Headed To Austin To Lobby Against Unjust Bills

As many of you are aware of,  we're dealing with s trio of unjust anti- trans legislation in the Lone Star State in Rep Debbie Riddle's HB 1748 and Rep Gilbert Pena's  HB 2801 and 2802s

With hearings coming soon on these unjust bills, Texas trans peeps and our allies are traveling to Austin to make the point we live here and aren't down with criminalizing our lives just for going to the bathroom.

These bills as you probably guessed would especially have a deleterious effect on trans communities of color.

We're rolling westbound on US 290 as you read this to handle our lobbying business and start the conversation with our state lawmakers about just how off the charts bad these bills are for our state.

Our ETA is around 12 noon, and after our briefing at Equality Texas HQ we'll get started handling our legislative business.  Hope they and their staffs listen to what we have to say.

Should be an interesting day in Austin, so don't miss the latest TransGriot update as Moni goes to lobby in Austin for the first time since 2001.

Melissa Sklarz Elected ESPA Foundation Board Co-Chair!

The trans rights movement momentum continues forward despite the desperate attempts of our misguided oppressors to stop it.

Megacongratulations go out to Melissa Sklarz, who was elected the co-chair of the Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation's Board of Directors.

It marks the first time in the 25 year history of the organization that a trans person has been tapped to lead it.

Sklarz will serve alongside Norman C. Simon, a partner at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, who has served as Co-Chair of the Foundation Board since 2013 and was reelected to a third term at last weekend’s board meeting.

Sklarz is no stranger to breaking barriers.  In September 1999, she was the first transgender person to be elected to office in the New York Democratic Party.  Sklarz also was the first transgender delegate from New York to the Democratic National Convention in 2004.  In 2008, she was co-chair of Obama Pride NYC, the LGBT group working to elect President Obama in New York.  Sklarz served as the first transgender President of the Stonewall Democratic Club in New York City from 2012 to 2014.  She also served on Manhattan’s Community Board 2 for six years, and as president of the Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats.

After becoming a peer counselor at the Gender Identity Project in the mid-90s, Sklarz discovered there were little to no resources available to transgender New Yorkers, inspiring her to get involved with government and the political system.  She was a leader in successfully advocating for transgender anti-discrimination protections in New York City under a law signed in 2002 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 

Since then, Sklarz has been working hard to  enact the same protections statewide through the passage of GENDA.  Sklarz has long worked on other issues of importance to LGBT New Yorkers, including civil rights protections; improved health care funding and access; birth certificate gender marker change modernization; education on transgender issues; and services for the LGBT aging population..

Congratulations once again Melissa for another groundbreaking step, and hope it finally results in the far too long delayed and denied trans human rights coverage for all New Yorkers

Is Pride Houston Selling Woof Tickets On Inclusion?

Great first steps to undo the unnecessary drama started by the initial decision, but satisfying to many people including those of us who warned about the Juneteenth scheduling conflict in the first place..

We'll be watching to make sure PRIDE Houston follows through on what you told that packed meeting room you'd do.

Deeds will be far more important than words from now on.
-TransGriot , November 14, 2014

You'll remember yours truly a few months ago talking about the boneheaded, arrogant and vanillacentric privileged clueless decision of Pride Houston to move the date of the 2015 pride parade to Juneteenth despite the warnings of myself and other Houston African American TBLGQ leaders and allies not to do that.

It triggered an unnecessary media firestorm, and at a contentious November 13 Pride Houston community meeting, in addition to Pride Houston moving the date back (June 27) to the traditional last weekend in June, promises were made by Pride Houston to form a Diversity Committee, to add board candidates more in tune with the ethnic diversity of the Houston LGBT community, and to sponsor a float in the 2015 Juneteenth parade.

It's now four months later, and I'm hearing disturbing chatter in Houston SGL, trans and bi world and from our allies that Pride Houston has backslid into its insular, secretive ways that got them into trouble last October and November.

Their deeds so far have not matched their words, and Juneteenth is fast approaching.  As of this writing, Kijana Wiseman, the chair of the Juneteenth Emancipation Celebration & Parade has yet to hear from, much less receive an e-mail from Frankie Quijano or anyone else on the Pride Houston board concerning participation in their 2015 Juneteenth parade.  

And speaking of the Pride Houston board, I'm hearing a problematic allegation that a trans feminine person who wished to serve on the Pride Houston board predominately packed with peeps from the gay wing of the community was stonewalled (pun intended) for several weeks before being told all positions were filled.

As for that Pride Houston Diversity Committee, it has yet to be formed, much less have parties interested in joining it be told when and how to apply for it and when it will have its first meeting.

So yep, starting to look like Pride Houston was selling woof tickets when the unblinking eye of Houston news media cameras was turned on them.  

Maybe it's time for the Houston media cameras to be turned on Pride Houston once again to ensure they keep the promises made to the entire Houston community last November and make them realize we were deadly serious about having a Pride Houston board that reflects the diversity of our city and all the letters in our H-town BTLGIQ community..

The Mounting Problems With Zoey

Hanna Zoey Tur's  claim to fame before transition was as a journalist and the helicopter pilot who filmed the attack on Reginald Denny during the jump off phase of the 1992 LA Rebellion and the slow speed chase of OJ Simpson's Bronco down a Los Angeles freeway in 1994.

Tur has recently been hired as a reporter for Inside Edition, and ever since has been a living embodiment of a prescient Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quote:

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

And I would add to that King quote, "especially when it comes out of the mouth of a newbie transsexual with access to a national media platform and is chasing fame."

Lately Tur's propensity to part those lips and say increasingly problematic stuff about the trans community has me concerned and pissed off at the same time.   When she gets called out on her loud and wrong statements, she resorts to attacking the messenger as she did with Dr Dana Beyer and Rebecca Juro.

Pro Tip: I give as good as I get Boo Boo Kitty, so your white privilege addled 'twoo twansexual' ass would be well advised to have several seats at Staples Center, have a nice tall glass of STHU and not step to me.  And if you are even thinking about it, better hit Google before you do.

You've been warned.   Back to riffing on your nekulturny behavior.

Ms. Tur has been mistakenly called the first transgender television news reporter.

Nope, Eden Lane beat you to that distinction in 2008 when she covered the DNC Convention in Denver for PBS and has had a show called In Touch With Eden Lane on Colorado public television since 2009.  Carol Marra in Brazil (2012) and Michelle Demishevich in Turkey (2013) also beat you to that internationally.

In her loud and wrong reign of conservaerror, Tur has stated that people who don't have genital surgery shouldn't get human rights coverage, the only true transsexuals are those who work in hypemasculine fields and have conservafool political views, she doesn't respect the gender identities and presentations of people she doesn't have anything in common with, and trans kids shouldn't be participating on athletic teams that match their presented gender among other loud, wrong comments.

That's mighty white TS separatist trans of your fresh off the SRS table behind.

In addition to that small sample of your rapidly accumulating transphobic body of work, you also got my attention when you took potshots at two people I and the African-American trans community have much respect and love for in Janet Mock and Laverne Cox.  

They along with Eden Lane opened the doors for you to get your Inside Edition show with their successful appearances on The View, the Melissa Harris-Perry show and other media outlets,, so don't get it twisted.

Janet and Laverne also have intelligently done so while having more class in their pinkie fingers than you have displayed thus far.

And WTF is wrong with you for basically claiming that trans men don't exist.  Bring your loud and wrong behind to any trans conference and you will see the rank stupidity that statement encapsulates.

Trans men don't exist? Really? That's news to Jamison Green, Diego Sanchez, Gunner Scott, Ethan St. Pierre, Yeshua Holiday, Kylar Broadus, Louis Mitchell, Yosenio Lewis and countless other trans men were advancing trans human rights and educating about our issues while your ass was flying that news chopper following OJ's Bronco down the 405 freeway.   

That comment would also be news to trans men like the late Alexander John Goodrum, Marcelle Cook-Daniels, Wilmer Broadnax, and Jim McHarris who were living their trans masculine lives way before you even thought about transitioning.

That would also be news to trans men like Carter Brown, Tiq Milan, Dr Kortney Ryan Ziegler and Lou Weaver who are trailblazing leaders in this community.

It's sad when our outstanding transkids like Jazz are more intelligent, eloquent and credible spokespersons for our community than this Susan Stanton 2.0 that is a trans legend in her own mind.

You have a right to your own opinions and political beliefs Ms. Tur.   Where I and other people draw the line is when you have a media platform to express those beliefs, they are loud and wrong, you refuse to listen to people who have far more experience navigating Trans Life than you, and your comments can be used by our opponents to undermine what little progress we have made trans human rights wise in this country.

As a longtime award winning leader in the African-American trans community whose members are already catching hell because of ignorance of trans issues, your comments make it harder for me and others to educate my people on the issues that impact our community.

With each loud and wrong utterance that passes between your lips, you alienate more and more trans people in this community that once upon a time were willing to help lift you up while making our anti-trans opposition smile.

Nicole Ramos-'You'll Always Be A Man"

To give you another taste of the birthday girl's video blog, check out what my Lone Star sis had to say in this January 2015 post about the all purpose insult that our cisgender detractors like to fling at us in the "You'll always be a man" one.

Happy Birthday Nicole!

Time for another TransGriot birthday shoutout, and it goes to someone who is an emerging voice in our trans community ranks at just age 23.

Meet San Antonio based video blogger Nicole Ramos.   In addition to her popular YouTube channel, this proud trans Latina has made appearances on various talk shows to intelligently talk about our issues.



Looking forward to the next opportunity I get to spend some time on her end of I-10 and the day I finally get to meet this up and coming young leader to watch. 

Your voice and perspective as a Latina trans woman is also needed as we continue to expand the much needed and ongoing conversation around trans issues.

Happy birthday Nicole!   Thanks for all you do for our community, being an intelligent voice for it, and hope you have a fabulous, fun-filled day.

And to borrow a line from Star Trek, may you live long and prosper on your journey through life.

#LGBTMedia15-Moni's View Of A Conference

For the third consecutive year I was blessed to get an invitation to attend the 6th annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening along with LGBTQ journalists from 22 states and the District of Columbia.

Before I even left for Philly, I had four activism events in two days in Houston, and got back home from the Misfits panel at almost midnight.  

Since I had to allow for METRO bus travel time, I had to get up at 4 AM to get to the airport early enough to check my bag and clear TSA security before my flight.  That meant I was getting barely three hours of sleep before I bounced to Hobby to start my trek via Chicago to Philadelphia.

My lack of sleep started messing with me early when I got off my initial bus block one stop too soon to connect with the 50 Harrisburg that would take me to Hobby.  After realizing my error, I had to quickly walk with my roller bags from Washington Ave two blocks over to the stop on Memorial Drive in the shadow of the municipal courthouse..

I made it to the stop in time because my 50 Harrisburg bus was a few minutes late, and made it to Hobby Airport without further incident.  I checked one bag, cleared TSA security and headed to Gate 51 to wait to board my 8 AM CDT departure to Philadelphia via Chicago-Midway.

I was surprised to see Cristan Williams pop up in the Gate 51 lobby area a few moments later and we ended up traveling to Philly together. 

After arriving in a cloudy and cool Philly and getting to the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel a little after 4 PM  EDT, we settled into our rooms in preparation for the reception that would happen at Comcast Center several blocks up the street at 7 PM. 

I called Mom to let her know I'd safely made it, then fired up my trusty laptop to take advantage of the comp WiFi and check my e-mail.

I was hungry, and noted a small diner called Little Pete's that was just across 17th Street from our hotel.  I ambled down from my 10th floor room, wandered in and ordered some mild buffalo wings to go. While I was waiting for those wings, I had this strange deja vu feeling about this place, and I would find out later at the reception why.

The four events in two days along with the flights, the food and my quiet room sent me to dreamland, and I woke up at 7:15 PM.   After quickly getting dressed, I made it up those six blocks as fast as I could for what was left of the #LGBTMedia15 kickoff reception in the spacious lobby of the building.

I made it, and even managed to get one glass of wine in along with greetings and hugs from several peeps and my friends in the LGBT writing world.  One of them was a local Philly attendee who not only thanked me for my TransGriot posts about the 1965 Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit In, let me know I was staying right across the street from it.

It floored me to know that I'd just bought wings from the place that 50 years ago next month was the site of some trans history before I sat down and waited for the keynote speech from the Rev Dr William Barber.

Soon to be birthday girl Faith Cheltenham joined me, and we were inspired along with everyone else by the dynamic keynote speech that Dr Barber gave us that urged us to not only reclaim the moral high ground in our movement that we have mistakenly ceded to our opponents, but build an intersectional movement at the same time that will fight just as hard for voting rights, a woman's right to choose and a livable wage as we do for marriage.

And I got to ask a question of Dr Barber, who remembered that we'd met in Louisville back in 2005 at the Unity Banquet there, what was the NAACP's stance about the legislation popping up in Florida, Texas and the now dead one in Kentucky seeking to criminalize being transgender?

Answer.  NAACP is opposed to it.   So trans community and allies, get your state and local chapters busy calling the wingers out about those unjust laws

The next day began with breakfast at 7 AM and then heading to the hotel's Grand Ballroom at 9 AM to get our learn on. After the welcome from Bil Browning and singing Happy Birthday to Faith, we got down to the business of getting our learn on in the panels discussions.

The initial panel of the day was entitled The Latest Rightwing Attack: The Danger Of 'Religious Liberty' Laws.   It featured Katherine Grainger breaking down the spate of "Religious Liberty" laws designed to gut the human rights progress we've made over the last 50 years with Matt Foreman asking the questions..

At 9:45 AM the Erin Rook moderated panel entitled What Happens When The Dog Catches The Car with panelists Tiq Milan, Spectra Asala and Urvashi Vaid discussing what's next after marriage equality is achieved.

That gave way after a spirited discussion to a 11:30 AM Brynn Tannehill moderated panel after our 15 minute break entitled Naming and the LGBTQ Community. 

Panelists Diane Anderson-Minshall, Dr Scout and Eliel Cruz had a  wide ranging, fast paced discussion that took us into lunch.

During that lunch, the new Philadelphia LGBT Liaison Nellie Fitzpatrick not only gave us a rousing speech entitled Fighting For Equality From Within: How Government Officials Are Advancing LGBT Rights,  but read a proclamation on behalf of Mayor Nutter declaring Saturday as 'LGBT Media Journalism Day' .

After lunch, we LGBT Media attendees had a choice between two break out sessions. Bijacked: Bisexuals Strike Back Against Inaccurate Reporting or Allies in Race and Gender.

Once those were done, me and my trans cohorts took our break  opportunity to head across the street from our hotel and take group photos in front of the former Dewey's.   Hope there will be a 50th anniversary commemoration of that transcentric historical event next month.

We returned for the final session of the day entitled Three Great HIV Story Ideas You Could Write Tomorrow in which the panelists led my moderator Mark King went through some suggestion of HIV centric stories that we could immediately compose..  We were also given an HIV Style guide to take home with us.

After the feedback session, the #LGBTMedia15 panels were over.   But we still had a visit coming to the John C Anderson Apartments later that evening for a wine and cheese reception there..   It's a LGBT -centric senior apartment building that had just broken ground for construction when the LGBT Media Journalists Convening was last in town   Now it was finished, and the Philly LGBT community was eager to show it off.  

In addition to proudly noting that it had a 150 name waiting list to get into the building, I was also pleased to get my tour of it conducted by a trans elder.

We also spent some time while we were there in a LGBT Women in Media discussion in which a intergenerational group discussed some of the issues affecting the community from our perspectives.

While some of our crew headed to the 11 PM public event at Tavern on Camac, the four vents in two day before I left Houston was finally catching up with me, so I decided to get y cheesesteak ata a place i spotted on the walk from the hotel to the Anderson Apartments and call it a night.

I was obviously still tired because I slept through my alarm and the start of the Sunday closing brunch.

And just like that, my #LGBTMedia15 weekend in Philly was over and I was boarding a shuttle to take me to the airport and my semi-boring life in Texas.

We'll see if I get the invite to participate in #LGBTMedia16 in Baltimore.   If I get to do so, definitely looking to destroy some crab cakes.

A Black SGL Call To Arms- Part Two

TransGriot Note: A guest post by NBJC 100 Leaders To Watch honoree Brandon Mack.  

You can click on this link to see Part 1 of this post at Ashton Woods' Strength In Numbers blog.

Thanks to Ashton and Brandon for giving me the honor an pleasure of allowing it to be posted here.


I recently attended an event that discussed Black Leadership and its relationship with the Black LGBTQ community. The event was seeking to answer the question:  Are Black LGBTQ people being left behind by Black Leaders?  In my opinion, we are being left behind, but that is partly due to our own fault as a Black LGBTQ community.  We are not answering the Call to Arms to fight for ourselves.  We are not utilizing our voices to assert our humanity and existence enough to have our issues addressed. We do have many great advocates, activists, and allies who are doing the work, but we need more.  The phone is ringing but the call is going unanswered. In my opinion, this call is not being answered for three reasons: fear of rejection, fear of recognition, and fear of being labeled.

FEAR OF REJECTION

As African Americans we have a history of having our voices being rejected or not equally considered. Slaves could not speak out against their own oppression and enslavement. Early African Americans could not use the tools of the government through the ballot box and public service representation to have their voices heard.  There is a history of our voices being drowned out or not considered.  Couple that with the rejection experienced on a personal level when your family and community reject you for being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, then it is easy to see why it is hard to raise your voice. However, we have to overcome this fear of rejection and utilize the tools we do have, because the SILENCE is killing our community and us.

FEAR OF RECOGNITION

Even though there is a greater visibility of GLBTQ people in the media and our society, there is still a fear of being recognized as a GLBTQ person that prevents people from participating in advocacy and activism.  People are worried about if they are going to be seen at a particular event or speaking out in support of the GLBTQ community, they are now going to have their identity questions by their family and community.  Often, I hear from SGL/GLBTQ people that, “its nobody’s business who I sleep with, or what goes on in my bedroom.” My problem with these statements is that it reduces who we are as SGL/GLBTQ people to sex. We are full human beings with full lives.  All of those aspects of ourselves should be respected and protected. You can’t be respected or protected if people cannot see you.  Therefore, we need to get over the fear of “what is this person going to say, or what will happen if they think I’m gay,” because the SILENCE is killing our community and us.

FEAR OF BEING LABELED

This may seem that it is similar to the fear of recognition, but it is different.  The fear of being labeled comes from the fear of being labeled as an activist.  Activists are often labeled as angry or difficult because they are always advocating on behalf of their communities. Activists are often accused of turning everything into a cause. This fear of being labeled as an activist or becoming bitter and angry because of the work causes people to not participate. My response to that: GET OVER IT.  Activism can be done in a variety of ways. It can be a simple as sending an email or letter to your Council Member or Congressperson. It can be as simple as casting your vote in an election. It can be joining a protest. It can be speaking out on the news and in front of decision makers.  All of these actions are needed to get our issues addressed. Therefore, we need more people to do the big and small acts of activism. Also, if you do not like what is currently being done by those who are doing the work, STEP UP and TAKE OVER.  Many times activists remain in their roles in organizations and on the front lines because there is no one to take the baton and keep the fight going. If you have a new approach, or want to take the lead, come take it! We need all soldiers to advocate on behalf of our community, big and small, but we need to get over this fear of being labeled the “angry activist” because the SILENCE is killing our community and us.

ANSWERING THE CALL

GLBTQ rights and equality is going to be achieved. However in order to do is we need to show up and show out. We need to bring all of ourselves, our race, gender, sexual orientation, education, talents, etc. to the table. We need to be unafraid to raise our unapologetic voices. We need to demand the recognition of our full humanity and all of who we are. We need to advocate for our community through the ballot box, the meeting rooms, and halls of government. This movement needs to be radical, conservative, intersectional, multipronged, and inclusive. In order for that to happen, we need to answer the call. The phone is ringing, are you going to pick up?

H/T Strength In Numbers blog.

It's Been Fun Philly....

But time was flying as I was in this lovely hotel that has been my home away from home for the last few days and I got reunited with all my friends in LGBT media world.

The 2015 LGBT Media Journalists Convening that those of us from 22 states and the District of Columbia flew, drove or took the train to get to has come to an end.

We had the opportunity to get our learn on about issues from HIV to the bi community.   We got a chance to meet people who haven't gotten the opportunity to attend this event.  We've exchanged business cards, networked, and caught up with each others lives.

We  got the opportunity to roll over to the John C/ Anderson Apartments and talk to our LGBT elders who not only gave us a window to the past as they told their stories, they gave us a glimpse of our futures as they proudly lived their TBLGQ lives as residents of a unique retirement building.

It was also wonderful  seeing Tiq, Gwen, Cristan, Gretchen, Becky, Brynn, Jos and Dawn again and get to talk to them about the issues that impact this community.

It was great being part of the LGBT Media Convening Women's meeting in which we discussed a wide variety of issues from why lesbian clubs are closing to how to better support the trans feminine and bi communities and each other.

Only thing I do regret is not having the opportunity to hang out with some of my Philly based friends. Oh well, maybe I'll be back up here in a few weeks for the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference

It's been fun, but after our brunch and the tour of gay Philly, time to go back to Texas to handle my business.

I'm A Skilled, Trained Professional

As you long time TransGriot readers are aware of, ,it makes my day to point out the ignorance and hypocrisy in the world, especially when it involves conservafools.

And sadly, my Shut Up Fool business has been booming lately.

In my way too brief time with my LGBT media colleagues, they have expressed to me just how much they enjoy me tearing our conservafool opponents a new anus.  And far too often, they just keep handing me the ammo to bash them with on a silver platter

Hey, Mr.T did say that fools are everywhere.

But as much as I like calling them out and that's good for my hit counts, that;s not good for our country and those of us who like to see government work   We the people deserve better that that.

We deserve a democracy in which both parties put their competing visions for running this country in the marketplace of ideas, and let us voters decide which one we like better, not one in which one party checks out from reality, and then tries to rig the game so you as a reality based voter can't toss their asses out of office for daring to be that monumentally stupid and arrogant.

So as long as there are fools, I'll be calling them out

Stay In Your Lane-Vol 1

TransGriot Note:  Guest Post by Ashton P. Woods.

One thing you will come to learn about me is that I am not new to activism and that affords me the ability and talent to know how to communicate in a clear and concise way. Since about August of 2014, a select few, certain people have tried to give me directive about MY message and what I SAY when I stand up for the communities that reflect my intersections. My favorite one is when I was told that I needed to "honey coat" or be less radical in my approach. REGARDLESS of what you may think about my approach, IT WORKS AND SOME OF YOU DON'T LIKE IT and I could give ZERO fucks about how you feel. 

The way you do things works for you and I RESPECT THAT, but be fully aware that you do NOT have the right to impose your respectability politics on me, this is NOT ABOUT YOU. Some of you REALLY need to put ego aside, and even realize that because some of you are in the ranks of predominantly White organizations and groups does NOT give you White privilege. YOU, my "friends" that have a problem with my unapologetic Blackness and my refusal to mold myself into someone that is palatable to White folks can kiss my ass and as a matter of fact you can go straight to your hell if that is what you believe in.

Many of you are confused or flustered that I have been able to reach people in places so fast...THERE IS NO NEED FOR CONFUSION! The very issue that some of you have with me, you know my "IN YOUR FACE" and "HONEST" approach without the sugarcoating is what people ACTUALLY like about me. i will not tell you how to run your show, so STAY IN YOUR LANE! Just so we are CLEAR, I didn't have to join some organization or some PAC to build what many of you hold so dear, political capital. I am not in it for the power like some of you, I just want to HELP PEOPLE and I don't need to join some organization that does not have my best (Black) interest at heart in order to get progress. 

STAY IN YOUR LANE -- XOXO

Moni's In The Middle of #LGBTMedia15

Another week. another event as the TransGriot reps Houston and all the communities she intersects and interacts with once again at  the 6th annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

This year it returns to Philadelphia, and as I've mentioned in other posts you can follow the action on Twitter at #LGBTMedia15.

So looking forward to seeing everyone there, and yes, the annual post of me breaking #LGBTMedia15 down from my vantage point will be forthcoming.

And yeas, one thing I absolutely love about the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel is the free WiFi so I can write , tweet to my hearts content.

But first I need some food.  Sleep can come later.

And judging from my perusal of  some of the tweets and Facebook posts, I'm not the only one excited to see everyone at #LGBTMedia15.

We actually will have one of our attendees in BiNet USA's Faith Cheltenham celebrating her birthday on Saturday. Will find out from her what birthday anniversary she is celebrating after she gets her birthday hug.

Now it's time for me to get ready for the welcoming reception.  At least I won't be locked out of the host hotel in the cold for at least an hour  like I was last year....

But stay tuned to this TransGriot station for the latest news and 411 buzz concerning this 2015 edition of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

Shut Up Fool Awards-Championship Weekend Edition

College basketball junkies have been gorging themselves on nonstop hoops in preparation for the 2015 edition of March Madness, AKA the NCAA Men's and women's basketball tournaments.

The non and mid major conferences started having their conference tournaments to decide who gets the NCAA tourney bids last week, and now going into this weekend the major conferences are handling their tournament business.

Speaking of handling my business, time for me to handle some Friday business that you come to love in terms of the weekly TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards.  

Time to determine what fool, fools or group of fools exhibited championship level arrogance,  shadiness, and just jaw dropping WTF level stupidity.

Honorable mention number one is all the Mississippi Republicans who in a recent poll stated that interracial marriage shold be illegal.   
|
Really?  That hatred of interracial marriage is so 20th century.  I guess next you'll be agitating for Mississippi to secede from the USA.

Honorable mention number two, another group award for Joe Scarborough and his Morning Joe MSNBC team for idiotically stating during a discussion about that situation on the OU campus that rap music was the cause foe two white SAE member to be caught on tape singing a racist ditty.  That led to Black Twitter calling his clueless behind out.

Are you really that jawdroppingly clueless about whiteness and white supremacy?   Obviously Joe, you most certainly are.

Honorable mention number three is Craig James, who must have played too much football with his helm,et off and parted his lips to say that supporting same sex marriage is the work of Satan.

Funny,  I think being a GOP conservafool oppressor is the work of, help me out here Church Lady.

Honorable mention number four is attorney Michael Carvin,.  The man arguing in front of the SCOTUS to kill Obamacare actually parted his lips to say that that the difference between this King v. Burwell lawsuit and the one in 2012 is that unlike the 2012 challenge, the argument on Wednesday is on "a statute that was written three years ago, not by dead white men but by living white women and minorities."

Mr. Carvin, your pointed white hood is showing.  but then again Antonin Scalia and his kneegrow ventriloquist dummy probably liked that argument.pro

Honorable mention number five is Frank Ancona, the Imperial Wizard of the Traditionalist American Knights of the Tea Party, oops Ku Klux Klan, who parted his mouth after he took off his pointed hood to state that his group is a Christian organization

Naw you idiot, you've been an unrepentantly racist and anti-Semitic terrorist organization since 1866.

Honorable mention number six is Rudy Giuliani, who let something stupid fly out of his mouth once again and stated that President Obama should be more like Bill Cosby

Dude, have several seats in Yankee Stadium and a nice tall glass of STFU.  

And yeah, you're in the running for the Shut Up Fool of the Year award.

Honorable mention number seven is Ronald Brockmeyer, the Ferguson, Mo judge who levied crushing fines on residents of that town that ruined lives in some cases, is himself a delinquent tax payer who owes the feds $170,000 in back taxes.

I suspect that you'll get far more mercy from the IRS than you gave people who entered your courtroom.

Honorable mention number eight is former Emmy award winning Univision host Rodner Figueroa.  It FORMER host because on Wednesday he dissed First Lady Michelle Obama on the El Gordo y El Flaca show.    Figueroa does biting fashion commentary, and took it way past the valley of good tasts in a segment discussing the work of make-up artist Paolo Ballesteros who posts photos of himself transformed into female celebrities, when he stated that the First Lady looks like a character from Planet Of the Apes.

And what made this hate on Black women moment more insulting is that the Venezuelan born Figueroa is Afro-Latino.
Sadly, demonizing Blackness and Black womanhood is an international pasttime.

Honorable mention number nine is Matthew Pennell.   This now former staffer for anti-gay 'pro-family' Congressman Tim Huelskamp (R-KS)  was arrested on 17 counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

And tell em once again, who are the child predators? 

This week's SUF loser winner is is every GOP senator that violated the Logan Act and signed that jacked up letter to Iran.

Thought international politics and diplomacy stopped at the water's edge. 

But I guess you make a racist exception GOP when it comes to a Democratic African-American POTUS you have unprecedented levels of hatred for and execute Massive Resistance 2.0 for everything he attempts to do that will make this country better.

GOP Senators, shut up fools!

Air Marshal Takes Flight To Philadelphia Again

Last week I was in our nation's capital handling TPOCC board business, and this week it's a flight via Chicago Midway to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.

The Air Marshal's final destination is  Philadelphia to take part in the 2015 edition of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

I'm so looking forward to spending some quality time with my friends in the LGBT media world and getting my learn on at this 6th annual event that builds capacity in our media ranks and gives us an opportunity to get a much deeper understanding about issues that affect the LGBT community..

 I also owe John Becker a milestone birthday hug and one to Faith Cheltenham on Saturday after  I arrive after .  I also love the fact our hotel has complementary WiFi.

Another thing on the agenda for this trip is finding some time while I'm there to get a good cheesesteak, and I'm not talking about Pat's or Geno's either.

I go get mine where native Philadelphians tread.

If it  doesn't happen this time, I might get the opportunity to do so when the Philly Trans Health Conference happens this June.

If you wish to follow the action, many of us will be blogging or live tweeting it.  #LGBTMedia15 is our hashtag for this year's event

See y'all in a few hours Philly,

Jazz Breaking Historic Ground Again!

Y'all know how much I love Jazz Jennings, and finally got to meet her and her family at last year's Philly Trans Health Conference.

There are two major pieces of news for those of us who love keeping up with our fave trans teen.

The first is TLC has tapped her to do a reality TV show.  Broadcast date to be determined, but this is wonderful to hear.

As y'all know I'm not a big fan of reality TV shows, but for this one I'll make an exception.

The second piece of news is that she has been tapped to be the new face for the Clean and Clear skincare lines 'Be The Real You campaign.

This is historic and groundbreaking in the fact that a trans feminine teen has had this happen.

But it's par for the course for the now ninth grader who has been named by TIME magazine as one of the world's most influential teens along with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.

It's also timely in the wake of four trans teen suicides this year.

Congrats Jazz!   Best of luck in both those new ventures, and hoping they will be megasuccessful.

Upcoming Houston HPD-LGBT Community Dialogue

When all that anti-trans and /SGL hate speech was flung by our faith based haters in opposition to the passage of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, one of the things I feared was a spike in hate crimes in the area because of it. 

It's taken a while, with the attack on transwoman Thailand Warr being the first warning sign that the hate speech sown during the HERO passage campaign was beginning to manifest itself into hate violence.

Now that we have had a fatal attack yesterday morning resulting in the death of a 22 year old man and  two other gay men wounded, now people are paying attention to what I warned about back in November.

A town hall meeting is being set up to take place at the Montrose Center on Saturday April 11 from 10 AM-1 PM CDT that will involve HPD Chief Charles McClelland, HPD's command staff, the HPD LGBT Liaison EJ Joseph, HPD personnel and other community leaders to discuss the growing crime wave and come up with solutions to this problem.

I can throw one old school solution out there right now.  

In the wake of the murder of Paul Broussard outside a gay nightclub back in 1991 by The Woodlands 10, the Q Patrol was formed.

Looks like we may have to resurrect it.

But we'll see what happens on April 11

Another Day, Two More H-town Events

If you're noticing that I have been quite busy and visible inside and outside my beloved hometown lately in terms of my attendance an participation at various events, you would be correct in that assumption.

I had two panels last night, flew to Washington DC last Thursday to participate in a TPOCC board meeting, and now your favorite Texas Trans Angelic Troublemaker has two more events on her busy schedule before she flies off to Philly for the 2015 edition of the  LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

Last night it was a discrimination panel discussion on which I didn't get a chance to talk about the issues affecting the trans population before the floor was yielded to Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

But it bees that way sometimes.  While I was happy to see my congressmember Rep Jackson-Lee,  I still got the short end of the panel discussion time and wasn't happy about the lost opportunity to talk about trans issues, especially with a CBC congress member in attendance.

But was a little happier at the TSU Misfits event that started less than an hour later in the Tiger Room of the Sterling Student Life Center on the TSU campus.   Always good to see NBJC Executive Director/ CEO Sharon Lettman-Hicks and meet more people in academia and in the African-American cisgender ranks supportive of our SGL, trans and bi community.

On today's agenda in my semi-boring life was my attendance at the Harris County Democratic Party's brown bag Lunch series of discussions in which Houston mayoral candidate Ben Hall was speaking.

And yeah, as you probably guessed, he got grilled by me and a few other peeps in the room for his non support of HERO as currently constituted.

Just a reminder Mr. Hall, wanting to be mayor of all of Houston includes me and other trans residents of it, and not supporting a HERO with gender ID protections is a non-starter.

The other event I have starts at 7 PM CDT and is sponsored by the Houston Black Nonbelievers.  It is a panel I'm on in which the topic we'll discuss is Homophobia In The Black Community: Real or Myth?

That fascinating discussion will take place at the Montrose Center, and you know I'll have my say on the topic du jour.

Saks Settles Trans Discrimination Lawsuit With Leyth Jamal

Saks, y'all need to admit you were wrong, pay the trans lady and move on.
-TransGriot, January 9, 2015

After Saks Fifth Avenue tried to disgustingly claim while defending itself from a discrimination lawsuit filed by trans woman Leyth Jamal they had a 'right to discriminate ' against trans people, tried to use their HRC Corporate Equality Index score to try to justify it, they finally settled out of court for an undisclosed amount after taking a PR and legal beating.

Jamal filed the lawsuit after she was harassed, discriminated against and fired from the Houston Galleria Saks location in December 2012 after filing an EEOC complaint.

Jamal’s lawsuit claimed that her coworkers at the store  referred to her as a man and forced her to use the men’s bathroom. A manager suggested that she make her appearance more masculine and “separate her home life from work life.”

After Saks initially tried to assert that trans people weren't covered under Title VII (yeah, we are)  and getting pushback from legal briefs filed by New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center For Lesbian Rights and the Department of Justice on that point, they relented 

Jamal's lawyers Jillian Weiss and Mitchell Katine filed a stipulation of dismissal of the case with prejudice, and announced the case had been amicably settled.

Discrimination costs you money, business people.  

And FYI to our HERO haters here in H-town, once again, here's a documented example of anti-trans discrimination occurring in our city limits, and it's why the HERO needs to be implemented without delay.

How Debbie Riddle Plans To Enforce Her Unjust Texas Anti-Trans Bills

So how is Teapublican Texas state Rep. Debbie Riddle planning on enforcing her dehumanizing and unjust anti-trans bills that I have no doubt were created by the oppressors at ALEC?

Still waiting for our legacy orgs in the NAACP, the Urban League, and African-American legislators in the Texas legislature and the Texas congressional delegation to forcefully speak our against these bills.  

And I'm getting more angered by their lack of commentary and cricket chirping silence about these unconstitutional attacks on our humanity that will disproportionately have a negative impact on Texas trans people of color. .

#BlackTransLivesMatter   #LatinaTransLivesMatter  #TransLivesMatter

TransGriot Note: Illustration by Jennell Jacquays

Trans MPD Officer Named As Head Of DC GLLU

The last time the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department had a trans feminine officer in their ranks was the late Bonnie Davenport O'Neal who served from the late 70's until her retirement in 1999.

During a TDOR event in DC last November in which  Metro Police Chief Cathy Lanier spoke, the DC trans community was surprised to learn they now for the first time since Bonnie Davenport O'Neal retired, have a trans officer on the force in Sgt. Jessica Hawkins.

Her coming out to her colleagues had occurred before she introduced Chief Lanier at that Transgender Day Of Remembrance event in front of the 250 people in attendance.  After hearing from Chief Lanier the news of Hawkins' coming out as trans, gave her a standing ovation.

As of March 3, Sgt. Hawkins makes history again as the first trans person to lead the DC Metropolitan Police Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit.  

That groundbreaking GLLU news was welcomed by local TBLG groups and longtime DC activist Earline Budd, who said in a Washington Blade interview, "I'm going to work with her to do whatever I can to help her get acclimated to the community, especially the trans community of color."

Congratulations to Sgt. Hawkins, and hope she does a wonderful job as she assumes this historic leadership position in the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department.

I’m very pleased to hear and, yes, ecstatic that the city has moved forward with putting a transgender person in such a position, which is needed within the police department,” said Budd. “But at the end of the day I just really need to know that Sgt. Hawkins understands what she’s taking on in terms of that position based on those like Sgt. Mahl and Sgt. Brett Parson who have held that position and understood that they really have to get to know the community and did get to know the community.” - See more at: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/03/10/trans-woman-named-head-d-c-gay-police-unit/#sthash.dAZGR063.dpuf