There's also a packed weekend of non religious oriented activity this weekend with the Men's and Women's Final Fours taking place in Indianapolis and San Antonio.

The April 4 Easter date also coincides with the somber anniversary of the 1968 assassination of the Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

So Let's move on to what you've all been waiting for as you take a break from assembling the Easter baskets and hiding stuff for the Easter Egg hunts.

Time to find out what fool, fools or group of fools won our coveted award this week.

This week's peeps considered for it were Sarah Palin, and group awards for the GOP and Fox News.

But this week's award goes to Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR). She's facing a serious primary challenge from Lt. Governor Bill Halter, who's from the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party. Now all her shilling for the insurance companies and kowtowing to the Teabaggers in the wake of the health care reform battle is coming home to roost.

She ran commercials kowtowing to the Teabagger crowd boasting about how she opposed the health care reform bill.



Somebody must have whispered in her ear that President Obama still has widespread support in the African American community, and Arkansas has a sizable population of chocolate flavored residents who will have a major say in determining who wins the US Senate Democratic primary.

This is the commercial that is running on Arkansas based African-American radio stations.

Yep, Blanche Lincoln is trying to simultaneously claim that she supported and opposed President Obama at the same time.

Please take her out in the primary, Bill Halter.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln, shut up Fool!

Michelle 'Nazi' McGee Slings Transphobic Insult At Chelsea Handler

Michelle McGee, the alleged mistress of Jesse James got a little perturbed over the zingers that Chelsea Handler aimed at her.

On her blog Handler aimed a zinger directed at the 32 year old McGee in which she's quoted as stating, "I guess she doesn’t read magazines, which makes sense since she basically has one on her face.”

McGee sent retaliatory fire back at Handler courtesy of her Facebook page..

“Chelsea, heres some free advice..use some of that botox from your forehead and put it in your flabby underarm skin. Ive seen better wings in a bucket of KFC chicken,” she wrote.

Then Miss White Power 2010 went a step further and added: “In all seriousness, Im a big fan of Chelsea Lately…feel so honoured to have a transexual poke fun of me…”

No, you haven't had a transwoman poke fun at you until now. What I'm about to say isn't intended to be humorous like the pwning you've been getting from Chelsea.

But if people find it to be funny, then that's all good.

Look, Eva Braun for the new millennium, whatever beef you have with Chelsea, leave the trans community out of it.

The trans community is more than a little sick and tired of cognitively challenged cispeople struggling to come up with zingers in dissfests in which they are hopelessly outclassed using transwomen as an insult.

As a matter of fact, I know more than a few transwomen who are better looking than you and don't have swastikas tattooed on their bodies.

I've got a salute for you, and it isn't a stiff arm one. It starts with my extended middle finger.

Laverne Is Part of TRANSform Me Team

My sis Laverne Cox is part of a team of transwomen (Nina Poon and Jamie Clayton are the others) who are the stars of VH1's latest reality show called TRANSform Me.

The show airs on Mondays at 10:30 PM with the ladies traveling the country in their glambulance and helping women discover their inner diva.

If you get hooked on the show and miss an episode, you can catch up with what you missed on the TRRANSform me website.


Jamie is the makeup guru of the team, Nina is the fashionista, while Laverne handles the self-esteem part.

It's interesting to watch as the TRANSform me team goes to work on their various

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Best of luck on the show. Here's hoping it stays on the air for a while and leads to some positive things for all of ladies in the long run and the people you help.

US Federal Court Declares Denial Of Trans Medical Care Unconstitutional

"After careful consideration, the court concludes that the defendants’ application of Wis. Stat. § 302.386(5m) to these plaintiffs constitutes deliberate indifference to the plaintiff’s serious medical needs in violation of the Eighth Amendment inasmuch as enforcement of the statute results in the denial of hormone therapy without regard for the individual medical needs of inmates and the medical judgment of their health care providers."

Great news out of Wisconsin that may have an impact for the rest of Trans America!

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin yesterday in ruling on the Sundstrom v. Frank case struck down a law that barred transgender people from receiving medical care while they are incarcerated.

The ACLU and Lambda Legal brought a challenge in January 2006 to the law on behalf of transgender prisoners, some of whom had been receiving hormones in Wisconsin prisons for years prior to the passage of the law.

"The court understood that medical treatment is critical for transgender people and that medical decisions should be made by doctors—not legislators,” said Dru Levasseur, Lambda Legal’s Transgender Rights Attorney.

“The state cannot decide to withhold treatment from people because they disapprove of their gender identity or medical needs—it’s unconstitutional."

Overriding concerns raised by of the Department of Corrections medical personnel, the Wisconsin legislature passed a law, effective in January 2006, that prohibited prison doctors from deciding the best course of treatment for transgender people by barring them from prescribing any type of hormone therapy or sex reassignment surgery for transgender people in state custody.

"This decision recognizes that many inmates have a serious medical condition that requires individualized medical treatment. The court's ruling doesn't require inmates to receive hormones or surgery for sex reassignment, it simply means that doctors are the ones who make the decisions about treatment," said John Knight of the ACLU. "The court's decision is just common sense."

The lawsuit charged that it is a violation of the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection as well as the guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment to bar transgender inmates from access to individualized medical care. The legal groups base their challenge on federal case law that establishes that health care providers must determine proper treatment for all prison inmates.

The court ruled that the statute's ban on medical care “constitutes deliberate indifference to the plaintiff's serious medical needs in violation of the Eighth Amendment inasmuch as enforcement of the statute results in the denial of hormone therapy without regard for the individual medical needs of inmates and the medical judgment of their health care providers."

Somali Pirates Fire On US Navy Ship-Lose

Note to Somali pirates: If you wish to have a long and lucrative career in the buccaneer business, better learn the difference between a merchant ship and a naval warship.

A group of pirates launched a midnight attack against what they thought was a merchant ship west of the Seychelles Islands Thursday.

Unfortunately for them the ship they picked on was one that had more than enough firepower and capability to hit them back hard, the guided missile frigate USS Nicholas.

The USS Nicholas saw combat in the first Gulf War, and quickly chased down and fired back at the pirate skiff, disabling it. A boarding team from the Nicholas then captured and detained its three man crew before sinking the skiff.

The Nicholas then captured the nearby mothership the sunken skiff was operating from and detained two more pirates.

While this was a success for the international naval force battling piracy off the Somali coast, it still faces the daunting task of monitoring 3000 miles of Somali coastline in addition to a million square miles of ocean.

The pirates have also shifted tactics in reaction to the increased international naval presence, and now attack ships hundreds of miles from their Somali home waters.

The reality is that if they want to eradicate piracy in Somalia, they'll have to eventually strike at the shore bases and ports that supply the motherships and skiffs.

Dan Savage To Transition

Dan Savage stunned a hastily called press conference today by announcing that he was planning to begin a gender transition.

"I can no longer fight the desire to live an authentic life and be the person I know I was born to be."

Savage has come under fire from trans people for his transphobic commentary, and most recently calling Washington state DA Rob McKenna a transman. But now that Mr. Savage is becoming Ms. Savage, he asked for forgiveness from his fellow transpeople.

'I'm sorry for all the comments that may have hurt my people. I know I have much to atone for, and I can promise you that I'll be an asset to our community and not a detriment to it."

Now if he'll just apologize his negative comments about African-Americans everything will be copacetic.

Happy Birthday Rachel!

Today is the birthday of one of my fave political pundits and the bane of conservafools everywhere, Rachel Maddow. She was born in Castro Valley, CA on this date in 1973.

Happy birthday Rachel. May you continue to speak truth to power, and here's hoping that you do one day run for public office. The country could definitely use your PhD level intellect in passing common sense legislation that benefits all of us.

But it's also a lot of fun watching you take apart right wingers. too

What's the Student Non Discrimination Act of 2010?

It's HR 4530, and was introduced by Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado on January 27 in the wake of multiple instances of GLBT students being discriminated against.

"Like Title VI for minorities in the 60s and Title IX for women in the 70s," Congressman Polis said at the time of the bill's introduction, "my legislation puts LGBT students on an equal footing with their peers, so they can attend school and get a quality education, free from fear.”

HR 4530, Student Nondiscrimination Act of 2010 in summary:

Would prohibit public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates. Considers harassment to be a form of discrimination. Prohibits retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct they reasonably believe to be unlawful under this Act. Authorizes federal departments and agencies to enforce these prohibitions by cutting off the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating them. Allows an aggrieved individual to assert a violation of this Act in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees should they prevail. Deems a state's receipt of federal educational assistance for a program to constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity for conduct prohibited under this Act regarding such program.

The bill so far has 82 co-sponsors so far and is in the following House committees:

House Education and Labor, chaired by Rep. George Miller (D-CA)
House Education and Labor, Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education
House Education and Labor, Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness

On Feb 23, 2010 it was referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness.

It's still early in the process, but we can get busy supporting the passage of HR 4530 and making sure this bill expeditiously becomes the law of our land.

In the countless instances of discrimination directed at GLBT students I have documented on TransGriot's pages, I can say with certainty that Congressman Polis' bill is sorely needed.

Trans Siblings

I knew the late Pickett twins, Chanelle and Gabrielle, were transwomen, but I wasn't aware of this little tidbit of trans trivia.

Loren Cameron is one of our iconic transmen who I've heard about and possibly crossed paths with since my own transition back in mid 90's. But one thing I wasn't aware of is that Loren Cameron has a trans sister.

Check out the video.

No Joke-NY Media Fails To Read AP Stylebook

You know, how hard is it for media people to grasp this concept?

transgender-Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.

If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.

Once again, the media fails in a story involving a transwoman, and this time it happens in our country's so-called media capital.

And it's not like you media peeps don't get enough practice in getting stories on trans people right. Every two days somewhere on the planet a transperson is murdered. Every now and then transpeople make the news for something other than being a murder victim, and you still frack the pronouns up.

Amanda Gonzalez-Andujar was a 29-year old trans woman who was found stabbed to death in her Queens, NY apartment. Her apartment had been ransacked and much of her possessions destroyed. A man she recently began dating is suspected of committing the crime.

And guess how the New York Times and other NY newspapers initially identified Ms. Gonzalez-Andujar? By using her old name and calling her a 'man'.

They've corrected the stories, but it's still infuriating to have to say the same crap over and over about a concept that elementary school kids get.

I'm Joining The NCTE Board

I have an announcement to make that is probably going to come as a shock to some people who have known me for a while.

It's also going to come as a surprise to the folks who are aware of the negative history I have had with the founder and executive director of this organization.

But for the sake of the transgender community, I'm putting that animosity aside to announce that I've been invited to join the board of the National Center For Transgender Equality and will be accepting the invitation to do so.

You know how I've been a big advocate of the 'we need to be in it to win it' school of activism, and frankly, it's time for me to join an organization that has those connections to the inside the Beltway power peeps.

It's all about doing what I can do to help advance the cause of transpeeps of color, and this is one way of doing so.

My term on the board will start immediately, and I'm looking forward to working with the NCTE team and getting our remaining transgender legislative crown jewels passed.

Oh yeah, one other thing before I end this announcement and you start sending me mail in the comments section.

Check today's date.

Tripping About The Bathroom-Transman Division

Peep this video about two transmen who were handling their business in Seattle's Pacific Place Mall restroom when some cis man had a problem with it and called security.

Predictably the security guard tripped and the transmen are justifiably pissed (pardon the pun) about it.

Happy International Transgender Day Of Visibility

Today is the first celebration of what founder Rachel Crandall hopes will be an annual event, the International Transgender Day of Visibility.

One of the problems I've long complained about that has had serious repercussion with trans people's levels of acceptance in the African-American community and beyond is our lack of visibility.

Well, the International Day of Visibility wants to to change that.

Too many of us transition, then go into hiding because of the intolerance of society. We grapple with shame and guilt issues instead of being proud of who we are and having the courage to stand up and say 'I am a human being who happens to be transgender, and you will not disrespect me'

Maybe if for one day, we can get transpeople to stand up in large numbers where they don't feel alone, that will subsequently happen.

The International Transgender Day of Visibility seeks to make transpeople less of a mystery to cis folks, point out that transpeople are all around you in your daily lives and have played roles in shaping our culture and history.

This event is also an opportunity for the people who complain about the Transgender Day of Remembrance being 'too somber' to participate in an event that celebrates who we are. It's also another opportunity for our allies to stand in solidarity with us.

As the awareness of this March 31 day increases, it becomes better organized, gets more media attention and people have a year to plan events for TDOV 2011 there will probably be other things attached to the general framework of this day.

I can see future TDOV events with components such as panel discussions on our issues at various venues, trans specific coming out day ceremonies, trans themed pageants or teach ins about our history.

The possibilities and directions this day could take, especially when people put their unique cultural and international stamps on it are endless.

But I hope the overwhelming message that gets out on this day is that we exist, we're proud to be trans people, we are your sisters, brothers and family members.

I also pray that the other message resonating from this day is that as fellow human beings, we deserve to live our lives to the fullest and will not be deterred from doing so.