SB 723 Update

The Texas Senate adjourned for the day without taking up the issue of SB 723.    We have been granted another day to send e-mails and call our Democratic state senators.   When you do so, ask them to hang together to oppose SB 723 which has passed out of committee and is on the Senate intent calendar.

And just in case you're wondering, the Texas legislative session doesn't end until May 30.
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The GOP has a 19-12 edge in the chamber, and Republicans only need one of the Democrats to get the 2/3rds number of senators they need to bring up the bill.    We need them to stand up and say NO as a group.  

Here are the e-mail addresses and phone numbers for the Democratic Texas state Senators

 mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us     
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us
leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us
Jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us

 Mario Gallegos (512) 463-0106   
Wendy Davis (512) 463-0110
Rodney G. Ellis (512) 463-0113
Kirk Watson (512) 463-0114
John Whitmire (512) 463-0115
Carlos I. Uresti (512) 463-0119
Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (512) 463-0120
Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121
Royce West (512) 463-0123
Leticia R. Van de Putte (512) 463-0126
Eduardo A. (Eddie) Lucio, Jr. (512) 463-0127
José R. Rodríguez (512) 463-0129 


Keep those calls and e-mails coming.   Let them know that we want them to oppose SB 723.    Allies and supporters, this is one of those times we need your help as well.

2011 Black Weblog Awards Nominations Open

It's nomination time for the 2011 Black Weblog Awards!   The process is getting started a little earlier than last year for these awards because they are going to have a live awards ceremony at this year's Blogging While Brown Conference taking place July 8-10 in Los Angeles, CA.

As you know TransGriot won the Judge's Category for Best LGBT Award over some stiff competition, and I want to see if I can make it back-to-back wins this year.

The nominations period opens today and runs through May 7.    The voting will commence on May 17 and run through June 17 with the winners being announced in the live ceremony for the first time in BWA history on July 9.

As to why the BWA's exist?   It started in 2005 because Black blogs often get overlooked and ignored in other online Internet award events.   To date, the Black Weblog Awards has recognized nearly 180 blogs in over 30 categories. The Awards have been featured in several mainstream and online media outlets, including NPR, CNN, and others. Winners of the Black Weblog Awards have also gone on to appear in other media outlets such as MSNBC, the Huffington Post, BET, and many others. 


On that note, time to get the nominations in for a few blogs that I know are worthy of BWA consideration, and like last year, it TransGriot is named one of the finalists, i will keep you loyal readers posted.

Queerty's Dead

You long time TransGriot readers know there was no love lost between me and Queerty.   It could be at times transphobic, racist, sexist, __________ (fill in the blank)...but it had its loyal followers.

Was shocked to read that Queerty has closed shop

A message from Queerty

After more than five years of serving the LGBT community with news and entertainment, Queerty has come to a close. The decision to shutter the site was not an easy one to make, and it is with great pain that we say goodbye to our loyal readership. From all of Queerty's writers and contributors, from our first unto our last day, thank you for spending some time with us.

—Queerty and 353Media

 It's sad when any blog shuts down, but especially one that has been around for five years.    Needless to say for those who spent their web surfing time perusing it, it's a big loss.

For those of us who had to deal with all the 'isms' peddled by this blog, good riddance.

SB 723 Showdown

Hope you peeps have been calling and e-mailing Texas Democratic senators reminding them to imitate the ones in Wisconsin and hang together to stop SB 723.    It's a naked attempt to codify the jacked up Littleton decision into Texas law and needs to be stopped.

Have been advised by Meghan Stabler that she will be in the Senate Chambers today tweeting the events surrounding this bill.   She'll be using the hashtag TXSB723

She also had this to say as well.

Texas Senate Bill 723 is placed on the Senate “Intent Schedule” for Monday April 18th.  That means SB 723 ‘may’ come up for a floor vote sometime after 11am. If SB 723 gets a favorable vote it will enshrine Littleton vs Prange (1999) logic - you are what the doctor put on your birth certificate - into Texas State law. This will lay the foundation for the State of Texas to cease to recognize the transitioned status of transgender people. As you can read in my letter to the Texas Democratic Senators, what this will do is set up ‘legislative intent’ and we must avoid this.

Per Cristan Williams, “We only need 12 Democrats to vote against the bill. If we can hold all 12, the bill will die. This isn't a hard thing to do. They will vote against it if they know that a lot of folks want them to. All you need to do is simply speak up.”

12 Democrats stand in the way and they need to know that you want SB 723 to die.  Email them... Just cut and paste their email address into your email:

mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us
leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us
Jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us

Tell them that you want them to vote AGAINST Senate Bill 723!

And if all you can do is spread the word and encourage others to speak up... PLEASE... please do it.

If you are on twitter, follow tag TXSB723 for updates should SB 723 come to the floor.

My Letter,

Dear Senator and fellow Democrat,

My name is Meghan Stabler and I am a resident of Texas. I am deeply concerned about SB 723 and it's implication on my personal life, liberty and freedom to marry.

I am a member of the National Democratic LGBT Council, an alumni of President Obama's National LGBT Policy Committee and a Board of Director of Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT Civil Rights organization. As mentioned I am a resident of Texas, having moved here from New York 9 years ago. I am also a technology executive for one of the top 4 software companies in the world. I am also a post-operative Transsexual woman. This means that I have therapeutically, hormonally, and surgically altered my body to correct a birth defect. You can read more about me here... http://dot429.com/blogs/3449/posts/466

What SB 723 does is to remove only one item, 'a court order as proof of a "sex change"' from the list of documents that can be used to prove my gender to gain a marriage license. While I can acknowledge that there are other documents such as my Drivers License that I can use instead, the amendment could send a clear signal of "legislative intent" to a court should marriages be disputed in the future. This in turn means that other documents, such as my Drivers License, could be removed in the future or denied as evidence.

This is a heinous signal to the transgender population of Texas, it begins a signal fire that we are less than others and not worthy of love.

I humbly respect and ask that you vote against this bill and let it die in the legislature.

Sincerely,

Meghan Stabler

So to all the Texas transpeople and our cis and GLB allies who have responded in our hour of need to help us out, thank you.   We'll find out just how much of a difference you made in a few hours.