Primary Super Tuesday Wrapup

People in twelve states went to the polls to choose candidates for the general election in November, with the attention of the nation and many of us political junkies focused in South Carolina, Arkansas, Nevada and California.

In Arkansas Sen. Lincoln survived with help from Bill Clinton a serious primary challenge from Lt. Gov Bill Halter fueled by unions and netroots activists.

It's being pooh-pooed by the pundit class as a loss for the unions and netroots, but I don't see it that way. It puts centrist Dems like Lincoln on notice that you can't just 'run to the right' and then try to run back to the center and beg for our votes at election time.

Ask Rep. Artur Davis in Alabama about how well that strategy worked for him in Alabama's Democratic gubernatorial primary.

In South Carolina Republican state rep Nikki Haley got endorsed by Sarah Palin, slut shamed and attacked with racial slurs because she is of Indian descent, but nearly received the 50% she needed to avoid a June 22 runoff to become the state's first female governor.

In Nevada Teabagger Sharron Angle survived a three way primary to get the GOP nomination and take on Sen. Harry Reid. Sen. Reid's son secured the Democratic nomination for the now open governor's chair since the incumbent scandal plagued GOP governor Jim Gibbons went down to defeat.

And in Cal-ee-for-nia Meg Whitman used $71 million 'free speech' dollars to get the GOP governor's nod to replace Ah-nold. Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina also spent some of her golden parachute 'free speech' megabucks to get the GOP senate nod to take on Sen. Barbara Boxer. Both are already flinging campaign ads in what promises to be a long and expensive senate campaign.

I was happy to see Orly 'Birther Mama' Taitz get her political azz whipped in the GOP California Secretary of State race.

Last thing we needed was to see her cranially challenged behind ensconced as the chief election officer in the state with the most electoral votes (52) for the 2012 presidential election cycle.

There will be another cluster of primaries between now and the general election on November 2. All they are proving right now is that basically whoever turns their base out will win.

And don't think conservafools, that we're going to sit at home and let y'all put knowledge challenged reactionaries in charge of the federal government without a fight.

That's not the kind of change I voted for in 2008.

GENDA Dies Again In NY Senate

"AN ACT to amend the executive law, the civil rights law and the education law, in relation to prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression; and to amend the penal law and the criminal procedure law, in relation to including offenses regarding gender identity or expression within the list of offenses subject to treatment as hate crimes."

The bill has passed the Assembly three times, would add “gender identity and expression” to those protected against employment, housing, education and credit discrimination.

GENDA has been stuck in an infuriating pattern in the NY Legislature the last few years. It passes the NY Assembly by overwhelming margins only to get killed when it gets to the NY Senate.

For the third straight year, the NY Senate has trampled the hopes of the trans citizens of the state by killing GENDA in committee.

The bill died in the Senate Judiciary Committee this morning to the chagrin of openly gay state Sen. Tom Duane (D-Manhattan), who sponsoring the legislation in conjunction with Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan).

All 11 Republicans on the Judiciary Committee voted down the bill, plus Democratic state Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr (D-Bronx)

Sen. Duane attributed the defeat partly to a difference of opinions on legislative strategy.

"it is now yet again confirmed that the Senate is a cesspool of homophobia and transphobia," said Duane. "The advocates wanted to go through a committee... I believe that we should have brought GENDA through Rules and brought it right to the floor so as to deny the right-wing fringe the ability to organize against GENDA with their lies and distortions."

According to NY Daily News State Capitol Bureau Chief Ken Lovett, Senate Democrats are "livid" over the bill's demise:

"Senate Dems say two Republicans on the committee, Sens. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) and George Maziarz (R-Niagara) had previously committed to supporting the measure, only to vote against it in committee.

"Whether it’s ethics reform or upholding basic human rights for all New Yorkers, Senate Republicans proved once again they lack the backbone to stand up for what they claim to believe in," said Senate Democratic spokesman Austin Shafran.

Shafran clarified his statement to say that Sens. Lanza and Maziarz had agreed only to move the bill out of committee without recommendation.

What is so onerous about GENDA that the Forces of Intolerance in the New York State Senate find objectionable?

Oops, silly me. Guess they want to keep their ability to oppress someone alive.

Once again, the NY State Senate has sent a bitter message to trans New Yorkers. They don't mind sticking their hands in the wallets and purses of trans New Yorkers to grab state tax money from them when they can find work.

But they can't, won't and refuse to exert themselves with passing critical legislation recognizing trans New Yorkers fundamental human rights.

Trans People Have Been Thrown Under The Civil Rights Bus So Much ...

We can tell by the tire tracks left on our bodies the brand name of the tires we've been run over with.

General, Uniroyal, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Michelin, Vogue, BF Goodrich, Hankook, Yokohama, Cooper, Continental, Kumho, Pirelli...

You get the drift.

The trans community sees another bus coming into view with the ENDA sign brightly emblazoned on the LED destination readout on the front of it. Are we going to get to ride that bus to the civil rights promised land?

Or are the doors going to fail to open as the GL driver guns the engine and we get run over by it again?

When it comes to being thrown under the bus, as much as the gay community has screamed at the Obama administration claiming it's now happening to them, they ain't even close to the amount of times they've repeatedly rolled over us over the last four decades and left tire tracks across our bodies.

There's no comparison.

Truly Great Trans Friends

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

One of the things about transition that is essential to your building of healthy self-esteem is having a network of truly great friends around you.

But one important component of that network of truly great friends is having truly great trans friends as part of it.

Transition sometimes can feel like it's a lonely, grind it out process. For African-descended transwomen who don't have the support networks in place like our white transisters do, that sense of loneliness is magnified.

So it helps tremendously to have people in your corner who have your back and have an intimate understanding of what it's like to deal with issues that crop up during a gender transition.

While the ideal situation is to have that trans friend in the same locale with you, don't reject someone who could potentially be a truly great trans friend if there's a few hundred or a few thousand miles between you.

Hey, that's what IM and long distance calling is for.

Brittany Officially Files To Run!

I've talked about Oklahoma City attorney Brittany Novotny more than a few times on this blog and the potential history she could make if she's successful in her run for the Oklahoma Legislature.

This morning Brittany officially filed to run for the Oklahoma District 84 state house seat currently held by GOP homobigot Sally Kern.

Kern filed for the seat on Monday.

Novotny said to Julie Bisbee of The Oklahoman, “Kern has proven to be out of touch with mainstream Oklahomans, ineffective at solving problems, and bad for business.”

She's aware of what she's facing in this upcoming campaign as well.

“I understand there are going to be some folks who try to make this election about the fact that my medical history includes a gender transition, but I’m running for office because I believe I’m the best candidate to fight for jobs, education, and transportation. I understand that state government runs best when it focuses on helping small businesses create jobs and guarantees all of our children can get a great public education.”

If she's successful, she would become the first trans person elected to a state legislature in US history.

To contribute to Brittany's campaign, click on this link to her official campaign website.

Give a $5 or a $10 to help Brittany win!

Best of luck, Brittany! Here's hoping you make history this November and take out an odious hater at the same time.

See Canada's C-389 Debate On Webcast

For you political junkies interested in seeing how this debate on Bill C-389 transpires, the Canadian Parliament does have a webcast of its proceedings.

Bill C-389 is An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code to add the words 'gender identity and gender expression' to it.

You can access it by clicking on this link, then clicking on the link that says HoC Sitting No. 58.

That will take you to the webcast Event information menu where you will click on either the 'View This Clip' or 'Advanced View' to select your speed and language for viewing the debate starting at 5:30 PM EDT.

According to the Projected Order of Business for today, it looks like they will vote on C-389 as soon as the debate is concluded.

Still not too late for my Canadian TransGriot readers to be an agent of your own liberation. E-mail your MP and ask him or her to support C-389's passage.

Primary Super Tuesday

If you live in the eleven states who are having primary elections today, time for you loyal TransGriot readers to take a few moments out of your day to exercise your constitutional right to vote.

Primaries will be taking place in Arkansas, California, Iowa, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, Nevada, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Virginia.

The highest profile race of the day for liberals will be the Arkansas Senate Democratic Primary Runoff. It pits incumbent senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) against Lieutenant Gov. Bill Halter. Sen. Lincoln won a month ago, but didn't get the 50% she needed to win outright.

Since then Halter has surged in the polls and it looks like Sen. Lincoln is in danger of becoming the third incumbent senator to be sent packing.

Well see if that's the case later tonight, but at any rate, handle your civic business today and go vote.

Canada's Bill C-389 To Undergo Second Debate Today

NDP MP Bill Siskay's Private Member’s Bill C-389, which would ensure explicit human rights protections for transgender and transsexual people will be debated for a second hour in the Canadian Parliament today at 5:30 PM EDT.

The vote on Second Reading will be taken on June 9. If passed, the bill will go to committee for consideration.

In case you're wondering what it is, Bill C-389 would update the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) to include gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds of discrimination, and update the Criminal Code of Canada to include gender identity and gender expression in the hate crime and sentencing provisions.

Hope you TransGriot Canadian readers have been calling your MP's to help get this to the next step in the process. If you live in a Conservative riding, you definitely need to be the agent of your own liberation and picking up the phone or e-mail your MP as expeditiously as possible.

Here's hoping I have positive news to report tomorrow on C-389 and that my Canadian trans cousins get one step closer to full civil rights coverage.

B Scott Tellin' It Like It T-I-S Is

B Scott is a YouTube video blogger and commenter known for his androgynous looks and outspoken commentary.

Here's a B Scott video skewering the myths that cismen have about gay ones and calling them out about their insecurities.

Frenchy's Co-Founder Passes Away

I mentioned how much I love Frenchy's chicken and wrote a post honoring their 40th anniversary last year.

Well, one of the co-founders of that iconic Houston institution, 86 year old Percy 'Frenchy' Creuzot passed away yesterday in a local hospital after suffering a stroke three weeks ago.

Frenchy's is an iconic local chain started by the New Orleans born Creuzot and his wife Sallie in July 1969 as a po-boy stand on Scott Street near the UH and TSU campuses.

He added a creole seasoned chicken to the menu to compete with a now closed Church's location across the street, and a legendary establishment was born.

'The Taste That Lasts Forever' has been enjoyed by myself, generations of Houstonians and visitors to the city, and we and his family are saddened by the loss of a legendary business figure in our community like Percy Creuzot.

Camp Aranu'tiq-A Summer Camp Of Our Own

Schools are letting kids out for the summer, and many of those kids are either heading to, in or soon will be attending a summer camp. For one to two weeks they get to engage in various activities, meet new friends and spend some time away from home at the same time.

With transpeople now beginning to transition as early as ages five and six, they now face the same 'where do they fit in' issues as we late teen and adult transitioners in addition to having some unique to childhood.

For parents of transkids who would like their children to have that classic summer camp experience, that becomes problematic when trying to find one that will not only accept their transchild, but provide a relatively drama free environment as well.

Introducing Camp Aranu'tiq. It's a weeklong, tuition-free, overnight summer camp for transgender and gender-variant youth ages 8 through 15 located in Southern New England.

For obvious reasons I and the staff will not reveal the actual location so that it stays a safe place from the conservafools and idiots like the Phred Phelpses of the world.

As for how it got its name, Aranu'tiq is a Chugach word for a person who was thought to embody both the male and female spirit. The Chugach are an indigenous people who live in Alaska. Aranu'tiq people were often revered and thought to be very lucky because their existence transcended traditional gender boundaries.

Camp Aranu'tiq has a traditional summer camp program that includes arts and crafts, dance, drama, swimming, music, canoeing, creative writing, and land sports such as basketball, soccer, dodgeball, kickball, and beach volleyball. The week will also include campfires (with s'mores!), a talent show, an all-camp capture the flag game, and other special activities in age appropriate groups.

There are also a few professional therapists at camp for campers who may want to talk about various issues, but the main focus of the week, just like it is for any summer camp is on having fun.

This year's dates for Camp Aranu'tiq calls fir the campers to arrive on Sunday, August 22 and depart Saturday, August 28, 2010.

The camp is full for this inaugural season, but you may want to check with the camp staff and get on the wait list.

You can contact them with this link or contact the camp office.

Camp Aranu'tiq
P.O. Box 620141
Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462

It is a 501c3 organization founded in 2009, and you can give them a tax deductible donation on their website.

According to their website, Camp Aranu'tiq will have kids from all over the United States and Canada, and will provide transportation from the New York and Boston areas to their facility which is a 2 hour drive from those cities.

Have fun kids in the camp's inaugural session, and may Camp Aranu'tiq live long, prosper and serve the trans and gender variant community well.

Black Peeps Proud Of Who We Are And Who Call Y'all Out On Your Vanilla Flavored Bullcrap Ain't 'Racist'

What is it about an intelligent, educated, socially aware, fly African descended person who is well versed in our history that scares the crap out of you?

If I had a dollar for every white person who has called me 'racist' because I hardly ever fail to point out the hypocritical ways in which whiteness operates in this society, I could retire on that money.

That being said, time to take the clueless to school. Go find that Sociology 101 book gathering dust on your bookshelf, crack it open, and read it. If you're doing a Sarah Palin and can't find it, then Moni will post it for you.

Racism is taking your personal biases and prejudices and combining them with power, be it political, social, economic, military, or police power, and using that to oppress and retard the advancement of another minority group.

Can't help it if some of y'all can't handle the truth that bigotry, racism and racist behavior permeates this society to the point people of color are experts at ferreting out even the most subtle deployment of it.

We should be since it has been deployed against us for over 200 years and our survival depends on it.

So y'all chill with the futile projection tactics on the person delivering the message about racist behavior whether it's me or any other POC.

It won't, and doesn't work.

Oh yeah, before I forget this point, don't bother screaming 'race card' at me either. No one injects or uses race more in its everyday interactions with POC's in society than does whiteness.

I'm not going to stop being proud of my people, my history, standing tall, and saying it loud, I'm Black, trans and I'm proud.

It also ain't going to stop me from speaking my mind and calling out bull feces in the trans community, my African-American one, or any other one I interact with when I see fit to do so.

More Semenya Setbacks

800m World Champion runner Caster Semenya of South Africa has been impatiently waiting to get back on the track since she burst onto the international track scene at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin.

She blistered the field with a 1:55:45 time that is the fifth best time ever run by a woman in history, and ever since then has been dogged by questions about her gender. The IAAF ordered gender test results are supposed to be available later this month.

Semenya is understandably frustrated and angry about the delays and being denied the opportunity to compete in a meet at Stellenbosch, South Africa at the request of Athletics South Africa (ASA). The ASA has counseled the 19 year old to await the IAAF gender test results before she returns to 800 meter racing.

She was left off the South African team competing in the 2010 IAAF African Championships in Nairobi, Kenya July 28 despite having qualified for it by virtue of her championship winning time in Berlin.

Semenya announced her intention to return to competition at the June 24 EAA meet in Zaragoza, Spain.

However, the Zaragoza EAA meet has been cancelled due to a budget shortfall according to the meet organizers. It had been in financial difficulties in past years and the Spanish Athletics Federation stated there was no chance of it returning this year.

So once again, Caster Semenya's return to track is on hold along with a definitive resolution to this gender controversy that has been painfully public for her and glacially slow in the way it has played out.

The cynic in me says maybe that was the intent in the first place, since the London Olympic Games are only two years away.

We'll find out at the end of the month.

Goodbye Coach Wooden

Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable' John Wooden

He passed away a few months short of his 100th birthday, and was the guy most responsible for keeping my Coogs from winning the 1967 and 1968 NCAA championships, but the 'Wizard of Westwood's' accomplishments extend far beyond basketball excellence.

John Wooden passed away June 4, appropriately while the NBA Finals opening game was being played in Los Angeles. He won 10 NCAA titles in 12 years while at UCLA, but he's one of those legendary figures who not only casts a large historic shadow on the college game, but basketball in general.

He was basically a teacher and philosopher of life masquerading as a successful basketball coach.


His Pyramid of Success is still used and applicable to any person wishing to live a quality life and be successful at whatever they do.

It's also a shining example of a quality life well lived, and the world already is poorer for his departure.

We Will Win

"First they ignore you, then they attack you, then you win!'
Mahatma Gandhi

It's wisdom from Gandhi that could easily be applied to the trans civil rights struggle. They ignored us. They've made fun of us. We haven't gone away and are still demanding our constitutionally guaranteed civil rights.

Now they are attacking us.

But we will win.

The Forces of Intolerance realize that we have the moral high ground and the longer they attack us with half truths and bald face lies, the more public opinion will shift to us.

We simply have to keep telling our stories, continue to point out trans people aren't what our opponents paint us to be, fight like hell against injustice and hammer home the point that it's unfair and immoral to deny fellow citizens our constitutionally guaranteed civil rights.

Civil rights fights go through stages. The Forces of Intolerance can no longer ignore or ridicule us, so they've gone to the next steps of demonization and active and violent resistance.

We are stronger, mentally tougher and more morally upright than the people who persist in persecuting us. We must continue to pray that the storm will pass and we will see a brighter day.

We transpeople will have civil rights coverage and first class citizenship. We will one day see a transperson elected to Congress. We will have more elected to state legislatures and large city councils. We will become valued members of society.

Eventually the haters will simply be worn down by the fact that they are wrong, their numbers are diminishing, the people who support and love us are increasing exponentially, science is on our side, and us being being sick and tired enough of their bull feces to fight.

More out and proud trans people living their lives blow away the myths and lies the Coalition of Haters conjure up to deny us our rights. Their unjust laws will be removed from the books to be replaced with just ones, and if we're lucky, it will happen in our lifetimes.

If you think I'm dreaming about that, I was cynical about this country ever becoming enlightened enough to elect an African-American president.

GENDA Gets 32nd NY Senate Vote Committment

The old saying is the third time's the charm, and that finally may be applicable to GENDA, the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act.

If passed, GENDA would add the category of ‘gender identity and expression’ to existing New York State human rights laws that protect residents against discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, education and credit.

New York would become the 14th state to have those protections if GENDA becomes law in the state. Gov. David Paterson has stated he will sign it if passed.

GENDA has passed by wide margins in the New York State Assembly, but failed to get out of the more narrowly divided 62 member NY State Senate. It now has a 32-30 Democratic majority.

It passed the General Assembly for the third time back in March by a 100-43 vote, and according to Housing Works on May 27, NY state senator William Stachowski became the latest member to commit to supporting GENDA. It brought the total number of 'yes' votes to 32, enough to pass it.

While that is good news, local activists are not relaxing until they see the New York senate actually cast those votes.

Let's hope that our New York state transbrothers and transsisters long wait for coverage under their state's laws may finally be coming to an end.

Maria Zapata Comments On TOTWK

"This week we found out that there was a film that used Angie’s name and the circumstances around her murder as a way to promote what is supposed to be a funny film. There is nothing funny about Angie’s murder and we are deeply offended that someone would use Angie’s name and memory to promote the film, Ticked-Off Tra**ies With Knives.”

Maria Zapata, mother of Angie Zapata.

Iconic African-American Transperson In The House In Barcelona

I was a little bummed because I couldn't be at the historic international trans conference taking place through tomorrow in Barcelona, Spain.

The disappointment became more pronounced after I began seeing pics and reports on their Facebook pages and blogs from many of my international friends I correspond with at regular intervals such as Naomi from PinayTG and Sass Rogando Sasot.

I knew Dr. Kelley Winters was there, but I began to wonder if once again, a major historic trans event was happening, and we African American transpeeps had no one there to represent us.

Well, got sent a message by my friend Sharyn that one of our legendary trans women, Miss Major, is in Barcelona and representing us. She's been at the preconference events that started June 1 and I'm looking forward to hearing her take on what transpired in Spain.

I know our interests will be articulated well with Miss Major representing us.

It's A Dry Hate In Prescott, AZ

For those of you non-POC's who for some reason think the 'Papers Please' law in Hateizona 'isn't racist' or didn't have those motivations behind it, peep the latest news courtesy of Wonkette.

Seems as though the Reich wing sheeple of Prescott, AZ have been screaming anti-Black and anti-Latino epithets at a 'Go Green' mural being painted on the walls of the most diverse elementary school in the city.

The 'Hate on the Mural' campaign was spearheaded by an KYCA-AM (1490) radio talk show host and Prescott City Councilman named Steve Blair.

According to the Prescott Daily Courier an archived broadcast last month has Blair mistakenly complaining that the most prominent child in the painting is African-American. "To depict the biggest picture on the building as a Black person, I would have to ask the question: Why?"

The mural is taken from photos of the kids who attend Miller Valley, and some of them happen to be Black and Latino.

R.E. Wall, director of Prescott's Downtown Mural Project, said he and other artists were subjected to slurs from motorists as they worked on the painting at one of Prescott's most prominent intersections.

"We consistently, for two months, had people shouting racial slander from their cars," Wall said. "We had children painting with us, and here come these yells of (epithet for Blacks) and (epithet for Hispanics)."

Of course Blair is executing the usual right wing tactic of denying he instigated it and simultaneously accusing the victims of making it up.

Umm hmm. If it didn't happen, then why are the Black and Latino kids being painted out of the mural on the orders of the school principal?

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people." Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good people of Prescott, AZ...we're waiting for you to speak up.

Y'all didn't learn anything from the last boycott Hateizona suffered from for its intransigence on the MLK holiday, did you?

Shut Up Fool! Awards-Williams Sisters Win in Paris Edition

I am thrilled for my fave tennis playing siblings. They captured their 12th major doubles title and their first French Open one since 1999. They are halfway to a doubles Grand Slam with only 'Williams'-don and the US Open left to conquer.

Speaking of champions, let's get right to this week's Shut Up Fool! awards and see what fool, fools or group of fools exhibited championship level stupidity in order to walk away with our illustrious award.

The trio of Beck, Palin and O'Reilly were in contention this week (Rush is retired due to his 2010 SUF Lifetime Achievement Award win) along with John Aravosis of AmericaBlog, and a group award nomination for the Advocate magazine and Faux News.

But this week's winner, Dennis Prager, was brought to my attention by my Canadian homegirl Renee of Womanist Musings.

He wrote this transphobic bull feces for the conservafool blog Townhall

"Most Americans are aware that gay activism rarely presents itself as a movement solely for the rights of gays. For example, the acronym for the gay rights movement is "GLBT," meaning Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender. Interestingly, few people ever ask about the "T." What do transgendered have to do with gays? How and why are they connected by activists, gay and straight, on the Left? Strictly speaking, gays have no more in common with transgendered people than straights do. To understand the answer is to understand much of what animates the Sexual Left.

Dennis, with that transphobic caca you could moonlight for John Aravosis at AmericaBlog the next time he goes on vacation.

There are trans people who identify as gay or lesbian as well. We transpeeps jumped off the Stonewall Rebellion that subsequently got gayjacked. Gender and gender identity discrimination affects trans, gay and straight people.

The one thing we have in common with gays and straights is that we're human beings riding on this planet with you bigoted, neo-Luddite, science ignorant fools.

Shall I continue?

Dennis Prager, shut up fool!