Thanks OutSmart Readers For The Dual Wins!

As I've said more than a few times on the blog, in numerous panel discussions and speeches, I don't do the activism I do for awards.   But it sure is nice when the work you put into advancing the human rights of yourself and others gets recognized by the people you are fighting for.

OutSmart Magazine is a monthly LGBT themed publication here in Houston.  It does an annual Readers Choice Award, and in the 2014 edition I was shocked to discover that I was nominated in three categories.  

Even better, I won in two of them.

Considering the lousy, unnecessary drama filled second half of September I've had, it was much needed positive news.

I was nominated along with Kristen Capps and winner Christina Gorczynski in the Most Prominent LGBT Female Activist category.   I was also nominated for the Favorite Blogger female and Favorite Tweeter female categories which I won.

I'm humbled by the support of my local community, and thank you OutSmart readers and everyone who voted for me for the dual wins.   It's deeply appreciated. 

Congratulations also goes out to all the nominees and winners in this year's 2014 Gayest and Greatest poll.

TransGriot 2014 NFL Picks-Week 5

Aww yeah, had a great Week 4 picking games and for a minute it was looking possible I was finally going to get my elusive perfect week.

Then the NFL afternoon and evening games, Tampa Bay's upset of the Steelers and the Chiefs hammering the Patriots Monday night happened.

I still ended up with a respectable 8-5 record to win the week while Eli and Mike had a rough Week 3.

Now comes the week that every Texans fan has waited for since they announced the 2014 schedule back in April.  It's a regular season match up at Jerryworld with the hated Dallas Cowboys.

One of the highlights of the Texans inaugural season in 2002 was that 19-10 opening win at Reliant over the hated Cowchips.   Unfortunately the last two matchups in 2006 and 2010 went their way.

But this time the Cowchips will have to deal with Justin James Watt and the Texans defense.   Hopefully Good Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Texans rushing attack atones for their sorry performance against the Bills this Sunday.  

We will find out who emerges victorious in the Governor's Cup Battle on Sunday, but time to get to the Week 5 NFL picks.  There are only 15 games to pick this week because Miami and Oakland went across The Pond to play and are getting their bye week.

Dennis Allen is spending it cleaning out his office and looking for a new job after the Raiders fired him yesterday.

As usual, my picks will be in underlined bold print.  Mike and Eli's will be here.

Week 4 Results

TransGriot    8-5
Eli                 6-7
Mike             7-6

2014 NFL Season Record

TransGriot     37-24
Eli                  34-27
Mike              35-26



NFL Week 5 Picks

Thursday Night Game
Green Bay over Minnesota

Sunday Early Games
Detroit over Buffalo
Indianapolis over Baltimore
Cleveland over Tennessee
Chicago over Carolina
Houston over Dallas
Pittsburgh over Jacksonville
New Orleans over Tampa Bay
NY Giants over Atlanta
Philadelphia over St. Louis

Sunday Afternoon Games
Denver over Arizona
San Francisco over Kansas City
San Diego over NY Jets

Sunday Night Game
New England over Cincinnati

Monday Night Game
Seattle over Washington

GenderProud ID Video

Identification documents that matches who we are as people is vital to us navigating the world with as little drama as possible.

ID that matches our gender presentations is a human right and transpeople shouldn't have to go through bureaucratic hoops and surgical or medical intervention to get it.   ID that matches our gender presentation is also needed so that we can avoid being outed and greasing the skids for anti-trans attitudes and discrimination.

This GenderProud video makes some valid points as to why ID that matches our outward presentation of our deeply held internal gender identities is a human rights issue.

Trans and Gay Panic Legal Defenses Banned In California

The good human rights news just keeps on coming. 

The California Assembly passed on a 50-10 vote in August the AB 2501 bill authored by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla that bans the use of trans and gay panic defenses in California criminal courts.  

Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed the bill into law, and it makes California the first state to ban the odious trans and gay panic defenses.

There is absolutely no justification for the use of ‘panic defenses,’" Assemblywoman Bonilla said in a statement. "Clearly this tactic has been utilized by defendants, unjustly targeting members of the LGBT community, based on damaging stereotypes. With AB 2501, we are moving forward to ensure equality in our courts and making it very clear that discrimination against the LGBT community is intolerable and unacceptable.”

Here's hoping that other states follow California's lead and pass similar legislation.

Texas Governor's Debate: Round Two

This second debate between Wendy Davis and Greg Abbott last night in Dallas got a little more contentious than the first debate in the Valley.  

Many statewide media pundits in the post debate aftermath consider Wendy to have won this one, and I concur with that assessment. 

To be honest, They really needed to do one in a town hall format, but Abbott didn't want that for obvious reasons.

For those of you who didn't get to see it live last night or who didn't see the livestream of it, as a TransGriot public service, your favorite blogger will make it easy for you to check it out.

NFL Flags Muslim Player For Prayer

The NFL used to be the most PR savvy professional sports league in the country.  

But lately it has been buffeted by multiple scandals and kerfluffles, while seeming to be hellbent on liking up to the sarcastic nickname of the 'No Fun League'  

I enjoyed watching the New England Patriots get their butts kicked by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.  I enjoyed watching this 39 yard pick six by Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah that helped propel the Chiefs to their 41-14 win over the Patriots. 

What has people pissed off is that after the pick six, Abdullah prayed in the end zone for a moment and was flagged for a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct for 'excessive celebration'.

Okay, I have a problem with that after having to watch Tim Tebow multiple times and a long line of Christian NFL athletes proselytize their faith after scoring TD's. 

Abdullah is a devout Muslim who skipped the 2012 season so that he could take part in the Hajj to Mecca with his brother Hamza Abdullah, who played in the NFL for several seasons.   Both wanted to take part in the Hajj while they had the means to do so.   Hamza Abdullah has yet to be picked up by an NFL team since making that journey, while Husain is now in his second season with the Chiefs after playing for the Minnesota Vikings from 2008-11.  

Abdullah also practices the traditional fast that happens during Ramadan even though it falls during training camp.

The problematic penalty flag also drew the attention of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.  The organization issued a statement early Tuesday asking that the NFL take steps in response to the growing backlash citing the problematic nature of the penalty.

"To prevent the appearance of a double standard, we urge league officials to clarify the policy on prayer and recognize that the official made a mistake in this case," said CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper.

The NFL to their credit, acknowledged that Abdullah and the Chiefs shouldn't have been penalized   Even Abdullah noted that it was probably the end zone slide before the prayer that drew the flag. 

"I'm pretty sure he understands who I am, what my faith is," he said in a ESPN interview. "And again, I think the prostration is all right. It's the slide. Come to a full stop, get down, make the prostration, get up and get out."
 

Texas Lt. Governor's Debate

Where's State Senator Dan Patrick been in this 2014 lieutenant governor's race?   Hiding from the people of Texas.

Yeah, Dan's been running from the spotlight and hanging out with his 1% GOP buds in his bid to avoid any campaigning, debates or media events that will draw attention to his sorry record.

But Dan couldn't hide on Tuesday night.   He had to come out of his undisclosed Lone Star State location and hit a debate stage in Austin with State Senator  Leticia Van de Putte for their one and only debate before we Texans begin going to the polls on October 20.

And here's the video of the debate.

Have A Happy Birthday, Isis!

One of the things I have been most happy to see over the last few years is the renewed rise of #girlslikeus walking the fashion runways of the world and in some cases working behind the scenes to make those shows happen..  

One of the peeps I had the pleasure of finally meeting after chatting and talking to her on the phone over the last few years is my talented sis Isis King. 

She's a twentysomething multitalented woman who in addition to her demonstrated runway ripping skills, is also a fashion designer and actress. 

It was the acting part which was the reason why I got to meet her in H-town back in April.

The movie Hello Forever she was starring in premiered at the World Fest film festival here.   I enjoyed getting the opportunity to finally meet and kick it with my beautiful sis and the cast

Well, couldn't let her birthday pass without giving my sis a proper TransGriot birthday shoutout!

Have a wonderful day filled with abundant blessings, love, and smiles, and may you have many more of them.   I also hope I get to spend some quality time with you the next time I'm in New York.

Wendy vs Greg: Round Two

The final Texas gubernatorial debate between Wendy Davis and Greg Abbott is taking place later tonight in Dallas, and I'm hoping to see a lot more fireworks in this one. 

But since both candidates are playing not to make the game changing mistake that can swing the election, it's probably going to be just as close to the vest as this one.

Frankly, I would have rather seen a couple of town hall ones in which both candidates have to take questions from the audience, and would have loved those town halls to have been in The Valley and on the TSU campus in Houston for starters..  

But for you political junkies, the debate starts at 8 PM.  I've been invited to a debate watch party later tonight with a group of Wendy Davis supporters gathering at Nikki Araguz Loyd's house (yep, that Nikki).   KXAS-TV (NBC5), KXTX-TV (Telemundo 39), The Dallas Morning News, Texas Association of Broadcasters are the sponsors of it with the moderator for tonight's political fun being KERA managing editor Shelley Kofler. 

The questions will come from panelists Brian Curtis, NBC5; Peggy Fikac, San Antonio Express-News/Houston Chronicle; Norma García, Telemundo 39; and Gromer Jeffers Jr., The Dallas Morning News.  

If you don't live in the Lone Star State, the debate is being livestreamed, and it may end up being broadcast on C-SPAN like the first debate was.

What I'd Like For Transitioning Trans WOC

Yesterday I got an opportunity to participate in a Twitter discussion on the topic of stopping anti-trans violence disproportionately aimed at trans women of color moderated by Kylar Broadus. 

It took place for an hour starting at 2 PM EDT, and if you wish to check out the Twitter chat thread, you can search the ‪#‎StopTransMurders‬ thread to read mine and the comments of others on that topic.   

When Katrina Goodlett pointed out she was about to reach her 35th birthday in two weeks, it was a sad reminder that is the average life expectancy for TWOC's because of anti-trans violence aimed at trans women of color, and it drove me to write this comment in response:

I would like for a transitioning TWOC to expect to live her life past her 35th birthday ‪#‎StopTransMurders‬

I didn't stop there.  I posted on my Facebook page I would like for that transitioning TWOC to have a roof over her head, a job at a living wage, food in her pantry, medical care and clothes in her closet.

And that resulted in the thinking that resulted in what else I'd like to see for transitioning trans women of color.

I'd like for a transitioning TWOC to have caring, loyal and supportive family and friends enveloping her in love and support so she can concentrate on being the best person she can be.

I'd like for a transitioning TWOC to have her life respected and protected.  

I'd like for a transitioning TWOC to not have to deal with negative law enforcement attitudes that manifest themselves into when they see her walking down the street, she's a target for harassment, she gets stopped and frisked for Walking While Trans, or worse.

I'd like a transitioning TWOC to recognize she is part of a long line of fabulous women with a proud heritage, has sisters cis and trans, and she is not alone. 
I'd like for a transitioning TWOC to have pride in herself, know her history, and be proud of being a trans woman of color.

I'd like for a transitioning TWOC to be able to get her name and identity document changes without drama or hassle from bureaucrats.

I'd like for a transitioning TWOC to be able to love and marry the person of whatever gender that loves them, be they cis or trans without stigma. 

I'd like for a transitioning TWOC to see the day that people who love them and desire them as life partners aren't ashamed of them.

I'd like for a transitioning TWOC to see the day that cis women recognize that trans women are women, and we are your allies and sisters in the struggle.

I like for a transitioning TWOC to see the day that the Transgender Day Of Remembrance becomes obsolete.  

But that is a long way from happening until the lives of trans women of color, and especially Black trans women matter not only to ourselves, but our own people.

But a sistah can dream can't she?   This is one dream I'd definitely like to make a reality.

2014 FIBA Women's World Championship Watch- On To The Quarters

The FIBA World Championship For Women started in Turkey on September 27.

Team USA is multitasking during this tournament.  They are not only trying to defend their world title and keep their long winning streak alive, they are also trying to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

The 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship squad is comprised of Brittney Griner, Tina Charles, Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Angel McCoughtry, Odyssey Sims, Diana Taurasi, Candice Dupree, Nneka Ogwumike and UConn's Breanna Stewart.

The Geno Auriemma coached Team USA squad got their title defense off to a strong start when they took out China in their opening Group D matchup 87-56 in Istanbul.  

Maya Moore and Brittney Griner were the leading scorers in this game for Team USA with 15 points apiece.  My Houston homegirl also made some FIBA history when she threw down the first ever dunk in FIBA Women's World Championship competition early in the first quarter.  



The next day (September 28) Team USA took out Serbia 94-74.  This time it was Diana Taurasi doing the damage with 20 points to lead all Team USA scorers as they clinched their spot in the quarterfinals with one pool play game left today against Angola.

If Team USA does what we expect and wins the game against Angola today, Team USA will finish atop Group D and play on October 3 in Istanbul the winner of the Brazil- France knockout round game. 

France and Canada play today in Group B to determine who finishes second in their group.   Winner plays Brazil on October 1 in the elimination round while the loser plays 2010 finalists the Czech Republic in an elimination round game.

The USA's longtime international b-ball rivals Australia are on their side of the bracket and won Group C.  If they handle their quarterfinal business would meet Team USA in the semis. 

You know the Opals are just itching to dish out some payback and knock off the FIBA world number one ranked Team USA short of the October 5 finals, but may not have enough firepower to do so since Lauren Jackson is sitting this FIBA tournament out.

We'll see on October 5 if Team USA accomplishes its mission of repeating as the best FIBA women's basketball squad in the world.

TransGriot Update:  Team USA knocked off Angola 119-44.  My other Houston homegirl Nneka Ogwunmike led all USA scorers with 18 points while grabbing 12 rebounds.

When Will Transpeople Be Able To Openly Serve Our Country?

September 20 was the third anniversary of the day that DADT took effect and allowed the LGB end of the community to openly serve in our country's armed forces.

I till have to ask the question along with SPARTA and the rest of the trans community, when will we be able to do the same?

Legislation does not need to be passed via our do nothing Congress to make this a reality.  

The studies have been done to prove that transgender military service will be feasible, can be done administratively, would not harm military readiness, cause major changes to medical policies, or be burdensome or complicated to implement.

So what's the holdup?

There are an estimated 15,000 trans people already serving in our armed forces, so why not  do them the favor of lifting the ban on transgender people being able to serve openly so they can do so proudly?

You can also sign this Change.org petition to help sped the process along.

It would also allow transpeople who do wish to serve our country the option of doing so.  It would also pave the way for the United States to join the ranks of countries such as Germany, the UK, Australia and Israel that allow their trans citizens to serve.

It's past time for trans people to have the ability to do so

Barney, STFU

Far from staying his azz in retirement and keeping his lips in neutral when it comes to anything trans related, trans oppressor and former Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) opened his lips and tried to rewrite history.

He tried to justify his reprehensible actions of cutting transpeople out of an inclusive ENDA bill in 2007 and slam transpeople at the same time.

In a recent GAVoice interview He blasted HRC president Chad Griffin for making the apology at the recent Southern Comfort Conference to the tran community and claimed his political instincts were off and is still trying to pimp the lie he told in 2007 that the votes to pass a trans inclusive ENDA weren't there.

Bullshit. They were.  Your transphobic behind wanted to keep us out of ENDA and you were looking for ANY excuse to do so.

I still find it interesting that the whip count you conducted was done while the Congressional Black Caucus and much of the Hill was attending the 2007 CBCF Foundation Annual Legislative Caucus.

And what you said in that interview was a blatant lie.  Scores of transpeople have been hitting Capitol Hill to lobby since 1994.  I personally have been spending my own money and burning up my vacation time at various jobs to do so since 1998.  Many of us when we couldn't go to Washington DC to do so did so at the local congressional offices.  

The biggest impediments to trans people being included in ENDA since 1994 have been you and HRC.  And no amount of spin can change that attempted pinkwashing of that sorry record.

Purple One, you were the one that came up with the bathroom argument that our right wing opponents have been trying to use to oppress us with   

So no, the only person with suspect political instincts is you.    And you really need to come clean about that  transphobia that you still harbor in your heart.

UN Human Rights Council Passes LGBT Resolution

The good TBLG rights news just keeps on coming internationally

The United Nations Human Rights Council after an hour of debate, has passed by a 25-14 margin with seven abstentions an LGBT human rights resolution that condemns discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation

The resolution was proposed a month ago by Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay.   There were seven amendments proposed by nations opposed to the LGBT resolution designed to strip mentioning gender identity and sexual orientation that were soundly defeated.

The nations voting for passage of the resolution were Argentina, Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Montenegro, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, South Africa, Macedonia, the U.K., the United States, Venezuela and Vietnam.

The nations opposed were Algeria, Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Indonesia, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The nations abstaining were Burkina Faso, China, Congo, India, Kazakhstan, Namibia and Sierra Leone.

The passage of the amendment was applauded by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC).

"The Human Rights Council has taken a fundamental step forward by reaffirming one of the United Nations’ key principles — that everyone is equal in dignity and rights.” said Jessica Stern, the executive director of IGLHRC. “This resolution puts the UN on a trajectory to address the discrimination and violence LGBT persons suffer daily across the world.”

"The council is confirming that LGBT people have universal human rights,” Stern said. “We know, of course, that the struggle is long, and that we will need the Council to focus on the violations we suffer for many years to come. But for now, we celebrate that the majority of States stood with us to declare, unequivocally, that human rights are for everyone, everywhere.”

Trans and LGB rights issues are international human rights issues, and this vote by the UN Human Rights Council is more evidence this is not only a statement of fact, but our opponents are on the wrong side of human rights history once again.

- See more at: http://www.sdgln.com/news/2014/09/26/breaking-un-human-rights-council-votes-support-lgbt-rights#sthash.M2wVjq9n.dp

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Shut Up Fool Awards-Voting Is Sexy And Important Edition

Time flies, especially as you get older.   Summer has turned into fall on my side of the planet, which promises relief from the hot, steamy weather typical of my beloved hometown this time of year. 

But one thing never changes.  As Mr T so eloquently stated, fools are everywhere, and no time is that more true than during the runup to a major election.

Hope you peeps are registered and planning to handle you electoral business and vote November 4. 

And yes, from now until that date, I plan on hounding you so you don't forget how important this upcoming election is and how vital it is for you to participate in it.

And only your electoral participation can prevent right wing jerks from getting elected to public office.

And yes, since today is Friday, time for me to do my weekly duty and call out the fool, fools and groups of fools that have so richly earned this week's awards.

So lets get to it shall we?

Honorable mention number one is Tamikka Brents.    After she bumped her gums spreading transphobic shade about Fallon Fox and how she couldn't wait to fight her, after Fallon beat that azz back on September 13 in a 2:17 TKO, she whined about the butt kicking and claimed fighting  transfeminine fighters 'isn't fair'.

Must be the concussion talking.   My suggestion to you Tamikka is to stop flapping your gums and get into the gym and do more training so you don't sustain more beatdowns like the one you took from someone you claim couldn't fight.

Honorable mention number two is Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R)  who claims HB 2 would have saved Joan Rivers life.  

Um naw homes, don't even try it.    Joan Rivers was not having an abortion, she was at an ambulatory surgery center having plastic surgery under the care of a doctor with admittance privileges to Mt Sinai Hospital. 

And every Stevie Wonder can see that your HB 2 law is not about saving lives but closing abortion clinics.

Honorable mention number three is Kevin Sorbo, who bizarrely claimed on FOX Noise that the NFL won't fire anyone over the domestic abuse scandal roiling the league because of get this, Benghazi.

Last time I checked, there were no NFL franchises in Libya.

Honorable mention number four is a group award for the National Center for Transgender Equality.  NCTE recently put out a call asking trans persons of color for their discrimination stories that they will videotape and use to solicit funds for their organization.  And what will they compensate the New York transpeeps they ask to share their stories with?   Subway fare.

Typical of NCTE and other Gay Inc orgs.   They want our POC faces in their photos and videos, want to use our stories to fundraise off of, but won't hire transpeople of color to work in their predominately white organizations. 

Honorable mention number five is for Vinny Minchillo, a GOP operative who is spearheading a campaign to remind everyone that Republicans Have Feelings Too.

Really?  Republicans have feelings? Can't tell by their current actions, policies and hateful rhetoric buttressing them.   Those reprehensible multiyear actions confirm to me and 'errbody' else that isn't white, male, rich and right wing 'christian' that the GOP is nothing more than the political arm of white supremacy.And Vinny, you have a serious problem as a party if you have to cut ads to remind people you are human after all the racist, hateful crap your party has said, done and proposed in your legislative policies.

Honorable mention number six is New York Times writer Alessandra Stanley, for writing that jacked up Shonda Rhimes article that not only called her  an 'angry Black woman', but called Viola Davis 'less classically beautiful'.

Black Twitter calls her azz out in 5...4...3...2...1

Honorable mention number seven is Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who continues to live up to the dumb blonde stereotype ever since she migrated over from The View to become a FOX fembot.

Liz parted her lips on Fox and Friends earlier in the week to state that all people should pass a citizenship test before they are allowed to vote.   Guess she was asleep in history class when they discussed Jim Crow segregation and the use of literacy tests to disenfranchise African-American voters. 


This week's Shut Up Fool winner is Pastor John Hagee.

A video recently surfaced in which the San Antonio based christopimp is quoted based on a misinterpretation of 2 Thessalonians currently in vogue with conservafools.   This verse is used in conservaworld  to justify the income inequality that blossomed on their watch. 

Hagee was quoted as saying that 'nasty welfare recipients don't deserve to eat live




Hypocritical azzholes like you don't deserve to be called Christians.

Pastor John Hagee, shut up fool!

Atherton HS Gender Identity Inclusive Nondiscrimination Policy Still Stands

Back in May Atherton High School's site Based Decision Making Committee added gender identity to the school's non discrimination policy.

Because the policy allows trans students to use the restroom based on their gender identity and presentation, predictably the local haters in Da Ville went to work trying to overturn it.

After failing at the Atherton SBDM Committee level to do so it went to a JCPS  appeal board hearing.

The SBDM Appeal Board was comprised of four teachers selected by the union, two parents selected by the PTSA and one principal selected by the Administrators Association.

There's good news to report.  By a 6-1 vote the appeal to rescind Atherton's addition of gender identity to their non-discrimination policy was defeated!  

As for the breakdown on the vote, the four teachers and the two parents voted to deny the appeal with the principal from Central High School voting for it.

So happy to hear that.   It's a big win not only for the gender variant students that attend Atherton but all students on the campus..

Okay JCPS School Board, now it's time for you to handle the business you should have handled back in 2007 and pass a district wide addition to your non-discrimination policy that includes gender identity

Debunking The Top 5 Myths About TBLG Rights Laws

We heard all those lies during our recent contentious battle to pass the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, and Media Matters For America now has produced this video that debunks the Top 5 lies.

So file this video away for future reference and use when your locale decides to pass an LGBT rights ordinance or you build the critical political mass to push for passage of one.

Because we know that as soon as your local governmental entity decides to do the right thing and protect their LGBT citizens, the conservahaters will deploy these lies in a desperate attempt to derail it.

And what are those conservalies?

1. LGBTQ folks aren't actually discriminated against anymore.
2. Non-discrimination laws create special rights for LGBTQ folks.
3. Non-discrimination laws infringe on the religious rights of Christians.
4. Non-discrimination laws will trigger a wave of frivolous law suits.
5. Non-discrimination laws let sexual predators sneak in women's bathrooms.

Here's the video.

 

Scarlett Lehn Crowned Homecoming Queen In Colorado

Scarlet Lehn has only been officially out as a transfeminine student at Sand Creek High School in Colorado Springs, CO since the start of this school year, but the 16 year old mas made a little history in the wake of doing so.

Lehn was chosen by her classmates to be their homecoming queen on September 12, the same weekend as transmasculine student Mel Gonzalez was chosen as the homecoming king at Austin High in Fort Bend County. 

It's also delicious to me that Sand Creek High School is located in the backyard of the odiously transphobic and homophobic Focus on The Family.  FOTF is headquartered there. 

While she's gotten some predictable flak from right wingers and the usual haters, the homecoming win was a surprise to her.  “I didn’t think I’d be nominated, but now it really matters to me,” Lehn said in a recent interview. “This is something I’ve wanted to do since my freshman year. I want people to be themselves and not feel uncomfortable in their own body and mind.”

And it's wonderful that your coming out was accepted by your classmates so quickly that they voted for you to be honored as their homecoming queen.

Congratulations Scarlett!   Looking forward to this happening in my home state soon.

TransGriot 2014 NFL Picks-Week 4

I rebounded from that subpar 7-9 Week 2 to have a great Week 3.  While my 11-5 record was outstanding, unfortunately Eli matched me and Mike's 13-3 was even better. 

So my initial advantage I grabbed with that outstanding Week 1 has shrunk to a one game lead.  But this contest is never a sprint, it's a marathon with the strategy of having more good weeks than bad ones so you come out on top at the end of the season

Speaking of coming out on top, that's not what happened for the Texans in New Jersey last weekend as Bad Ryan Fitzpatrick showed up at the worst time with Arian Foster on the bench nursing a sore hamstring. in their 30-17 loss 

And I have  another piece of advice for coach O'Brien.  Throw  Deandre Hopkins the ball more often.

Buffalo comes to NRG Stadium to play, and it is imperative the Texans get whatever ailed them in last week's game fixed fast.   We Texans fans still remember them getting off to a 2-0 start and subsequently losing their next 14 games, so they better handle their business this week and especially next week at Jerryworld.

So let's get to the Week 4 NFL Picks.     We have teams starting to go on their bye weeks, so only 13 games to pick.   The Cardinals, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Rams and Seahawks get to watch 'errbody' else play this week while the Raiders and Dolphins game will be played at Wembley Stadium in London.  

My picks are in underlined bold print.   Eli and Mike's picks will be here.

Week 3 Results

TransGriot   11-5
Eli                11-5
Mike.           13-3

 2014 NFL Season Record

TransGriot    29-19
Eli                 28-20
Mike             28-20  

Thursday Night Game
NY Giants over Washington

Sunday Early Games
Houston over Buffalo
Green Bay over Chicago
Indianapolis over Tennessee
Pittsburgh over Tampa Bay
Baltimore over Carolina

Miami over Oakland (London)
Detroit over NY Jets

Sunday Afternoon Games
Atlanta over Minnesota
Philadelphia over San Francisco
San Diego over Jacksonville

Sunday Night Game
New Orleans over Dallas

Monday Night Game
New England over Kansas City

The 2014-2015 Trans School Year Is Off To A Great Start

'I expect this school year won't be any different.  But as this 2014-15 school year transpires, there will probably be trans history made in some locales before the academic year has come to a close.' 
TransGriot, August 25, 2014  Have A Wonderful 2014-15 School Year

Can I call it or what?  

September hasn't even ended and we've already seen the crowning of a transmasculine homecoming king and transfeminine homecoming queen in Texas and Colorado.   Hopefully this is just the beginning of more positive news coming from the members of the Class of 2015.

As I stated last month, I expect some drama to happen before this school year draws to a close   Drama like transphobic school districts reluctant to let trans students run for homecoming king or queen, run for prom king or queen, prom dress code kerfluffles, potty wars, cap and gown graduation battles, or just simply getting ID to match who they are now. 

But know Class of 2015, you do have help to turn to in case these fools step to you like Lambda Legal, GLSEN and the ACLU ready to pounce on those who would mess with your human rights

And I'm looking forward to hearing about more of your groundbreaking accomplishments and you achieving the goal of graduating.

But we have a few months until May gets here before that happens.