NBJC Statetment On Bayard Rustin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 2013 Contact: Michael Brewer Email: mbrewer@nbjc.org Cell: 202-520-0586 STATEMENT FROM: Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks Executive Director & CEO National Black Justice Coalition In response to yesterday's announcement from the White House that President Obama will be awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to civil rights icon Bayard Rustin (posthumously), NBJC Executive Director and CEO Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks released the following statement: On behalf of the National Black Justice Coalition and the Black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, I applaud our President for giving the late Bayard Rustin the national esteem and recognition he deserves by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As one of the chief architects of the Civil Rights Movement and the brilliance behind the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Rustin's indispensable contributions to the ethos of our country continue to reverberate and push us toward a more just and fair society. America is indebted to Rustin, and our nation is right to finally honor him for his stalwart courage and leadership. Rustin was a radical visionary--a Black gay activist for freedom and peace during a time when the conditions of both of these identities were perilous. The fact that he lived at the intersection of these identities while fighting for the freedoms of all oppressed people is even more revolutionary. Rustin owned his power as a Black, openly gay man to fiercely challenge the status quo and fight on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized, while at the same time refusing to be defined by any single aspect of his identity. Rusting was as unapologetically Black as he was gay, and by his very presence challenged the evils of homophobia and racism throughout his life. His legacy leaves a salient lesson for us on the power of living authentically. Our Fearless Leader - Mandy Carter However, in spite of all that Rustin was able to achieve on behalf of justice and equality, racism and homophobia has long clouded the narrative of Rustin's work, erasing him from our history books and stymying the proper celebration of his contributions to our country. Thanks to the tenacity and unabashed passion of Black lesbian activist Mandy Carter, who ushered us toward this moment and has selflessly given of herself to serve as NBJC's National Coordinator of the Bayard Rustin Commemoration Project for the last two years, I am proud that the National Black Justice Coalition has remained dedicated to giving voice to Mr. Rustin's history of social justice organizing and strategy. Our work at NBJC is a testament to the spirit of Bayard Rustin's life, inspiring Black LGBT people to own their power and teaching others how Black LGBT people navigate space at the intersection of their identities.      Rustin dedicated his life to the pursuit of human rights and justice for all in a dynamic and selfless way, and has verily earned his space in the history books. Words cannot express how elated I am to see Bayard Rustin given his just due. I thank President Obama for lifting up this important piece of our nation's history, and look forward to working with the White House and other allies, like the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI), American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU), to continue sharing the significance of Rustin's life and work through this prestigious national honor. Our dream is that more will come to know of the late, great Bayard Rustin, and will use the lessons of his life to make the world a more just and welcoming place for all people. The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), the nation's leading Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, has launched the Bayard Rustin 2013 Commemoration Projectto honor the life and legacy of the late Bayard Rustin. To this end, the AFT, APRI and SEIU have joined forces with NBJC to host "A Tribute to Bayard Rustin and the 50th Anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington" with a focus on the role Bayard Rustin played in the organization and execution of the 1963 March on Washington. For more information on this event and the Bayard Rustin Commemoration Project, visit NBJC.org.

What's Trans* H4CK?

One of the increasingly popular things happening is what's called a hackathon.  It's a community event in which programmers, developers, graphic designers, entrepreneurs and community members share ideas and skills to develop new software projects over a course of either 24 or 48 hours.

Hackathons are increasingly being used as a way to solve social problems, and Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler got the brilliant idea to do a hackathon called Trans* H4CK that combines the tech savvy talents of our trans community members with social justice activism

When asked why a trans centric hackathon needed to happen and be supported by LGBT organizations:

Hosting a hackathon can leverage the specific insights and talents of community members invested in LGBT equality by generating ideas that your organization normally wouldn’t. Think of potential participants as a temporary “think tank” comprised of dedicated volunteers of the cause. It is inevitable that the amount of passion each hacker brings to the table, will produce amazing tech based projects that can help make the lives of activists and the community that we serve a little easier. Plus, the bonus of working in a collaborative environment that values the input of each team member creates a sense of collective responsibility and comfort in which the learning of new tech skills is possible.

On the Trans* H4CK page it also made this salient point.

Research shows that transgender people are unemployed at 2x the national rate–4x for transgender people of color; have incomes of less than $10,00 a year; experience homelessness at 2x the rate of non-trans people; and suffer overwhelming discrimination when it comes to accessing adequate healthcare and legal services. This problem not only affects transgender adults but trans and gender nonconforming youth as well. A necessary step in addressing anti-transgender bias is to create technology that socially empowers transgender individuals. Imagine if there existed a mobile phone app that helps individuals find trans friendly doctors or an app that profiles safe space job opportunities for trans people across the country? Trans*H4CK is a space in which to turn these possibilities into reality.

After conceiving the idea and laying out the case for it, Dr Ziegler set out to make it happen with a GoFund Me campaign to raise funds to bring it to life.

On September 13-15 the inaugural Trans* H4CK will take place at the Betti Ono Gallery in Oakland and the New Parkway Theater.   This first trans hackaton will be limited to 50 people and will be a judged competition.

The judges and the speakers at the inaugural Trans* H4CK will be named later and I'd love to be there in the Bay Area just to satisfy my inner tech nerd and see what takes place at a hackathon.       

I'm down with any event that showcases the immense untapped talent and creativity of our community and hope it is as megasuccessful as I presume it will be. 

Open Letter To San Antonio City Councilmember Ivy Taylor

Dear Councilmember Taylor,
I'm writing this open letter to you because I understand at the moment you are one of four San Antonio councilmembers who are undecided about how you will vote on the proposed changes to the San Antonio non-discrimination ordinance.

Section 2-550 of it would read

(a) It shall be the general policy of the City of San Antonio to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, age or disability, as set forth in the Divisions following, unless exempted by state or federal law or as otherwise indicated.

(b) A religious corporation, association, society or educational institution or an educational organization operated, supervised or controlled in whole or in substantial part by a religious corporation, association or society does not violate the non-discrimination policy by limiting employment or giving a preference in employment to members of the same religion.

I understand you may have some valid concerns about that, but as an African American transperson who also happens to be a proud native Texan, I believe the changes to San Antonio's are necessary, way overdue and here's why. 

In 2012 UCLA's Williams Institute released a study of 61 non discrimination ordinances that have gender identity and sexual orientation language.   That study also included Austin and Dallas.  

They found that not only did municipalities with these ordinances not have any problems attracting qualified contractors to carry out government work or operations, the 61 municipalities also reported it wasn't administratively burdensome or causing additional administrative costs.


The National Transgender Discrimination Survey entitled 'Injustice At Every Turn' was released in 2010, and it documents how much hell the trans community, and especially transpeople of color are catching by NOT being included as a protected class for non-discrimination.

In its Texas specific results, there were alarming indications of widespread harassment and discrimination aimed at transgender Texans.

• 79% reported experiencing harassment or mistreatment on the job
• 26% lost a job
• 22% were denied a promotion
• 45% were not hired

• Harassment and Discrimination at School

• Those who expressed a transgender identity or gender non-conformity while in grades K-12 reported alarming rates of harassment (85%), physical assault (46%) and sexual violence (9%)
• Harassment was so severe that it led 11% to leave a school in K-12 settings or leave higher education

• Economic Insecurity - Likely due to employment discrimination and discrimination in school, survey respondents experienced poverty and unemployment at higher rates than the general population:
• 10% of respondents had a household income of $10,000 or less, compared to 4% of the general population, which is more than twice the rate of poverty
• 10% were unemployed compared to 7% in the nation at the time of the survey

• Housing Discrimination and Instability - Survey respondents experienced blatant housing discrimination, as well as housing instability, much of which appears to stem from the challenges they face in employment.
• 8% were evicted
• 15% were denied a home/apartment
• 17% had become homeless because of their gender identity/expression
• 22% had to find temporary space to stay/sleep
• 50% had to move back in with family or friends
• 39% reported owning their home compared to 67% of the general U.S. population

• Harassment and Discrimination in Accommodations and Services
• 47% were verbally harassed or disrespected in a place of public accommodation or service,including hotels, restaurants, buses, airports and government agencies.
• 23% were denied equal treatment by a government agency or official
• 16% were denied equal treatment or harassed by judges or court officials.
• 23% of those who have interacted with police reported harassment by officers
• 41% reported being uncomfortable seeking police assistance

• Health Care Discrimination and Health Outcomes
• 16% were refused medical care due to their gender identity/expression
• 1.9% were HIV positive, compared to the general population rate of 0.6%
• 19% postponed needed medical care, when they were sick or injured, due to discrimination
• Only 43% of the respondents had employer-based health insurance, compared to 59% of the general U.S. population at the time of the survey.
• 41% reported attempting suicide at some point in their life, 26 times the rate of the general population of 1.6%

And yes, Councilmember Taylor, these things are happening to transpeople who reside in the Alamo City. 

To underscore the point these things are affecting trans people who live in San Antonio, in 2005 and 2010 two SAPD officers, Dean Gutierrez and Craig Nash were arrested for sexually assaulting trans women while on duty and later received ridiculously low sentences for it.  

There was the nationally televised 2011 case of former San Antonio Macy's employee Natalie Johnson who mistakenly believed her personal religious beliefs trumped Macy's corporate policy as she denied a gender variant person access to a dressing room.

Lone Star State shero Rep. Barbara Jordan once stated, "One thing is clear to me: We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves."

The question being asked of San Antonio at this time is does the Alamo City accept people who are different from themselves like its LGBT residents?    If the answer to that question is yes, then the second question you must ponder is in the face of demonstrated discrimination and harassment aimed at the LGBT residents of San Antonio, does the city have the will in the face of loud and wrong opposition to pass non-discrimination laws to protect the human rights of those same LGBT people who are different from themselves? 

Passage of this non-discrimination ordinance would make it clear that San Antonio is willing to accept people different from themselves. Its defeat would send the opposite message across the city, the state, the nation and the world.


Councilmember Taylor, it would make me, my fellow African-American trans Texans in San Antonio and across the state and our supporters in the African-American community proud to know that the lone African-American member of the San Antonio City Council was a drum majorette for justice.  It would make us happy that you stood up for our humanity and the human rights of our transgender brothers and sisters residing in the Alamo City.

You have the power to make history and change this negative paradigm the trans citizens of San Antonio currently experience and usher in a new birth of freedom and equality for this downtrodden community.

As a fellow African-American who also happens to be transgender, I am humbly and respectfully asking for your YES vote in favor of the revised non-discrimination ordinance.

I hope and pray that you will do so and be one of the San Antonio councilmembers next month who stand on the side of human rights and justice.

Sincerely yours,
Monica Roberts
The TransGriot

The Draconian ATL Banishment Ordinance-Still Pushing The Pig Of A Law

Cheryl Courtney-Evans' latest update from her A Bitch For Justice blog about the ongoing efforts of Atlanta's 'Queen of Mean' Peggy Denby and elements of the Atlanta Police Department to push a proposed anti-prostitution ordinance that would banish sex workers from the ATL.

Cheryl tells us in this latest post entitled "Atlanta Banishment UPDATE; Still Pushing the "Pig", about the ATL efforts to fight this unjust law and how a recent meeting transpired. 

And here's a taste of that post:

Our SNaP Co representative on the WGRP, Ms. Xochitl Bervera, then presented the proposal we're pushing, which provides for offenders to be given a choice of arrest or diversion to programs that will prepare them for alternatives to prostitution (i.e., job training/preparation, education [GED], housing, etc.). This is the "Pre-Booking Diversion Program", modeled after the successful program that has been implemented in Seattle, WA., and the only program presented that offered a diversionary option for prostitutes as opposed to arrest and jail. We feel that this system, that provides feasible alternatives to street work has the greatest chance of reducing recidivism (prostitutes would most likely prefer this option to the danger of the street, and jail).

After each presentation, during the period that possible questions are asked of the presenters from other WGRP members about their proposals, a Mr.  Bill Cannon, "concerned community citizen" [and colleague of Peggy Denby] would ask, "And how will this reduce prostitution...we must remember, we're here to figure out how to reduce prostitution." Those of us with SNaP Co knew that all he's interested in (as well as Peggy) is doing more arresting and locking up [and feel that perhaps the "john's school" would reduce the demand and therefore reduce prostitution (HA, as if that's a finite number of men; remember this is "the oldest profession in the world" we're talking about, right?)].

You can read the rest by clicking on this link. 

Faith-Based Bigots Still Trying (And Failing) To Come Up With An Anti-Trans Doctrine

Since they are losing the marriage equality war, the faith based bigot are now trying to pivot and focus their time an efforts on attacking transpeople. 

However, they have one major problem when it comes to trying to use the Bible as a weapon against us.  They don't have a handy go to scripture to bash us with like they do with Deuteronomy 22:2 to bash gay and lesbian people.  

So what the conservafools have tried to do is create one.   You'll note that when they trot out these anti-trans talking points they will not quote any Biblical scripture to back them up because frankly much of what the Bible has to say on our issues is in large part trans friendly.

One of their current ones in addition to their standard 'God doesn't make mistakes' and  variation of it is this faith-based bigoted assertion that transpeople are 'rebelling against God' when you alter your body or undergo a gender transition.

Matthew 19:12 and Jesus himself blows that lie up

For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. [KJV]


On top of that, Pat Robertson has inadvertently undercut their intended message and efforts to pimp the transsexuality is 'rebelling against God' lie by saying on multiple occasions that transsexuality is not a sin. 

So yeah, it's almost too easy for us to feed our opponents misguided words back to them.  I can easily point out that anyone who has had a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, pierced their ears or other body parts is also 'altering their body' and by their hypocritical conservastandard is 'rebelling against God.. 

And yeah, guess they forgot about Exodus 20:16 in the process of coming up with this crap.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

But back to discussing their faith based crap.  

They have tried and failed twice in terms of using the Good Book as an attack weapon against much needed human rights laws, and it's up to the trans community and our allies to make sure that the faith based bigots spectacularly fail once again.   

Help Our San Antonio Trans Brothers And Sisters Pass A Trans Human Rights Non Discrimination Ordinance

TransGriot readers, need your help with a critical Lone Star State human rights mission. 

I wrote about the upcoming vote around September 5 concerning trans inclusive revisions to San Antonio's Human Rights ordinance that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation and is sorely needed. 

There was a contentious San Antonio City Council public hearing on the issue in which 120 people spoke pro and con about and we are also battling FOX Noise sliming and lying about the ordinance as well

This ordinance is desperately needed.  We have had two trans sisters sexually assaulted in 2005 and 2010 by two San Antonio cops who barely served any jail time for their crimes.  In 2011 we had a gender variant person there denied access to a Macy's dressing room by faith based transphobe Natalie Johnson who the local wingers there are trying to use as their  'christian persecution' poster child in opposition to the ordinance.

And that's before we even start talking about the Texas specific results of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. 

It takes six votes on San Antonio City Council to pass ordinances.  As of this moment we have FIVE supporters for the changes who are Mayor Julián Castro, District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal, District 4 Councilman Rey Saldaña, District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, and District 6 Councilman Ray Lopez.

Call them and tell them thank you for support the changes to the San Antonio Non-Discrimination Ordinance that prohibit discrimination on gender identity and sexual orientation grounds.

Two have said they are voting NO period, and they are  District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan and District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules.

But there are four people on council who haven't committed yet and one is rumored to be leaning NO.   The Forces of Intolerance and their FOX Noise allies sliming the changes need all FOUR of these people to vote their way to defeat the ordinance while all we need is just ONE.  Let's shoot to get ALL of them voting our way for an overwhelming victory.

Please respectfully ask these four people for their YES votes. 

Those councilmembers are District 2 Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran, District 7 Councilman Cris Medina, and District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg . 

They need to hear people calling or e-mailing them in favor of this ordinance.  Mayor Castro and the San Antonio City Council are damned sure hearing from the Children of Darkness who are foaming at the mouth opposed to it.  Children of Light y'all need to get busy being just as zealous in FAVOR of this ordinance. 

You can share this website supporting equal rights in San Antonio.  You know that as I get further developments as to what's transpiring human rights wise on I-10 west I will keep you posted.

But start calling these folks tomorrow and don't stop until September 5 because the haters sure won't.

TransGriot Update: Here's a Change.org petition I'm asking you to sign and share asking the San Antonio City Council to support and vote for the inclusive non-discrimination ordinance.

CAUSA's website

2013 Texans Watch-Victory Over The Vikings

The 2013 NFL preseason got off to a successful start for my favorite football team despite ten starters watching it from the Mall of America Field sidelines either due to coach Gary Kubiak's decision or injury.

The Texans escaped with no further injuries and a 27-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings to open their preseason slate. 

As befits the first preseason game it was sloppy at times on both sides of the ball with some missed tackles, dropped balls and the like but got better as the game progressed. 

Matt Schaub was 5-for-5 for 34 yards on his opening drive in this Super Bowl or bust season in which he has pressure on him to elevate his level of play to help the Texans get to New Jersey this February. 

The game was turned over early to the second and third string players fighting to make both  teams or solidify roster spots.  One player that Houston fans were anxious to see play is first round draft pick DeAndre Hopkins and he didn't disappoint.

On the Texans first touchdown drive of the preseason that ate up 6:02, took 12 plays and went 85 yards Hopkins capped it off with a leaping catch of a TJ Yates pass for a 34 yard TD.  Yates finished his time in the game by going 13-of-21 for 151 yards with that TD while Case Keenum was 13-of-18 for 125 yards and a two yard bootleg toss to Lestar Jean that put the Texans up 20-13 early in the fourth quarter  

Keenum also led another TD drive capped off by a five yard Ray Graham TD run to put the Texans up 27-13.

The Texans didn't turn the ball over in this game while picking off two passes and recording four sacks of Viking quarterbacks. 

3.5 of those sacks were courtesy of starting nose tackle Earl Mitchell and his backup Terrell McClain.  It's another position Texans fans are watching since Shaun Cody left for Philadelphia.

Next up for the Texans is their preseason home opener at Reliant Stadium on August 17 against the Miami Dolphins. 
 

Is It Something I Said?-More Musing About B.Scott

Been an interesting 48 hours since I wrote the B.Scott post that included the tweet I made hours after Scott's 'I'm trans' announcement

The reason I wrote the post in the first place is because I'm quite aware of the fact as a longtime Twitter user you cannot covey the nuances of a constantly evolving subject like transness in a 140 character tweet and I felt the need to further clarify where my head was at when I typed it. 

I'm not retracting or deleting the tweet because it's exactly what I was thinking at the time.  I also wrote almost eight years ago on these electronic pages:

There are times that what I write on an issue is going to be in lock step with your worldview and other times it's going to piss you off.  But the goal in either case is I want people doing hard, solid thinking and talking about the subject.

And boy have I gotten what I wanted to happen in this case and then some.  It triggered this interview one from Janet Mock.  Some folks are annoyed to pissed with moi because I did say it.  Others are congratulating me for having the guts to say what they were thinking as well in terms of asking the valid question that's percolating in many trans people's minds about the timing and sincerity of his 'I'm transgender' declaration.' 

I've gotten comments on my Facebook page and e-mails pro and con about it (mostly pro).   But for those of you criticizing me over the post that I included the Tweet in (and really didn't have to when I composed it), you also keep missing the money paragraph in which I said this. 

I'm quite aware of and know evolution and shifting along the gender line segment happens with people as they gain self-awareness and knowledge about where they fall under the trans umbrella.  I'm also quite aware of the fact that sometimes it takes years to get comfortable with the spot you're in under the trans umbrella.  But it's the timing of the 'I'm transgender' declaration that has my 'things that make you go hmm' antennae up.

So hello, I'm not 'erasing genderqueer identities', 'doing gender policing', 'hatin' on B. Scott' or some of the other specious charges that have been leveled in my direction.  

The post was not an attack on B Scott as I presumed I made crystal clear on August 7 or is debating whether he belongs under the trans umbrella or not.  I believe B.Scott does on the drag-genderqueer end of the umbrella.

I am amenable to the idea of having a discussion with B. Scott in the near future about his 'I'm transgender' declaration and exactly where he sees himself. 

I also want to make it clear to him why there are transpeople who have issues with that August 7 declaration 

Many of us on the end of the trans umbrella and gender line segment who live our lives as African descended transfeminine women have been in some cases for decades out there taking the slings and arrows of being trans as we live and fight for recognition of our humanity and human rights. 

Some of the people we've have to battle in that struggle for recognition of our humanity are sadly same gender loving people in our community.  Some of those SGL haters have been self identified effeminate gay men who bristle or get offended if you call them 'Miss', conflate them with transsexuals or ask them when they are going to have SRS. 

There's a sentiment fueling this 'yeah, right' reaction that's encapsulated by something that activist Nadia Belinda Roberts wrote (no relation) in a Facebook discussion on the issue.
"Everybody wants to be Trans, but they don't want to BE Trans!"  

In other words, what Nadia is saying is that some trans women are of the opinion that some of the peeps under the trans umbrella want the benefits and perks of being able to perform femininity under the protection of it but don't want the other negative baggage that comes with taking on the trans feminine label. 

And when it comes to Black trans women, that baggage includes the horrific levels of anti-trans violence and 'unwoman' negativity we deal with inside and outside the Black community.    

That's a discussion for another day.   Why Scott is getting some skeptical reaction is driven by that sentiment and the fact that before August 7, 2013 Scott lived his life as a self-declared androgynous gay man.  If B. Scott had made the "I'm transgender" announcement before the BET incident and now subsequent multimillion dollar lawsuit, I submit there would be less controversy in Trans World about it and more 'welcome to Team Trans' sentiment about it instead of the 'yeah, right' sentiment prevalent in sections of it.     

Now I can't or don't have the ability to read B. Scott's mind, and can only go by what he has stated in Janet's interview or future ones as to whether his epiphany concerning his gender journey is valid and led him to make the declaration at this time.

But only future efforts to reach out to those of us on the transsexual-trans feminine end of the umbrella and the passage of time will reveal the next chapter in this unfolding B. Scott gender saga 
 

Shut Up Fool Awards-Congressional Vacation Edition

It's August, and that means Congress has bailed from Washington and is headed back to their states and districts to talk to their constituents.  The Republicans are getting an earful from their FOX Noise propagandized Tea Klux Klan followers who want them to shut down the government when they return.

Not like the GOP members of the House and Senate were inclined to pass any legislation while they were inside I-495 anyway on our dime.  The House GOP majority voted for the 40th time to kill Obamacare and for the third time to defund an ACORN that has been dead for three years before they ran to DCA and IAD. 

But enough of me riffing on the GOP.   It's Friday, and time for me to call out the fool, fools or group of fools who have earned this week's Shut Up Fool awards. 

Honorable mention number one we're going Down Under for in Stephanie Banister.   She's proof that the USA doesn't have a monopoly of ignorantly stupid English speaking politicians.  She's running for the Aussie Parliament in next month's elections to represent Queensland as a member of the far right One Nation party and makes Sarah Palin and Christine O'Donnell look like MENSA candidates. 




Honorable Mention number two is Sen. Ted Cruz  (Teabagger-TX).  Where do I start?   Teabagger Ted saying conservatism is misunderstood and continuing to beat the drums for a government shutdown.

Naw Ted, we peeped your conservagame and y'all ARE stupid, racist and may I add vanillacentric privileged arrogant, too.   Can't wait until 2018 to vote for your Democratic Senate opponent.

Honorable mention number three is Rep Steve Stockman (Teabagger-TX), who parted his lips to say during a Newsmax interview that the Democrats are winning the argument on Obamacare because they get sad-looking people in wheelchairs. 

Naw Steve, the Dems are winning the argument on Obamacare because a majority of the nation thinks that we shouldn't have 40 million people in this country without health insurance and your HMO insurance friends shouldn't be denying people coverage for fun and their fat paychecks.

Honorable mention number four is a group one that goes to all the Arizona bigots who showed up at that Phoenix protest uttering racist slurs at President Obama.  

Every time I start feeling embarrassed about my Texas GOP idiots, right on cue the Arizona, Florida, Tennessee or North Carolina GOP idiots do or say something to top them.

This week's winner is FOX Noise contributor Erik Erickson, who called State Senator Wendy Davis 'Abortion Barbie.'   He also recently directed pro-choice supporter to a coat hanger sales site after the restrictive Texas abortion bill passed, later responding to criticism by offering his "Sincere Apologies to the Kid Killing caucus."

Stay classy Erik and Shut up fool!

Whitney's 50th Birthday-You're Still Missed

Still hard to believe it's been over a year since we lost her, and we got another sad reminded of the person and iconic musician we lost because today would have been Whitney Elizabeth Houston's 50th birthday.

She died way too soon and is missed by her family, friends and legions of fans.

I play and look at my Whitney Houston CD's from time to time, see my copy of The Bodyguard and think about the fact that I will never be able to buy new music from her ever again or enjoy seeing her in concert.

I'm also thinking of her mother Cissy on this day, who had to endure what no parent ever wants to go through in having to witness the burial of their child. 

While the heavenly choir gained another singer, we're still pondering her loss.  We still have her music, the love, and all the memories of her she left behind to hold on to.

rest in peace Whitney, you're still missed.

Hate Speech Plus Hate Thoughts Equals Hate Murder

The right wing and their conservasheeple are always shrieking about the First Amendment since the conservafools like to use it as a shield to stifle criticism of their reprehensibly racist and bigoted commentary. 

Yes, the United States Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees your right to free speech. At the same time, it guarantees that others with views contrary to yours will get their chance to call your loud and wrong behinds out for the racist and bigoted things you say. 

One other thing the right sneers at is the concept of hate speech and its connection with hate violence aimed at non-white and other marginalized groups.  They can try to deny this equation of injustice all they want, but world history and the over a decade of TDOR memorials prove it far too often.

Hate Speech + Hate Thoughts = Hate Murders.

We in the trans community have sadly seen the pattern continue to repeat itself and with the elevated anti-trans rhetoric has come an explosion of anti-trans violence in Brazil, parts of Central America and Mexico, Eastern Europe and Turkey.

Their hate speech broadcast on their conservative talk radio stations, broadcast over their conservative leaning video outlets, and written in their blogosphere has real world consequences. 

Those words they speak get turned into action through either repressive legislation or worse, bullying that escalates to violence and murder.  

And it's not just conservatives that engage in it either, we have the four decade old example of trans exterminationalist radical feminists as Exhibit A of that.   (WARNING: TRANSPHOBIC TRIGGER ALERTS)

And oh yeah Southern Poverty Law Center, I ask the question again.  When are you going to declare trans exclusionary radical feminists as the hate group they are?   The trans community and our allies inquiring minds wanna know.

We've all heard the old nursery rhyme of 'sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.'  Umm, not true.   Sticks and stones can not only break my bones, but words CAN hurt me and words CAN kill me. 

If you claim that's BS, ask the families of the trans people who are no longer here or show up at a TDOR ceremony near you and listen to the long list of names we'll tragically read once again around or on November 20..  

Hate speech + Hate thoughts = Hate murders.    The sooner we burn that into our minds the sooner we can get busy doing the work it's going to break that all too familiar equation feeding anti-trans violence.

DC's Jones Birth Certificate Bill Signed Into Law

The JaParker Deoni Jones Birth Certificate Equality Amendment Act of 2013, that seeks to modernize DC's laws and make it easier for trans and intersex residents of the District to request a birth certificate that reflects their current personal information, has been signed into law by Washington DC Mayor Vincent Gray (D).

The bill was amended after its initial committee approval and the initial council vote on June 29 to explicitly include intersex people to it.  It also allows physicians and any medical professional to sign off on changing gender markers. 

The bill received final council approval in July and was signed by Mayor Gray into law August 6.  It will become law after the mandatory 30 day Congressional review.

With Mayor Gray's signature the District of Columbia now joins the federal government and 23 states in protecting trans identities and allowing birth certificate changes without surgical intervention.  The Jones Birth Certificate Bill is according to DC Trans Coalition social policy organizer Andy Bowen, who spearheaded passage of the bill the strongest in the United States.

And it's also a fitting memorial to Deoni Jones.      

Audrey Mbugua Landmark Kenyan Case Update

I wrote back in June about the groundbreaking lawsuit that my Kenyan homegirl Audrey Mbugua filed against the Kenyan National Examinations Council (KNEC) and the Kenyan Attorney General's office to change the name on her KCSE certificates and other identity documents including her national identity card and passport to reflect who she is now.

In an August 6 hearing at the Milimani Law Court, the Kenyan Christian Lawyers Fellowship stuck their noses in Audrey's business and indicated they wished to join the case, claiming this landmark case will have an impact on legal practices in the country.  

Audrey (and I concur with her) says otherwise, but Judge Wilson Korir is giving the KCLF lawyers seven days to file an application proving that contention which Mbugua says she will oppose. 

The KCLF lawyers bid to join the case will be heard on September 2. 

Just for grins Audrey, I'd investigate whether some of our American faith based haters are either pumping cash into the Kenyan Christian Lawyers Fellowship, advising the KCLF attorneys or they have any connection to either Scott Lively, Ugandan MP David Bahati or other high profile American based or African continent fundamentalist haters and organizations. 

Hopefully this turns out to be just a legal speed bump and in the end common sense reigns and she emerges triumphant, which is probably what's scaring some of these faith based transphobes in the first place. 

Is B.Scott Genuinely Embracing The Trans Umbrella?

Well, well, well.  As many of you are aware of  BET got itself in some seriously hot water when they hired gender bender B. Scott to be the red carpet fashion commentator for the recent edition of the BET Awards and publicly disrespected him. 

They approved the outfits he wanted to wear, but after one interview the show producers yanked him off the red carpet, demanded he tone down his makeup, pull back his hair and don male clothing.

After doing so he returned to find out he'd been replaced on the red carpet by actress Adrienne Bailon.

It was jacked up and after the outrage ensured over it from B.Scott's love muffins, the Blackosphere and amongst other peeps in the community BET put out a half-azzed spin filled apology that B. Scott rejected.

Now it's being reported by TMZ that B.Scott is filing a multimillion dollar lawsuit against BET and Viacom for what transpired on that jacked up evening.   He's requesting $2.5 million dollars in damages and an apology for the damage the incident did to his reputation  

In a post on his website yesterday he explained why he did so.  

“I’m sure by now you’re aware of an unfortunate incident that occurred while I was serving as Style Stage Correspondent for the 2013 BET Awards Pre-Show. After sharing my open letter with the world I’ve received tons of support from family, friends and love muffins for which I’m truly grateful.
While I want nothing more than to put this incident behind me and move on with my life, I still wholeheartedly believe that I’m entitled to a true public apology. BET’s non-apology statement added more insult to injury. What happened to me was not a ‘miscommunication’ nor was it ‘unintentional’. It was wrong. I have been vehemently trying to come to a resolution with BET and Viacom behind the scenes. After a few weeks of back and forth dialogue with no foreseeable resolution, I have filed a lawsuit against BET and its parent company Viacom for discrimination on the basis of gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation..
Over the years my love muffins and strangers alike have questioned me about my gender identity. What IS B. Scott? As a society we’ve been conditioned to believe that a person has to be ‘exactly’ this or ‘exactly’ that. Biologically, I am male — as my sex was determined at birth by my reproductive organs.
However, my spirit truly lies somewhere in between. It is that same spirit that has allowed me to become so comfortable in my skin, choose how I express myself, and contributes to how I live my day-to-day life.
It is by that definition that I accept and welcome the ‘transgender’ label with open arms.
It is also by that definition that BET and Viacom willingly and wrongfully discriminated against my gender identity during the 2013 BET Awards Pre-Show.
Let’s be clear — I’m suing BET and Viacom for a true public apology and to be fairly remunerated for the time lost, humiliation and emotional distress this entire situation has put me through.”
- See more at: http://madamenoire.com/290080/b-scott-stings-bet-and-viacom-with-multi-million-dollar-lawsuit-for-forcing-him-to-wear-mens-clothing/#sthash.Qu0U4GUp.dpuf

I’m sure by now you’re aware of an unfortunate incident that occurred while I was serving as Style Stage Correspondent for the 2013 BET Awards Pre-Show. After sharing my open letter with the world I’ve received tons of support from family, friends and love muffins for which I’m truly grateful.

While I want nothing more than to put this incident behind me and move on with my life, I still wholeheartedly believe that I’m entitled to a true public apology. BET’s non-apology statement added more insult to injury.

What happened to me was not a ‘miscommunication’ nor was it ‘unintentional’. It was wrong. I have been vehemently trying to come to a resolution with BET and Viacom behind the scenes. After a few weeks of back and forth dialogue with no foreseeable resolution, I have filed a lawsuit against BET and its parent company Viacom for discrimination on the basis of gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation.
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Over the years my love muffins and strangers alike have questioned me about my gender identity. What IS B. Scott? As a society we’ve been conditioned to believe that a person has to be ‘exactly’ this or ‘exactly’ that. Biologically, I am male — as my sex was determined at birth by my reproductive organs.

However, my spirit truly lies somewhere in between. It is that same spirit that has allowed me to become so comfortable in my skin, choose how I express myself, and contributes to how I live my day-to-day life.

Transgender is the state of one’s gender identity (self-identification as woman, man, neither or both) not matching one’s assigned sex (identification by others as male, female or intersex based on physical/genetic sex). [source]

It is by that definition that I accept and welcome the ‘transgender’ label with open arms.

It is also by that definition that BET and Viacom willingly and wrongfully discriminated against my gender identity during the 2013 BET Awards Pre-Show.

Let’s be clear — I’m suing BET and Viacom for a true public apology and to be fairly remunerated for the time lost, humiliation and emotional distress this entire situation has put me through.

It's the declaration that B. Scott is embracing the transgender umbrella after resisting it for years that is problematic for me and elements of the trans community. 

Many of us trans people have dealt with the slings, arrows, anti-trans hatred, crushing unemployment-underemployment and murderous anti-trans violence aimed our way as B Scott defined himself as a proud gay man. 

Now it seems to elements of us in the African-American trans community that alter all the years of ducking and dodging the question of whether he was trans or not, it's now happening as a multimillion dollar lawsuit suit has been filed. 

I'm quite aware of and know evolution and shifting along the gender line segment happens with people as they gain self-awareness and knowledge about where they fall under the trans umbrella.   I'm also quite aware of the fact that sometimes it takes years to get comfortable with the spot you're in under the trans umbrella.  But it's the timing of the 'I'm transgender' declaration that has my 'things that make you go hmm' antennae up.

The timing of this announcement also drove me to tweet this several hours ago after hearing the news about his justified suit.

When B Scott starts taking hormones and calling himself Brittany (or another femme name starting with 'B') and declares he's transitioning then I'll consider him part of Team Trans.

And I'll start using whatever pronouns B.Scott considers respectfully appropriate to his particular situation at this point in time.

Let me make it crystal clear, I have no beef with B.Scott.  What BET did to him earlier this summer was seriously fracked up and pissed me off as someone who fights for the human rights of everyone inside and outside the trans and SGL community. 

But as a proud African descended trans person who has discussed and written about trans issues for over a decade and does seminars, speeches and collegiate level education on this subject,  you can bet I'm going to be keeping an eye on this situation to ensure it doesn't drift into conflation territory or misrepresentation of a trans community that is still quite misunderstood in the African-American cis and SGL community.
 
Until I get and see more evidence that B.Scott's embrace of the transgender umbrella is genuine, permanent and not just related to this legal case, call me skeptical.   

San Antonio City Council Considering Adding Gender Identity To Non-Discrimination Ordinance

San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas and is considering adding gender identity and sexual orientation to their anti-discrimination ordinance. 

If this human rights ordinance change is passed by the San Antonio City Council, it would amend the city codes to protect people from discrimination in housing, public accommodations and employment based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran’s status. It would also make San Antonio the largest city in the state of Texas to do so. 

It was headed to a final vote in June but was delayed until either this month or September as I suspect by the opponents on the San Antonio City Council to give the Forces of Intolerance time to organize opposition in order to protect their special right to discriminate.

They have been busy flooding the San Antonio City Council and Mayor Julian Castro (D) with negative calls at a 60-1 ratio and those of you who are on the side of fighting for TBLG human rights need to be heard ASAP and countering the faith based lies.. 

It takes six votes on San Antonio City Council to pass ordinances.  As of this moment the supporters for the changes are Mayor Julián Castro, District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal, District 4 Councilman Rey Saldaña, District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, and District 6 Councilman Ray Lopez.

Opposed to the ordinance changes are District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan and District 10 Councilman Carlton Soules.

So if you're keeping human rights score at home, that's five YES votes and two NO votes

There are four council members whose votes are either undeclared at this time.or who are still evaluating the changes.  Those councilmembers are District 2 Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran, District 7 Councilman Cris Medina, and District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg . 

All we need is one of the four to vote YES for passage while the haters need all of them to vote NO to defeat it.  So let's get busy RESPECTFULLY trying to convince them to vote our way.

Trans discrimination exists in Texas and has deleterious effects on us.  With many of us living in Texas urban areas like San Antonio, it's past time for the cities to do what we know our GOP dominated state legislature won't in terms of protecting the human rights of their TBLG citizens.

San Antonio clergy have come out in favor of the change to the non-discrimination ordinance and are circulating this letter in support.

As faith leaders from a wide range of denominations, faith traditions and communities from across San Antonio, we dedicate our lives to fostering faith and compassion and work daily to promote justice and fairness for all God’s children. It is out of this common call to fairness and justice that we strongly encourage the San Antonio City Council to amend the city codes to protect people from discrimination in housing, public accommodations and employment based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran’s status.

The sacred writings and traditions that we follow carry the messages of love, justice and inclusion. Our faiths teach us that we should treat others as we wish to be treated. These common-sense additions to the city code promote the common good and express our fundamental commitment to basic fairness. All hardworking people in San Antonio should have the chance to earn a living and provide for their families without fear of being fired for reasons that have nothing to do with their job performance. Everyone should have equal access to housing and public accommodations.

The time for San Antonio to extend its commitment to fairness and compassion is NOW: As religious leaders in San Antonio, we call on the City of San Antonio to do more to protect all its residents and visitors from arbitrary discrimination by ensuring that all have equal access to employment, housing, and public accommodations. By updating the city codes, the City Council will strengthen our community by fostering an atmosphere of respect and inclusivity and will send the message that San Antonio is a welcoming place to live, work, and raise a family.

In addition it's time for our trans brothers and sisters residing in San Antonio to become agents of your own liberation.  You have a golden opportunity to get an ordinance passed that protects your human rights and all you need to do is e-mail or pick up the phone and call your city councilmember and Mayor Castro.

Of course visiting their offices won't hurt either in addition to planning on being in council chambers when the vote happens.  But first things first, here's a list of the folks you need to chat with who either oppose or are non committal about this sensible change.  

Here's hoping I will have positive news to report to the rest of the state, nation and world in terms of whether or not the Alamo City values its TBLG citizens. 


TransGriot Update: There's an additional website, Support Equal Rights In San Antonio you can click on to stay abreast of what's happening in the Alamo City concerning the non discrimination ordinance. You can also follow the Twitter hashtag #ndo4sa for info as well

The 2020 Olympic Finalist Cities

With the 2016 Summer Olympics set to take place in Brazil, the world is about to find out thirty days from now which mayor of what international city will be handed the Antwerp Olympic flag during the closing ceremonies of the Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 21, 2016.. 

The International Olympic Committee will hold its 125th Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 7.   One of the items on the agenda in addition to electing the new president of the IOC will be to decide which of three candidate cities will get to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.   

The three finalist cities vying to snag the bid are Tokyo, Madrid, and Istanbul.  They delivered their final presentations to the IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 3-4 and will get one final chance to sway the delegates their way at that September 7 meeting in Argentina.

The three host committees along with their national leaders will be nervously watching on that date as the assembled IOC delegates vote to see which candidate city gets an absolute majority of votes and will be signing the coveted 'Host City Contract'  to organize and stage the Games. 

The frontrunner to host the 2020 Games is considered to be Tokyo.  

This is Tokyo's fifth Olympic bid overall and its second consecutive one after being eliminated in the second round of bidding for the 2012 Games.  If this one is successful it would become the fourth city to host the Summer Olympic Games twice. 

Tokyo won the right to host the 1940 Summer Games that were cancelled by World War II.  It bid for the 1960 Games but was eliminated on the first ballot but successfully won the right to host the 1964 Olympic Games, becoming the first Asian city to do so.

The 1972 and 1998 Winter Games were hosted in Sapporo and Nagano in addition to those 1964 Summer Games, so Japan has been there done that when it comes to Olympic hosting experience.   It also hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 2006 FIBA men's World Basketball Championships, the 2011 Gymnastics World Championships and the 2019 Rugby World Cup. 

Tokyo also scored highly on the IOC Evaluation Committee reviews and there is enough of a time separation since the Asian-Pacific region last hosted a summer games  (Beijing 2008) to make it a front running candidate along with sentiment in the wake of the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami to bring the Games there.  It is also regarded as a safe and secure city in comparison to its finalist rivals.

The fact the $4.8 billion budgeted for the Games is sitting in the bank along with a compact Olympic venue plan in which the competition venues are within 8km of the Olympic village with the exception of the football prelims are other pluses in their favor.

Soft public support for the Tokyo bid is one negative that people are throwing at it although that support has continued to rise since the London Games concluded.   73% of Tokyo residents and 86% of Japan now support the bid and it has the backing of Tokyo's mayor and the Japanese government.

Controversy erupted when Tokyo 2020 Chairman Naoki Inose made a shady comment interpreted to be about Istanbul's bid when he was quoted as saying, “Well, compare the two countries where they have yet to build infrastructure, very sophisticated facilities. So from time to time, like Brazil, I think it’s good to have a venue for the first time. But Islamic countries, the only thing they share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other and they have classes.”

Criticizing another candidate city's bid is against IOC rules and Tokyo 2020 quickly went into damage control mode.  In addition to Tokyo 2020's statement reiterating they "have the utmost respect for all candidate cities and have always taken pride in bidding in a spirit based on the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship,” Inose apologized for the comment a few days later.   

How much that comment will affect the IOC votes Tokyo gets in Buenos Aires has yet to be determined since as Chicago painfully found out, ranking very highly on the site evaluations and being considered the frontrunner doesn't necessarily guarantee you'll get the Games, especially in a body as political as the IOC.  

Madrid is attempting its third consecutive bid (and fourth overall) to host the Games.   It lost to Munich in the final round of voting to host the 1972 Games, was knocked out of the third round of voting for the 2012 Games that London eventually beat out Paris for in the final round and lost to Rio de Janeiro in the final round of voting for the 2016 Games.

So Madrid feels it's due.  Madrid like Tokyo also has a compact venue plan with the exception being the sailing events held in Seville and football prelims would be held in various Spanish cities. The bid has national (84%) and citywide (75%) support.   Barcelona hosted the 1992 Games, and Spain will host the upcoming 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball with Madrid being one of the host venue cities.   Madrid's Mayor Ana Botella and the Spanish government also support bringing the games here.     

The negatives affecting the bid is Madrid will have to build six new venues and two temporary ones out of the 36 needed.  They will have to upgrade other ones in the midst of a Spanish economic crisis. 

Since London already hosted the 2012 Games, the IOC usually likes some time separation before it returns to a continent..  Only eight years will have elapsed between the time of the 2012 Games and the 2020 ones, but people supporting Madrid's Olympic bid can point out there was only eight years separation between the 1976 Montreal Games and the 1984 LA ones on the North American continent. 

Istanbul is the third candidate city finalist.   It has yet to host a Games but has made four previous bids.  It was one of five candidate cities vying for the 2000 Games but was eliminated in the first round of voting.   It failed to become a candidate city for the 2004 and 2012 Games, and finished fourth in both rounds of balloting for the 2008 Games that were held in Beijing.

Istanbul's bid is proposing to host the Games from Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 23, 2020.  It is playing up the fact the city is on the Asian and European continents, is new Olympic territory and if selected would be the first time the Games would be hosted in a predominately Muslim nation. 

It was voted the number one city in Europe by the international travel magazine Travel & Leisure for its 2013 'World's Best Awards', and recently completed the Marmaray Rail Tunnel underneath the Bosporus strait that will open in October as part of a major expansion of Istanbul Metro's rail system.    

It does have high level international sport hosting experience.  Istanbul hosted the knockout phase and the final of the 2010 FIBA men's World Basketball Championships with Turkey set to play host next year to the FIBA women's World Basketball Championships.   It has also hosted the 2001 EuroBasket final and the 1992and 2012 Euroleague finals in addition to having a bid in for the 2002 Euro 2020 football tournament.

The Istanbul bid also have the support of the Turkish governement and the city of Istanbul. 

But the protest in Taksim Square that beamed photos around the world of Turkish police violently beating down peaceful protestors, anti-trans violence, getting called out by IAAF president Lamine Diack about doping issues and a negative IOC Evaluation Committee report have started to impact the momentum that was building toward Istanbul winning the 2020 Games bid. 

All three candidate cities cities have bids with strengths and weaknesses and we really won't know until September 7 which city wins the right to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

Cece McDonald Talks About Trayvon And The Justice System

Definitely signal boosting this one.  Cece McDonald writes a post in which she discusses the Trayvon Martin case and the injustice system entitled 'Injury and Insult: Trayvon Martin, racism in the system and a revolution amongst us.'.

Here's a taste of it:

Highlighting on the injury to insult, many right-winged conservative foot-mouthed assholes, which include Zimmerman’s defense team, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill O’Reilly, who have tried to justify Trayvon Martin’s killing by demonizing Trayvon by saying “he was wearing what most criminals wear,” referring to his hoodie or that his toxicology report came back with positive test results of marijuana so “he was up to ‘no good’.” So I guess that means that wearing hoodies and smoking pot, going to the store and walking home talking to a friend on the phone is deemed “suspicious” and therefore someone can follow you and kill you and because you seemed suspicious, your death will be overlooked. But we all know that this was more than hoodies and marijuana–it was about racial profiling and the (implicit) racism that still exist in what’s supposed to be a post-racial “color-blind” society.

You can read the rest of Cece's post by clicking this link.

August 7, 1995

An auto accident happened on this date 18 years ago at the corner of 50th and C Streets in southeast Washington DC that would eventually get the attention of the nation and the world. 

It involved a 24 year old girl like us named Tyra Hunter who was headed to work at the time as a passenger in one of the vehicles.

She and the driver were pulled from the smoldering ruins of the car and a DC paramedic named Adrian Williams began to work on her until he cut her pants leg open to reveal a penis.

He stood up, backed away, made dehumanizing transphobic remarks and cracked transphobic jokes for five to seven critical minutes until an EMS supervisor arrived on the scene to resume her treatment.

She was taken to the now closed DC General Hospital where she died of blunt force trauma at 5:20 PM EDT.
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Transphobia killed Tyra Hunter.   Medical transphobia..

At the time this happened I was 16 months into my own transition.  I was horrified, shocked and angered by what happened to her.  Tyra's unnecessary death still bothers me to this day.

I think about Tyra often, especially on this day.   She would have been 42 this year had she not encountered an EMT who forgot that serving all the citizens of The District includes transgender ones, too and wonder how her would have evolved from that point had Adrian Williams done his duty.  . 

But the person I feel the most sorrow for today is Tyra's mother Margie Hunter.  She lost her child who should still be standing on this planet.   That 50th and C street corner would claim two more young Black trans lives seven years later on the date of Tyra's funeral.  

And sadly, on this date in 2013 we are still losing young Black transwomen to anti-trans hate and violence.

And I want it to stop.   

TransGriot Ten Questions Interview-Koko Jones Xtravaganza

Past time for another one of my TransGriot Ten Questions interviews.

One of the benefits of me founding the Transsistahs-Transbrothas group back in 2004 was not only establishing a place in which transpeople of color could chat about the issues of transitioning while a person of color, it also jump started working partnerships and friendships that have lasted to this present day. 

One of the fascinating people I met at that time was Koko Jones Xtravaganza, who is a multitalented New York metro area based girl like us musician, composer, parent, instructor and trans advocate who is currently writing a book about her very interesting life

So now it's time for Koko to answer the TransGriot's Ten Questions.

1-You're a Jersey girl, and as I alluded to in the intro you are a musician.  So what is it about that part of the country that produces so many chart topping musicians?

KJX-I don’t know if we produce more chart topping musicians but the music scene has changed drastically since I was coming up. I’m from New Jersey, just outside of New York, New York on a whole from the days of Jazz was and still is like a Mecca just as Chicago, Philly and other cities around the country. New York audiences are probably some of the toughest audiences to perform in front of. If you don’t come correct don’t come at all. That goes for any type of performance so the standard here is very high.

From the early days of jazz when Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk were around, the highest of standards were expected of the players. I was fortunate to be a part of two different scenes here; the New York jazz scene and the R&B/Funk/Soul scene out here in Jersey.

I grew up in the small enclave of Englewood, NJ which boasted groups like The Isley Brothers, The Moments (Ray, Goodman and Brown), Regina Belle, Bernard Belle, Guy, Ed Townsend, Sylvia Robinson, The Sugar Hill Gang and David Townsend of Surface; Jazz artists Tyree Glenn and Roger Glenn, and transplanted artists such as The Five Stairsteps, Wilson Pickett, Dizzy Gillespie, Sam Rivers, Hilton Ruiz and so many others. Besides that, Sugar Hill Records and The Isley's T-Neck Records were both operated out of Englewood and the Teaneck area. Most of my fellow musicians of my generation became professionals working with top names in the industry. Other Jersey bands include Kool and the Gang (Jersey City), Parliament/Funkadelic (Plainfield, NJ) and a host of others. So yes the pressure was on from an early age. You had to perform or get off the stage!

By the way, Texas and Oklahoma boasts some talent as well!!!!

2- I'm a huge R&B fan in large part to my late father being in radio.  I noted as a musician you got to tour with some major artists. Who are some of those artists you toured with and what is that experience like?

KJX-Well, I first went on tour at the age of 13 backing an all boy band called “Spoonbread”. They did a remake of the Bee-Gees song, “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”. It was a big hit in 1972. We toured and opened for acts like the Chi-Lites, Harold Melvin and Blue Notes, The Four Tops, Eddie Kendricks and The Isley Brothers. I didn’t tour again until I was 19 when I joined Archie Shepp’s band and went to Europe. Just a couple of months later I was asked to join the Isley Brothers and toured with them for the next 6 years.

Almost immediately after the Isley’s tour ended I was called to join Whitney Houston for her European tour in 1986 and stayed with her until the early 90’s. I rejoined the Isley Brothers as well as Angela Winbush in 1990 but it was nothing like those years between 1980 and 1986. This was mainly due to my increasing distress and awareness of my trans status. I’ve toured with many other Jazz artists since then. Including my recent work and touring with Urban/Folk/Soul-Jazz artist KJ Denhert (www.kjdenhert.com)

The years with both The Isley’s and Whitney were fast paced and it seemed as if it would never end but mainly I enjoyed my time with them. The Isley Brothers were like family to me, especially the younger brothers Marvin and Ernie and brother-in-law Chris Jasper. Those times included not only touring but recording as well. I recorded 8 separate projects with the Isleys; something that no other percussionist can say.

The years with Whitney were magical! She had a voice that was so unbelievable that the first gig I did I spent shaking my head in awe; it was almost a surreal experience. But her heart was golden. It sickened me to hear all of the stories in the media of her being a scornful diva. That picture that was painted was so wrong, she was such a sweetheart. She brought me to places I never would have been and met people I never would have met if I hadn’t had that gig. I am truly indebted to her and her family for that opportunity. I remember when I was going through my transition and having a difficult time she pulled me aside, held me in her arms as I was in tears and told me, “If you ever need to talk my door is always open. You know I love you, we love you and God loves you.” I will never ever forget that.

3-When did you transition and why? 

KJX-Let me say that my transition was a life saving measure. I felt I had done all the running away from my gender identity that I could do. It came to point where I looked in the mirror and had to be truthful with myself. When I transitioned is a hard question. I took my first hormone shot in 1987 and began electrolysis.

However, I was in between tours with Whitney at the time. I will never forget the look on the faces of band members and crew when I showed up for the rehearsals with long relaxed hair, eyebrows done and no facial hair. However, my transition stalled because of the touring which made it impossible to keep up with when you’re moving from city to city, night after night. Also, when you’re in a band on tour it’s almost like being on a sports team. You dress together, you eat together and you travel together. You are with each other everyday all day! I began living full time around 1990-1991.

The one thing I didn’t mention in all of this history is that I have a daughter. In 1999 my daughter called me to ask to come live with me. So I decided to petition the court and ask for full custody of my child. The court rejected the petition citing that it would be psychologically damaging to her to come live with me. The only way I could gain custody would be if I would present myself as a male. In weighing my options at that time I decided to transition back to presenting in my male persona.

Certainly I didn’t believe I was damaging my daughter’s psychological well being but the time involved with appealing that decision would be too costly. I would never get that precious time back with my daughter that I might lose in waiting to appeal the case. It wasn’t until my daughter left to live on her own that I could reasonably think of living the life that I needed to live. That happened in 2008.

So the short answer is I lived 9 years previously and then for the last 4 years.

4- We met because of the Transsistahs-Transbrothers Yahoo discussion group.  How important are the online groups, especially to transpeople of color? 

KJX-I must say that Transsistahs-Transbrothas was the first online group that I was ever in. It served as an oasis for me during those times before my second transition. It was incredibly important to hear stories from other trans folk of color. My culture and heritage is something that is very important to me. I live for my people.

The friendships I bore there have supported me through my darkest hours. I felt so understood there. I think that we as black folks in America have such a disparate narrative due to the way we process our history and our view of the world around us. What we know happened and what is still happening now. I am not saying that our Anglo trans brothers and sisters don’t have difficulties; just that our view is different due to institutionalized and internalized racism. (I won’t go into current events in this interview).

5- Did you have any trans role models at the time you transitioned?

KJX-Well my role model at that time was my “Gay Mother”, Jovanna Lopez. We shared an apartment back in 1988 through 1990. She taught me a lot about the life that I had never known. Back in 1988 the only folks I knew were her and the many friends I was introduced to back then. Those girls included Angie Xtravaganza, Tiny Showbiz, Carmen Xtravaganza (she was introduced to as Carmen from Spain), and many, many more.

Eventually, when I transitioned I was able to go to “the Center” (Gay & Lesbian Community Center) in Manhattan when the Gender Identity Project was just being formed for social support. Rosalyne Blumenstein was also one of my role models. In my most recent transition Carmen and I became very close and I started living with her in 2009. I was basically put out of the house where I was renting due to my transition. We supported each other and have since been each others support. I can say now that we truly are family.


6- How did you become a member of the House of Xtravaganza and how much has the ballroom scene changed from the time you first encountered it? 

KJX-I first encountered members of this House when I was living with Jovanna. When we had our apartment, Mother Angie Xtravaganza would come with some of the girls in tow and stay for the weekend but I never had any interest in joining the House.

More recently when I began living with Carmen who is the current Mother, I was made an Xtravaganza. For me it’s more of honorary title for my years of struggle and what I bring to the table as a trans woman and advocate. The role of the houses is changing. The ballroom scene is much different now than it was back in the 80’s and early 90’s. Yes there are still balls and the “kids” still carry on.

There have been a lot of changes in the balls themselves with the categories and costumes. It has become very bizarre at times and some balls are more of dance competition than anything else. The disturbing trend unfortunately has been this category of sex siren. It’s a very healthy category for the boys but for the girls it’s sometimes judged on the amount of silicone one has placed in their body; a practice that can be somewhat dangerous to say the least. But I haven’t been big on the ballroom scene myself lately so I could be wrong.

My focus has been more on trans advocacy and the work I’m doing at CHEST/Hunter College with the new research study I’m involved with.

7- You recently had the opportunity to participate at the 2013 Philly Trans Health Conference.  What was that experience like?

KJX-I attended the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference officially as a presenter with CHEST (The Center for HIV/AIDS Education, Studies and Training at Hunter College). We presented our new research study and intervention for trans women called T-Talk. We did an 80 minute presentation that was pretty well attended for an 8:45 am slot. There was a lot that needed to be said and the most vocal in the audience were Transwomen of color.

The conference was such a positive experience for me. I was able to meet lots of people in the community and best of all got to meet with a lot of people I had established a long time online relationships with; namely Dionne Stallworth, Fredrikka Joy Maxwell and our Transsistahs-Transbrothas community.

It occurred to me while reflecting about the conference that many of us need a voice. We need to speak what’s on our mind. I think there needs to be a comprehensive conference for trans women of color. We have so much to say and we need a forum to be able to do that and not just online. Maybe a conference can be developed where we can meet others just like us from around the country and around the world exclusively to talk about these issues. I hope I’m not being too separatist?

8-What are some of the projects you're currently involved with? 

KJX-I am in the midst of writing a book of my memoirs. I’m calling it “A Very Different Drummer – Journal of a Triumphant Life”. Writing is tricky; what to disclose and what NOT to disclose about my private life. I finished 2 separate recordings last year under my own name. It’s called “Who’s That Lady”. It’s also a document of my life as well. It tells my story of triumph and struggle. I wrote most of the songs along with band members and have of course a cover of an Isley Brothers song and a song by Whitney Houston.

The other album I have completed is also my own. It’s folkloric in nature featuring blazing percussion and vocals only. It’s called “Native Soil” and produced by Babatunde Lea for Motema Music

I’m also creating a multi-media presentation along with my sister Carmen Xtravaganza called, “Stories from the Edge”. It’s the story of two trans women of color who have similar but disparate paths to live the life they have always dreamt of living.

Also, as I mentioned before I’m currently working at CHEST (The Center for HIV/AIDS Education, Studies and Training at Hunter College), doing a research study and intervention called T-Talk. It’s not direct services but a study designed to address the acute health needs of trans women that live in the NYC metro area.

9-Let's flip the question script for a moment. What's the one question you're dying to ask the TransGriot?

KJX-Okay….. What prompted you to start the Transsistahs-Transbrothas group and why do you think it was so successful?

10-Where do you see the Black trans community in the next ten years?

KJX- I think that there are many challenges ahead of us as a community. There needs to be more acceptance and understanding in the Black community of trans folk. I think that a dialogue needs to be opened up between leaders and members in the overall African American community. For us our community is everything. This is where I see the need for inclusion. Will our voices be heard? Are our black leaders culturally competent when it comes to the issues of black trans folk? This will determine where we go from here.

But I am an eternal optimist. I believe in ten years we will have taken a step in the direction of understanding, empathy and inclusion. Of course the entire country needs to have an ongoing discussion about race in America. Our society is still feeling the brunt of slavery. Jim Crow has ended but is still going on underneath the surface in the hearts and minds of many.

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Koko, thanks for your time and for doing this TransGriot Ten Questions interview!