Can We Talk For Real Turns One!

I had the honor and pleasure of doing two enjoyable appearances on the Can We Talk For Real radio podcast show hosted by Ina, Michelle and Terry Boi. 

Their podcast turns one, and the CWT4R team will be celebrating that milestone on tonight's show.

Happy Anniversary!  Time to let the Can We Talk For Real podcast team have their say.

***. 

Wednesday, August 14th Can We Talk for REAL will be celebrating our 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

Ina, Michelle and Terry Boi would like to thank everyone that has been a part of this first year for allowing us to educate, entertain, share thoughts on some of the issues spoken and not spoken about, given voices to those who had been silent, and those that needed to be heard, and resources that the community may not have known was right in our own back yards.

'Thank you for allowing us to enter your homes each Wednesday with topics that were not being discussed enough.. The first year was where 'Silence was not an Option'. Many joined us to express their opinions and know they were all heard.

We were glad to know that our guests, callers and chatters were comfortable enough to know that here on CWT4R. It was okay to agree to disagree. Some of our guests that we had on during our first year will be joining us tomorrow for some interesting updates on what has been happening since you last heard from them. The night as always here on CWT4R will be educational, fun filled and exciting. So if you want to know who is coming back to help celebrate you have to be there!

Call in on 347-215-8985 at 10:30 pm Eastern time, 9:30 pm Central time, 8:30 pm Mountain time and 7:30 pm Pacific time. Press 1 if you want to Speak.   

Diamond Williams Case Update: Sargent Hearing Delayed

In the latest news about the Diamond Williams case in Philadelphia, 43 year old Charles Sargent, the waste of DNA who was arrested July 20 and is accused of murdering her, was supposed to face an August 7 hearing in Municipal Court Judge Teresa Carr Deni's court.

But according to a Philadelphia Gay News article by Angela Thomas, the hearing was postponed until October 15 after a continuance for the preliminary hearing requested by Sargent's defense attorney J. Michael Farrell was granted.

In addition to the murder, possession of an instrument of crime and abuse of corpse charges he faces in the Williams case, he was also charged with making a terroristic threat when he threatened to kill his girlfriend 

 

That hearing will now take place at 9 AM EDT in Room 306 of the Criminal Justice Center located at 1301 Filbert St.   I hope the Philadelphia trans community and allies are there in remembrance of Diamond and pack the courtroom on that date. 

UK National Transgender Memorial Vandalized

Damn, why is it that some idiots take it upon themselves to destroy or vandalize the nice things we trans people manage to put together as a community? 

The trans community in Manchester, England and their allies are probably asking themselves that question right now.  

They coordinated the Transgender Remembrance Memorial Project spearheaded by Tony Cooper, the chair of the Sackville Park Friends Association to construct what is believed to be the world's first purpose built memorial to remember the victims of anti-trans violence. 

The Manchester community spent hundreds of hours putting together a memorial garden and brick laid path in the park to complement the nine foot tall wooden structure being carved by sculptor Shane Green. 

The dedication of the National Transgender Memorial in Manchester's Sackville Gardens happened during the UK's Sparkle Weekend trans celebration that occurred July 12-14. 

Unfortunately on or around the night of August 6 some wastes of DNA vandalized the memorial and the CCTV surveillance system that is prevalent in many UK cities as bad luck would have it didn't have cameras pointed toward that section of the gardens.  . 

The Greater Manchester Police have opened an investigation of the crime and are solicting information leading to the arrest, trial and conviction of the vandals.  

Here's hoping in the interim the damage done to this first ever memorial will quickly be repaired.

I also hope we see more communities around the world take the initiative to put together their own memorials to honor our fallen transsisters and transbrothers.

Still Ain't Feeling Feminism

Feminism, according to a popular bumper sticker is the radical notion that women are people, too. Many feminists have forgotten over the years that the word 'people' also includes their Black, Latina, Asian and native American sisters as well as their transgender ones. 
--TransGriot  Ain't Feeling Feminism   January 23, 2009

While we transwomen have had a contentious thirty-six years of drama with the feminist community, it pales in comparison with the ongoing parallel struggle that women of color have with them. They have fought the ongoing silencing of their voices in the feminist movement, got tired of being dissed, ignored and being accused of or being labeled as 'crazy' or 'racist' anytime they critiqued their treatment.
---TransGriot   January 23, 2009 

Those words I wrote in 2009 are just as prescient now as they were four years ago.  I took the predominately white feminist world to task for their four decade long pattern of attacking trans women and their ignoring or silencing of Black, Latina voices in the feminist movement to the point where both groups have said adios and see ya to feminism. 

And yeah, they've also done the same thing to native American, Asian and other women around the world as well, but that's another post.    

The simmering pissivity blew up once again between white women and women of color fed up with a feminist movement that seems in the last few years to only care about a Feminist Prime Directive of power and privilege equality with white males and clocking dollars.   

And they clock those dollars while gleefully appropriating the work of Black and Brown women of color.

It led to another contentious and needed discussion and the #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen hashtag created by Mikki Kendall that went viral. 

It also began to create another moment of conversation on the issue of women of color and feminism.

Hell, myself and other trans women have been calling out feminism for years over their transphobia and their cricket chirping silence over the four decades of hate speech the trans exterminationalist exclusionary radical feminists (TERF's) have aimed at trans women.  It's also a major reason why combined with my pissivity over the erasure of women of color from its ranks that I dislike feminism and identify as a womanist.  

You gotta love a movement like womanism that is not only is rooted in your culture, as of this point in its development it has embraced me as a trans woman, hasn't disrespected my humanity and encourages mine and the input of other trans women to make it better and more inclusive when it comes to our issues as African descended trans women.

As I wrote in 2011 and it is still true today, since my March 31, 2009 'I am a womanist' declaration, I have yet to run into a womanist who disrespected my evolving feminine journey or has actively worked to deny me and my trans sisters and brothers human rights coverage like people who call themselves feminists repeatedly do. 

I hope and pray I'm able to continue saying and writing that critical difference point about womanism and womanists for the rest of this decade and beyond.


But back to the current drama.  Will anything substantive come out of this round of calling out feminism?   That is the $64,000 Question.  Or has the fissure between white and Black feminists that has over a century of contentious history predating the Schwyzer faux feminist mess become an impossible to bridge Grand Canyon?

Time will tell us what the end result will be, but I'm betting that four years from now I'll be writing another post if this blog is still in operation as to why I'm still not feeling feminism. 

NYPD Stop And Frisk Policy Ruled Unconstitutional By Federal Judge

US District Court Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ruled yesterday in Floyd v. City of New York that NYPD’s controversial stop and frisk tactics were an unconstitutional violation of the rights of people of color in New York City.  

Judge Scheindlin went on to find that top New York police officials have ignored the practice and treated racial profiling as “a myth created by the media,” ordered the NYPD discontinue it, and called for a federal monitor to supervise related reforms.

Duh!  We could have told you without a law degree that Stop and Frisk was unconstitutional.   Trans and gender variant New Yorkers can tell you along with other non-white New Yorkers racial profiling is most definitely isn't a myth especially since it happens to them far too often. 

85 percent of those stopped and frisked are Black or Latino. Among all people stopped and frisked, only 1 out of 10 of the stops results in an arrest or summons.

While Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly predictably hated on the ruling, New York's non-white population, the TBLG community (that is disproportionately targeted by and resent the tactics) and human rights advocacy groups hailed it.

Judge Scheindlin's (appointed by President Clinton in 1994) ruling in the Floyd case comes on the heels of the New York City Council passing and Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoing the Community Safety Act, bills that would prohibit profiling based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity and other identities, and would have establish an Inspector General to oversee the NYPD’s practices.

As I've said more than a few times on this blog, Black trans community issues are also Black community issues and vice versa.  

The odious NYPD Stop And Frisk policy is one of those issues in which the interests of the Black community as a whole and Black and Latin@ trans people are symbiotically aligned in wanting a deleterious policy ended as quickly as possible because it also affects our trans sector of it.

Under Stop and Frisk, Latina and Black trans women were selected by NYPD for search under the  suspicion they were sex workers and harassed in many cases.  If officers found more than one condom during the search, they were arrested for solicitation.

The city of New York says it will appeal the ruling, but they would be wise to just cut their losses and come up with a common sense based policing strategy that doesn't involve jacking up and searching non-white New Yorkers just to make white New Yorkers feel safe.

Happy Anniversary Wendy and Ignacio

Today is the second wedding anniversary of our Cuban trans sister Wendy Iriepa and her activist hubby Ignacio Estrada, and wanted to wish our Cuban girl like us and her hubby a happy one.

Wendy got married back on August 13, 2011 to her hubby in a very public wedding in Havana in front of the unblinking eye of the world's media with Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez as a witness.

Iriepa is the first person in that island nation to get a state sanctioned SRS through the CENESEX program run by Mariela Castro.

Iriepa worked for it and was the public face of CENESEX until she and Castro had a public falling out over her attacking her activist hubby, who is the self proclaimed 'number one opponent of the Castro government'. 

She and her hubby have been visiting the US for three months and in addition to being in Miami and taking part in panel discussions and events in the area traveled to Washington DC and met with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) whose district covers Miami along with touring Casa Ruby.

Happy anniversary Wendy and Ignacio!  May you continue to speak truth to power in your homeland and your marriage be a long, happy and healthy one.

Colorism Needs To Cease And Desist In The Black Trans Community

Just as race and class are issues the Black trans community will have to grapple with as we close ranks to become part of the greater community, so is the malignant cousin of race in colorism (or hueism).

African-Americans come in 23 identified skin tone shades from light, bright and damned near white vanilla creme to deepest darkest ebony.  

When we come out of the birth canal we have no control over what combination of characteristics we are going to get from our parents that are the building blocks of us. 

But you can bet that if you're on the lighter, middle or darker end of that 23 color skin tone palette the ways you experience being Black in America are undeniably going to be different based on that and what part of the country you grew up in.

If you came to the States from different parts of the African Diaspora like the Caribbean, the African continent or different North, Central and South American nations, that throws another variable into the mix.

Because we are a subset of the greater African-American community, the ills of colorism and hueism are also embedded in and contaminate our ranks. 

Just as the 'Are you Black' question comes up repeatedly for the people on the light, bright and damned near white vanilla creme end of the scale,  the reality is far different for the darker skinned Black trans folks among us because they get far more negativity unleashed upon them.  

The bottom line is that we are all Black and we are ALL hated for it, no matter whether we are light, bright and damned near white vanilla creme or deepest darkest ebony.

We have far more serious issues to tackle in terms of our crushing unemployment/underemployment, off the charts anti-trans violence aimed at our Black transwomen, lack of media visibility, a fundamental misunderstanding of what trans is in the cis and SGL African-American communities and a six decade old trans narrative in the parent culture that is overwhelmingly stacked toward telling the stories of our white trans counterparts.  

We don't need the distraction of who has 'good vs kinky hair', 'light skin vs dark skin' colorism battles taking root in our Black trans ranks and diverting our attention from the work that must be done to make trans life better for the kids behind us and ourselves. 

It is going to take all of our collective talents to help us trans African-Americans lift ourselves up as we close ranks and become part of the greater society.  We don't have much room for error in that regard and we cannot afford to have in chocolate trans world colorism dividing us and sowing seeds of trouble in our African descended trans ranks. 

All of us are beautiful and handsome no matter what our skin tone, body shapes or the way we choose to wear our hair.  We are all proud trans African-Americans, and we experience and express our cultural heritage in different ways.

Let's focus on the community building in our trans ranks that needs to expeditiously happen, the education in our African-American community that must be done, and the bigger civil rights prizes we need to fight to achieve together whether we are light skinned or dark skinned or have good, curly, natural, braided or kinky hair.

CAUSA Change.org Petition About San Antonio Non-Discrimination Ordinance

'After a delay of the final vote in June, the San Antonio City Council is back at work and will soon vote on prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran's status in employment, housing, and public accommodations. No one should lose their job or be denied service just because of who they are, or if they served their country. This commonsense proposal to amend the San Antonio city code will bring San Antonio in step with other major cities such as Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Austin, each of which has included these protections in their city ordinances.'
--from the CAUSA San Antonio Non-Discrimination Ordinance Petition 

CAUSA, the Community Alliance For A United San Antonio has a Change.org petition that seeks to garner 5000 signatures in support of the inclusive ordinance and they need your help TransGriot readers to get there.

I'm doing my small part from my end of I-10 to help them pass the non-discrimination ordinance including getting the word out about what's happening in the Alamo City and writing this open letter I published today to Ivy Taylor, the lone African-American councilmember.who is undecided.

The vote is scheduled to take place September 5, and it would be nice if CAUSA could hand this peition in with 5000 (or more) signatures as part of this process.   They are so close to victory but need some help getting over the civil rights goalline.

Please consider signing this human rights petition and helping CAUSA expeditiously reach their 5000 signature goal.  

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.