We Must Do Our Part To End Anti-Trans Violence

When I left for my family reunion trip to Denver a few days ago I was discussing along with many people in the DC local and national trans community the attack aimed at Bree Wallace in which she was stabbed up to 40 times.  

Michael McBride, the perpetrator of the attack aimed at her was arrested on another unrelated charge and in DC Metro police custody.  He has been additionally charged with the attack on Ms Wallace. 

But unfortunately as Washington DC endures another sweltering summer, the trans women who live in The District have been subjected to another wave of violent attacks with the spillover effect affecting the G and L end of the community, too..

A trans woman was assaulted on the 500 block of Eastern Avenue, NE. at approximately 6:00 AM EDT on Friday by two men and was shot by one of the suspects as she attempted to run away.   According the DC metro police reports she was treated for her injury at a local hospital.

The second occurred Saturday in the 300 block of 61st Street, NE at approximately 3:30 AM  when a trans woman accepted a ride from an unknown male and was sexually assaulted inside the perpetrator's vehicle.

Less than an hour later two suspects attempted to rob a trans woman in the area of 5th and K Street, NE at approximately 4:05 AM.  She was shot and taken to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries.

I said this in my post in the wake of Bree Wallace's stabbing and it needs to be repeated. 

While there is a culture of anti-trans violence aimed at trans women in the Washington DC area that needs to be addressed, getting the word out about these attacks is a great start but it's not enough..

The DC trans community (and by extension, trans communities across this nation) are going to have to deal with the reality that as Black and Latina trans women, we like our cis sisters are walking targets for anti-female violence and sexual assault. 

The failure to consistently pass that message home to our trans younglings has resulted in far too many of our sisters being killed, sexually assaulted or injured.  

We not only need to talk about that more often,  we transwomen must begin to consistently talk about the need for hyper vigilance about our surroundings and the situations we can potentially end up in.   That needs to begin being drilled into our heads the nanosecond we begin living our lives as estrogen based lifeforms.

We need to talk about that issue in our support groups, our sistah circles and in our video and written blogs.  If nobody else wants to talk about it because it's not a happy-happy joy-joy topic, then I'm more than willing for the sake of saving people's lives to have that discussion.

As my old endocrinologist Dr. Lee Emery used to tell me over a decade ago during my checkups, you get the good and the bad with a feminine gender transition   Having to deal with being a potential target for anti-female violence is part of that bad stuff. 

Any small lapse in security awareness of your person can result in serious injury, a sexual assault or you having your name read at the next Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial ceremony. 

I believe a step toward curbing and dismantling the anti-trans violence culture in Washington DC is calling a public meeting possibly at City Hall with trans community activists, the DC Metro Police and other interested parties to repeat this message until it burns into the consciousness of transpeople in DC and elsewhere. 

If one of our community's stated goals is to make Transgender Day of Remembrance events obsolete, a significant portion of the solution to combating anti-trans violence rests on the trans community to do internal things that don't require police or governmental involvement.  

Yes, the police will play a role.  Our trans brothers can help us in that regard.  So will local organizations that serve our community.  But anti-trans violence is not just a Washington DC, Chicago, or Los Angeles problem.   It can happen anywhere and at any time.  This is an opportunity for trans feminine communities to work intersectionally not only with our trans men but our cisgender male and female allies to help combat this problem.  The work must begin now to tackle the problem before we lose more people to anti-trans violence.

Some of it is common sense stuff.   Try to make sure you're not walking alone in the early morning hours.   Be aware of your surroundings.  Don't accept rides from people you don't know.   If you're in a club situation don't leave your drink uncovered and go with a friend or group of friends.  

Each individual member of our trans feminine community must do their part in getting that message out there that we do have a personal responsibility piece to helping curb the anti-trans violence aimed at us and curbing the spike in anti-trans violence

Back Home Again From Denver

I'm back home after a 2200 mile roadtrip across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado to Denver for a family reunion. 

My share of the driving included segments on Wednesday from Fairfield, TX through Dallas and Oklahoma City to Perry, OK and Burlington, CO to Denver.  On the Sunday return trip I drove from Flagler, CO to Colby, KS, Guthrie, OK through OKC to the Texas state line and from Huntsville, TX back to H-town,

We left Denver after leaving the Mile High City at 2 PM MDT Sunday.

Thanks to all of you who left me well wishes and prayers for safe travels on my Facebook page before and during the trip.  We couldn't have asked for better weather for the drive to and from Denver. 

I did unfortunately miss making connections with some of the Denver area trans fam and was a little bummed about that.   Me and my family missed by ten minutes getting soaked in that monsoon that hit Denver Friday night.  

We had a family dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in Tabor Center.  After it concluded we battled the traffic leaving Coors Field for the Rockies-Giants game back to our hotel on I-25 and Park Ave.West

No more than ten minutes after we exited the van and walked into our rooms to settle in for the night did the skies open up and let loose with a soaking rain that the Denver area needed and dropped the temps from the high 90's to the low 80's.

Will talk about the trip later.   Need to get some sleep, then catch up on all the news I missed because I treated this reunion like a vacation and decided to unplug from the Net. 


TransGriot Note:  Photos courtesy of AARoads.com

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UH Offically Joins The American Athletic Conference

A lot of soap opera worthy things happened since I wrote that November 2011 post about the University of Houston joining the Big East Conference

TCU was supposed to join the Big East in 2012, but backed out after they received an invitation to join the Big 12. West Virginia also bolted on the Big East after it was invited to join the Big 12 along with the Horned Frogs for the 2012-13 academic year.  

The Big East Catholic basketball only schools (The Catholic 7) bailed to form their own conference. 

They subsequently negotiated a deal to keep the Big East name, the contract for the basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden and also depart today.

Boise State and San Diego State after initially agreeing in November 2011 to join the league, backed out after all the turmoil and mass defections started and decided to stay in the Mountain West Conference. 

Boise State filed a lawsuit in April to avoid paying the $5 million exit fee to the Big East/AAC.  The Bi East/AAC is also embroiled in litigation with West Virginia, Pitt, and Rutgers.   They recently settled out of court with TCU for $5 million.

Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Rutgers also said see ya to the Big East to head to other conferences.  Pittsburgh and Syracuse are headed to the ACC starting today, Louisville will join in 2014 and Rutgers is headed to the Big Ten in 2014.   Notre Dame, which was a Big East member for all its other conference sports except football also joined the exodus for the ACC and that affiliation starts today.

Since the Big East name departed with The Catholic 7, the conference in now named the American Athletic Conference.  The good news is that the automatic BCS football berth remains, which is why UH left C-USA to join the AAC in the first place, is still available to play for this year until the new plus 4 playoff structure starts in 2014.

There was just as much drama and activity on Cullen Blvd.in the runup to this day.  

During the middle of a 2011 season in which UH was on the brink of being a BCS buster in football Kevin Sumlin shadily was negotiating on the eve of the C-USA title game against Southern Mississippi to scurry off to Texas A&M.   The Cougars were upset 49-28 in that game and went from playing in the Sugar Bowl to the Ticket City Bowl where they flattened a scandal plagued Penn State team to finish 13-1 .  . . 

Tony Levine became the UH head coach after Sumlin's departure and had a disappointing injury plagued 5-7 season that included a scary November 2012 incident in which cornerback DJ Hayden nearly died on the practice field.   Robertson Stadium was torn down after the Cougars played their final game in it, a 40-17 victory against Tulane on December 3.

Construction started in February on the new $105 million football stadium after Robertson was demolished and the site cleared.  In the interim the Cougars will play their inaugural AAC season home football games at Reliant Stadium until the new 40,000 seat on campus football stadium opens in August 2014.

UH's new collegiate conference home will have 10 teams in 2013-14, which is two short of what you need to host a football conference title game.   AAC members in this inaugural season are Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Rutgers, SMU, Temple, UCF and USF.  

After Louisville and Rutgers leave the AAC, East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa will join the American for all sports in July 2014 and Navy will join as a football only member in July 2015.

A new chapter in the Cougars collegiate sporting history starts today and we UH fans and alums can only hope it will be a successful and less drama filled one.

Happy 146th Birthday Canada!

Happy Canada Day TransGriot readers!

Today is Canada's 146th birthday, and it would have been an exceptional and more joyous one for my Canadian trans cousins had the Senate not succumbed to its Conservative leanings.

It should have brought the Trans Rights Bill up for a vote before they went on summer recess.  

But despite that, your home and native land has made some fantastic progress trans human rights wise that your south of the border trans cousins are envious of.

And on the day your nation was born, I want to thank all you readers north of the 49th parallel who surf to my blog on a regular basis and read what I have to say about various issues and let me know how much you appreciate an American taking an interest in what happens in Canada.

As a child of the African Diaspora, what happens in Canada is also a major concern to me because of my African descended brothers and sisters up there.  As a member of the international trans community, what happens in Canada also affects me so it is important for me to keep up with developments that affect the trans community in the Great White North.

I'm also continuing to think about and pray for the rapid recovery of my Timmy's IceCapp loving homegirl as she continues to recover from her health challenge 

Going to miss the post in which she does her usual Canada Day bragging that I have to rebut three days later. 

And no Renee, no proposed trades accepted for Alberta.  I have enough problems with the conservafools here in Baja Alberta (AKA Texas to the rest of y'all) and the rest of the Confederate flag waving South.  

I don't need any more, so y'all deal with the Sweater Vest, Little Alberta and all those Conservatives in the prairie provinces.

Happy Canada Day!

Being A #GirlLikeUs Is Nothing To Be Ashamed Of

One of the things I learned early from my trans mentors and I (and we as a community) have to constantly focus on is dealing with the shame and guilt issues that plague us.  

Since we have much Hateraid aimed at us, it can be a challenge at times to practice that self love that needs to happen from time to time and feel pride not only in yourself, but being a girl like us.

It can be a challenge when those 'unpretty' days descend upon you, but you can't let it get you down.  You have to fight through those moments with every fiber of your being and believe you are the finest thing walking Planet Earth.

Well, there is not only nothing wrong with being a girl like us, there is nothing for us to be ashamed about either.   You are part of the beautiful mosaic of human life and God loves you too.

You come from a distinguished lineage of doctors, lawyers, politicians, models, MMA fighters, human rights warriors, sportswriters, television personalities, writers, beauty queens and wives and mothers raising kids.   Your predecessors started a movement in 1969. 

So stand tall and be proud of who you are because being a girl like us is nothing to be ashamed of..


TransGriot Note: photo is of Kylan Wenzel, the first American trans person to compete in a Miss Universe system pageant.
  

Hello 2013 Camp Aranu'tiq West Campers!

Today is the first day of the opening session of Camp Aranu'tiq West in its double secret California location.that runs until July 6

So what's Camp Aranu'tiq?  It's a summer camp for trans and gender variant kids ages 8-15 that has double secret locations to keep away the haters in California and New England.

They are probably too busy having fun and meeting each other to be concerned about what this trans elder blogger has to say but just in case they are reading this blog, here goes.

***

Hope you're having a wonderful time at camp.   It's something many of your trans elders wish we could have taken part in and reminds us that while there have been some remarkable trans friendly changes in the world since we embarked on our transitions, we still have much work to do and much more to accomplish toward the goal of making this a world safe for you to accomplish whatever big dreams you come up with.

What I said in last year's post applies in this one because it hasn't changed one millimeter, Camp Aranu'tiq campers.  Know that your trans elders and our allies love you.  We are doing everything we can to fight for a world in which you have an easier time navigating it.  Have fun while you're there at camp and be proud of the men and women of trans experience you are growing into.

Shut Up Fool Awards-Moni's Mile High Edition

After a long drive from my southeastern corner of the Lone Star State I'm in Denver for a family reunion. 

While I'm here in between the scheduled reunion activities with my blood family, I'm also trying to catch up with and squeeze in quality time with my Colorado based trans family like Eden Lane, Kelley Winters, Matt Kailey, Elizabeth Clair and a few other peeps from now until the time I depart late Sunday afternoon.

Already bummed I'm going to miss crossing paths with Dainna Cicotello this time.

The last time I was in the Denver metro area was for a 2008 gender conference I was honored to be the keynote speaker for on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder that took place three days after the 2008 POTUS election.  

You know what they say about time flying, and you also know what happens on Friday on this blog.  It's time to shine a bright spotlight on the fool, fools or group of fools who dare to show the world their ignorance, stupidity or off the charts hypocrisy..

So lets get busy deciding who gets our Shut Up Fool award this week..

Honorable mention number one is a group award for the Horizon Science Academy in Ohio.  The charter school sent a letter to parents banning braids and Afro puffs

Michelle E. Brown's commentary says it best for me as to why that was a cluelessly bonehead move.   What next, are y'all gonna ban burqas, too?.

Honorable Mention number two goes to somebody I'm gonna have to take out of retirement temporarily to properly eviserate in Uncle Ruckus, er Injustice Clarence Thomas.  He cast the deciding vote to invalidate Section 4 of the VRA and wanted to go even further to prove how pathologically deep his self hatred is by saying he would have voted to kill Section 5, too. 

Honorable mention number three goes to Rep. Louie Gohmert (Teabagger-TX) who stated that sex education reminded him of the Soviet Union.

And this week's landslide Shut Up fool winner is another Texas Teapublican at the state legislative level in Rep Jodie Laubenberg (Teabagger-Parker).   She was trying to explain why an amendment proposed by Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) to her bill to ban abortion after 20 weeks in the exceptions of rape, incest and the mother's life wasn't necessary.

"In the emergency room they have what’s called rape kits where a woman can get cleaned out. The woman had five months to make that decision, at this point we are looking at a baby that is very far along in its development."

WTF?   Laubenburg's bill would also shut down 37 of the 42 abortion clinics in the state of Texas.  She's also not only on the House Public Health Committee, she's chair of the Texas chapter of ALEC.

Rep Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) the dean of the Texas House, let Laubenberg and the GOP have it too when they voted down her amendment.

All together now gang, Jodie Laubenberg, shut up fool!

 

Thank You Sen. Henry!

I'm already stoked that Delaware has become the 17th state to enact anti-trans discrimination legislation.  I'm even more stoked about it after I discovered some interesting tidbits about the senator who sponsored the legislation, Margaret Rose Henry.

She is not only the first African-American to serve in the Delaware state Senate, she also has a Texas connection, having earned her undergrad degree from Texas Southern University here in Houston. 

In the wake of white gays (John Aravosis) trying to throw that tired 'Blacks are more homophobic' shade (that needs to die), I find it interesting and amusing in the wake of that Illinois legislative debacle that an African-American legislator not only sponsored this trans rights bill that is the law of the land in Delaware

So John. me and the African-American community are still waiting for that apology for your loud and wrong pronouncement of a few weeks ago.

Since that's not going to happen, let me move on to what his post is for.

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Dear Senator Henry,
We in the national trans community breathlessly watched as this just SB 97 legislation you introduced back on May 31 wound its way through the Delaware legislature and eventually became law. 

On behalf of the national trans community, thank you for sponsoring it.  I know the trans community of Delaware deeply appreciates your efforts, and so do their trans brothers and sisters around the country and the world.

For African-American members of the trans community, it gave us a great sense of pride to know that the sponsor of the Delaware Gender Non Discrimination Act is one of us and was standing up for our humanity and our human rights.   It lifted our spirits at a time when we face unacceptable levels of anti-trans discrimination and hatred aimed at it.    It was also wonderful to note that even in the wake of a period in which we lost three more African-American trans lives in April to that violence, to see a person who shares our history and ethnic background stand up so publically and forcefully for trans human rights.

It gives us renewed hope that other African-American legislators and thought leaders will follow your sterling example and I hope your constituents in your senate district and the state of Delaware realize how fortunate they are to have you as a champion and shero fighting for them 

God bless you Senator Henry and continued success in all your future endeavors.

Sincerely yours,
Monica Roberts
the TransGriot

   
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Second Kenyan Transperson Wins Legal Case

Sometimes all it takes is one person standing tall, unapologetically living their lives and fighting tooth and nail for their own human rights to empower others to come out of the shadows and do the same.

It appears that is what's happening in Kenya right now.

Alexandra Nthungi  (using femme derivative of old name until I find out the name she goes by) was working in her grocery shop in January 2011 en femme in the town of Thika near the Kenyan capitol of Nairobi when police arrived, arrested her claiming she had assaulted a cis woman and taken to the Thika police Station for questioning about the assault.  Nthungi was stripped nude in front of the media to ostensibly discover her gender identity 

On June 18 Justice Mumbi Ngugi awarded Nthungi Sh200,000 ($2328.20 USD) for having her rights and dignity violated by officers at the Thika Police Station.     

Justice Ngugi stated the police did not have the powers to strip him to ascertain his gender and that the best they could do was to refer him to a medical doctor for assessment. She ruled that by subjecting her to a search, the police had an intention of humiliating Nthungi because she was dressed as a female and it was unlawful to strip her.

She ruled that whatever Nthungi’s choice was in relation to her mode of dressing and regardless of the fact that she perceived herself as a woman, she still retained her inherent worth and dignity to which all humans are entitled.

Of course Audrey Mbugua was pleased about the outcome of Nthungi’s case. “Although we are happy about the judgment, the judge should have compelled the police to offer a public apology. Sometimes it’s not about being compensated with money but being recognised as human.”

On The Road Again-Denver Here I Come

Doing an interstate road trip for the first time since I moved back home as of this writing.  It's also the first time in over a decade I've done one with members of my blood family in the vehicle.

I'm hitting the highway for a family reunion on my mother's side of the family that's taking place in Denver this weekend.

As of the moment you're reading this we're now a few hours into the drive and on out way out of Texas enroute to Denver on the I-45/I-35 leg of the trip

My mom's side of the family has frequent family reunions of which the first one I was able to attend was mere weeks after I returned to Houston in 2010 since it was our turn to host it.   My family on my mom's side is clustered in Texas on both ends of I-45 in Dallas and Houston, in the Greenwood-Yazoo City-Itta Bena, Mississippi area all up and down US 49, in the Cleveland area, the Memphis, TN area,, the Chicago-Gary, IN metro area and in the Tampa, FL metro area.

We have cousins in the Denver mtro area which we will meet when we gather for the reunion this weekend. I'm hoping I'll get a chance while I'm in the area to finally meet Eden Lane if she isn't too busy and see Kelley Winters again.

But have a few more hours and a lot of interstate highway miles to travel before I'm staring at the Rockies again for the first time since 2008.    

Congrats on DOMA and Prop 8 Being Overturned...But

I don't feel much like celebrating when my human rights went backwards yesterday no thanks to another narrow 5-4 Supreme Court decision. 

When the conservafool dominated SCOTUS fracked with the Voting Rights Act Section 4 yesterday, it was akin to a punch to the gut

It was even more infuriating because a Oreo cookie chomping knee-grow sellout cast the deciding vote to help disenfranchise his own people.

I know civil rights is not a zero sum game, but that's the way it looks to a lot of African-Americans today inside and outside the trans and SGL community. One group got their rights advanced while the centuries old historical pattern of crapping on the human rights of African-Americans made a comeback.
The bitter irony in all of this is the SCOTUS VRA ruling was aided and abetted by a self hating Oreo cookie chomping knee-grow sellout who isn't fit to shine the shoes of the great justice Thurgood Marshall, much less follow him onto the Supreme Court. 

An additional bitter irony to SGL and trans peeps is that the same Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is being loudly praised in non person of color GL circles today for his marriage equality rulings is the same one who sided with the majority to roll back our human rights. 

It also takes place in a Supreme Court in which the Chief Justice of it made his reputation and his fortune working to kill the Voting Rights Act. 

I believe the SCOTUS ruled the way they did on the VRA to throw the conservative movement a bone over DOMA and Prop 8 rulings they knew the conservative movement would excoriate them for.

And I'm not the only African-American member of the SGL and trans community who doesn't really feel like celebrating today.   Take it away Jasmyne Cannick:

The white gay community has been banging its head against the glass ceiling of a room called equality, believing that a breakthrough on marriage will bestow on them parity with heterosexuals--because in all other areas including employment, home-ownership, wealth, healthcare, education, etc. one could argue that they are already equal in terms of access. Well congratulations, on today's rulings, you are that much closer to being equal with your white counterparts.

And while Black same-gender loving couples may benefit from today's rulings, I would be remissed if I didn't say that the right to marry does nothing to address our access to employment, home-ownership, wealth, healthcare, education, etc. and so for many of us the fight continues because being able to get married is half the battle, the other half, is being able to have a home to live in, a job to provide for your family, access to affordable healthcare to share with your family, and access to the type of education to make all of the above happen.

Not to mention our voting rights are now exposed to once again being suppressed and rolled back by the neo-Confederate Republicans who are hellbent on taking our human rights back to 18th century levels.

And some of you GLB folks enable that oppression by voting for them as 'proud conservatives'.

I can't forget that and the four century tortured history as an African descended American as you GLB folks are giddily hailing a major civil rights win.

50 years of hard, painstaking human rights work that people fought, marched, shed blood and died for just went poof at the hands of four black robed white males and their honorary white man (as declared by Pat Buchanan) Uncle Ruckus Thomas

It's also a wakeup call for this generation of kids and their elders not paying attention to the news cycle.  We just got the reminder yesterday by the Supreme Court that for African-Americans, we never have the luxury of presuming that our human rights are secure because they are always under attack. 

And Republicans and the conservative movement are all too willing to engage in rolling them back.

So congratulations GLB community for your hard fought marriage win.  But I won't be at the party raising appletini toasts with you. 

Voting Rights Act Messed With By Roberts KKKourt

I'm still too pissed off about this to even write about what happened to the Voting Rights Act right now after a busy, roller coaster emotion filled news day yesterday and prepping for a road trip to Denver for a family reunion.

This cartoon pretty much expresses how I feel about the VRA and Uncle Ruckus, er Thomas making the unjust ruling happen.

Allyson Robinson's Statement To OS-SLDN Members, Families and Supporters

TransGriot Note: Here's the statement from OutServe-SLDN magazine of Allyson Robinson to the members, families and supporters of the organization.   What I said in my earlier post still stands. Allyson got screwed, this stinks, and I detect the rotten stench of transphobia in this situation.   TAVA, step up, salute and handle your business, please.

On 24 June 2013
This weekend’s events were most unfortunate and deeply troubling for many of us, but for my part, as from the beginning of my tenure with this organization, I am fully and firmly committed to our LGBT service members, veterans, and their families and to their fight for equality. For that reason, and to honor those who’ve shared those values with me, it is my intent to continue to lead OutServe-SLDN in the near term as we approach an historic moment for our community and our country. After that, at a date to be determined, I have decided of my own accord to step down, and will work with our members to ensure an orderly transition to the next phase of this organization’s life.


Very few people ever get the opportunity in this life to hear from those whose lives they’ve touched just how much they are loved and respected. I have no words to express my gratitude for the hundreds who have reached out to me privately or stood up for me publicly over these last 24 hours to show their support: from the military community, the LGBT community, and most especially, most dear to me, the troops of OutServe-SLDN and their families. For that, I am blessed beyond measure.

In light of the momentous events the coming days hold for us all, I intend to put this matter behind us and look forward to shifting the focus back to where it belongs: our LGBT service members, veterans, and families, who sacrifice so much every day, and their ongoing fight for full equality.
— Allyson Robinson, Executive Director, OutServe-SLDN

C-279 Vote Stalled By Conservatives At Third Stage

Well, it was only a matter of time before the Conservatives in the Canadian Senate showed their anuses and did so as Bill C-279 was on the verge of passing.  

For those of you new to this story, C-279 is a  Canadian federal trans rights bill would add gender identity to the list of  grounds protected from discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act and under the hate propaganda section of the Criminal Code.  

It passed successfully out of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights on June 10, but with it being only a tantalizing two hours of debate, an affirmative vote and Royal Assent away from becoming law the fun started in the Conservative dominated Senate chamber to slow its roll toward that happening. 

First Conservative lesbian senator (why am I not surprised) Nancy Ruth added an amendment to C-279 on June 13 that adds "ethnic origin, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation” to the bill citing the specious reason 'that it was time to do so'.  

“This bill will add the category of gender identity to section 318 of the Criminal Code, but one of the categories missing in that enumerated ground is the category of ‘sex,’” Ruth said on the floor of the Senate

“We had a chance 10 years ago when we put ‘sexual orientation’ in that section of the Criminal Code. This is the time to add now the category ‘sex’ for the women of Canada.” 

You've been in the Canadian Senate since 2005 and you haven't been concerned about that issue until a bill that protects the rights of transpeople in the Great White North is about to pass.   Transphobic much? 

If Ruth’s amendment were to pass which was unlikely according to Sen. Mitchell since it didn't have support,  the bill would have to go back to the Conservative dominated House of Commons and pass again.  If the amendment was defeated and the bill subsequently passed, C-279 would move on to royal assent stage and become law.

But first it has to get a vote, which Conservative Senator and Government Leader Marjory LeBreton isn't allowing to happen according to Liberal Senator Grant Mitchell, the senate sponsor of C-279. 

“The real disappointment that has become clear in the last few days is they are not going to allow it to come to a vote. The bill will not be voted on, amended or unamended,” he predicted in an Xtra.ca interview.

“They are not calling a vote because the leadership in the Senate doesn’t want to have a vote. Because the prime minister voted against it, probably,” he said.

“I deeply care about this,” said Senator Mitchell. “My caucus deeply cares about this. It is a betrayal of democracy that elected MPs representing 65 percent of the popular vote supported this bill and the Conservative leadership in the Senate won’t even allow a vote.”

So do trans Canadians, who were hoping they would have something to really celebrate on Canada Day.

Even if they don't allow a vote on C-279 before the Senate goes on summer break June 28, it would return to the order paper at the third reading stage in the fall unless Prime Minister Stephen Harper prorogues Parliament.  If that happens, because it is a private member's bill, C-279 would start all over again in the Senate at the first reading stage.

Well, as Dr. King once stated, we must accept finite disappointment, but we must never give up infinite hope.

You will see that day my Canadian trans cousins when your human rights are protected by your federal legislature far sooner that it will happen south of the 49th parallel. 

It just won't be before July 1 as you'd hoped.

Sen. Wendy Davis Filibuster For Texas Abortion Rights

For you folks who think progressive Democrats are extinct in Texas, au contraire.   I'm one of them. 

When a draconian unjust anti-abortion bill was proposed by the GOP oppressors, the Texas Democrats in the House and our allies used any means necessary to slow down and stop its progress.

We also got an assist from Gov. Goodhair because he added the abortion issue to the special session agenda late in the session, thus giving the Democrats a way to stop the bill and putting the Teapublicans under time pressure to pass it.

There was the 'people's filibuster' in which 700 opponents signed up to speak against the bill at a Thursday Austin hearing and dragged it out to 3:45 AM Friday morning despite State Affairs committee chair Byron Cook (R) trying to shut it down after midnight.  

The House Democrats showed up late to deny a quorum, used the rule book and basically did everything they could to frustrate and slow down the passage of that unjust bill.  The drama in the house led to the major gaffe by Rep Jodie Laubenberg (R-Parker) not knowing what a rape kit is for   

When it finally passed the House on a 97-33 vote,  Sen Wendy Davis was lying in wait to filibuster it, which started at 11:18 AM CDT this morning. 

And as a TransGriot public service and my effort to #StandWithWendy, I've got the live feed of the filibuster up in this post. 

She has to stay on her feet, stay on the bill topic, take no bathroom or food breaks and keep talking until midnight when the special session ends and killing the bill..




Governor Goodhair can simply call another special session, but the legislative process on that unjust bill has to start all over again.

And I would love to see Sen. Davis run for governor someday or the US Senate and replace either one of the two worthless excuses for senators we have desecrating them now. 

TransGriot Update:  Lt Governor David Dewhurst tried to stop Sen Davis filibuster at 10:03 PM claiming that her discussion of the sonogram bill they passed in 2011 wasn't germane to SB5.  That triggered a procedural floor fight by Democratic senators that lasted until  midnight and the Republicans having to wade through several procedural votes before they could even clear the decks to stage a vote to pass SB 5 which they attempted to do.  But since that SB 5 vote started after midnight, the bill was dead for this special session.
  

2013 Williams Watch- Next!

Serena opened up her quest for a sixth "Williams'-don title with a first round Centre Court match against Mandy Minella of Luxembourg that only took her 57 minutes to complete

She blitzed Minella in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 with the first set taking only 20 minutes.   

In the second set there was a little hiccup as Serena dropped a service game and found herself down 0-2.   Two service breaks and a held serve later and all was right in the tennis world as Little Sis regained a 3-2 lead and went on to win the match.

It sets up a second round clash for the tournament number one seed with Caroline Garcia of France with the winner taking on the winner of the Kimiko Date-Krumm - Alexandra Cadantu match.

TPOCC Press Release On Wallace Atttack

TransGriot Note: The TPOCC press release concerning the Wallace attack.
The Trans Persons of Color Coalition (TPOCC) is saddened to hear about the violent attack on Bree Wallace on June 21 at 1 a.m. where she was found lying in the street outside of her apartment building at 2400 15th St Place S.E. after being lured to the location at 3038 Stanton Road, S.E., Washington, D.C. where the attack took place

This is unfortunately part of a pattern of anti-trans violence aimed at transwomen of color not only in the Washington DC area but across the nation.  Since April we have had three African-American transwomen killed in Baltimore, Maryland, Orlando, Florida and Cleveland, Ohio with only one arrest in those three cases.

In the Washington D.C. area there have been the fatal murders of Deoni Jones and Lashai Mclean in addition to anti-trans violence aimed at other transwomen. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence reported in 2011 that 87% of LGBTQH murder victims were people of color and 45% of hate murders involved transwomen.

Ms. Wallace is recovering in a local hospital.

“We join with the Washington DC trans community and our allies in hoping that the perpetrator who committed this heinous act is brought to justice. From the reports that we’ve heard, the neighbors came to her aid immediately by contacting local authorities. We are thankful for their assistance and hope more people choose to be active in assisting others in distress. Our communities cannot stand by and watch human beings be beaten, harmed or killed any longer. We urge our neighbors, friends and particularly communities of color to step up and help stop the violence, Kylar W. Broadus, executive director, TPOCC.

We know that local activists Earline Budd and Ruby Corado are on the ground working with local authorities. “Our role is to support and assist local activist when these horrible crimes occur. We hope others that have information will come forward and cooperate with local authorities as well. We wish Ms. Wallace a speedy and total recovery, Parker T. Hurley, deputy director, TPOCC.

***

TPOCC is an organization to inspire and nurture collaboration among communities of color dedicated to anti-racism, fighting transphobia and the empowerment of transgender persons of color. We work to strengthen and mobilize individuals, families, and communities by changing laws, educating the public, and building social and economic strength among all persons of color.

http://www.transpoc.org/

Why The Unacceptable Levels Of Anti-Trans Violence Aimed At Us?

Danielle King touched upon the frustration and anger we all feel about Bree Wallace, another Black transwoman being viciously attacked last Friday morning in the Washington DC area and us being beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired about it.  

I'm also praying along with the DC trans community and her sisters around the world for Bree's swift recovery from her injuries.


Someone asked in the comments on my Facebook page why we African-American transwomen (along with our trans Latina sisters) are facing unacceptable levels of anti-trans violence, and I submit it's multiple factors playing into this.

*The anti-trans hate speech regurgitated by TERF's, conservative religious groups and Fox Noise.
*The meme injected into American society since slavery that a Black life isn't worth that much or as important as a white one and a trans life is even less important.
*The lack of visibility and respect for trans people of color inside and outside our community.   
*The outright media disrespect for Black trans women as exemplified by the Cleveland Plain Dealer's journalistic hate crime aimed at Cemia Acoff.
*Black trans women getting killed or having anti-trans violence aimed at them and the perps either never getting arrested for it or when they do, getting little or no jail time for it or getting acquitted.

If you don't think that DC cop Kenneth Furr getting off for discharging his service revolver at three transwomen didn't play into this or the fact that I as of yet can't hit Bing or Google and find any information about Gary Niles Montgomery's trial for killing Deoni Jones, you are sadly naive.

There's a perception that it's open season on Black transwomen in DC and beyond, and too many people and our legacy orgs have been cricket chirping silent about it.  Time for that sorry dynamic to change ASAP. 

Bottom line is that the POTUS and FLOTUS need to know about it.  The Congressional Black Caucus.   The NAACP.  The Urban League.  Our national, state and local politicians.  Every organization in Black America and our people need to be aware that Black trans women are catching hell besides TPOCC and the National Black Justice Coalition.

Why?  Because Black trans issues are Black community and Black LGBT issues.  What affects us also affects the entire African-American community and vice versa. 


And yes, Black SGL community,  let me repeat what I just said in that last sentence in terms of Black trans community issues being Black LGBT issues because some of your Black trans sisters also intersect and interact with the LGB and same gender loving end of the community.

Black LGB community, you will also need to do your part as well of being standup allies for us just as we are for you instead of elements of you trying to suck up to the Gay, Inc power structure that hates you just as much as they hate us. 

And my beautiful Black transsisters, yes I understand your concerns, but visibility is what will ultimately stop this wave of anti-trans violence directed at us, not hiding in the closet and cowering in fear.  That's what the haters want so they can deny we exist.  

It's nation time, Black trans women.  It's us being out, proud and open about our lives that will eventually stem the  tide of anti-trans violence along with us interacting with all the communities we intersect and interact with.  

We Black trans women have to come to grips with the fact we are walking targets for anti-female violence and sexual assault.  We must be hyper vigilant about our surroundings and the situations we potentially end up in.   One small lapse in that vigilance can result in us being seriously injured or having our names read at the next Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial ceremony.   

We have had three African-American trans women killed this year and all were under age 30. There is a pattern of anti-trans violence and disrespect in DC that Earline Budd alluded to that has existed since the mid 90's. That's gotta end.

What also has to end is nobody caring about a Black trans woman unless they need her in a photo to prove their organization is diverse or they want to use us as bargaining chips to pass GL rights only legislation.

I can write about what happens to African-American trans women every day, but if you aren't sharing my TransGriot posts or talking about it, the news doesn't get disseminated. To borrow a slogan from the ACT-UP era, Silence=Death     

Your votes also put those national, state and local politicians in office.  Let them and the folks in these organizations know this is an unacceptable situation and ask them what concrete steps will they be taking to help stem the tide of anti-trans violence aimed at African-American trans women.   If they try to spin their way out of it, don't accept that.

I want you 40 and under African-descended transwomen to not only enjoy your lives, but know what it's like to get to my age so you can be mentors to the next generation of trans women.

It's why I want to do my part to ensure the unacceptable levels of anti-trans violence aimed at African-American trans women in DC and elsewhere in this country ends as expeditiously as possible.
   

DC Trans Woman Stabbed 40 Times In Attack

In a continuation of a disturbing pattern of anti-trans violence aimed at trans women of color over the last several years, another Washington DC trans woman was violently attacked over the weekend.

29 year old Bree Wallace was lured to what turned out to be an abandoned house at 3038 Stanton Road SE in Southeast Washington DC at 1 AM Friday morning according to a Washington Blade story and stabbed over 40 times by a person who she was acquainted with.  

She manged to get away and run to her nearby apartment building at 2400 15th St Place SE before she collapsed in the street and was taken to Prince George's Hospital in nearby Cheverly, MD.

Washington DC Metro Police hasn't confirmed that the attacker has been arrested and charged yet, but it was listed on the filed police report in the Lou Chibbaro, Jr story as an assault with intent to kill. 

Wallace is recuperating after being treated for multiple stab wounds in her back and chest and severe lacerations on her hands.  She is well liked in the Washington DC trans community and was one of twelve trans women chosen as part of a recently conducted calendar girl contest for Casa Ruby.

DC trans activists Ruby Corado and Earline Budd knew Wallace, who a client at both their community outreach organizations.   Wallace told Corado that she was acquainted with her attacker but had declined to get involved in a romantic relationship with him and had received a text from the attacker to meet her at that Stanton Road address prior to the attack.

Budd was concerned the DC Metro Police had not issued a public announcement about the assault over the weekend to alert the media and the community that a trans person had been attacked.

Sgt. Matt Mahl of the DC Police Gay and Lesbian Unit stated in the article they were advised about the attack but weren't authorized to comment on it because the attack was still under investigation.

The attack on Wallace also caused Washington DC activist Danielle King to write this comment on her Facebook page:

I'm quite aware that in the coming days the majority within the minority, may say I lost my marbles, but WTF! My sisters, black trans woman continue to be disproportionately impacted by violence and hate crimes, while others continue to enjoy privilege. It is true that trans people as a whole have had some monumental wins lately but damn, we're talking the difference between not being harassed or imprisoned while peeing and getting stabbed, shot or murdered before even making it to the bathroom. Black Trans women - African American Trans Women - are getting slaughtered. To the powers that be - I will not let this one go! It's time I reach out to the White House!

“I just want to make sure that it gets out there, that this attack happened and how brutal it was,” Budd said in the Washington Blade interview. “And also the message needs to be sent that transgender folks need to be very, very cautious in terms of their surroundings, who they are talking to and especially in the nighttime hours.”

Bree, will be praying for your speedy recovery and hoping you, your family and the DC trans community receive justice.

I will also be keeping up with the developments in this case and posting them on TransGriot as it evolves
 

Naw, It Ain't Your Business To Know Jazz's Or ANY Transperson's Old Name

Y'all know I have much love for my baby sis Jazz.  I keep up with her activist exploits on the blog and I'm looking forward to the day I finally get to meet her.

What prompted this post was this question I received in my comment feed from some person who shall remain nameless.

I have a question that you don't have to answer if you don't want to or feel uncomfortable with answering but do you know Jazz's original male name

Oh, I'm going to answer this question alright, but not in the way you expected me to.

Whatever Jazz's birth name was is not yours, mine or anybody else's business.  Even if I knew the answer to that question, I wouldn't put that information out there because she's a minor for starters and we have real haters out there that in many cases seek to do harm to us. I've also seen far too often in my time in this community that when that information gets out it tends to be used negatively by our detractors.  

Frankly, I like seeing news stories when they are written about Jazz that don't have the derailing line 'born as ___________'  or 'legal name is __________' in them.  

All you need to focus on is the fact that Jazz is a happy, healthy, well adjusted girl like us who is trying to live as normal a teenaged girl's life as possible.

She just happens to be a teen who has met a former president,. lobbied the US Soccer Association, been interviewed by Barbara Walters twice, spoken at various conferences, been featured in a documentary, appeared in a movie, and has a worldwide community who loves her and has her back.

A trans person's old name fall into none of your business territory along with whether we've had genital surgery.   Focus on the name that fits who we are now and what we told you what our name is to begin with.  

Your desire to know that personal information does not trump our desire as transpeople to keep that information private.  It's why I proposed an adjustment to the AP Stylebook guidelines concerning writing stories on trans people that prohibits the practice of injecting those old names into the story because transphobic ignorance follows.

So naw, it ain't your business to know what Jazz's or any transperson's old name is because it is not germane to who we are now.