TransGriot's Going To Be In The Trans* H4CK House!

'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.'
--TransGriot August 12, 2013

Kortney was reading that post I wrote about next month's Trans* H4CK and asked me not long after that if I'd like to take part in this inaugural event.  I can finally announce now that the details have been finalized.  The TransGriot is headed to the Left Coast for Trans* H4CK! 

So what's Trans* H4CK you ask?   Basically it is the melding of a hackathon with trans social justice issues that was the idea of Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler.

So I'm not only going to be there when Trans* H4CK takes place Sept 13-15, it's the first time I'll be in the Bay Area since the 1999 Creating Change event happened in Oakland.

So I'm looking forward to seeing how much Oakland has changed since Jerry Brown was the mayor, and will see you peeps at the New Parkway Theater for the judging and the after party at the conclusion of the
event.

'How To Solve A Problem Like Maria' Documentary

As I will continually point out as long as this blog exists, trans people are present throughout the African Diaspora and on the second largest continent on planet Earth.  

It is one of my blog's missions to bring you the stories of continental African transpeople, and just found out about this documentary being shot by Scottish filmmaker Tristan MG Aitchison.

He was commissioned by the Kenyan TBLGI organization Jinsiangu to produce a series of short films about the members of their organization.

The first one in that series is entitled 'How To Solve A Problem Like Maria' and discusses her experiences with taking hormones and her transition.  It debuted during a May 29-31 TBLGI regional conference held in Naivashu, Kenya called 'Changing Faces, Changing Spaces'.

The theme of the conference was “Umoja-Ujima-Kujichagulia”. Exploring, celebrating and internalizing ideas of unity, collective work and responsibility, and self-determination is crucial to the social change desired by the East African sex workers and LGBTI movements.

That 4th regional conference brought together sex worker advocates and TBLGI advocacy ones from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi as well as activists working in other regions of Africa, their allies in the health and legal professions, human rights activists and organizations.  

Check out the first video in this series. 
 



H/T  Kelli Busey Planet Transgender 
    

Philip Porter, Derrick Doll And Detransition

Until they moved to Nashville and became the Tennessee Traitors, I was a huge Houston Oilers fan.  When they started their cheerleading squad called the Derrick Dolls, one of my college classmates Thomasina was on it for a few years.

And yes, it bothered me during the 80's that I was in the wrong body to even have a shot at trying out for it and I was jealous of Thomasina for a minute because she was on that squad. 

So it jolted me when I heard about my fellow Texan Philip Porter's detransition story and it subsequently coming out that during his 32 years as Phoebe, he alleges he had been an NFL cheerleader in his trans feminine life.

As he told his story on HuffPost Live recently, and seeing this alleged picture of Phoebe as a trans Derrick Doll brought those memories back on how I felt back in my wandering in the gender wilderness 80's. 

When I was watching those NFL home games being played at the Astrodome along with much of the city of Houston, I was struggling with my own gender issues.  It occurred to me that during the 1992 and 1993 season that Phoebe would occasionally pop on our TV sets, be part of two Derrick Dolls group photos, and take part in the various events the Dolls performed at or graced as hostesses around the city I was taking major steps to get my own transition started.  


I respect Philip's decision to detransition and hope he's happy.  It's his life, his journey and I wish him the best.
But it also gives me an opportunity to talk about the contentious subject in Trans World of detransition.  

We transpeeps go through hell and back just to be recognized as the people we are now, and that journey to be our true selves is a satisfying one to 95% who aren't even thinking about detransition.  That percentage shoots up to 98% if you include the people who have genital surgery. 

At the time I was doing my transition in 1994, one of the WPATH requirements in place was I had to do the 'Real Life Test' in order to get approval from my gender therapist to have genital surgery.  That RLT was in place so that people had an opportunity to back out if they were having second thoughts or had difficulty adjusting to life on the other side of the gender fence before the surgeon's scalpel came into play.   


But instead of the focus on trans issues being about the people who are happily navigating their post transition lives or our challenges, the media focus at times becomes fixated on the very few people in our community who transition and decide to go back as Don Ennis, Ria Cooper and Philip Porter did. 

And sometimes it is the bizarre reasons these detransitioning peeps give for why they are doing so that also sets us off in Trans World. 

The oversaturation coverage of the instances of people detransisitioning leads to cis people asking us the annoying 'When are you going to go back?' question.  

When I got asked by a female student that question during an HCC-Southeast Trans 101 discussion I was conducting last year, my response to that student was why would I go back to the miserable existence and life I had before transition?


There are a lot of reasons why people do so and it really should be a personal issue, but as the old saying goes, the personal can become the political.  That's especially true when you have a marginalized group fighting for human rights coverage and at the same time be understood by the general public.  As they do so everything that happens to that marginalized group good, bad or indifferent is framed in that political context, especially by its enemies. 

It's why detransition is such a contentious topic in the transgender community.  We get prickly about it not only because of our own personal psychic and sweat equity investments in perfecting our gender presentations and gender identities to the world, but by the awareness that far too often some of the people who do detransition become the trans equivalent of 'Ex Gays'.     

They are seized on in conservative circles as a reason why trans human rights coverage shouldn't be granted to the rest of us who are very happy in the trans skins we're in.  

The detransitioned 'Ex-Trans' folks are also pimped by the Religious Reich and groups like PFOX as poster children and 'proof' that you trans people can use prayer to turn away from your 'sinful' lives as trans people

Funny, it was after I attended a 1993 TD Jakes revival in Los Angeles and prayerful contemplation my faith led me to write the letter to the Rosenberg Clinic asking for the first available appointment that started my transition.

BTW peeps, Pat Robertson has said twice what we already know, that transsexuality isn't a sin.

But that doesn't stop the Religious Reich from not only trying to push that loud and wrong message, they also use these stories of detransitioned 'Ex Trans' folks as a way to pimp their religious conversion therapies.

They are the same ones that didn't work for gay folks, but they are now trying to retool them to grab the cash of parents desperate enough to try them to 'fix' their trans children. 

Whether it was the loathsome Jerry Leach in Kentucky or the recent story that Sabrina Samone told on her blog about P-FOX trumpeting the story of her 'Ex-trans' friend Darrell, the trans community gives these stories the hostile side eye when we hear them. 

Another reason for the trans pissivity when the issue of detransition comes up besides the right wing and other trans haters exploitation of it is our sadness about the tragic story of Mike Penner, the LA Times sportswriter who famously transitioned to become Christine Daniels, transitioned back to Mike and committed suicide.

So yes, Trans World is concerned on many levels when we hear about people detransitioning, but our biggest concerns are always going to be focused on the side of the well being of the person going through it. 

But if you use it as a way to attack the trans community in general, it's on like Donkey Kong. 

BTMI/BTWI Wants You!

I've been in an advisory role for BTMI/BTWI since the convention in Dallas last March and love the direction it's trying to go as an organization.  But let me let them tell you what's happening with them.

***

Black Transmen, Inc. has really made a great impact in the global transgender community over the past few years. Emerging as the leading first national non-profit organization for Black Transmen, BTMI continues forging onward with the support of Black Transwomen in leadership advocacy, education and performing outreach in the community about challenges facing the transgender community as well as building bridges with allies.

Espoused sister group Black Transwomen, Inc has been visible within the community this year with the help of trailblazing women, Minister Carmarion Anderson, Ms Monica Roberts, Ms Diamond Stylz and Ms Nekidra Brown. At this time, Black Transmen, Inc. is delighted to announce the formation of the first board of directors for Black Transwomen, Inc. this fall.

Black Transmen, Inc. is thrilled to announce:
2013-14 BTMI State Chapters and Leader/Board Members

Maryland/D.C - Mr. Vann Millhouse – BTMI Board
http://www.facebook.com/btmimd

Michigan - Mr. Mykell Price – BTMI Board
http://www.facebook.com/btmimichigan

Virginia - Mr. Charley Burton – BTMI Board
http://www.facebook.com/btmiva

Illinois - Mr Melvin Whitehead - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmiil

Pennsylvania - Mr. Mekhi Johnson - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmipa

Washington - Mr. Qayden Smith - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmiwa

Georgia - Mr. Kendall Brown - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmiga

Texas - Mr. Carter Brown – Dallas - President
Mr. Tye West – Houston - President
Mr. Jabriel Williamson – Fort Worth - President
http://www.facebook.com/btmitx

State Chapters Coming Soon: Louisiana, California & Connecticut

Black Transmen, Inc. is uplifted by the men and women who take a stand for equality through leadership commitment, serving as advocates in the trans community.

Are you eager to have a hand in creating increased positive visibility for the trans community nationwide? BTMI state chapters are currently accepting inquires from transmen and transwomen who desire to commit and serve in one of the volunteer leadership positions available. All skill sets are needed to fulfill a variety of management leadership roles: president, vice-president, secretary or treasure. Other non-management leadership opportunities are available within our outreach programs including our trans speakers bureau. The Black Transmen, Inc leadership program minimum commitment timeframe is one year; invitations are forthcoming.

The next BTMI/BTWI Leadership invitational will be issued in August and will take place online. Interested candidates should contact BTMI/BTWI at http://outreach.blacktransmen.org/ or http://outreach.blacktranswomen.org/.

TransGriot Ten Questions Interview-Louis Mitchell

I had the pleasure of first meeting Louis Mitchell during the 2005 Transsistahs-Transbrothas conference we held in Louisville.

Over the next eight years I've had the opportunity to not only call this trailblazing leader in our community a friend, but be his house guest when I was in western Mass for the 2008 Trans Pride March and Rally. I've also had the pleasure of either seeing him in or participating with him in numerous conferences and events since TSTB including the recent Black Transmen, Inc Conference in Dallas back in March. 

Louis was part of Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler's documentary Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen, and remains in demand as a consultant, public speaker, trainer and preacher

He was honored by BTMI with an award named after him for his years of principled leadership to our community and is a devoted friend, father and husband.

And today is also his birthday!  Happy birthday, bro! 
So it's time for Louis to answer the TransGriot's Ten Questions.

1 We met back during the 2005 Transsistahs-Transbrothas Conference.  How important was that event in building our community?  


LM-I really began to see and imagine the magnificence, diversity, range and talents of our community! It was, to my knowledge, one of the first times that black transmen and black transwomen came together to produce an event that wasn’t primarily for entertainment or social services. The depth and breadth of us was and continues to be awe inspiring to me! I will admit it…I am in love with us! I love black transwomen, black transmen, black gender-variant people, black gender non-conforming people, black queer people! I can’t say with any certainty that the stone that we threw into the ocean in Louisville originated the ripples that have become the waves of amazing-ness that I’m able to witness now, but I sure hope so.


2. What are your thoughts about why the Black transmasculine community doesn't get the love, respect and visibility it deserves?

LM-I’m not sure that anyone gets the love and respect that is deserved – not trans folks, not black folks and surely not most, if any, black trans folks…lol.

I think that the intersections and overlaps of stigma and oppression play a part in so much of our experience. I don’t have hard data, but I would conjecture that most black men of trans experience (most trans men of color, actually) transition to and with a goal of living a no or low-disclosure life, i.e. stealth. So, I don’t believe that visibility is always desired.

I think that we, as most men, suffer discrimination, violence and assault in shame and silence – either because we risk being outed or because we fear the additional stigma of being weak, unmanly.
The black transmasculine community is very diverse and therefore we have many of the same issues as all black men – un/under employment, addiction, fatigue/lethargy, increased likelihood of arrest, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, misogyny, disablism, etc. We also have many of the same attributes – a strong and principled faith journey, a generationally practiced work ethic, strong commitment to family and community. We also face challenges in our personal lives like everyone else – who wants to date us, who wants to love us, who will accept us? Often, we, like some of our trans-sisters, believe that once we have medically “arrived” we can put our whole past behind us forever. And that may be true, I don’t know. But I am challenged by the idea that one becomes a whole man by amputating parts of your life.

All of that said, I believe that my brothers and I are on a path of learning new and creative ways to love and support each other, our families and our trans-kindred – respecting personal disclosure choices, gender presentation choices, affectional preferences and spiritual journey choices. I believe that we are on the path to giving ourselves and each other the love, respect and dignity that we deserve and having enough left over to share with others in the world who need love, support and nurture.


3.  When did you transition and why?

LM-I began my spiritual/mental/emotional transition in 1996 and my medical/hormonal transition in 1999 – after much research, discernment and getting the nerve to tell my momma!

I’m not sure how to answer the “why” question. There are so many reasons. I knew from the time I was a little child, age 3 or so, that I wasn’t a “girl”, but I had no idea what that meant. I had never heard of a man transitioning – women, yes, but men no. It was a dream, a fantasy that I could enjoy because I never needed to risk anything to realize it. When I met someone who was ftm for the first time, I had a rush of conflicting emotions! I was overjoyed, terrified, angry, resistant! I was thrilled that it was really possible. I was terrified because I knew that I would have to risk everything and everyone to transition. I was angry that I had to make these difficult decisions. I was resistant to let go of the relative comfort I had in communities that I’d long been a part of.

Ultimately it came down to a few things. I was going to keep hiding in my “lesbian” skin, taking away rare opportunities from women because I wouldn’t get out of the way or I was going to move into a manhood that I’d only imagined, but not been prepared for. I was going to try to stay sober living a “half-truth” and risk relapse or I was going to step out in faith that all of my recovery work had prepared me for. I was going to die to avoid upsetting my mother and my friends who would feel abandoned and betrayed by my transition or I was going to live into my greatest integrity.

4.  As a spiritual leader, do you have a message for the transpeople who feel beaten up by the folks who use faith as an attack weapon against us?

LM-I don’t know that I would call myself a spiritual leader – more of a spiritual comrade to the disquieted, disgruntled, wounded, betrayed, yet still seeking.

My only message is that we are not alone and must find comfort in each other and in those that understand the messages of love in the spirit. If you are bruised and battered, stop visiting/paying for/singing for/preaching for your oppressor. There are open and loving arms and hearts that will welcome you – every part of you, all of you. Get support for yourself – get out of the SDV (spiritual domestic violence) relationship that you’re in. Just as all survivors of abuse and trauma will need time and nurture to grieve and to heal, so will you. Try to be as patient and loving with yourself as you can. Those of us (and there are a lot) who have been through it are here and many of us are willing to be a support to you through your journey.


5. There are transmasculine leaders doing amazing things. Who are some of the leaders that deserve more recognition for what they do but aren't getting the attention for their work?   

LM-There are so many! Many of the men who are doing so much won’t ever get the kind of community wide recognition that I think they deserve out of respect for their disclosure choices.
The men who are doing the hard work in our growing number of greek organizations, Carter Brown and all of the men heading BTMI chapters around the country, just to name a few. Again, I would love to tell you who they are (and you know them already), but I am committed to respecting their own disclosure choices.


6.  Where are the places in which the Black transmasculine and transfeminine communities do an excellent job of working together and where are the areas in which we can improve?  



LM-We seem to do an amazing job every time we work together! The difficulty seems to be that many of our communities of origin, where we transitioned from, are not connected. The bridges that need to be built now are many and will require some growth on all of our parts. It’s been my experience that some of the things we say in conversations with each other and when we think that we aren’t around each other, have been really hurtful! Especially around love and companionship – “we don’t date t-women, we only date real women/we don’t date t-men, we only date real men”. We all have our romantic/sexual preferences, but if they are about anatomy or even what we assume the anatomical make-up of a person is, then how can we ever expect to be loved or valued in ourselves? Additionally, we have the challenges of sexism, homophobia and look-ism to contend with – intra and inter community. There is so much wonderful work that has been done, but there is yet plenty of work to do!

7.  What are some of the projects you are working on now?


LM-I have just finished developing curricula for spiritual care givers specific to suicidality in the trans and gender-variant communities for the Trans Faith Institute. It is an issue that is especially dear to my heart and of critical importance to our community. Many folk who are in clergy or in another form of spiritual practice are ill equipped to deal with suicidality and even less equipped to deal with the issue specifically in the trans communities.

I am spending most of my time being a dad, preparing to return to school, preaching and making myself available for speaking and trainings again.


8.  I know you are immensely proud of your daughter.  What's it like being a parent?



LM-I can’t even describe it! I melt when she smiles and opens her arms and says “Dada”! A lifetime ago, I dreamt of this moment and felt certain that I would never know this feeling – I can scarcely believe I’m not still dreaming. Kahlo has just turned one and she is amazing! She is curious, observant, assertive and vociferous. She is strong-willed and determined and I love that! She makes me want to practice more self-care and self-reflection and to be a better person, so that I can be a better father. I’m so very, very, very grateful for her…and I love her so very, very, very much!


9.  You get to flip the script and ask the TransGriot a question you've been dying to ask me. Fire away. 

LM-I’m going to cheat and ask two…lol. When are you going to write/finish your autobiography? You are so awesome at lifting up our history and our history in the making, but what about you and your amazing life? And two (they are related), when are you going to start a publishing company for our works? I know and you know you could do it and do it with excellence! I love you, sis…so grateful for you!!!


10. Where do you see the Black trans community ten years from now?

LM-I see us everywhere, doing what we do! Producing, shaping, creating – holding offices, starting businesses, finding cures, making art and music, breaking athletic records, creating families of all kinds, healing families of origin, starting/opening/seeding mosques, churches, yoga studios, retreats, writing fiction and non-fiction, owning our own work, our own land/houses, supporting each other in philanthropic ways! The sky isn’t even a limit for us. I’ve seen us do so much with so little – we are chosen, called, anointed and purposeful!!!!

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.