Recharging The Batteries Day

I'm having one of those days where I'm experiencing   a little bit of writer's block and just need to clear my head. 

Considering I've had four consecutive months in which I've written over 100 TransGriot posts and I'm on track to do it again, it's probably understandable why I'm feeling that way. 

Usually when writer's block strikes for me, I step away from the computer for a while and that cures the problem.   You can bet that before these 24 hours are up I'll be inspired to write something about the issues of the day.  

I have six posts that are in various stages of completion, but I just felt weren't at the quality level for a TransGriot post I demand of myself.   So I'll do what I always do in that situation.

I'll set them side and look at them again in a few hours.   By that time somebody will write something somewhere either on Facebook or Twitter that will either piss me off or make me say 'what in Hades were you thinking?'   I may also get one of those 'aha' moments after engaging in hard, solid thinking that makes perfect sense,.fits into the theme of the post I was compiling and allow me to complete.it.

Thanks for your patience and will have some fresh content up ASAP.

How Good Of A Sister Have I Been?

This status message has popped up on a few of my friends and my own Facebook page recently.

This is I LOVE MY SISTER week. If you have a sister who has made you laugh, wiped your tears, hugged you tight, watched you succeed, saw you fail, cheered you on and kept you strong, copy and paste this into your status. Sisters are a promise that we will have a friend forever!!

That comment led me to examine my own sister circles and wonder just how good of a sister have I been to the people who are not only part of my sistahfriend circles, but who have graciously allowed me in theirs?

I've been told on a few occasions by some of  the cis women friends I have in my circles that I have been far more supportive as a transwoman of them at times than their fellow cis women.

On one hand that makes me proud on one level to hear that and shocks and saddens me to hear that on another   On the pride front, it says to me that I'm doing my job in terms of one of my stated goals of being a compliment to the sisterhood and not a detriment to it.

But I'm not going to rest on my laurels either.   There's always room for improvement    I need to do a better job of staying in contact with my sistahgirls, make more time in my schedule to do things with them and call them more frequently, even if I don't do anything except spend five to ten minutes saying 'hello' and 'how was your day?'  

.So how good of a sister have I been?   That's up to my sistahgirls, cis and trans to let me know..  

Howard University Forum On Being GLBT And Greek

The Divine Nine frats and sororities have been a groundbreaking part of the African American community for over a century and have evolved as our community has. 

I've talked about in these electronic pages about whether they are as ready to accept transpeople in their ranks, but was heartened to see a Kristen Briscoe article in the Howard University student newspaper about a recent panel discussion that tackled the topic of being gay while in a Greek sorority or fraternity.

It was fitting that this panel discussion took place there since five BGLO's (Black Greek Letter Organizations) ,  Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta and Omega Psi Phi were all founded at various times on the Howard University campus

 

The forum drew a crowd of over 100 students and faculty that packed Room 136 of Douglass Hall and was hosted by CASCADE, Howard's gay-straight alliance organization.

Theara Coleman, the sophomore English  student chairing the event stated,"The purpose of this discussion is to break down preconceived notions of Greek organizations."

One of those preconceived notions is that BGLO's are homophobic and transphobic.   

This discussion featured a panel comprised of six Howard students and alumni who are openly gay and active in their Greek letter sorority or fraternity.  

The panelists were asked questions about their experiences inside these organizations.

It was a lively meeting that concluded at 9 PM and the panelists noted to the assembled crowd that they hadn't faced any negativity within their various organizations    

As Howard alum Valerie Jones was quoted as saying to assembled throng, "It's because of the leader that I am that I was brought into the organization, not my sexuality."

One of the more controversial questions asked to the panel was how they balance being a part of a Greek organization while remaining true to their own identity.

"What I do behind closed doors doesn't affect my ability to participate in my organization," Teron Stocks said. "I shouldn't have to feel like an alien because I'm gay."

The meeting also brought home the point that Black SGL people are part of our African-American community.  We like everyone else in it have talents and skills that we are ready, willing and able to contribute to help build the community and the various organizations that help do that work.