Don't Forget About Our Trans Kids, Vanilla GL Community

Now that bullying and GLBT teen suicides are in the news, one of the things that has mildly irritated some quarters of the trans community is how trans people have been erased from the discussion.

While one kid taking their life due to suicide is horrific and one too many,  it bothers many of us that transteen Chloe Lacey's story is frankly getting overwhelmed vis a vis the overwhelmingly white gay male narrative taking shape on this bullying issue.

The fact that Black SGL and straight kids have taken their lives seems to have escaped the attention of the people pushing the It Get Better campaign as well.

Fortunately Black and trans celebs are stepping up on their own to record videos targeted to these communities.

It's an issue of concern to the trans community in light of the fact that 50% of transpeople of all ages at one time or another have contemplated suicide, or we know someone who unfortunately was successful in taking their own life. .

The bullying and BTLG suicide issue one that concerns us, especially when we consider we've been taking the brunt of the community's hate violence casualties and we are under just as much verbal abuse from the right wing Forces of Intolerance as the GL community is.

But you wouldn't know that based on the gaycentric message of the 'It Gets Better' campaign, and it's what elements of the trans community feared when noted transphobe Dan Savage came up with the idea for the campaign in the first place.

Vanilla GL community, don't forget about our kids, too.

NBJC Announces GOTV Partnership With NAACP

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) announced its partnership with the NAACP in an effort to increase voter turnout and has launched its own Get-Out-The-Vote web portal at www.nbjc.org/gotv.  This site gives activists an opportunity to help in the NAACP's outreach efforts to ensure that voters across the nation and in key states are informed about campaigns and issues important to the African American community.

In this crucial election, the stakes are particularly high for LGBT voters.  Minnesota, New Hampshire, California and New York have become battlegrounds for marriage equality.  Rhode Island and California candidates are seeking to become the fourth and fifth openly gay members of Congress.  There are 435 U.S. House of Representatives seats, 37 U.S. Senate seats, and 37 gubernatorial seats hanging in the balance.  Also at stake are the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"; Safe Schools legislation to end anti-gay bullying; and repealing the Defense of Marriage Act.  This is truly an important election for our entire community.

National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks stated, “Democracy is not a spectator sport.  It is imperative that we recognize that each of us has a stake in this election, each of us stands to build on or lose the gains of the past two years, and each of us must do our part to protect our quality of life.  Make sure that everyone in your network understands the importance of this election and what's at stake for Black LGBT people and their families come November.  For the future of our communities, we need you to vote on November 2 and take others with you to the polls."

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The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. NBJC's mission is to end racism and homophobia.

Virginia, It's Clarence Thomas Who Needs To Apologize

I rolled my eyes in disgust when I heard that Virginia Thomas' wallowing in vanilla flavored privilege behind  arrogantly demanded an apology from Professor Anita Hill for her testimony during Uncle Thomas confirmation hearings that nearly sunk his 1991 Supreme Court nomination.

Virginia, if anyone needs to apologize,  it's your honorary white man husband (Pat Buchanan's words, not mine) for being an Oreo cookie chomping embarrassment to the Supreme Court and the proud judicial legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Clarence Thomas is a walking insult to the proud legal tradition of African American lawyers, judges, jurists  and legal scholars. 

As a matter of fact, since you made it quite clear where your loyalties lie with your voting in lock step with Antonin Scalia's behind record, we needed to yank your Black Card and do a discommendation ceremony for you years ago. 




Yeah, you have a lifetime appointment, but you will go down in history as one of the worst judges in Supreme Court history and one who is reviled by his own people.

Upcoming Nikki Araguz Interview On 20/20

In case anyone was wondering what's transpiring in the Araguz v. Delgado trial, both parties are still in the discovery phase.   If I hear anything or any developments in this case, I'll pas it along to you..

In the meantime, if you tune in to ABC's 20/20, you'll have an opportunity to watch Nikki Araguz do an interview with Deborah Roberts (not sure if she's any relation) on 20/20 this Friday. .   


Should be interesting.

Why Is 'Errbody' Wearing Purple Today?

If you were wondering why there was an explosion of people wearing purple today and you were not in the Twin Cities on a Viking game day or watching a Washington Huskies game, there's a reason for it.

Today was designated as the day that the TBLG community and our allies would wear purple to rememeber all of our kids who have died at their own hands due to anti LGBT bullying.

On the rainbow flag the community flies, purple represents Spirit.    Wearing purple is a reminder to the BTILG kids out there to find that spirit within them and know that they aren't alone.  Times will get better and  you will meet people who'll love and respect you for the wonderful person you are.

Besides, your best revenge is to live a better quality life than your tormentors. 

On this day I'm thinking about and I'm with our kids in spirit.   I'm standing in solidarity as someone who was once bullied with all kids gay, straight and trans who deal with the nightmare of bullying and the parents who ceaselessly fight to be advocates for their kids to put a stop to it.  

It's time for our adult legislators in Washington D.C. and our fifty state capitals to stop acting like children, recognize that it's a problem that's killing our kids, affecting their ability to learn and pass the legislation necessary to deal with it.

15 Albums In 15 Minutes

My participation in chain style postings on Facebook is about as rare as KFC being served at a PETA convention.   But this time resistance was futile to this one because it appeals to the music snob in me.

I was asked by my Newfie transplant friend Paula on September 4 to compile a list of fifteen albums I'd heard that will always stick with me for whatever reason, but only had fifteen minutes to do so.   Then I had to tag fifteen friends after compiling my list .

Here are the albums I chose:

1. Funkentelechy vs Placebo Syndrome Parliament
2. Risque-Chic
3. Off The Wall-Michael Jackson
4. Fear Of A Black Planet-Public Enemy
5. The Clarke Duke Project-George Duke and Stanley Clarke
6. Open Mind- Jean-Luc Ponty
7. Purple Rain-Prince
8. Go For Your Guns-Isley Brothers
9. Born To Sing-EnVogue
10. Songs In The Key Of Life- Stevie Wonder
11. Who Is Jill Scott-Jill Scott
12. Bad Girls-Donna Summer
13. We Are Family-Sister Sledge
14. All n All-Earth,Wind and Fire
15. The Right Stuff-Vanessa Williams

Hey, I only had fifteen minutes, so stop tripping.   I spent my teen years in the 70's and Saturdays watching Soul Train in what is arguably the Golden Age for music.    

So if you can do better, post your list of 15 songs in 15 minutes in the comment thread below.   I'm interested to see what you loyal TransGriot readers come up with.   

BBC And Channel 4 Working On Better Trans Media Representation

Thanks to the recently passed Equality Act of 2010 and the newly formed Trans Media Watch group,  the BBC and Channel 4 television in Great Britain are working to get up to speed in terms of more positive coverage of trans people and their issues.

BBC and Channel 4 senior managers recently admitted according to a Pink News story that transgender storylines can be inaccurate and are frequently lacking in breadth and substance.

Hmm.  Sounds familiar on this side of The Pond as well.

The newly formed media watchdog group Trans Media Watch is also in discussion with both broadcasting entities to ensure that there are positive and more varied representations of trans people in addition to creating and enacting guidelines to combat negative trans stereotypes.

TMW's Sarah Lake says in a Jane Fae written story for Pink News, “As soon as we began comparing the way trans people are stereotyped in the media with that of LGB people and other minorities, both Stuart and Amanda Rice of the BBC Diversity Unit got it immediately.


TMW has also been working quietly behind the scenes with Channel 4 and the BBC to craft simple guidelines that would help UK broadcasters avoid unintentionally offending their trans audience.
The media push is sorely needed.   Recent polling compiled by Trans Media Watch and presented to broadcasters suggests that 78 per cent of the transgender community believes the media portrayals they saw of transpeople were either inaccurate or highly inaccurate, with only three per cent considering them accurate.

So yes, they have some work to do to change those perceptions in the UK trans community.

There's also work to be done as well with British media personnel in getting them acquainted with trans people.  “We do not believe most of the constant casual abuse and ridicule of trans people in broadcasting is deliberately intended to be malicious. In our meetings so far we’ve not come across a single broadcaster who had ever consciously had a meaningful conversation with a trans man or woman,” said Susan Lake.


Lake added: “At TMW we do not claim to represent all trans people, who are very diverse. We do however believe all trans people deserve respect.”

That we do.  But at the same time we have to be mindful of the fact that media coverage plays a pwerful role in shaping public perceptions of the trans community and determining how much respect we get.  

It's nice to see that steps are being taken in the UK to ensure we get that transpeople consistently get those fair and accurate media portrayals.

Tea Klux Klan Already Trying To Intimidate POC Voters in Harris County

Early voting started yesterday in the Lone Star State, and the Tea Klux Klan and their Republican auxiliaries are already up to their election politricks.

Operatives reportedly paid by the Tea Party have swarmed minority early voting locations throughout Harris County, appointed as “poll watchers” by the local Republican Party and Republican candidates.

Once inside, they try any means necessary to disrupt voting and intimidate voters.  They attempt to block access to polling places and hover over voters trying to vote, even positioning themselves to watch the minority voters while they are casting ballots. They try to talk to voters and election workers and are confrontational and hostile.  

Their mission that they have freely accepted is to DISCOURAGE AND INTIMIDATE MINORITY VOTERS AND KEEP THEM FROM VOTING!

My question to the GOP-Tea Klux Klan is this.   If you are so certain that your GOTea Klux Klan candidates are going to win, why try to suppress the minority vote?    

You're doing it because you know that you not only AREN'T the majority of the American people, you are an Astroturfed corporate top-down movement that the people who aren't swayed by your Faux News propaganda arm reject.

Most of the conduct reported so far is clearly illegal.  But that's par for the course for Republicans and why they are so hated by POC voters.   These Tea Klux Klan poll watchers are not only enemies of democracy who don’t want people to vote, they are lawbreakers!

But don't just take Moni's word for it.   Here’s what the Texas Election Code says:

“A watcher may not be present at the voting station when a voter is preparing the voter’s ballot or is being assisted by a person of the voter’s choice.” Texas Election Code section 33.057(b)

“While on duty, a watcher may not converse with a voter or communicate in any manner with a voter regarding the election.” Texas Election Code section 33.058(a)(2).

The only conversation which can occur between an election officer and a poll watcher is “to call attention to an irregularity or violation of law.” Texas Election Code section 33.058(a)(1).

They are breaking these laws for one reason only – to try to intimidate minority voters into not voting.

Harris County Democratic Party chair Gerry Birnberg stated in a letter released today:

'We cannot let them get away with this.  We fought too hard for the right to vote to let a bunch of bigots and thugs take it away from us now. The best way to fight this effort to take away people’s voting is to VOTE! Show them it won’t work! Show them nobody is going to disrupt or intimidate or harass us into not voting!'

Chairman Birnberg's letter also gave tips on how to report the poll watchers and the shady electoral behavior.

If you witness any of this illegal activity at the polls, try to get the name of the “poll watcher” who engaged in it and if they’re too afraid to give it to you, record a physical description.

Then fill out an Election Incident Report Form or email headquarters (hcdp@hcdp.org) a complete description of what happened, and please include your name and telephone number so we can get in touch with you to ask more questions if we have to. If you don’t have access to email, call us at 713-802-0085, but our telephone lines are so busy right now, we’d really much prefer an email if you can do so.

It’s time to stand up to people who don’t want you to vote.

Damn right, Gerry..   Especially misguided low information thugs who want to take this country back to the 18th Century..