Megyn Kelly Has Another Broken Clock Journalistic Moment

Megyn Kelly just renewed her FOX Noise anchor contract despite being seriously courted by other journalistic outlets.  but it seems like she was more than a little pissed off about last week's Shut Up Fool Award winner Erick Erickson's loud and wrong misogynistic comments he made on that all boys troglodytes panel on Lou Dobbs' show.

This FOX noise clip of Kelly eviscerating them is beautiful to watch..

C-279 Passes Senate Second Reading!

Transpeople around the world are watching along with our Canadian trans cousins as C-279, the Trans Rights Bill passed another step in its nerve wracking journey through the Canadian Senate to become law in the Great White North.  

After more spirited debate on May 23 in which the Conservative opponents of the bill did their best to flush it out of existence with 'bathroom bill' and trans predator rhetoric, C-279 passed Second Reading in the Canadian Senate on May 29 and was referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights the same day.

The committee is scheduled to meet today at 4:00 PM EDT and on the committee's agenda is a hearing on C-279.   The bill if it becomes Canadian law would add gender identity to the list of protected grounds under the Canadian Human Rights Act and under the hate crimes section of the Criminal Code.

The persons who are scheduled to testify in front of the Standing Committee On Human Rights this afternoon are:

• Greta Bauer, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (University of Western Ontario)
• Ryan Dyck, Director of Research and Policy (EGALE Canada)
• Ian Fine, Secretary General (Canadian Human Rights Commission)
• Randall Garrison, M.P., Sponsor of the Bill in the House of Commons (House of Commons)
• David Langtry, Acting Chief Commissioner (Canadian Human Rights Commission)

If the meeting happens and you wish to watch and listen to what is transpiring in this hearing, you can click on this link 

While this bill is a step closer to becoming Canadian law, it still has to get out of this committee, to the Senate floor for two more hours of debate and a final vote.   If C-279 passes Third Reading, it would then go to Governor General David Johnston for Royal Assent, which would make it Canadian law.

So keep crossing your fingers, rubbing your good luck charms and saying your prayers for our Canadian trans cousins and hoping that by the end of this month, they will have a federal law protecting their human rights in their home and native land.
.     

Maltese Parliament Debating Trans Marriage Civil Code Changes

As part of the deal they struck with Joanne Cassar in order to end the European Court of Human Rights case she brought against them in June 2011,  Malta's parliament began debate on amending that nation's Civil Code so that post operative trans people would be considered as individuals of the acquired gender identity with full rights including the right to marry.

Once the amendments to the Civil Code pass, and the Opposition party has no problem with that as of now, transpeople in Malta would not only be able to get their birth certificates changed, the Public Registry director will be able to issue marriage banns to post-op transgender individuals who express the wish to get married.


Helena Dalli, The Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties said she could not understand how a government complicates matters even more for a person who already faced great difficulties in life.

“The government cannot punish these people although they continue to suffer as a result of prejudice against them,” she said. “It is not just laws that need to change but attitudes and silence should not prevail”.

Amen to that.   We in the international trans community hope these Civil Code changes are expeditiously passed and Malta continues the process of ensuring all of its trans citizens are treated equally under their nation's laws.

Ohio High School Lets Trans Latina Student Graduate Wearing Correct Gown

This was the way Damian Garcia and Isaak Wolfe's cases should have gone.down and it's nice to see common sense prevail.

In a scenario that has become far too familiar in this 2013 graduation season,  17 year old Fostoria, OH high school senior Chris Calderon-Perez has been transitioning for the last two years, but was initially told by principal Tom Grine she would have to dress as a male and wear the black male graduation gown instead of the red female one that matches her current gender presentation.  

However, the dress code policy that Grine was trying to enforce runs counter to the Fostoria school board non-discrimination policy that had just been updated in March to include gay and transgender students as protected classes.   Forcing Calderon-Perez to dress as male for her graduation would have been in violation of that newly minted non-discrimination policy.

"All I want to see is my mom proud of me, to see me walking — because I deserve it," Calderon-Perez said. "My academic achievement has nothing to do with my appearance."

Exactly.  So when Calderon-Perez's graduation happened yesterday, she was wearing the red female gown and following the female dress code.

No fuss, no muss, everybody's happy and you peeps in Fostoria avoided the transphobe instigated drama that happened in Pennsylvania and New Mexico.

Congratulations Chris, and may you have much sucecess in your future endeavors.

Audrey's History Making Kenyan Case

I've had the pleasure of conversing with Audrey Mbugua online for several years now and I'm looking forward to the day I finally meet this trailblazing Kenyan trans activist.   .
 
I'm following with keen interest her Kenyan history making legal case in her homeland in which she sued the Kenyan National Examinations Council and the Kenyan Attorney General to change the name on her KNEC certificates and other identity documents including her national identity card and passport to reflect who she is now.

“The process of changing my name and gender in my identity, travel and academic documents was fraught with challenges such as lack of understanding among public officers in charge of these processes,” Audrey says in a recent interview.

The initial court hearing was on May 28 and the counsel representing KNEC and the attorney general asked  High Court Judge Weldon Korir for more time to prepare a response to Mbugua's petition because this case is in their words 'tricky'.   The counsel also indicated that the petition response will require extensive consultations between several Kenyan government departments, including the Registrar of Births and Deaths.

There's nothing 'tricky' about it.  29 year old Audrey lives her life as and presents as female, she has undergone a medical transition except the genital surgery she started in 2001, and her documentation needs to reflect that.

  


Audrey's interview on NTV Kenya



Good luck sis!  Hope common sense prevails on August 6 and your document changes are granted..

Hmm, Did I Pluck A Dallas Principled Nerve?

''Were the Dallas Principles a sincere attempt to change the way the BTLG rights movement goes about its business or did they evolve into public relations woof tickets aimed at dissenting TBLG peeps expressing increasing discontent about the 'all marriage all the time' direction of the LGBT rights movement?'   
TransGriot,  May 28, 2013

Hmm, despite what some of my haters claim and I know for a fact by my hit counts, guess some of you peeps in Gay, Inc orgs (and elsewhere) read what I have to say at TransGriot on a regular basis.

Seems that Dana Beyer quickly put up a HuffPo post that attempts to spin what I wrote about the trans community being legislatively left behind.   All the stuff she quoted in her HuffPo piece while it has been wonderful news for the trans community that I was quite aware of, still has been done predominately via ADMINISTRATIVE or federal court rulings.

ENDABlog 2.0's Katrina Rose also has something to say about the post 

Dana's post is just another round of excuses and spin (remember Dallas Principle Number 1, Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now.  Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable) attempting to divert attention from the fact that trans justice and trans human rights are being delayed and denied in some cases by the actions (or inaction) of our so called allies while non-white transpeople pay in blood for their lack of human rights vision.   

But then again, as a longtime TransGriot reader pointed out in a discussion on my Facebook page, why should we expect organizations to adhere to standards they weren't in that DFW airport hotel room they didn't come up with or publically agree to follow?  

Perhaps because it's the right and morally correct thing to do?  

But then again elements of the GL community and GL organizations have a long ugly history since 1973 of not doing the morally correct thing by transpeople they aren't even close to making up for.  

The points I made in the Dallas Principles post are still valid about the trans community being legislatively left behind as a consequence of the GL 'all marriage all the time' push.  While anti-trans discrimination legislation was just introduced in Delaware, it is still just a bill until it passes both houses of the Delaware legislature and Gov Jack Markell (D) signs it.   

Until then gay people still have anti-discrimination coverage in Delaware, New York State and Beyer's home state of Maryland  with solid public accommodations language that they gained in all three cases by throwing trans people (who desperately needed that sake level of human rights coverage) under the civil rights bus.  With two weeks to go in the New York State legislative session GENDA still has not advanced to a vote in the GOP controlled senate nor have we heard Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) utter one syllable in favor of its passage or indicate he would sign it if it did pass the New York Senate and trans rights legislation died in Maryland..

Transpeople still cannot openly serve in the United States military while GLB people since 2010 can. 

And the question I asked about the Dallas Principles in the closing paragraph of that May 28 post and is in bold print at the start of this one is still open for debate.

Loving VH1's 'Hit The Floor'

While I'm impatiently waiting for the third season of VH1's Single Ladies to appear on my TV set did get to watch the opening show of a new VH1 series called Hit The Floor that broadcast its pilot episode on May 27.

Two of the names you'll recognize in the cast are Dean Cain and Kimberly Elise in this cast of new actors. 

Hit The Floor follows the story of Ahsha Hayes, a recent college grad played by Taylour Paige who has followed in the footsteps of her mother Sloane (Kimberly Elise) and become a member of the Devil Girls, the fictional Los Angeles Devils basketball team cheerleading squad after trying out against her mother's wishes. 

Sloane Hayes was a member of the original squad and knows all too well the tempting, cutthroat and treacherous world that awaits her naive daughter.

Dean Cain plays Pete Davenport, the former All-Star Devils player and recent divorcee who is in his first season as coach of the team.   He runs into Sloane when she shows up to support Ahsha at her final tryout, who drops the news on Davenport at the end of the pilot episode that he is Ahsha's father.

Then toss into this mix Jelena Howard (played by Logan Browning) who is a four year acknowledged star member of the team, the tyrannical captain of the Devil Girls and girlfriend of Devils star baller Terrence Wall. 

She's feeling very threatened by Ahsha joining the squad and her obvious star quality and is also battling Olivia Vincent, the OG Devil Girl who now serves as the manager of the squad for control of it.   

Olivia was once friends with Sloane during their time as Devil Girls before Olivia's machinations to turn the squad into a multimillion dollar enterprise caused a major rift in their friendship. 

Raquel Saldana (Valery Ortiz) is a four year member of the Devil Girls who is cut from the squad after she speaks up in defense of Ahsha who she befriended at the tryouts and incurs the wrath of Jelena.  She also dealing with the bullying deadbeat dad of her 4 year old son Miguel, who is the manager for half of the Devils players.     

There also Kyle Hart, (Katherine Bailess) a stripper who auditions for the squad and is a bright observant woman who isn't scared to fight for what she wants.  She uses her formidable sex appeal with lecherous Devils owner Oscar Kincade in a bid to get a spot on the Devil Girls. 

The show even has Twitter and Facebook pages for you to follow your fave characters and all the action of Hit The Floor.

So yep, y'all know how much I enjoy watching a good scripted show and Hit The Floor has many of the elements I love in terms of plot twists and lots of drama.  I'll definitely be hitting the couch to watch it on Mondays at 8 PM Central time  

2013 Williams Watch-On To The Quarters!

Serena Williams is still in the hunt for her 16th Grand slam title after taking only 70 minutes to breeze past 15th seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy 6-1, 6-3.   It was her 28th consecutive match win and puts her in the quarterfinals of the French Open for the first time since 2010.

She's an unbeaten 20-0 on clay this year, but now faces the woman that knocked her out of the 2009 French Open and went on to win the title that year in Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova. 

The two time Grand Slam champion Kuznetsova knocked off 8th seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany in three sets to punch her ticket to the quarters

Since losing in the French Open first round last year, Little Sis is 71-3 and has won the Wimbledon singles and doubles titles, the Olympics singles and doubles titles, the US Open singles title and the WTP Championship.

Should she get past Kuznetsova, she would make it to the semis at Roland Garros for the first time since 2003 and the way she's playing right now I wouldn't bet against her doing it.

MTV's 'Girl Code'

Was channel surfing one night and stumbled across an MTV show that caught my attention entitled Girl Code.

It's a spinoff show to MTV2's Guy Code and started broadcasting its 15 episode run April 23.  It features a multicultural cast of female actresses, musicians, stand-up comics and a few men discussing the sisterhood that women share

It's been interesting to hear the discussion on a wide range of topics such as breast envy, crushes, relationships, feeling unattractive, jealousy toward a male friends girlfriend, playing sports and menstruation just to name a few of the subject they've tackled.

It's on frequent rotation, but I'm going back to watch some of the episodes I missed

Where Were The 'Normal' Gays At Stonewall? Cowering In Their Closets

The next time that some conservagay tries to pinkwash the history of Stonewall and erase transpeople from it, send them to this link to read the letter that came from a closeted gay man complaining about the 'freaks' that were in the celebratory parade held one year after Stonewall took place. 

The response from Dick Griffo of New York was beautifully on point.

September, 1970

Remember, the ‘queens’ had the balls!

Editor:
This is addressed to the “Name Withheld” correspondent regarding the Christopher Street West parade. As I reside in Brooklyn Heights, I can only refer to our own demonstration in which I proudly participated. I do believe, however, that both parades were quite similar.

I would like to know if the anonymous correspondent participated in the march or if he remained on the sidewalk, afraid to commit himself. Also, he should remember that the homophile community ranges from flamboyant drag queens to conservative closet queers—but we are all human and should join together in this our common struggle. Please don’t forget that it was the DRAG QUEENS who fought back last year, not we closet queens.

I’ll tell you where the “normal looking homosexuals” were. They were at the beaches, the theatre, away for the weekend, ad nauseam, because they are not yet liberated from themselves.

The use of the word “fag” by the correspondent indicates a deep self-hatred which should he corrected.

When the correspondent is no longer afraid to use his name in your publication and learns to accept ALL his brothers and sisters, then and only then will we succeed in our peaceful revolution.

Dick Griffo
Brooklyn, N.Y.

So yeah,  we transfolks are going to continue to have major problems with gay peeps continued attempts to erase us from the movement we put our azzes on the line to start.

Can We All Get Along And Work For Positive Change?

TransGriot Note: I had my say about that Tumblr post, and as promised here's the guest post by Beth Morgan with her take on it.


Parts of it I understand/like, parts of it are problematic.

But as long as people who identify as lesbian or feminist (I do not identify as lesbian, I'm not sure what I fall under nor do I care, but I definitely identify as feminist) misgender trans* people, can you really be surprised that trans* people aren't going to feel so sympathetic about lesbians' problems? (Also, disclaimer: I am not trans*. So any lesbians or trans* people who want to comment on this, please do! We definitely need your voices in this conversation way more than mine.)

It's a two-way street: feminists, lesbians, and women need to be more sympathetic, less anti-trans*/transphobic, and do less bullying (of trans* people or anyone else) and less misgendering (of trans* people). And trans* people (of any assigned birth sex, any genitals, any chromosomes, any gender identity, etc.) also must be sensitive and sympathetic and not bully women and they must be careful not to be misogynistic or anti-lesbian/lesbophobic.

All the communities (lesbian, feminist, queer, and trans*) have their good people who may or may not necessarily agree with the other communities about every stance but are careful to be sensitive and not to misgender, be misogynistic, bully, etc.

Unfortunately, all the communities seem to have their bad apples who like nothing more than to hate and divide and bully and be misogynistic (self-explanatory, hopefully) and transphobic (not just "I don't agree/believe in transsexuality/transsexualism/transgenderism/etc.," but I'm talking straight-up exposing them on their Internet with their given birth names and saying how they hope such and such trans person dies).

We must work together. Society (mainly the straight white rich Christian male "the Man" "the 1%") works to divide lesbians and feminists and other queer people and bisexual people and trans* people and gay people and everyone so that they don't focus on the big picture of working together for everyone's rights.

I know, easier said than done.

But for all the hours that people spend online in all the communities, bashing each other (whether it be in the form of blogs or other media that are created to misgender and reveal past identities of trans* people, or blogs or other media that are created to bash women and be misogynistic), we could instead be using all that time and energy (and money, if any is involved) on doing useful things like passing ENDA (which would protect lesbians and trans* people, at least if they keep the trans* protections in, which we should work for) and protections not just in jobs but also protection for LGBT+ (lesbians and trans* people included) people in housing and public accommodations. And for that matter, we could work on getting the ERA for women, too. Or maybe people could volunteer at places that are bettering the lives of women, lesbians, trans* people, etc.

Yeah? Maybe?

Or is it just easier to be assholes to everyone who is different from us (lesbians, women, trans* people) instead of actually trying to affect real positive change anywhere?

I'm not trying to erase the voices of lesbians or [other] feminists here (nor am I trying to erase trans* voices either). I just hate seeing so much hate thrown back and forth between all the communities when they all have a lot in common, and that if they combined all their forces for good, could actually have a chance of creating positive changes in all the communities involved."

Marriage Equality Fails In Illinois-Cue The 'Blame The Blacks' White Gay Chorus

A not so funny thing happened on the way to Illinois becoming the 13th state to pass marriage equality legislation.   The Illinois legislature adjourned without a vote on SB10, The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act.

Why am I not surprised that with the surprising failure of gay marriage to pass out of the Illinois House, in their zeal to explain the shocking defeat elements of the white gay community have turned to an old reprehensible tactic to explain this stunning failure after a string of recent marriage wins.

Blame the Black community. 

Specifically, they are blaming the 20 members of the Illinois House Legislative Black Caucus, who have been under tremendous pressure from fundie megachurches and conservafool pastors to kill the bill.

John Aravosis of Americablog wasted no time in this blog post fanning the hell-fire flames of gay bigotry against African-Americans.

The Sun Times says the state House black caucus was a big part of the problem.  A similar scenario played out with Prop 8 in California four years ago (though some have tried to rewrite that history).  Yet, the black vote was not a problem in Maryland where the state voted in favor of marriage equality last November.  And with the support of President Obama, I’m sure a lot of people had hoped that we were beyond worrying about the religious right’s declared desire to drive fissures between the black and the gay community.

Well John, congratulations.  You and the Sun Times have just done NOM's shady work for them by setting off white gays justifiably pissed that SB 10 failed against the Black community cis, trans and SGL that is skeptical about gay marriage as a whole.

The Black community has noted your failure to work intersectionally with other groups inside and outside the LGBT community on issues of concern to them, but hypocritically demanding 100% fealty on the issue of marriage equality.    It has also noted your failures to deal with the racism in the TBLGIQA community and observed that far too many LGBT orgs have leadership ranks that look more like the Republican Party ranks than the ethnically diverse American population.  

Did it not occur to you vanillacentric privileged gays that Illinois also has downstate WHITE Democrats who range from squishy to adamantly opposed about this issue and a politically powerful Roman Catholic Church that worked the halls in Springfield just like those conservative Black pastors you're pointing the finger at?  

To all you white gays hating on Black people (and President Obama) in the Americablog and Towleroad comment threads and other spots in the Gayosphere due to Aravosis pouring gasoline on the smoldering anger from the 2008 Prop 8 defeat and our pissivity over the rainbow bigotry eruption that ensued after it based on a flawed exit poll, thought I'd point out that two of the sponsors of SB 10 in the Illinois Senate were African-Americans in state Sen. Toi Hutchinson and Sen. Emil Jones III.

In the Illinois House two of the legislators sponsoring it were from the same Illinois House Black Legislative Caucus being vilified by elements of the white gay community right now in Rep.Christian Mitchell and Rep Kenneth Dunkin, the chair of the House Black Legislative Caucus. 

But naw, that won't work pointing out those inconvenient facts when you're desperately trying to be 'just like them' and get your lost white privilege spots back . It's also an irrefutable one you are part of the ethnic group that comprises the bulk of the determined opposition to marriage equality

So it's dust off the Black folks are 'uniquely homophobic' meme, blame the Illinois House Black Legislative Caucus for your surprising defeat and deflect the blame from various predominately white run LG equality organizations concerning the failure to make the case why marriage equality should happen in Illinois. 

And the more you fan the hell-fire flames of gay bigotry toward African-Americans SGL, trans and straight, the happier you make NOM and the more you set back the cause of getting marriage equality passed in Illinois and elsewhere in the country where you'll need to build coalitions with Black people to make that happen.   

What Part Of We Didn't Start The War On Transwomen Are You Not Comprehending?

There was an interesting facts free May 2 Tumbler post coming out of TERF world that trans oppression enabler Dana LaRocca posted to a Facebook page I have access to.

The Lesbian Mafia post was filled with the latest white women's tears TERF talking points accusing trans women of 'bullying lesbians' and pushing the vanillacentric female cis privilege scented lie that 'we're defending ourselves' 

Yeah right, and if you believe that bull feces I have some waterfront property along I-10 in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Swamp I'd like to sell you. 

Beth Morgan posted a response to it which needs to be signal boosted in a separate post, and if I get her permission to do so, I will give you her thoughts about that Tumblr post as an interested observer and ally to both the feminist and trans communities.   

But I'm raising the pink, white and blue flag on this one (saluting the trans flag) and calling BS on that Tumblr screed.  I also have to ask the question, what part of the we didn't start the War On Transwomen are you not comprehending?   Feminists started it 40 years ago, and the onus is on you, not the trans community to stop it.

And now for your reading pleasure, my response in that Facebook thread. 

***

Trans women didn't start this crap, they did. This is not a 'two-way street' as you called it, it has been 40 years of one sided transphobic vitriol which transpeople are justifiably pushing back against because we are the ones being bullied and dehumanized.

The humanity and femininity of trans women is constantly under attack on various fronts, and the largest source of it for 40 years has been from the predominately white feminist and lesbian communities.

It is illogical to think we're not going to get tired of it and go to DEFCON 2 or 1 level to combat the negativity predominately and persistently coming from elements of the feminist and lesbian communities and defend ourselves.

We're justifiably reacting to and pushing back against the dehumanization being aimed at us and we're tired of predominately white feminists, TERF's and lesbians crying white women's tears after being called out for their decades long oppressive behavior.

And in many cases, the lesbians and feminists pushing this hate and doing their transphobic dirt are too cowardly to attach their names to it. I have more respect for the Religious Right transphobes because I know my enemy, they are open about it and they'll proudly sign their names and put their photos on their jacked up hate scribblings.

New decade, new rules.

You TERF's don't get to play that game in which you gleefully oppress and attack trans women's humanity and then climb on your white femininity pedestal and claim you're being 'bullied' or 'attacked'. You're getting called on your transphobic crap and if you don't like it, tough.

Trans women, and especially trans women of color are especially tired of predominately white lesbians and feminists not only pushing anti-trans propaganda and hate speech, but actively opposing trans inclusion in human rights laws. It is Black and Latina trans women who are disproportionately dying because of their unjust stances and lack of civil rights vision.

So the onus is on the feminist and lesbian community to send the message that the disco era anti-trans hate is no longer acceptable and clean it up in their ranks.

When we trans women see a sustained effort to do so and genuinely establish the sisterhood bonds with trans women, then trans women will positively respond to that.

2013 TBLG Pride Month POTUS Proclamation

TransGriot Note: President Obama's 2013 TBLG Pride Month Proclamation 

The President's Pride Month Proclamation:
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2013 — BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

For more than two centuries, our Nation has struggled to transform the ideals of liberty and equality from founding promise into lasting reality. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans and their allies have been hard at work on the next great chapter of that history — from the patrons of The Stonewall Inn who sparked a movement to service members who can finally be honest about who they love to brave young people who come out and speak out every day.

This year, we celebrate LGBT Pride Month at a moment of great hope and progress, recognizing that more needs to be done. Support for LGBT equality is growing, led by a generation which understands that, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” In the past year, for the first time, voters in multiple States affirmed marriage equality for same-sex couples. State and local governments have taken important steps to provide much-needed protections for transgender Americans.

My Administration is a proud partner in the journey toward LGBT equality. We extended hate crimes protections to include attacks based on sexual orientation or gender identity and repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” We lifted the HIV entry ban and ensured hospital visitation rights for LGBT patients. Together, we have investigated and addressed pervasive bullying faced by LGBT students, prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Federal housing, and extended benefits for same-sex domestic partners. Earlier this year, I signed a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the implementation of any VAWA-funded program. And because LGBT rights are human rights, my Administration is implementing the first-ever Federal strategy to advance equality for LGBT people around the world.

We have witnessed real and lasting change, but our work is not complete. I continue to support a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, as well as the Respect for Marriage Act. My Administration continues to implement the Affordable Care Act, which beginning in 2014, prohibits insurers from denying coverage to consumers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which addresses the disparate impact of the HIV epidemic among certain LGBT sub-communities. We have a long way to go, but if we continue on this path together, I am confident that one day soon, from coast to coast, all of our young people will look to the future with the same sense of promise and possibility. I am confident because I have seen the talent, passion, and commitment of LGBT advocates and their allies, and I know that when voices are joined in common purpose, they cannot be stopped.

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 2013 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 thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

More Saturday Sellout Links

Since I just added the E.W. Jackson post to the TransGriot Saturday Sellout series (and sadly need to do more of them) here are the links to the ones I've previously written in one convenient post for you to peruse at your leisure

Time for you to get your learn on about the cookie chomping knee-grows gleefully working to sell our community out and kiss up to conservatism for their own personal gain.

Saturday Sellout-Alan Keyes

Saturday Sellout-Star Parker

Saturday Sellout-Herman Cain

Saturday Sellout-Rep. Allen West

2013 Williams Watch-Serena To Fourth Round

Serena Williams' march to her first French Open women's championship since 2002 continued as she took on Sorana Cirstea of Romania in her third round match on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Little Sis took 61 minutes to send the 26th seeded Cirstea to a 6-0, 6-2 straight set defeat with the first set taking the world's number one ranked player only 23 minutes to complete.

She has only dropped six games total in her three matches so far at Roland Garros, is on a career best 27 match (and counting) win streak and awaits the winner of the Roberta Vinci-Petra Cetkovska match which was in its third set as I compiled this post.

Meanwhile, the person who gave Serena her last loss in a Grand Slam singles tournament is lurking at the other end of the women's singles tournament bracket. 

17th seeded Sloane Stephens has yet to play her third round match with Marina Eracovik of New Zealand and is on a potential fourth round collision with defending French Open champ Maria Sharapova assuming she survives her match with China's Jie Zheng.

And you know after Stephens flapped her gums and dissed Serena  earlier this month, many of us in tennis world would love to see a rematch between the two in the French Open finals.  

But there's still a lot of tennis that needs to be played before that can happen and Sloane has a tougher draw with people like Victoria Azarenka, Samantha Stosur, Petra Kvitova and Sharapova still in it.  
  
The first weekend in Paris is shaping up to be a very interesting one for us tennis junkies. 

TransGriot: Update:  Serena will face Roberta Vinci in the fourth round. 

Shut Up Fool Awards-Last Friday In May Edition

It's been a slow news week in the wake of the Memorial Day holiday, but as Mr. T always said fools are everywhere.  Thankfully for this weekly TransGriot feature fools never take a vacation either from their stupidity.

So let's get right to this week's edition of the Shut Up Fool Awards shall we?

Honorable mention number one goes to Amanda Bynes for the jacked up tweets she sent Rihanna's way in which she said Chris Brown beat her because she was ugly.   

The only ugly one here is you Amanda.    Oh BTW, Lloyd's of London once insured Ri Ri's legs for $1 million and on her worst day Rihanna  is still way better looking and has more class in her pinky finger than you.

Honorable mention number two goes to Ohio State President Gordon Gee, who once again opened his mouth and let insults fly at the Catholic Church, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Louisville, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, and the SEC during an OSU Athletic council meeting in December 2012 .

Going to be very interesting to see what happens if Ohio State is on Louisville, Kentucky and Notre Dame's 2013-14 basketball schedule. 


Honorable mention number three goes to Governor Goodhair, AKA Rick Perry (R-TX )  who parted his lips on Tony Perkins waste of radio airtime to say God would judge the Boy Scouts for their decision to lift the 22 year ban on gay scouts.

Rick's been in our governor's chair in Texas for too damned long.  Time for Governor Goodhair to go.

This week's winner after many nominations is FOX Noise contributor misogynist Erick Erickson who said on Lou Dobbs' show that 'male superiority is a scientific fact'.   He then doubled down on his idiocy when the critical commentary started rolling in by telling feminists and liberals on his Red State blog 'not to get their panties in a wad'. 



Is November 2014 here yet?
 
Eric Erickson, Shut up Fool!
 

Delaware FINALLY Introduces Anti-Trans Discrimination Bill

After declining to take the opportunity to do so in 2009 when they added sexual orientation to the state's anti-discrimination law, Delaware lawmakers on Wednesday finally got around to introducing legislation banning discrimination on the basis of gender identity and joining the other 16 states plus the District of Columbia that already do so.  

The proposed bill would add gender identity to the existing list of protected nondiscrimination categories, including race, age, marital status, creed, color, sex, handicap, sexual orientation and national origin.

The legislation defines gender identity as “a gender-related identity, appearance, expression or behavior of a person, regardless of the person’s assigned sex at birth” and would prohibit discrimination against a person on the basis of gender identity in housing, employment, public works contracting, public accommodations, and insurance.

Predictably the haters in the Delaware Family Assn. are already deploying 'bathroom bill' shade at it but it has the alleged support of Gov. Jack Markell (D).

His spokesperson Cathy Rossi stated 'The governor believes that discrimination on the basis of gender or gender identity is inherently wrong and supports legislation to prohibit it,”.

ENDABlog 2.0's Katrina Rose on her FB page sums up elements of the trans people's bordering on cynical attitudes toward this news. 

'And yet his (Gov. Jack Markell) belief wasn't strong enough to even suggest that trans people be included in the gay rights bill four years ago, eh?

'I presume that this current bill will receive just as much attention as GENDA has received in New York.'

I'm with Katrina Rose in asking where was Gov Markell's support for adding gender identitiy in 2009?  There is a far more urgent need for covering trans people in anti-discrimination law and it should have been handled four years ago, but better late than never.

The bill also would require educational institutions to provide “reasonable accommodations” to permit access by transgender people to such facilities as single-sex student dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and other housing and allow businesses to require workers to adhere to reasonable appearance, grooming and dress standards consistent with the employee’s gender identity.

We'll see if Delaware becomes the 17th state to outlaw anti-trans discrimination.

Brittney's ESPN Interview

You longtime TransGriot readers know I have much love for Ms. Griner and have since one of my readers sent me the links to the YouTube video of her dunking her way through Texas HS girls competition. 

There are a few posts here defending her against the Femininity Police and I'm even more happy to find out she's a proud part of our Black LGBT family.  I'm looking forward to meeting my Houston homegirl one day and seeing her play for Team USA next year at the FIBA worlds and at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio..  

And yep, it'll be one of the few times I have to look up at another sister even if I have heels on.

Nigeria Passes Draconian Anti-GLBT Bill

While the international community was focusing on Uganda and its attempts to pass their blatantly unjust 'Kill The Gays' Bill, they should have also been focused on Abuja, Nigeria.

In the most populous nation on the African continent, the Nigerian House of Representatives today passed the unjust 'Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill' that criminalizes being gay or lesbian in the country, bans gay marriage in a church or mosque and outlaws any groups actively supporting gay rights.  It was already approved by the Nigerian Senate in November 2011 and is now on its way to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan for his signature.

If Jonathan signs it, gay or lesbian couples who marry could face up to 14 years each in prison.  If you witness the marriage, attend the wedding or helps a gay couple get married, you are risking a 10 year sentence behind bars. Anyone taking part in a group advocating for gay rights or anyone caught in a “public show” of gay affection also would face 10 years in prison if convicted by a criminal court.

As of yet President Jonathan hasn't indicated whether he will sign the unjust bill or not.
 
Save your breath if you're thinking that Western powers can put pressure on the 'Giant of Africa' by threatening to cut off financial aid.   Nigeria pumps 2 million barrels of oil per day and the United States is one of their major customers.  The last time I checked the price is hovering around the $90-$100 per barrel range.

Gay sex has been banned in Nigeria since the British colonial rule days and our gay and lesbian cousins there face open discrimination and abuse in a country divided by Christians and Muslims.   They may fight each other,  but the two things they universally agree on are soccer and uniform opposition to homosexuality.

So it'll be up to local activists in this nation of more than 160 million people, with the help of the international community as they did in 2007 and 2011 to do the bulk of the education and fighting against this unjust law. 

Chidi Odinkalu, the chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, said he only learned about the House’s vote late Thursday night and said the bill likely would be challenged in court.

Because right now, that's their only option if President Jonathan decides to sign this un-African and unjust bill