Forever 21 Hit With Trans Discrimination Lawsuit

Another retail outlet is hopefully about to find out that discrimination aimed at trans people is unacceptable and costs you money.

Former Forever 21 employee Alexia Daskalakis filed a discrimination lawsuit Wednesday after enduring transphobic commentary that she was a “hot mess” and “disgusting,” that she looked “offensive,” and that “in my eyes and in the company’s eyes, you’re still a male.”

Daskalakis was hired by Forever 21 in May 2011 as a sales associate at their Brooklyn store and was quickly promoted to visual merchandiser, a job that made her responsible for setting up the store's visual displays.

In January 2014 she began her transition, and that's when she alleges in the lawsuit that the harassment and discrimination began.

In August 2014 she began taking hormones, and the transphobic  insults from male supervisors escalated.   Over the next few months, male supervisors insulted her and subjected her to bias because of her transgender identity, the lawsuit says. In one instance, a store manager told Daskalakis that her clothing choice of jeans, a crop top, and leather jacket was inappropriate and that she needed to change even though other female employees were wearing the same thing.

She was also told according to the lawsuit, “The male dress code is different from the female dress code and you’re still a male until you change your birth certificate,” the manager said, before sending Daskalakis home for the remainder of the workday, according to the complaint. In another instance, the same manager told Daskalakis, “You used to be a hard worker when you were a guy, but not anymore.” The store fired Daskalakis in January.

“[Forever 21] has discriminated against [Daskalakis] on the basis of her gender, gender expression, gender identity and/or failure to conform to gender stereotypes in violation of the [New York State Human Rights Law] by denying [her] the same terms and conditions of employment available to other employees, up to and including the termination of her employment,” the lawsuit says.

This also comes in the wake of Saks & Company last month settling a discrimination lawsuit filed by Leyth Jamal after she was discriminated against at a Houston Saks store in December 2012. 

It also follows a recent announcement by US Attorney General Eric Holder that the Department of Justice will interpret the sex prohibition of Title VII in the 1964 Civil Rights Act as applicable to transgender people.

This also glaringly points out why GENDA needs to be passed without delay in New York State.

Popping My NCAA Women's Tournament Colllar

The NCAA Women's Final Four will be kicking off in Tampa this weekend, and I get to gloat a little bit before it starts.

For the fourth time in TransGriot history and for the first time since 2012, I correctly predicted all four women's Final Four teams (Connecticut, South Carolina, Maryland and Notre Dame) that ended up in Tampa.

Will I get the champion right, too.   We'll see when the fun starts on April 5 with the semifinal games.

Connecticut will take on Maryland, and Notre Dame will battle South Carolina for the other berth in the April 7 NCAA women's title game.

Can Maryland do what only Stanford has done this season and derail UConn's bid to threepeat?   Can South Carolina and Notre Dame rebound from previous losses to UConn and shock them in the title game? Or will UConn roll to their 10th title?

We'll see who is cutting down the net on April 7.

2015 Final Four Coaches Issue Statement On The Indiana Religious Bigotry Law

The men's Final Four is taking place in Indianapolis this weekend, and instead of us talking about whether the Kentucky Wildcats will win the two games they need to become the first unbeaten NCAA men's champions since Indiana did it in 1976, we are talking about events that happened up the street from Lucas Oil Stadium at the Indiana statehouse and governor's mansion.

The GOP controlled Indiana legislature passed a RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act) that is a Trojan Horse that allows discrimination against TBLG people, and is so broadly written that it could open the door to discrimination to other groups that white male Republicans don't like on the basis of their alleged Christian beliefs.

And for those of you who drank the GOP red Kool-Aid and claim it won't, then why did Indiana Governor Mike Pence (R) have a double secret signing ceremony for it last Thursday with three professional gaybaiters in attendance?

Hey, if you're so proud of this bill, then why the secret signing?  Why are you ashamed Gov. Pence of your and your GOP controlled state legislature's discriminatory handiwork?

It has triggered a backlash that is seriously fracking with Indiana's economy through cancelled concerts and lost convention and tourist business.   If they don't kill this unjust law, this may end up being the last NCAA men's (or women's) Final Four they host.

The 2016 Women's Final Four is scheduled to be held in Indianapolis next year. 

FYI Texas Legislature, the 2016 Men's Final Four is scheduled to be in Houston.  So I would suggest that you drop ALL the anti-TBLG bills you flied this session in order to avoid the fate of Indiana.

The coaches involved in this year's Final Four, Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Wisconsin's Bo Ryan, Kentucky's John Calipari, and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski issued this statement condemning the Indiana law through the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

“We are aware of the recent actions in Indiana and have made a point to talk about this sensitive and important issue among ourselves and with our teams," the statement read. "Each of us strongly supports the positions of the NCAA and our respective institutions on this matter – that discrimination of any kind should not be tolerated. As a part of America’s higher education system, college basketball plays an important role in diversity, equality, fairness and inclusion, and will continue to do so in the future.”
 

Stay tuned, we'll see if Indiana does the right thing instead of the right-wing thing and kills this unjust law.

Why It's Inaccurate For A White Person To Call Blacks Racist

If I had a dollar for every time  I have called out the deleterious effects of whiteness and white supremacy on this blog and been inaccurately called a racist by white people inside and outside the LGBT community who have ZERO lived experience with navigating it, I'd be a multimillionare by now.

Once again, racism is  not an epithet pissed off white person utters at a non-white person that calls them on their crap.  If you believe that bull feces, you've been watch too much FOX Noise or are swimming in too much unacknowledged vanillacentric privilege.

As a TransGriot public service, here's the Sociology 101 definition of racism.

Racism= bigotry/prejudice + systemic power  (economic, judicial, police, military, legislative, sexual) used by a majority group to deny, retard or roll back the human rights progress of a minority group.

In the USA and much of the world, historically that group has been white people  Black people can be bigoted and prejudiced, but we have never had the power as a group to negatively impact white lives as a group. 

Only white people have had that power, and they have (and continue to) gleefully at times use it

And you will get the eye roll, called out in cyberspace or laughed out of the room if you even try to deploy a dictionary definition of racism with me or any other Black person to invalidate our lived experience with it.

To underscore what I'm trying to get across to you in this post, here is Dr. Joy de Gruy Leary  explaining to a group of people discussing police brutality and the shootings of unarmed Black people how racism plays a role in it by pointing out the power element.

Hey Houston, I'm Headed Home!

This isn't an April Fool's joke.  After nearly a week of being in Chicago and Washington DC for two events in which I represented Houston and the state of Texas, it's time for me to head back home.

I haven't done this much flying  since my Air Marshal days, and one of the things that I have loved about this latest trip that took me from Houston to Chicago with a Washington DC detour added to it is I not only got to see many old friends, but got to meet some amazing trans people of color who are just as serious about making trans human rights and acceptance of our people a reality as I am.

I saw the future of our movement, and as an elder I am pleased about much of what I saw in Chicago at the National Trans Anti-Violence Convening and yesterday's White House Trans Women Of Color Women's History Month Briefing.

I even got to cross visiting Ben's Chili Bowl off my DC bucket list.

But there was also something that happened in Chicago I was NOT pleased about, and the parties involved know what it is and the need to chill.  

We have much work to do because we as trans people of color are in a state of emergency, and it will take all of us utilizing all our various talents to deal with it.   I'm willing to work with people who are down with trans liberation and ensuring our humanity is not a debatable prospect.

How we make that happen is one of the questions I'll be pondering on the plane ride home.

Moving To Washington DC

Something else wonderful happened while I was up here.

After the WH event I was approached by a congressional chief of staff and immediately offered a job as a staffer in their office here in Washington DC to handle LGBT affairs.

One of their staffers saw me speaking during Creating Change back in February, and told her boss about me.   They liked what I had to say about issues on TransGriot, my ideas about progressive policy, and believe I would be a great fit for their office.

It was a dream of mine to work in Washington DC and on Capital Hill and now it's about to happen.  I e-mailed them my resume after I returned from Denver, they liked it, and have offered me a job that starts May 1.

So I'll be returning home to pack my stuff, and in a few weeks start my dream job.

But before you send me well wishes and congratulations, check today's date.  ;)

I do an annual April Fool's Day post on TransGriot, and this is it.

Historic Day For Trans WOC At The White House

I've been coming to Washington DC since 1998 to lobby for trans human rights issues, policy meetings, board meetings, retreats, and panel discussions.  I've even been to the White House four times.

But this fifth trip to the White House was special and historic, because for the first time trans women of color, fittingly on the Transgender Day of Visibility, were gathering from around the country for the inaugural White House Trans Women Of Color Women's History Month Briefing.

It was organized by the National LGBTQ Task Force's Kylar Broadus and kicked off at 9:00 AM in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building's South Auditorium with opening remarks from Aditi Hardikar from the White House Office of Public Engagement.

She was quickly followed by Tina Tchen from the White House Council For Women and Girls and Stacey Long Simmons from the Task Force before we dove into the policy remarks part of the program.

Cecilia Chung started the policy portion of it with some framing remarks before yielding the platform to my fellow TPOCC board member Mattee Jim and LaLa Zannell from the National Anti Violence Project.

Mattee's commentary focused on the issues that Native American and rural trans women face, while LaLa focused on discussing how many of the women we have lost to anti-trans violence were actually intimate partner violence (IPV) cases.

Zannell also pointed out that trans women are less likely to be protected from IPV and some recommendations to change that negative paradigm.

When those ladies were done with their presentations, Ruby Corado of Casa Ruby and Bamby Salcedo of the Trans Latina Coalition were up next.

Corado's presentation concentrated on HIV status, how it affects trans women and the issues that revolve around that but reminded us that 'action solves problems.' 

Salcedo talked about our trans Latina sisters an the issues they face in ICE detention including sexual assault and HIV infection and pointed out "It's important for us to understand how structural violence plays into us getting killed.".

Tracee McDaniel from the Juxtaposed Center for Transformation, Inc in Atlanta and Kylar Broadus from the National LGBTQ Task Force talked about the employment discrimination that trans women of color face on the micro and macro levels..

The final two person info panelists were Dr. Ayana Elliott, FNP and Raffi Friedman-Gurspan from the National Center for Transgender Equality.  Dr Elliott got our attention by stating 'Transgender women are an endangered species," then broke down the statistics across various health categories to back that sobering statement up.   

Raffi's presentation also contained some suggested policy recommendations for the assembled White House staffers and trans women of color from across the country nodding their heads in agreement.

When their panel was finished, Roy Austin, the Deputy Assistant to the President for the Office of Urban Affairs  Justice and Opportunity, took a few moments in his remarks to update us on where things stood on trans issues inside the Obama Administration.

In addition to informing us that Title VII the Civil Rights Act of 1964 covers  transpeople, Austin also discussed a Task Force on 21st Century Policing report that urged in its recommendations that police departments and law enforcement personnel across the US improve their relations with their local trans communities (which probably explains the invite I got from Harris County DA Devon Anderson last week to talk about issues of importance to the Houston trans community).

He opened it up for questions, and I asked about the possibility of getting mandated national standards for ID.  I pointed out that much of the discrimination we face is triggered by mismatched identification that in many cases the states throw up multiple barriers for us to correct.

After taking a few questions, Mr Austin departed, and a super info panel was convened in which audience members received a few moments of the remaining time left in the event to ask the info panelists questions.

After remarks from Aditi, Kylar and Stacey and a poem from Cherno Biko, the briefing ended at 12 noon EDT.

We then headed to the National LGBTQ Task Force headquarters on Massachusetts Ave for lunch and remarks from Stacey Long Simmons, outgoing deputy director Darlene Nipper, and incoming deputy director Russell Roybal.. 

It was my first visit to Task Force headquarters since the 2000 National Transgender Policy Meeting they facilitated at their old NE Washington DC digs.  It was fun reconnecting with all my friends in the Task Force from the Creating Change team (and yes H-town, I let them know we want to host it again), and was happy to see Kathleen Campisano and Sarah Reece from my days of causing angelic trouble in Louisville with both of them.

We also were in the building on Nipper's last official day as deputy director, and we gave her a standing ovation when she was finished.

Major thanks to Kylar and Stacey for the invitation to be there for this historic briefing, lunch, and to super intern Dominique Chamely who did a wonderful job on the logistical end getting me and my trans sisters to DC from our various spots around the country.

And thanks to all my transsisters who made this historic day at the White House and this 6th annual Trans Day of Visibility a memorable one for me.

The Ongoing Journey To Womanist-hood

Six years ago today I wrote a post that was my declaration that I was a womanist and I embraced it over feminism, which I consider profoundly problematic and far too white feminine centric.

I also rejected it at the time because of the deafening silence of white led feminism to the TERF (trans exterminationalist/exclusionary radical feminist)  wing that in some cases had people openly advocating for the genocide of trans women to deafening silence from Feminist World.

Six years later there has been movement in Feminist world to condemn and call out the TERF''s and make it clear by their creation of the TERF term they are not radical feminists or part of their trans feminine inclusive movement.

I've noted that Gloria Steinem has recanted the ugly anti-trans remarks she made back in the 70's-early 80's, but I and other trans women and our allies are still waiting for her's and feminism's deeds to catch up with their lofty words.

But I'm still a proud womanist.   Said TransGriot commenter Hypathia at the time, "Womanist theory can handle the intersectionality of race, class, and gender, all of them simultaneously and in connection with each other.  Because it can do that, it is the most powerful theory. Womanism is the first movement to ever achieve that synthesis, which today we see as vital to progress. We have Womanism to thank for the progress that has been made."

And I've said it before and will continue to say it, I have yet to see or have happen a womanist disrespect my humanity as a trans woman or push laws and policies that negatively affect me as feminism's adherents have repeatedly done.

I don't have any problem with self identified Black feminists either, but  I am, and still identify as a womanist.   Womanist theory not only aligns with my political and personal human rights beliefs, it's also a plus that I have womanists in my life who see me as their sister.

And  that sisterhood is deeply appreciated and reciprocated as I continue my ongoing evolutionary journey to womanist-hood. .

Yo SCC, Why So Quiet On HB 583?

And I'm interested in knowing what the Southern Comfort Conference thinks about this revolting development, especially in light of the fact they just moved their convention from the ATL to Fort Lauderdale for the next three years.
TransGriot, March 10, 2015, Unjust Florida Anti-Trans Bill Clears Subcommittee

Well, it's been a 21 days since I asked that question, and as of yet there has been radio silence coming from the Southern Comfort Conference about that revolting development that could really frack with their conference that has moved to Ft. Lauderdale from the ATL where it was founded for the next three years

You would think that Southern Comfort would at least say something or even put out a press release making their feelings known about an unjust bill that would dehumanize their customers and have the potential to make people stay home instead of being there from September 29-October 3.

You would think that SCC would point out how much economic impact our T-bills pack, why they moved the conference from Georgia to there, and the folly of dissing and dehumanizing people who would like to spend money in your state.   But then again, I had to call them out on the problematic proposal of a 'Gone With The Wind' theme for the 2008 event.

So why so quiet abut HB 583, which has the potential for deterring your potential attendees of even coming if they have to face the prospect of being arrested for using the bathroom?

This is the time for bold leadership and action against an unjust bill that deleteriously affects our community, not cricket chirping silence.  The trans community, the country and the world are waiting.

Transgender Day Of Visibility 2015

Thought I'd remind you TransGriot readers with the help of the glamorous Nikki Araguz Loyd that today is the Transgender Day of Visibility

We need to remind you cispeeps on this day and the rest of them in 2015 and beyond that not only are we part of the diverse mosaic of human life, our humanity is not up for discussion.   You WILL accept us as the men and women of trans experience we are, and we will not tolerate any attempts to dehumanize us or strip us of human rights coverage.

Take some time to show your trans friends some love on this day.   There will also be events happening around the country with #TDOV in mind.

Happy Transgender Day of Visibility!

MDW To DCA To The WH!

I've flown about 8000 miles in the friendly skies above our nation in this month alone.

Instead of flying back to my home sweet humidity today as scheduled after spending a few days in Chicago for the inaugural National Transgender and Gender Non Conforming Anti-Violence Conference that was embedded in the Incite! Color of Violence 4 Conference, the Air Marshal found herself on another Southwest flight to Washington DC.

I got the word while I was in Chicago I was invited to attend a White House event that will discuss trans women of color on the Transgender Day of Visibility.  Since it made more sense for me to do the shorter travel distance travel to DC from Chicago instead of Houston, that's what happened.  

But I did have a frustrating moment before I left Chicago.   After getting there on an express CTA train to Midway from downtown after I bid farewell to Joanna Cifredo, Vanessa Victoria and Elizabeth Rivera who were headed to O'Hare on the Green Line train we started at the Cermak Rd station on, I was there in plenty of time for my 1:15 PM departure on a beautiful Chicago spring day .

Ran into Mattee Jim on my way to the ticket counter to check my bag and found out we were booked on the same flight, so this is already continuing to be a great day.   Checked bag, headed for TSA security and that's when it started going sideways.

I cleared TSA security, and as I put my leather coat back on I noted my phone wasn't in my coat jacket pocket.   Since I was still at the checkpoint, I started asking the TSA agents on duty to help me locate it.

After a few minutes of fruitless searching, I had no choice but to exit TSA security I'd just cleared and retrace my steps all the way back to the CTA train I'd gotten off of but hadn't departed for downtown yet.

After negative sightings of my phone at the ticket counter and the CTA station, I reluctantly headed back to TSA security to reclear it and head to my flight at gate B-20 in a somewhat pissed off mood.

The bumpy at times flight on take off and landing didn't help, but Mattee's soothing presence made me forget about it for a little while.  So did seeing Ruby and Lourdes when they picked us up at the Columbia Heights Metro station and after dropping Lourdes off, she dropped me and Mattee at our hotel, the Washington Plaza.

There is a happy ending to this story.   While taking my boots off in he hotel room, noted something shiny on the floor, and miracle of miracles, it was my missing phone.

Oh well, at least I can call you DC peeps now and get some sleep for the White House event tomorrow knowing that my phone didn't get left in Chicago unlike my travel pillow and is still in my possession.

The Trans 100 Class of 2015

Even though I expressed my concerns about Sunday's event and the glaring omission of Texas trans activists in a year in which two Texas cities passed trans inclusive ordinances , make no mistake about it, I am as a 2013 Trans 100 honoree an unabashed supporter of it.   

Congratulations to all the people who were selected for the 2015 list, which included our first international honoree in Victor Mukasa and our first posthumous one.

And now, the Trans 100 Class of 2015

Maddie Adams
Ben Power Alwin
Joe Bates
Oliver Bendorf
Andrea Bowen
Avi Bowie
Myles Alexander Brady
Meghan Buell
Lexie Cannes
Daniella Carter

Joanna M. Cifredo
Thomi Clinton
Dr. Lynn Conway
Yvonne Cook-Riley
James Darling
Samantha-Jo Dato
Jordan Gwendolyn Davis
Rashida Davison
Mashuq Mushtaq Deen
Dallas Denny

Ashley Diamond
Rev. Tammy Jubilant Butcher Ojcr
Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi
Kale Edminston
Lauryn Farris
Sam Feder
Dylan Fluker
Theo George
Katrina Goodlett
Dr. Kai M. Green

Brooke Cerda Guzman
Gretchen Rachel Hammond
Rhys Harper
Imani Keith Henry
Joe Ippolito
Mary Irons
Monica James-Lawren
Sandy Evan James
Jennell Jacquays
Sawyer Andrew Johnson

Monica Jones
Nic Key
Bryn Kelly
Aydin Kennedy
Mira Krishnan
Malachi Larrabe-Gaza
Jiz Lee
Justin Lenley
Aryah Lester
Dr. Rachel  Levine

Jennifer Louise Lopez
Kristen Parker Lovell
Tommy Luckett
Mickey Mahoney
Greta Gustava Martela
J Mase III
JD Melendez
Julian Melson
Joselyn Mendoza
Victor J. Mukasa

Michael Munson
Toni Newman
Maxwell Ng
Kean O'Brien
Elijah Oberman
Marcus Alexander Xavier Ordane
Reyna Ortiz
Alexis P. Paige
Ben Panico
Petey Peterson

Dianne Grace Piggott
Chelsea Poe
Penelope Poppers
Rebeka Refuse
Dr. Sam Reisner SCD
Geena Rocero
Rev. Megan Rohrer
Avi Isaiah Rudnick
Jayden HC Sampson
Greyson Simon

Ms. Dr. Joseph L.Simons
Grace Sterling Stowell
Turner Stulting
De Sube
Emma Violet Todd
Crispin Torres
Jos Truitt
Alek Vaid-Menon
Jay Very
Victoria Villalbe

LaSaia Waide
Bonn Wade
Melvin Antoine Whitehead
Willy Wilkinson
Dawn Josephine Wilson
Hina Wong-Kalu
Evan Young
LaLa Zannell
Leslie Feinberg (posthumously)

Impressions Of The Trans 100 Class of 2015 Reveal Show

For the first time I got an opportunity to actually be in the Mayne Stage house for the third edition of The Trans 100.  I congratulate every honoree who was named in the Trans 100's Class of 2015 including my Louisville homegirl Dawn Wilson.

As a 2013 honoree I have been pleased and proud to see this dream of Toni D'orsay's grow to become a much anticipated event thanks to Jen Richards' efforts.

But because Toni and I are friends, we have had long discussions over the last two years on the direction of it and where she would like it to go.

Not only was Toni not happy about what transpired at the 'Chicago Trans Advocate Awards' last night, neither was I.

While I also with everyone else in the audience enjoyed emcees Precious Davis and Myles Brady AKA the #TransObamas, when it came time to read the names for the Trans 100 Class of 2015, I was shocked to note that in a 2014 year in which trans inclusive non-discrimination ordinances were passed in Houston and Plano and a court case that erased the transphobic Littleton precedent happened, for only ONE Texan (Lauryn Farris) to make the list was a travesty.

It also has the problematic smell of homerism when 8 Chicagoans make the 2015 list, including one of the current board members of the Trans 100. 

Under Toni's original vision, she and Jen didn't allow themselves to be added to either previous Trans 100 class out of transparency

Something else that is problematic was adding Leslie Feinberg posthumously to the list.  

That opens the thorny question of if you add Feinberg, then who else should be added for lifetime work?   Sylvia Rivera?   Marsha P. Johnson?   Marcelle Cook-Daniels?  Alexander John Goodrum?  Where do you draw the line?

Toni's Trans 100 vision also called for the list to diverse not only in ethnic terms, but regionally as well, and it appears that neither happened last night either.

I loved being able to see Tona Brown perform live for the first time ever.  Enjoyed Laura Jane Grace, and seeing Rocco doing his thang on stage as well.   Tiq's keynote was first rate and loved seeing his wife Kim again.
. 
Loved talking to Gloria Allen, and have a standing invite to spend some quality time with her the next time I'm in Chitown.  

I also got the opportunity at the after party at The Glenwood to meet Kristen, our blonde haired  trans ally in the bathroom meme I created from a pic someone sent me.

And thank you for letting me know you appreciate my work as well to all the peeps who told me how much they enjoyed reading TransGriot.

Yes, I'm still an enthusiastic supporter of the Trans 100 for being a FUBU trans community production.  But at the same time I'm concerned about the problematic direction that the Trans 100 has taken in the absence of its visionary creator, who was busy caring for her terminally ill husband.

I hope that in the 2016 edition of the Trans 100, those problematic mistakes won't be made again.

Trans 100 Is Tonight!

The 2015 edition of the Trans 100 Live unveiling show at the Mayne Stage  happens in a few hours.   Thanks to being in town for the just concluded #NTAVC15  convening, I'll be able to attend the live event for the first time ever. that starts at 7 M

I;m looking forward to seeing who are the members of the 2015 Trans 100 Class.   Also looking forward to getting the opportunity to  see a few friends and meet Lana Wachowski.

The Mayne Stage is located at  1328 W Morse St i the 60626 zip code

For those of you who won't be at the Mayne Stage with me tonight, you'll be able to see the Trans 100 Live event via the live feed.

What 100 trans peeps will join the Trans 100 Class of 2013 and Trans 100 Class of 2014 as the latest honorees?   We'll find out in a few hours.

Indiana Enacts 'Religious Bigotry' Law- Backlash Ensues

Bigotry has a cost, and Indiana is about to find that lesson out the hard way.

Indiana Governor Mike Pence (R) signed the Orwellian named Religious Freedom Restoration Act  into law on Thursday that allows faith-based discrimination against the TBLG community.   Ever since  then, the condemnation and backlash of the unjust law has been swift.

“The lawmakers didn’t listen. The governor didn’t listen. They ignored huge job creators and small businesses. They ignored churches and other institutions of faith. They dismissed the idea that a license to discriminate would make us unappealing to visitors and potential residents.”
--Freedom Indiana

“We certainly understand the implications this legislation has on our ability to attract and retain employees, Simply put, we believe discriminatory legislation is bad for Indiana and for business.”
Janice Chavez, Eli Lilly spokesperson  (Eli Lilly has 17,500 employees in Indiana)

Hey, where were y'all Eli Lilly and other businesses when this unjust law was being considered? Now y'all wake up and call it out?

Angie's List just cancelled a $40 million dollar expansion in the state that would have brought 1000 jobs to Indiana.   The Indianapolis based Disciples of Christ denomination sent a letter to Governor Pence  threatening to cancel their 2017 convention that is scheduled to be held there.

"Our perspective is that hate and bigotry wrapped in religious freedom is still hate and bigotry," Todd Adams, the associate general minister and vice president of the Indianapolis-based denomination, told The Indianapolis Star. Adams said the Disciples of Christ would instead seek a host city that is "hospitable and welcome to all of our attendees."

The Indianapolis based NCAA, which hosts the men's Final Four there at Lucas Oil Stadium next week, is also concerned about the anti-LGBT law.

"The NCAA national office and our members are deeply committed to providing an inclusive environment for all our events. We are especially concerned about how this legislation could affect our student-athletes and employees,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement.

“We will work diligently to assure student-athletes competing in, and visitors attending, next week’s Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis are not impacted negatively by this bill. Moving forward, we intend to closely examine the implications of this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our workforce."

The Gen Con gamer convention, which brings 56,000 people to Indianapolis and has a $50 million dollar impact on the local economy, is also threatening to pull out of the city. 

Unfortunately it's too late for Indiana to stop its passage, but it can serve as a cautionary tale for Texas and the rest of the country considering passing the same kind of blatantly unconstitutional and unjust laws

Blasting Off On Planet Privilege

Trans human rights, the final human rights frontier.   These are the voyages of the USS TransGriot, having to check somebody once again for something they wrote and didn't give much thought to before firing up their laptop,.   My guest post at the Dallas Voice

I read that 'Planet Confusion' post from Leslie McMurray of the Dallas Voice, and let me just say for starters it was a hot mess.  You know it ain't good and you have screwed up in Trans World when our TERF enemies and the TS separatist useful fools are gleefully linking to it, disrespectfully misgendering you at the same time and you are getting called out by your trans family for the problematic commentary in it.

And once again, we have another instance of a late transitioning trans person saying some problematic crap.

The first problem with the post was using that Jackie Robinson analogy.  It didn't fit this situation, and you would have been better off leaving it out of the post.  

It was also problematic the conclusion jump that was made based on a cis woman's assertions that Carlotta Sklodowska, the trans woman in question,  was a crossdresser.   She's not, and has stated that she was trans.  So why would you do Yvette Cormier's and the conservafools dirty work for them by not only continuing to erase her declared identity, but then go on an anti-crossdresser rant on top of it?

Sklodowska could have looked like Heidi Klum when she walked into that locker room to hang up her coat and purse and she still would have been misgendered.unjust

I started transition in 1994.  I was wearing femme attire in public long before that   It is a cardinal rule in Trans World that when out and using public restrooms that correspond with gender presentation, we ALWAYS sit to pee period, and for you to insinuate we don't reinforced the transphobic 'men in dresses' trope.

It may be news to you Leslie, but those of us who have been out and proud longer than 2012 are a lot more  politically and PR savvy than you gave us credit for.  Did it also not occur to you Ms. McMurray to ponder the point Yvette Cormier may have had an agenda and been lying? 

No police report, no arrest, no predator.   Anyone who has been in TransWorld long enough to pay attention knows that far too many conservative white peeps  have been crying wolf and white women's tears over nonexistent trans predators.  Now they and the anti-trans industry and their non-white sellouts are desperate to create some phantom predators to back up their transphobic lies and the unjust anti-trans bills popping up like kudzu.

I'm concerned about those unjust bills  too.  So much so I and a group of trans people  and our allies in business attire took a day out of our busy lives to travel to Austin to fight them because if they are enacted, they will disproportionately affect trans people of color.

In addition to the problematic anti-crossdresser rant, the post had the vanillacentric privileged stench of trans identity politics that makes me sick.   Not everyone in Trans World can plunk down $20K and jet to Thailand to get SRS for various personal. fiscal and medical reasons, and you need to keep that fundamental point in mind in the future.

You also need to keep in mind there are many ways to present as female, and cis and trans women come in all shapes, sizes and genital configurations.

But the bottom line in this whole sorry mess is this.   Yvette Corrmier lost her membership for bullying and being a transphobic jerk, and now she has the audacity to want Planet Fitness to pay for her precious delicate nerves being disturbed by a trans woman merely existing.

Shut Up Fool Awards- Moni's In Chicago Again Edition

Another weekend, another conference.  

This time I'm in the Windy City taking part in The National Transgender Non-Conforming Anti-Violence Convening that kicked off at 8AM and has us slated to go until 7 PM CST

It didn't help that I was up writing late Wednesday and Thursday last night and spend late, and traveling on four hours of sleep.

But it's Friday, and i still have that weekly SUF business to handle for you even thought i handling community business at this convening while you peruse this post.

So let's get to this week's fool.

It's been a while since he;s been mentioned on these Shut Up Fool pages,  but this week's loser winner is George Zimmerman.

The should have been convicted child killer opened his mouth to unleash a double dip of stupidity by claiming that it was 'God's will' the killed Trayvon and that President Obama committed a 'dereliction of duty'

“President Obama held his Rose Garden speech stating if I had a son he would look like Trayvon,” he explained. “To me, that was clearly a dereliction of duty pitting Americans against each other solely based on race.”

You know, I don't even know where to begin in calling his should be under the jail ass for even saying something so monumentally stupid.

.George Zimmerman, shut up fool!

Aisha Moodie-Mills To Become Victory Fund President and CEO!

Y'all know I have much love for the fabulous Aisha Moodie-Mills, her spouse Danielle, and all her fabulousness as one of the  amazing human rights leaders that I admire in this community.

I was thrilled to learn that she will become the new president and CEO of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.

She is well suited for this job.  She was previously at the Center for American Progress, where she served as a senior fellow and director of the FIRE Initiative that explores the intersections of race, class, and sexuality. She has worked as a political advisor, private-sector liaison, and fundraiser to more than 50 members of Congress, including six senators and the Congressional Black Caucus. Before joining American Progress, she was the president of Synergy Strategy Group, a boutique fundraising and political consulting firm where she raised millions of dollars for candidates and advocacy organizations.

“We believe that Aisha is exactly the person Victory needs to usher in an innovative and holistic approach to creating a pipeline for exceptional LGBT leadership and public officials," said Kim Hoover, chair of the Victory Fund board. "To us, Aisha represents the future of the LGBT movement. We are at a pivotal moment and in order to continue our momentum we need the insight and energy that Aisha brings to the job."

“The National Black Justice Coalition is overjoyed that one of our own community members has been elevated to lead the important work of the Victory Fund. Aisha Moodie-Mills will be a phenomenal addition to one of our nation’s premier LGBT organizations, working to ensure broader representation of LGBT people in elected office. As a black lesbian, Aisha will bring new hope to women, African Americans and other people of color who seek greater opportunities within the LGBT community with her vast talents and dynamic leadership style. NBJC looks forward to continuing to partner with the Victory Fund as Mrs. Moodie-Mills takes the helm as their new president and chief executive officer.”  

--Sharon Lettman-Hicks, Executive Director & CEO, National Black Justice Coalition

Congratulations to Aisha, and to the Victory Fund for recognizing that the talents were a fit for what they needed as an organization.

Moni's Chilling In Chicago

Another weekend, another hotel room to crash in for another trans community event.

After my flight and CTA train ride, I'm finally chilling (literally) in my hotel room on the 21st  floor of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place getting ready for tomorrow's )first day of the National Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Anti-Violence Convening. (hashtag #NTAVC15) while the Incite! Conference is going on around us.   My room has a nice view of the South Side and Lake Michigan, not that I will be in it much to enjoy it.
Kudos to my little sis CeCe McDonald, who did some truth telling during her opening plenary panel that also included Marissa Alexander via Skype.

Temp was in the 70's when I left home this morning, and it's in the 30s here as I arrived. But enough about the weather, since I will be indoors for much of my visit here anyway. 

The National Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Anti-Violence Convening was organized by the Transgender Law Center, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone over the next two days starting at 8 AM CDT.

And it looks like the trans gang's all here..  I saw Maria Roman, LaSaia Wade and finally met Jazzmun Crayton  five minutes after I dropped my bags in the room and went to the lobby to see who was here.   .

Also ran into Key Jackson and her partner, Je-Shawna Wholley, Ruby Corado and her husband, Bamby Salcedo, Arianna Lint,  BT, Louis Mitchell, Tiq Milan and a long list of people that is shaping up to be an event in which a wide cross section of the trans community leaders are in the house.

Exactly who I see and what we do that I can talk about will play out over the next few days..

And that's before we even start discussing the 2015 Trans 100 honorees that will be revealed Sunday.

Keep Calm And Love Your Trans* Friends

Because we can definitely use it right now with several states proposing unjust laws to criminalize our existence and national organizations being silent about it, our trans teens committing suicide, lies being told about our community and pimped by ministers and a propaganda network, and us feeling besieged.

But despite this, and still we rise.   We still strive to speed up the day when trans human rights is not just a distant dream but a concrete reality across the planet.   We yearn for the day when trans kids will be supported, loved and not thrown out of their homes like yesterday's trash

We also know that we are people loved by the Creator who wonderfully made us and are part of the diverse mosaic of human life.  While some may revile us, others embrace us and consider us a blessing in their lives.

And we also need to spread that same love amongst each other in Trans World as we receive it from the people who love and care about us.

If you as our allies genuinely feel that way, let you trans friends know that now as you give them a hug they most definitely need.

Keep calm.   This storm of anti-trans hatred and intolerance shall pass and will give way to the bright sunlight of freedom, love and acceptance..