Shut Up Fool Awards-Closing Olympic Weekend Edition

It was just two weeks ago that the world was eagerly awaiting the start of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.  After two weeks of competition, now we're approaching the final weekend of competition and (sniff, sniff) the closing ceremonies on Sunday.  

It's Friday, and that means it's Shut Up Fool awards time.  It's time to determine what fool, fool or group of fools achieved gold, silver and bronze medal status for stupidity and ignorance.

Let's just go straight to the medal winners this week.

The bronze medal winner is Bryan Fischer, who made this ludicrously inaccurate attempt to call the Nazis liberals while discussing the recent Wisconsin Sikh Temple shooting involving a neo-Naz shooter..

Um Bryan, the reality is you conservafools and the Nazis are scarily alike in thought and political tactics.  Many of Hitler's speeches not only used religious imagery, but were staunchly anti communist, racist, misogynistic and attacked liberalism on a regular basis.   

Just like y'all conservafools.    But here's a taste of one of Hitler's speeches from back in the day that i can easiy imagine a conservatie Republican politican uttering.  .       

“Secular schools can never be tolerated because such schools have no religious instruction, and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith …we need believing people.”  Adolf Hitler,  April 26, 1933


The silver medal winner is Allegheny County, PA Republican party chairman Jim Roddey.  In the wake of a celebrating special election victory told a tasteless joke questioning the mental capacities of Obama supporters.  

Hey y'all are the ones who have been for decades voting for the 1% peeps who screw you and falling for the okey doke that non-whites are 'taking your jobs'.   I think that calls your cognitive abilities into question, seeing that you've been voting against your own economic interests out of racial resentment for over 150 years.


The gold medal winner is Papa John's pizza founder John Schnatter, who not only is a big Romney supporter and hosted a fundraiser for him in may at his palatial Louisville home,  is hatin' on the Affordable Care Act so much he raised prices on his pizzas by 14 cents and tried to blame the price increase on the ACA

Yeah, right.  You can afford that big azz house in Da Ville, fat donations to Mittbot's campaign but can't pay for your 16,500 employees health care?

Shut up fools!

2nd Annual Kentuckiana Black Gay Pride

TransGriot Note: The second annual edition of Kentuckiana Gay Black Pride kicked off yesterday and will continue with events all around the Louisville area through Sunday    So if you folks in the area or in driving range of Louisville are looking for something to do this weekend , check out the various events.

Thursday, 8/9/12:

8:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. at Purrswaytions (2235 South Preston St): Open Mixer

Friday, 8/10/12:

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church (318 W. Kentucky St): "Can't Take My Greatest" -- Summit helping teens deal with the issues of bullying and coming out.
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church (318 W. Kentucky St): "Love, Sex, and Protection" -- Educational Conference to teach new and old couples how to protect themselves. On site testing will be available.
8:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. at the Rudyard Kipling (422 W. Oak St): KGBPA 2nd Annual Pageant
2:00 a.m. at 1203 South 12th Street: Rainbow Licks Ent. After Hours (Black Pride Edition)
Saturday, 8/11/12

Noon till 9:00 p.m. in Central Park (1340 S. 4th St): 2nd Annual KGBPA Pride Festival

Sunday, 8/12/12

5:00 p.m. at Christ Hope Church Louisville (2231 Payne Street): Sunday Worship & Fellowship Dinner
10:30 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. at Norm's Club 21 (1481 South Shelby Street): Serve Me Sundays (Black Pride Edition)

Draft Language Of 2012 Democratic Party Platform ENDA Plank

If you TBLG community voters are still pondering with less than three months to go which party really wants your rainbow votes on November 6, perhaps this latest news should get your attention.

The draft language for the 2012 Platform plank on ENDA.

We know that putting America back to work is job one, and we are committed to ensuring Americans do not face employment discrimination. We support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act because people should not be fired based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

President Obama and the Democratic Party are committed to ensuring all Americans are treated fairly. This administration hosted the first-ever White House Conference on Bullying Prevention and we must continue our work to prevent vicious bullying of young people and support LGBT youth. The President’s record, from ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in full
cooperation with our military leadership, to passing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, to ensuring same-sex couples can visit each other in the hospital, reflects Democrats’ belief that all Americans deserve the same chance to pursue happiness, earn a living, be safe in their communities, serve their country, and take care of the ones they love.

One of the people participating on the 2012 Democratic Party's platform committee is TPOCC's executive director Kylar Broadus.   It looks like trans Democrats voices and the allies who support an inclusive ENDA were heard in this process.    .

2012 TransFaith In Color Conference Countdown

I'm still refining the speech, but the glance at the calendar on the wall tells me I'm now a week away from being in Charlotte for the 2012 edition of the TransFaith In Color Conference

As you can tell I'm excited to be headed to it for the first time and being honored with delivering the keynote speech for it.   From the feedback I'm getting, the feeling is mutual. 

I know I have some tough acts to follow in previous conference keynoters such as Jamison Green (2010) and Rev. Erin Swenson (2011), but I believe I'm more than capable of following in those iconic leader's footsteps and I'm looking forward to attending some of the sessions and panel discussions..  

The conference is free, and is taking place August 17-19 at the Hilton Hotel University Place and is being presented by the Charlotte based Freedom Center For Social Justice with the theme of 'You Are Not Alone'. 

So for those of you in the Charlotte area, I'll be there starting on Friday and I'm looking forward to meeting TFIC 2012 attendees and as many of you peeps in the area as possible while I'm in the Queen City.

2012 Olympics Watch-This Time It's For The Gold Medal

The last time Japan and Team USA clashed with a title on the line it was during the the 2011 Women's World Cup final in Frankfurt, Germany.   Japan was recovering from the March earthquake and  tsunami that devastated the northeastern part of the country, and the Nadeshiko Japan rode that wave of international goodwill and determined play to go on a World Cup run that ended with a stunning penalty kick shootout win over Team USA and the FIFA world title..   

It's a year later, and the stage is now a sold out Wembley Stadium and the Olympic Final.   Once again it's Japan and Team USA battling for women's soccer supremacy, and once again the USA comes into the match with the history on their side.   They have won four out of the five Olympic titles since women's soccer became part of the Olympic program in 1996 and are working on a gold medal threepeat .

They also have bitter memories of that loss in Germany and want to atone for it.

"It's definitely redemption," said Carli Lloyd. But it's also opportunity to show that we're the No. 1 team in the world. This game is going to be different. We're a different team. Japan's a different team, and we're ready to bring it."

FIFA world champion Japan wants to make more history and prove their penalty kick shootout win over  the FIFA women's world number one ranked team USA wasn't a one hit wonder.

We'll find out at 1 PM CDT which team takes home the gold.  (Stop hatin', Canada)
  .

Worst President Ever Reality Check Time

It amuses me when the 'white'-wing frothing at the mouth haters of President Obama call him the 'worst ever' (yeah, right) when those of us in reality based world know that the title of 'Worst POTUS Ever' belongs to the previous occupant of the Oval Office.hands down.

Sadly, there were some people on the left side of the political divide (or claiming they were) spouting that bull feces as well but he record speaks otherwise.

President Obama's record is quite impressive considering that he has faced Massive Resistance 2.0 ever since January 20, 2009 and is cleaning up Dubya's messes on foreign policy, the economy and resoring our tarnished world image.

And may I remind you conservafools which POTUS got Osama Bin Laden and saved the auto industry. .

2012 Out On The Hill Registration Open!

TransGriot Note: From Sharon Lettman-Hicks, the Executive Director/CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition.  

As the Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the nation's leading civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, it is my privilege to personally invite you to our 3rd annual OUT on the Hill Black LGBT Leadership Summit on September 19-22, 2012 in Washington, D.C. Earlier this summer, we were proud to name CNN/ESPN's LZ Granderson as this year's OUT on the Hill National Chair. We are thrilled to announce that registration is officially open.

Hundreds of established and emerging thought leaders, activists, elected officials, faith leaders and youth will convene in the nation's capital to educate congressional leaders, the White House and federal agencies about Black LGBT public policy concerns. As our guest, you are guaranteed to leave ignited to a whole new level of action, and with the language, tools and resources needed to be politically engaged to OWN YOUR POWER on the national and grassroots level.

NBJC has organized a robust agenda of several groundbreaking events, including our now annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) Issue Forum focused on the LGBT movement's impact on Black America as well as a national town hall meeting to address the epidemic of murders of transgender women. We will also convene a Black LGBT Leaders Day at the White House, which will include presentations from the Obama Administration and an Issue Advocacy Day, which continues to serve as an opportunity for Black LGBT leaders to discuss important policy issues with Members of Congress and Congressional Leadership.

In addition to OUT on the Hill activities, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the CBCF's ALC. The CBCF's Annual Legislative Conference provides an outlet to highlight the mission of CBCF - to develop leaders, to inform policy and to educate the public - by providing more than 80 high-level, thought-provoking forums to address the critical challenges facing the Black Diaspora.

This is an important year for our community and our nation as a whole. As we approach the presidential election, it's time to claim your seat at the table.

Will you join us at this year's OUT on the Hill? Registration is open today. Early bird specials and emerging leaders rates are now available. REGISTER TODAY...space is limited and the early bird special ends on September 5.

Let's OWN OUR POWER Together,

Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks

Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer

Romney Hood (Snicker, Snicker)

A taste of President Obama's recent speech in which he critiqued the Mitbot's tax plan and coined a new phrase for the presumptive GOP nominee and what his tax plan would do to the middle class. 

Romney Hood.   Rob from the poor and middle class in order to give tax cuts to the Rafalca set.

EEOC Discussion On Macy Ruling

In case you aren't aware of it, transpeople are protected under Title VII.  This is video of a recent discussion on Trans workplace protections that makes this abundantly clear 

ACA Bans On Sex-Based Discrimination Covers Transpeople

TransGriot Note: Sharing this wonderful news I received from the Task Force concerning the Affordable Care Act
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently confirmed that the Affordable Care Act’s ban on sex-based discrimination includes discrimination based on gender identity. This affirms the Task Force’s longstanding position that federal civil rights statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex include protections against discrimination on the basis of gender identity. This means that no one can be discriminated against because of their gender identity or because of a health care provider’s stereotype about sex – what a man or a woman “ought to look like.”

"We agree that... sex discrimination prohibition extends to claims of discrimination based on gender identity or failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity and femininity."


Back in June, the Task Force and our New Beginning Initiative coalition partners sent HHS a letter asking for exactly this clarification. We’re thrilled they agree with us and numerous federal courts that have issued similar opinions clarifying that sex-based discrimination protections also address gender identity as well.

We encourage anyone who feels they have been discriminated against because of their gender identity to file complaints so it can be investigated. Have you been discriminated against in a health setting in the past? We ask that you file a complaint with the HHS Office of Civil Rights.

Tyra Hunter 17th Anniversary

I was barely sixteen months into my own transition when I heard the shocking news coming out of Washington DC on August 7, 1995 about an African-American transwoman who died there.

Why do I remember this particular transwoman out of sadly the hundreds who have died since that date?   It's because Tyra's death was unnecessary. 

It was also because of the way she died. 

Tyra Hunter didn't die at the point of a gun or a knife, she died because of medical transphobia   The transphobe who was responsible for her untimely death was wearing the uniform of a Washington DC Fire Department EMT. 

She died from injuries she received in a car accident at 50th and C Streets in SE Washington DC because Adrian Williams failed to remember at the time Ms Hunter was one of the District's residents he was trained and supposed to help.  

Sadly that same DC street corner would see two more African-American transwomen die there under a hail of automatic weapons fire just seven years later in the persons of Stephanie Thomas and Ukea Davis.

Tyra's death and my shock and anger over it would be one of the cumulative events that began to nudge me towards becoming the trans activist I am today.   It was a wake up call that as an out trans African-American I needed to do more to start educating my people that we existed, we're part of the kente cloth fabric of the African-American community and we deserved recognition of our human rights.

Tyra, while you left us far too soon, you'll be happy to know that you are not forgotten.   As long as TransGriot exists, I won't let people forget what happened to you on that day and I and others are working to ensure it never happens to another transperson ever again.

DC Office Of Human Rights Launching Anti-Trans Discrimination Campaign

Was pleased to see this wonderful news coming of of Washington DC in term of the Office of Human Rights  creating the first government funded campaign to battle anti-trans discrimination.

The groundbreaking OHR campaign will feature two trans women, two trans men and a self-identified genderqueer person appearing in one of the five separate ads that the agency will place throughout the city in the fall.

The OHR campaign was developed with the help of D.C.-based Transgender Health Empowerment; the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force; the Movement Advancement Project; Jeffrey Richardson, director of Mayor’s Office of GLBT Affairs and others.   Two clients of Casa Ruby are some of the DC residents who appear in the ads.

The anti-trans discrimination ads will highlight respect, shared values and D.C.’s anti-discrimination law that includes trans-specific protections. The ads will also encourage trans Washingtonians to contact OHR if they experience discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

“LGBT organizations are telling us this is the first government-sponsored campaign in the nation to focus solely on transgender and gender non-conforming people, and the Office of Human Rights is incredibly proud of that,” OHR Director Gustavo Velasquez told the Washington Blade in a statement. “To ensure we take full-advantage of the opportunity, we identified three primary goals for the campaign: increase understanding of transgender and gender non-conforming people, reduce discriminatory incidents in the District and increase the number of community members who report discrimination. The courageous and bright D.C.-based participants appearing in the ads and the powerful accompanying messages can make this happen, although we know much more work needs to be done to eradicate discrimination towards this community.”

Longtime DC activist Ruby Corado was pleased that the District is tackling this issue. “Our city is a pioneer in lots of things,” said Corado in an interview. “Having the Office of Human Rights take some leadership on this for me is remarkable. I’m proud and I’m very happy that this city and [it’s] LGBT leaders has taken on this issue and supported us 100 percent.” 

2012 Olympics Watch-USA Advances To Gold Medal Match In Controversial Semifinal

The USA has pretty much owned the international soccer border war with Canada throughout our time playing the beautiful game on the women's side.  

But the 500th match for Team USA is guaranteed to be a memorable one for many reasons on both sides of the border.

The USA entered today's semifinal match at Old Trafford with history and momentum on their side.  They had never failed to reach an Olympic final since women's soccer was added to Games sports calendar in 1996, and the Americans hadn't lost to Canada since 2001.   They were unbeaten in this 2012 Olympic tournament and Hope Solo had posted three shutouts since the opening 4-2 comeback win over France.  
.
But the lure of Thursday's gold medal match at Wembley Stadium added additional fuel to the desire for the Canadians to end their 11 year losing streak to Team USA.

Christine Sinclair put the Canadian team on her back and carried them for the initial 90 minutes.  She had a hat trick in this one after failing to score in the last six contests against Team USA with goals in the 22nd, 67th and 78th minutes, but Team USA has a refuse to lose mentality.  

Every time she scored, the USA answered it with two from Megan Rapinoe in the 54th and 70th minute and a controversial penalty kick goal from Abby Wambach in the 80th minute..

Referee Christina Pedersen had warned McLeod for time wasting earlier in the match and finally penalized her with a whistle for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving the USA an indirect free-kick a couple yards inside the penalty area. Tobin Heath tapped the free kick to the right and Carli Lloyd took a right-footed shot that hit Nault’s arm. Pederson did not hesitate to point to the spot.  Wambach calmly placed the penalty kick to the left side of the net past the diving McLeod for her 143rd international goal and a 3-3 tie..

The stage was then set for Alex Morgan's sheroics, but not after some nervous moments for both teams in overtime. 

In the 123rd minute with the game looking like it was headed for the first ever penalty kick shootout Morgan with seconds left in the third and final minute of stoppage time rose over defender Chelsea Stewart to meet a cross from Heather O’Reilly and loop her header over Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod's desperate outstretched arm to seal a historic victory.

“For some reason we like to make things dramatic. I’m really happy that Alex Morgan is on my team. This team doesn’t give up" said Abby Wambach.  "This is what we’re about. This is what we’ve been working for since the day we lost to Japan in the World Cup final. We know that it’s not going to be easy. We didn’t anticipate a game like this, but we’re willing to deal with whatever is thrown at us. I’m so thankful that people kept believing in us, that we kept believing in ourselves. We stuck with it until the end.”

Nope, it wasn't but Team USA is about to get what they came to London for, a shot at redemption versus the FIFA world champions.   On Thursday the US gets a chance to avenge the 2011 Women's World Cup final against Japan while a bitterly disappointed Canadian team moves on to play France for the bronze medal.   

2012 Olympics Watch-Williams Sisters Defend Olympic Doubles Title

If there was any doubt as to just how great the Williams sisters are and what their tennis legacy will be, they just added to it yesterday and silenced their Hater Tots chomping critics at the same time..

Venus and Serena won a 6-4, 6-4 straight set rematch of their recent Wimbledon doubles championship match yesterday against the Czech duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka to become the first tennis players ever to win four gold medals.  

In addition to the unranked Williams sisters knocking off three ranked doubles teams and not dropping a set enroute to the 2012 London Olympic doubles crown to add to the wons they won in Sydney in 2000 and Beijing in 2008, they also extended their Olympic tennis doubles record to a spotless 15-0.

Don't hate.  They are all that.   Just imagine where their legacy in the sport would be if the my fave tennis playing siblings had been able to stay healthy.  .

And yes, they are thinking about going for the doubles golden threepeat in Rio in 2016.  Should be fun to watch if that happens.  

It's ICTLEP's 20th Anniversary!

Twenty years ago this month at a southwest Houston Hilton hotel in August 1992 a groundbreaking event occurred that not only laid the foundation for trans human rights law and employment policy, it sowed the seeds that resulted in a trans inclusive ENDA and the EEOC trans ruling.

The conference was called the International Conference on Transgender Law and Employment Policy, and it was created by Judge Phyllis Frye, 'the grandmother of the trans rights national transgender legal and political movement' to bring activists together to discuss transgender equality legislation seriously needed in the areas of housing, insurance, probate, employment, healthcare, military service, as well as criminal and family law..     

The first of six annual ICTLEP conferences were held in Houston and I first became aware of it not long after I began my own transition in April 1994.  Unfortunately my work schedule at the time kept me from going to the 1995, 1996 and 1997 ICTLEP conferences as my desire to get more politically involved in fighting for trans human rights increased.

ICTLEP was born out of Phyllis' idea in 1991 to start a moveable transgender conference specifically targeting transgender law issues.   The Gulf Coast Transgender Community (GCTC) group of which Phyllis was vice president at the time was receptive to the idea when she presented it to the GCTC board in early 1992 and provided funding for it.  

Since this was the pre-Internet days, mailing lists and ads were the primary way to get the word out about events in the trans community and we were fortunate in the Lone Star State to have one of the then biggest trans themed events happening in San Antonio in the Texas T-Party 


The Texas T-Party was organized by Linda and Cynthia Phillips and was drawing upwards of 300 people from Texas and around the country to come to the San Antonio area based event.  Its mailing list was vital in publicizing the nascent ICTLEP conferences and the Phillpses made sure when Judge Frye attended the T-Party she always got T-Party workshop space, waived fees, and brochures placed in all of the Phillips mail-outs.

“Without the Texas T-Party, I would have only reached half of the people I reached,” says Frye in a recent OutSmart magazine interview..



The first ICTLEP conference was a success and led to five other events based in Houston as well. 

Out of those ICTLEP events came not only papers such as the International Bill of Gender Rights and countless others that are the basis for much of the legal principles and policies we fight for as trans activists today, it also provided the means to train the early activists who later passed on the lessons and training they learned at the six ICTLEP conferences to people like myself who came on board starting in 1998 and later.  ICTLEP also led to our inclusion in the National LGBT Bar Association and their trans inclusive stances. 

So yes, it's past time we recognize ICTLEP's critical role in providing the foundations for us to build the modern trans rights movement and salute the 20th anniversary of the first ICTLEP conference this month.