Shut Up Fool Awards-Moni's Delayed Netroots Nation Edition

Due to technical difficulties not of my own making, my usual Friday Shut Up Fool post was disrupted this week and I had to wait to post it on Saturday when I got back to Houston.

So without further ado, this week's Shut Up Fool Award is an easy one.  It goes to the Nashville, TN based Uniguest internet monitoring system that was installed at my Netroots Nation hotel's computer in Providence, Rhode Island.

I was unable to access TransGriot on the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown's computer after writing an initial post on it announcing my arrival in Providence at 6:26 AM EDT on June 6 with no problems or issues . 
My plan was to give you readers posts chronicling my thoughts as those days events unfolded and my take on the convention.  That plan went out the window because some Rad Fem Borg drone (or somebody else) had a problem with my post announcing that the Conway Hall venue that was supposed to host the July London rad fem conference was backing out due to concerns about violations of Britain's Equality Act and the hateful transphobic rhetoric coming from keynote speaker Sheila Jeffreys and company.

I suspect a rad fem because the hotel computer browser history indicated somebody read radfem hub that day. 

So why was TransGriot blocked?  According to Uniguest it was for the word 'hatemonger'.  Interesting coincidence that the most recent post with that word in it is talking about the radfems being called on their transphobic bigotry.

I was frustrated and angry that at one of the biggest progressive blogging conferences in the nation I was attending for the first time, my ability to blog about my experiences on TransGriot was thwarted by some BS. I was also pissed about the inability of the staff over the time I was a guest in that hotel from June 6 when I first brought it to their attention to June 9 to satisfactorily rectify the situation.

Really Uniguest?   The word hatemonger is enough to block a website?    Shut up fools!.

Headed Back To H-Town

One of the things that happens when I travel to and from H-town for these speaking engagements or panel discussions is they are planned well in advance of the actual date of the event. 

I have several months to hash out the details, get excited about it while doing so and conduct my research to ensure what I confidently say while I'm on that stage during that event is on point. 

Then that moment arrives and is gone faster than the months it took for me to impatiently get to and prepare for this day.

Well, I'm about to leave Providence after a very interesting and educational multiple day stay here at my first Netroots Nation event and this historic panel discussion.   I enjoyed spending some quality time with my fellow panelists, the wonderful people at GLAD, the radio interviews on Blacking It Up and Michaelangelo Signorile's Sirius XM show  and everyone I met during Netroots Nation 2012.

But not it has come to an end and I have to pack my Houston Comets bag, check out of my room and head back to my Lone Star State life.


Will get to fly through Newark and see many of my former co workers on the journey back home, and it'll be the first time I've been through that airport since 2000 as well.

It'll also have time on the long flight home to ponder everything that took place during my time at Netroots Nation and plot a way forward with allies new and old as I contemplate what my shero Barbara Jordan once said.  

'It is a burden of Black people that we have to do more than talk

And that is also true of Black trans people as well.  

Netroots Nation Prepared Trans Panel Remarks

TransGriot Note: In the preplanning conference call session we engaged in before the June 8 event we were originally going to present individual five minute statements about our takes on the Blogging For Transgender Equality topic   The decision was made to cut that down to two minutes before heading to the conference room on Friday morning so there would be more time for questions and answers from the interactive panel

So what follows is the statement I came up with and practiced a few times based on having five minutes to read it.  But with the individual initial presentation times in the panel discussion being cut to two minutes I basically had to wing it and use what I felt were the most important parts I wanted to convey to the panel discussion audience.

Anyway, here's the text of the full statement 

***

I'm Monica Roberts, the founding editor of TransGriot and have been an award winning activist since 1998

I thank GLAD, the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders for the invite to take part in this historic panel at Netroots Nation and hope and pray this is just the beginning of many more to come.

The clock is ticking on my five minutes, so let me discuss my take on our topic of Blogging For Transgender Equality and its history, challenges and progress from my Afrocentric perspective.

As trans blogging took off around 2005 one of the things I noted is like the general vanillacentric trans narrative, the one in the emerging Transosphere was also framing issues and discussions from the perspectives of my white transbrothers and transsisters.  I was complaining about that in a November 2005 phone call with Jordana LeSesne when she  bluntly asked me, "So when are you going to start your own blog?"

At midnight on January 1, 2006 TransGriot was born with the mission of reclaiming and discussing Black trans history, talking about rainbow community issues from an Afrocentric perspective and discussing  trans developments across the African Diaspora. Six years, over 5500 posts and 3.8 million hits later it's still going strong

Another one of the reasons I founded TransGriot can be summed up by the words of W.E.B DuBois. He wrote in the 1906 Niagara Movement platform, 'We refuse to allow the impression to remain that we assent to inferiority, are submissive under oppression, and apologize before insults." 
 
If you haven't heard, Black transpeople are catching hell as the National Transgender Discrimination Survey documented last year.  The enemies of the trans community have had a four decade run of negatively defining our community and playtime is over.

We're sick and tired of being sick and tired of the lack of visibility, the erasure of our trans heroes and sheroes who helped build this community, the lack of knowledge and ignorance about current trans African-Americans who are continuing to uplift themselves, th trans community and do their part to uplift the race at the same time.

One of the challenges of blogging for trans equality from my perspective is that trans blogs, much less those of trans people of color aren't well known.   People have heard of Pam's House blend or Rod 2.0 beta but not mine.  When blogging awards get decided in the LGBT category I get nominated but it's rare I win them. 

Many of the Black trans blogs that got started after mine shut down for various reasons but probably because of economics and those persons coming to realize that putting out quality posts on a consistent basis is hard work, time consuming, and won't be a quick route to fame and fortune.  It also costs money to buy and maintain computers, Internet connections, et cetera which is why I have that donation button on the left hand side columns of TransGriot.

As an African-American trans social justice blogger, when I comment on race and class issues in this community, non POC's get nervous, defensive or hostile and call me 'racist', 'violent', 'angry' or 'divisive' for doing so which is draining and microaggressive.

Damn right I'm angry about oppression aimed at transpeople.  I sure am not a happy camper about losing young Black transwomen to anti-trans violence at the rate of two per month.  I'm also not going to be silent about the racism and injustice inside and outside the TBLG community that deleteriously affects our lives because if I don't call it out, that's activism malpractice.

In closing, how do we progress to the point that Nelson Mandela described of ensuring that color, race and gender become only a God-given gift to each one of us and not an indelible mark that a special status to any?   The Transosphere and trans bloggers will play a major role in this decade and beyond in making that world a reality.  

Blogging has already helped raise the profiles of African-American trans people enough to make cis people realize we exist and not just as 'tragic transsexuals'.  

People inside and outside the African-American community are becoming aware of the fact we are part of kente cloth fabric of African-American life.   They are becoming cognizant of the fact we have trans heroes and sheroes, visionary trans leaders and history makers, and people more than capable enough to lead the entire trans community and not a small section of it.   It's also helping us become a part of the greater community even as we are simultaneously closing ranks and organizing in the Black Trans Revolution that will not be televised. 

The Transopshere has finally given African-American transpeople and other POC bloggers the powerful platform to amplify their voices and say, "We're here, we exist, we aren't going away, and you will respect our humanity and our human rights." 

Netroots Nation Blogging For Transgender Equality Panel Today

After a nearly two month wait, the day and the moment has arrived.  At 10:30 AM EDT I will be taking part in the first ever trans themed panel discussion at Netroots Nation along with GLAD's Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi; bloggers Autumn Sandeen, and Jos Truitt; and moderator Dr. Jillian T. Weiss for a look at the role of blogging and online advocacy in the movement for transgender equality.

Transgender advocacy has exploded in recent years. Online organizing has been crucial to creating a visible transgender community. It's also been crucial to creating offline change on the ground. One example is the outcry against the 2007 stripping of gender identity protections from the federal Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA), which was reversed in 2009, demonstrating this community's online power.

The panel will talk about the role of online activism in securing a place at the table for the transgender community, despite the prejudices, and how trans bloggers and activists translated their online efforts into offline political and policy results, despite the political forces in opposition. We will also explain why political allies should connect with trans issues in their blogging and activism.

Presenters will share examples of the powerful role this online community plays in moving progressive rights forward, while also examining what is missing from the conversation.If you're at Netroots Nation, hope you'll check us out.

2012 African-American Music Appreciation Month

The tradition continues starting on June 1 of loving and appreciating our music in all its various forms and the people who helped raise it to new heights

Thanks to music super producer Kenny Gamble convincing President Jimmy Carter to issue the first presidential proclamation declaring June as then Black Music Month, we have celebrated it every year since 1979.


We've already lost two musical icons this year in Don Cornelius and Donna Summer and it's not too far from my mind that many of our iconic music stars are in their 50's, 60's and 70's age wise.

But the one thing that stays the same regardless of the various forms of Black music is its power to motivate, inspire and entertain us. 

It was the beat that we marched to to gain our human rights coverage.  It soothed our sorrows and stirred our souls on Sunday mornings  .It is the soundtrack of our lives in which hearing a particular song can trigger a flood of positive memories. It inspires our athletes at all levers to achieve greatness

It is the heart and soul of a mighty people.

Whether it's gospel, hip hop, rap, neo-soul, R&B, opera, disco, Afro-punk, country, house, rock and roll or jazz, we've not only had a role in taking them to greater musical heights through our creativity and talent, some of those genres we created for the world to enjoy.   

So happy African-American Music Appreciation month.

Still Fighting For Our Trans Marriage Rights

Since June is considered the traditional start of wedding season, and #GirlsLikeUs make some beautiful brides, thought this would be a perfect time to remind 'errbody' that we still have several trans marriage cases percolating around the world.

Unfortunately, due to the same gender marriage push, our ongoing trans marriage fights have increasingly been entangled, conflated and negatively impacted by the politics surrounding the conservafool backlash against marriage equality.

Just a few updates on the three ongoing trans marriage cases that have gotten international attention.

Nikki Araguz's case is still percolating at the Texas appeals court level and we're waiting a ruling on this round of it after GOP judge Randy Clapp invalidated her marriage.   The judges at the Thirteenth Court of Appeals level are Democrats based in Kingsville, TX, a suburb of Corpus Christi, so stay tuned, this could get interesting.

On the other side of the Pacific in Hong Kong, Ms W is gearing up for another legal round in her ongoing fight to marry her boyfriend.  She has lost two legal rounds in this case, most recently in October 2011.  She is now at the highest level of Kong Kong jurisprudence, the Court of Final Appeal.

In Europe, Joanne Cassar has taken her case to the European Court of Human Rights after exhausting all her legal options in Malta where she's won and lost rulings.

Yes, trans rights are human rights, and we deserve to pursue our opportunities to achieve happiness without interference from you haters.  That includes the ability to marry the person we love as well.

Live From Providence-It's Moni

After a travel day that started for me at 6 AM CDT and ended with me falling asleep in my hotel room a little after midnight on the 6th to the somewhat depressing news that Scott Walker survived his recall election, I finally arrived in Providence ready to partake in the Netroots Nations happenings starting officially tomorrow.

While I had an enjoyable and emotional at times transit through IAH and got reacquainted with some of my former co-workers on my initial United flight out of Houston yesterday afternoon, was a bumpy ride up to Cleveland.  I was early getting there, but  was delayed on that next leg out of Cleveland to Providence because the commuter plane hadn't left Kansas City yet.

It eventually arrived and I had a wonderful conversation with my seatmate on the CLE-PVD leg that made me forget I didn't get to my hotel until 11:25 PM EDT.   My room also made up for the anxiety that built up in catching the last bus from the airport to downtown by mere seconds. 

It has a fantastic view of the Rhode Island state capitol building, I'm across the street from a mall and the Rhode Island Convention Center.  It's also up the street from a 7-11 which I'll be visiting later to destroy a Slurpee or two before I head back to H-town.

But today is about me registering for the conference, getting the lay of the land in the hotel area, attending the LGBT Connect event I'm looking forward to and eagerly awaiting the meeting with myself and my fellow panelists.

And yes, TransGriot readers, I'll be chronicling the happenings on these electronic pages as well.

Miss USA 2012 Says Trans Competitor Would Be Okay

Was focused on watching other things besides the Miss USA 2012 pageant Sunday night but was happy to hear about what the new Miss USA Olivia Culpo from Rhode Island had to say during her five finalist Q&A.  

The question she was asked was: would it be fair for a person born a man to be named Miss Universe after becoming a woman?

Y'all know what the TransGriot and a majority of the transfeminine community's answer to that question would be, but we weren't on the stage standing in Ms Culpo's pumps competing for a shot at the Miss USA Universe title

And she proved (so far) she isn't Carrie Prejean or a radfem.

"I do think it would be fair..." because "there are so many people who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it's a free country."

Time will tell how much of an ally she is to our community, but she definitely is well on the way to making a lot of trans female friends.   The opening of the Miss Universe system starting in 2013 to transwomen is still a contentious subject as cis women have come down on both sides of the issue.    

But thanks to Miss USA 2012 for standing up for fairness.

Handle Your Electoral Business, Wisconsin

You've been outspent 25-1 by an avalanche of corporate and right wing billionaire money.  The polls are all over the map and the conservafools have sent Bobby Jindal,  Nikki Haley and a parade of conservafools to your state to campaign for Scott Walker.   Fox Noise and the conservafools don't think you'll kick him to the curb. 

It's Tuesday June 5, the day you peeps in Wisconsin worked hard to make happen.  Now it's time to bumrush the polls, recall Scott Walker the four Republican senators and you lieutenant governor and end the GOP dictatorship . Grab a friend (or two or three or four) and take them to the polls with you to help make it happen.. 

The Republifools are already running 'scurred'.  Walker got eviscerated in the debate with Barrett since all he can do like any Republican is lie through his felonious teeth and run false attack ads.  Reince Priebus is already whining about 'voter fraud'.  The conservafool media is on the attack. 

But I'm not telling you peeps in the Badger State stuff y'all don't know already.   The eyes of the nation and the world are on you,. Make us liberal progressives proud, be agents of your own liberation and show us the Badger State ain't taking this conservamess.  

Handle your electoral business, Wisconsin..   .

Leaving On A Jet Plane-For Providence

Moni is headed to IAH and hopping on a plane later this afternoon bound for Providence, RI and Netroots Nation 2012.

It's not only the first time since 2000 I'm taking a United flight out of IAH, but the first time I've been on the airline since the merger.  It's also the first time I've been to Providence or the state of Rhode Island. 

I've been to western Massachusetts twice and flown into Hartford, Connecticut a few times but that's the extent of my travel forays into the New England states. 


I'm excited to finally be heading up there for my first Netroots Nation conference and be in the house with liberal-progressive activists from all over the country.  I'm also eagerly looking forward to the panel discussion I'm taking part in on June 8 with Jillian, Jennifer, Autumn and Jos along with meeting and interacting with many of my fellow bloggers while I'm up there. 

The panel discussion I'm taking part in on June 8 will be webcast live and you can  follow it from the Netroots Nation website at http://www.netrootsnation.org/nn12/streaming/


See y'all in a few hours airline family and Netroots Nation attendees.

Naw China, We Haven't Forgotten What Today Is

June 4, 1989

Student demonstrators calling for government reform and an end to corruption in their government occupied Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing for five weeks in the spring of 1989.

Those simple demands and the demonstrations backing them up captured the world's attention, but unfortunately between the late evening of June 3 and the early morning hours of June 4, the plug was pulled on the international foreign networks such as CNN broadcasting the event and PLA soldiers backed by tanks subsequently opened fire on civilians in and around the square with casualties estimated between 200-1000 dead.


It's also a reminder to us that democracy requires eternal vigilance. Because once you lose freedoms, it's hard as Hades to get them back. 

Frankly, the Republicans and the conservafool moment are staging an all out assault on our basic freedoms while wrapping themselves in the flag, hiding behind the Bible and pimping vanillacentric racial resentment, hatred of GLBT people and fear.  People in the USA need to wake the frack up about it and push back against these domestic enemies to our Constitution.

Keep that in mind people when November 6 rolls around.

Political rant ended, back to the post.

Those PLA tanks and troops may have crushed the demonstration, and you continue to try to erase what happened and deny it, but you can't crush the root of freedom from which democracy will inevitably flower  once it has taken root.
.
Naw China, we haven't forgotten what today is and neither have the people who experienced it and live to tell the story.  The world hasn't forgotten those Chinese citizens who died simply because they wanted to make their country a better place to live and their government more accountable to them.

CeCe Being Sentenced Today

The eyes of trans people around the world and our supporters will turn in the direction of the Hennepin County, MN Courthouse in a few hours as we find out how much jail time Cece McDonald will get.

As part of a plea deal, McDonald plead guilty May 2 to second degree manslaughter in the June 5, 2011 incident in which she and a group of TBLG friends were attacked by a group of white people outside a south Minneapolis bar and white supremacist Dean Schmitz died. 

Until May 11, she was the only person in the incident charged, but now Molly Shannon Flaherty has been arrested and is being charged by Washington County prosecutors with second degree assault with a deadly weapon and third degree assault causing substantial bodily harm for smashing a glass in McDonald’s face during the fight. 

Both charges are felonies that carry a maximum sentence of seven years and five years in prison.

Hennepin County Prosecutor Michael Freeman (D) is still trying to cover his behind, but nobody's buying it in light of the fact one of the people involved was a white supremacist and Cece and friends were the victims of a hate crime.

Speculation is that CeCe will be sentenced to time served plus good time already accumulated by the judge in this case and will only have to do 20 months.   There is lobbying occurring asking the judge to sentence her to home incarceration for that time instead of sending her to prison.

We'll see what happens at 1:30 PM CDT today.

Happy Milestone Birthday Dr. Barrett

I wrote a post back in 2007 about the late Dr. Monica M. Holloway-Barrett, and told the story about how I met her during the spring of 1980.. 

She impressed me so much that when I did finally get around to transitioning Monica was the name I chose in honor of her.  Her husband and daughter later discovered my initial post and thanked me for writing it.  

It was something I felt moved to do.

I've been thinking about her again because today would have been Monica's milestone birthday, and I couldn't let this day pass without saying something about it.

Happy milestone birthday, Monica.   You are still sorely missed by all who loved you, called you their friend and any of us who had the honor and pleasure of meeting you.

2012 African-American Music Appreciation Month Proclamation

AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSIC APPRECIATION MONTH, 2012
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

As a long-cherished piece of American culture, music offers a vibrant soundtrack to the story of our people and our Union. At times when words alone could not bring us together, we have found in melodies and choruses the universal truths of our shared humanity. African-American musicians have left an indelible mark on this tradition, and during African-American Music Appreciation Month, we pay special tribute to their extraordinary contributions.

Generations of African Americans have used music to share joy and pain, triumph and sorrow. Spiritual hymns gave hope to those laboring under the unrelenting cruelty of slavery, while gospel-inspired freedom songs sustained a movement for justice and equality for all. The smooth sounds of jazz and the soulful strain of the blues fed a renaissance in art and prose. The rhythm and blues that began in a basement in Detroit brought people together when laws would have kept them apart, while the urban beats and young wordsmiths from cities coast-to-coast gave voice to a new generation. And on stages and in concert halls around the world, African-American singers and composers have enhanced opera, symphony, and classical music by bringing energy and creativity to traditional genres.

At its core, African-American music mirrors the narrative of its original creators -- born of humble beginnings and raised to refuse the limitations and circumstances of its birth. This month, we honor the African-American musicians, composers, singers, and songwriters who have forever shaped our musical heritage, and celebrate those who carry this rich legacy forward.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2012 as African-American Music Appreciation Month. I call upon public officials, educators, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate activities and programs that raise awareness and foster appreciation of music that is composed, arranged, or performed by African Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth
.

BARACK OBAMA

I'm Sorry For Killing Your Daughter

Better grab some tissues before hitting play on this video.

This is an emotional, heartstring tugging video featuring a transman explaining his feelings to his minister father and why he transitioned.




H/T Abitchforjustice

2012 Williams Watch-Short Stay In Paris

The French Open is being contested at Stade Roland Garros this week and next, but unfortunately my favorite tennis playing siblings are out of this tournament.

Out of all the Grand Slam tournaments, the French Open has been the one Venus and Serena have had the most problems with in terms of winning it.  Serena has 13 Grand Slam titles, but only has won on Roland Garros' clay courts once in her career in 2002, and she beat Big Sis to get it.  

Little Sis was looking for her second French Open title while Venus has never won it.

They won't win it this year either because their inexplicable Roland Garros troubles continued in 2012.

Serena took a 46-0 career record in opening round Grand Slam tournament matches into this tournament and was 17-0 on clay this season nut but fifth seeded Little Sis shockingly lost to French homegirl Virginie Razzano 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 3-6 Tuesday.

She was two points from victory several times in the second set, including leading 5-1 in the second set tiebreaker. But Razzano won six straight points to force a third set, and then took control of the match.

"I made so many errors today, which isn't the game I was playing in the past," Serena said. "That's life."

Venus had better luck, ousting her first round opponent but on Wednesday Big Sis was ousted by third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in straight sets 2-6, 3-6 in her first major tournament since the announcement she has Sjogren's Syndrome.

Despite the loss, Venus will qualify for the US women's Olympic tennis team is she is still one of the top four ranked US women by June 11, the end of this French Open and is sitting in the fourth spot now    Serena is comfortably ensconced as the highest ranked US woman in the tennis world rankings, so her London spot is secured.

The next major before the 2012 Games is their favorite tournament.which will also be the tennis venue for the upcoming games in 'Williams'-don         

Transphobic RadFem 2012 Hatemongers Booted From London's Conway Hall

The transphobic RadFem 2012 hatefest may take place in another double secret location (or on The Land in Hart, MI) but it ain't happening at London's Conway Hall

In consultation with the organisers of RadFem 2012 and our legal advisors, Conway Hall has decided not to allow the booking in July 2012 to proceed. This is because it does not conform to our Terms and Conditions for hiring rooms at Conway Hall. In addition, we are not satisfied it conforms with the Equality Act (2010), or reflects our ethos regarding issues of discrimination.


We had sought assurances that the organisers would allow access to all, in order to enable the event to proceed at the venue. We also expressed concern that particular speakers would need to be made aware that whilst welcoming progressive thinking and debate, Conway Hall seeks to uphold inclusivity in respect of both legal obligations and as a principle.

In the absence of the assurances we sought, the event in its proposed form could not proceed at Conway Hall.

The July 2012 conference ran into trouble because it specifically sought to exclude transwomen from the venue in violation of Britain's Equality Act and is featuring longtime transphobic hatemonger Sheila Jeffreys as a keynote speaker. 

RadFem2012 has stirred up not only trans people, womanists, cis allies and trans feminists in opposition to it, but cis feminists tired of the over four decades of rampant transphobia pimped by the radfems are finally calling them out about it and pushing back against the madness. 

So naw, don't blame 'the trans conspiracy' for y'all losing your venue, your out of control transphobia did.

If you're looking for someone to blame, take a long look in the fracking mirror.  

2012 TBLG Pride Month POTUS Proclamation

Presidential Proclamation: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, 2012

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, 2012

 By The President Of The United States Of America

 A Proclamation

From generation to generation, ordinary Americans have led a proud and inexorable march toward freedom, fairness, and full equality under the law ‑‑ not just for some, but for all. Ours is a heritage forged by those who organized, agitated, and advocated for change; who wielded love stronger than hate and hope more powerful than insult or injury; who fought to build for themselves and their families a Nation where no one is a second-class citizen, no one is denied basic rights, and all of us are free to live and love as we see fit.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community has written a proud chapter in this fundamentally American story. From brave men and women who came out and spoke out, to union and faith leaders who rallied for equality, to activists and advocates who challenged unjust laws and marched on Washington, LGBT Americans and allies have achieved what once seemed inconceivable. This month, we reflect on their enduring legacy, celebrate the movement that has made progress possible, and recommit to securing the fullest blessings of freedom for all Americans.

Since I took office, my Administration has worked to broaden opportunity, advance equality, and level the playing field for LGBT people and communities. We have fought to secure justice for all under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and we have taken action to end housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We expanded hospital visitation rights for LGBT patients and their loved ones, and under the Affordable Care Act, we ensured that insurance
companies will no longer be able to deny coverage to someone just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Because we understand that LGBT rights are human rights, we continue to engage with the international community in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBT persons around the world. Because we repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans can serve their country openly, honestly, and without fear of losing their jobs because of whom they love. And because we must treat others the way we want to be treated, I personally believe in marriage equality for same-sex couples.

More remains to be done to ensure every single American is treated equally, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Moving forward, my Administration will continue its work to advance the rights of LGBT Americans. This month, as we reflect on how far we have come and how far we have yet to go, let us recall that the progress we have made is built on the words and deeds of ordinary Americans. Let us pay tribute to those who came before us, and those who continue their work today; and let us rededicate ourselves to a task that is unending ‑‑ the pursuit of a Nation where all are equal, and all have the full and unfettered opportunity to pursue happiness and live openly and freely.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2012 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
                                                                                                                   BARACK OBAMA

2012 Hurricane Season Starts Today

June 1 is also the day that we Gulf Coast residents start paying close attention to our local weathercasters when their weather discussions turn to the topics of tropical thunderstorms or tropical waves forming up off the West African coast or in the Caribbean.   

It's the start of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season which lasts until November 30.  We have already had two named storms in Alberto and Beryl, of which Beryl made landfall during Memorial Day weekend along the North Florida-Georgia coastline. .  

Speaking of hurricane names, here they are for the 2012 season.

Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie, William.

Note the hurricane name list has no Q, X, Y, U or Z names on it.   If we have a year like 2005 in which we have a bunch of named storms that exhausts the list, they resort to the Greek alphabet to name them. 

If you're wondering why I'm talking about hurricanes on a trans blog, it's because I've lived on the Gulf Coast for the majority of my life and frankly because the trans issue comes up even in ways you don't traditionally associate it with like a hurricane evacuation. 

We Houston area transpeeps had that lesson reinforced in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the evacuations from the city of New Orleans it triggered.

New Orleans is a mecca for transpeople, so logically some of the thousands of people evacuated from the city in the wake of the storm were trans. 

We also heard some disturbing stories of trans and GLB evacuees who were housed in suburban and exurban evacuation centers that didn't get the hospitality we Texans are world renowned for and were mistreated by transphobic and homophobic shelter workers.  

It's also a heightened concern of mine about how TBLG hurricane evacuees are treated because Sharli'e Dominique, one of those New Orleans trans evacuees who got grossly mistreated in 2005 shared my ethnic background.

Since some of us don't have contact with our families or are estranged from them, we transpeeps may not have places to evacuate to when the call goes out to leave an area threated by an approaching Category 2, Cat 3, Cat 4 or Cat 5 hurricane.

It's why the TFA here in Houston collects a list of names so that if that situation occurs again and we're not in the bullseye of one like we were with Rita or Ike, we know who the TBLG peeps in the Houston metro area who have indicated their willingness to host a trans or GLB evacuee.

So yes, from now until November 30 we'll be gathering supplies for our hurricane emergency kits at our local stores while casting nervous eyes out at the Gulf and satellite photos of circulating storms off the West African coast, in the mid Atlantic or the Caribbean..

Shut Up Fool Awards-Doughnut Day Edition

As I mentioned in an earlier post, today is National Doughnut Day, and yes, I took my opportunity this morning to enjoy my free extra one at the Shipley's down the street from me..

But this Friday is also the day I reserve to shine a bright spotlight on the fools, fools or group of fools that inhabit our work and poke holes in the specious logic and lies

So let's get to it.  Our group nominees were the Rad Fems, Fox Noise, The Republican Party and the Tea Party Tea Klux Klan.   The individual nominees were Mitt Romney, Gretchen Carlson, Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI), Peter Hoekstra, S.E.Cupp, Michael Medved, Gov. Paul LePage (R-ME), Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) 

The first honorable mention this week goes to the parents of the six year old who is singing a little hate the gays ditty in his Indiana church to the cheers of the congregation and a audible shout of "That's my boy.".

With parents and a homophobic church like that, I hope and pray that kid doesn't turn out to be a rainbow family member, but it would be delicious karma wise.

Our second honorable mention goes to Donald Trump Chump for doubling down on the birtherism and making an ass out of himself again.

Our third honorable mention goes to Jay Townsend, spokeperson for Rep Nan Hayworth (R-NY) who was providing evidence that the GOP is nothing more than the American Taliban with this comment aimed at Democratic female senators.  

But enough jibber-jabber as Mr. T would say.   This week's Shut Up Fool award.winner is Seneca, Kansas hate pastor Curtis Knapp who also decided to channel his inner Nazi and advocate from the pulpit a Final Solution to the gay problem. 

Wow...really getting sick of the faith based haters and evil (yeah I said it) Teapublifools.  It also points out the fact this election is literally for the heart and soul of our nation.  It's why they need to be beaten and utterly crushed at the polls November 6.

Oh yeah.  Curtis Knapp (not even giving you the courtesy of being called reverend after that little genocidal diatribe) shut the HELL up fool.


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