August 14, 2015 Wasn't A Good Day For Black Trans Folks

Yesterday, August 14, 2015 will go down in the history of our US trans community and our trans rights movement as a very tough day for us. We had announcements of two more trans younglings in Detroit murdered in Amber Monroe and Ashton O'Hara. We had in North Carolina the announcement that the remains of Angel Elisha Walker had been found after she disappeared 10 months ago. And we are also trying to confirm the death of Kandis Capri in Phoenix.

The infuriating thing about all these cases that adds to the pain of their losses is that all of them were under 30 years of age, with the exception of Kandis, who is 35..

The ray of sunshine in those dark clouds of despair is that in two of the cases. the perpetrators are sitting in jail awaiting further action from law enforcement.

We are in a human rights war we didn't start, but have no choice but to fight it and win. At stake is our humanity and our human rights, and like all wars, unfortunately there are causalities.

We take a moment to mourn our dead, dry our tears, comfort those who loved our fallen sisters and then steel ourselves for what we know we must do. We must fight tooth and nail for a better world for our trans kids, trans kind and all humanity so that we aren't having days like August 14, 2015 ever again.

We will do what we Black transfolks have always done. We will fight with every fiber of our being for our lives, our humanity, our human rights and our ultimate freedom from the tyranny that other misguided people wish to impose on us.

‪#‎BlackTransLivesMatter‬. They always have, always will, and they are worth fighting for.


TransGriot Note:  A White House We The People petition created by Fran Watson of Houston is calling for the federal government to do a formal investigation into the unacceptable levels of murders of trans POC people.  It needs 100K signatures by September 10 to get a formal White House response and to date as of the time I wrote this post it has only 818 signatures.  

Unacceptable when we are looking at a crisis in our community.  Trans women of color are being killed and nobody seems to care about doing something to solve the problem,

If you really care about Black trans people and aren't paying lip service to it, I ask that you not only sign this petition on behalf of the people no longer here, but pass it around your influence circle and urge them to sign it too.

Here's the link


TransGriot Note2:  Did confirm that 35 year old Kandis Capri was shot to death on Tuesday. 

Missing NC Trans Woman Angel Elisha Walker's Remains Found

As if we trans peeps didn't have enough grief to deal with right now with two murders this week while awaiting confirmation from Phoenix about still another Black transwoman being killed, been advised courtesy of a QNotes story by Matt Comer that the remains of 20 year old trans woman Angel Elisha Walker were found Thursday after a search of a property in Johnston County, NC by law enforcement officials.

She disappeared October 30, 2014 while driving her 2000 silver Pontiac Sunfire westward from Salisbury, NC and was reported missing by her mother on November 11.  Walker's burned out car was found two weeks after the investigation began in Sampson County, NC.

Walker's remains were found by law enforcement officials at 7:30 PM EDT on a property outside Smithfield, NC in the woods behind a house there.

23 year old Angel Arias, a known member of the Latin Kings street gang, was arrested and charged with murder and felony larceny of a motor vehicle.   He is being held without bond in the Johnston County jail on unrelated drug charges pending a return to Rowan County.

Will be keeping an eye on his case as well to see if justice is served in it.   Rest in power and in peace Elisha.

H/T QNotes

Damn, Damn, Damn! Ashton Is Number 14

Okay, at this point I am starting to feel like Florida Evans in terms of hearing the news about another trans person that won't ive to see their 50th, much less their 40th or 30th birthdays.  

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired of writing these posts about another young Black trans person being murdered before they have even had a chance to live their lives.

Meet 25 year old Ashton O'Hara of Detroit, who was murdered on July 14.  Ashton is sadly now the 14th trans person murdered in this deadly year of 2015 that has exceeded in 8 months the entire total of US trans murders for all of 2014.   And once again, Ashton is another trans and gender variant person under the age of 30  who has been taken away from us far too soon. 

We've had five murders announced in August alone and this month still isn't over yet.  And yeah, this is the second one in Detroit in 2015.  Amber Monroe was the other one, and the last report I had was her killer has yet to be found.

Once again, when will our #BlackTransLivesMatter?  And far too often, the people killing us are other Black people.   That was the case in this latest murder in which we already have an arrest in this case.

O'Hara's suspected killer, 37 year old Larry B.Gaulding is facing a first degree murder charge in a trial set to begin on September 24.   Let's pack the courtroom and ensure that justice is served in this case.

One thing I am happy to see is that a dialogue has been opened up between the Detroit PD and the local community that will hopefully result in a reduction in crimes aimed at the trans population.  

We also need other cis Black folks to stop cosigning on the conservafool driven hatred of trans people for their nefarious political purposes.  We're tired of y'all in Black Cis World thinking that the way to be a 'good Christian' is to mimic white fundamentalists conservafools who have a deep seated hatred of blackness and Black people. .  

As per usual, I'll be keeping up with this case as well in order to see if Ashton got justice.

Shut Up Fool Awards- Happy Birthday Halle Edition

Today is the 49th birthday of Oscar winning actress Halle Berry, who was born on this date in Cleveland, OH in 1966.

Damn, she's looking good.  Guess it's being a mom   Hope she's having a wonderful, stress free day and we get to see her lovely face on the silver screen soon in a project worthy of her acting talents.

I know y'all didn't surf over here to read some jibber-jabber about Halle.  I know what today is.
I
It's Friday, and it's time for your fave time of the week in terms of discovering what fool, fools or group of fools will get called out by moi on these electronic pages with nominations from you, my loyal TransGriot readers.

So without further ado, the envelope please.

Honorable mention number one goes to Donald Trump for a far too long list of cray-cray that would require a blog post for me to catalog it all.  And yes, her is a contender for 2015 Shut Up Fool of the Year.

Honorable mention number two is a group award for all the Bernie Sanders supporters still mad that Black Lives Matter activists shut down two of his speeches and spouting problematically racist crap about it.  

Hey, all I have to say is the protests worked to get him to release a comprehensive plan on addressing the racial issues of importance to the BLM movement and get the discussion going in this 2016 presidential campaign.

Honorable mention number three is indicted Texas AG Ken Paxton (R) whose Massive Resistance 2,0 to implementing the SCOTUS same sex marriage ruling nearly landed his rump in federal court to face contempt charges

Hey don't look at me people.  I voted for the Democratic candidate in that AG race.  The Teapublicans are the one who put him in office with their votes..

Honorable mention number four goes to Pat Robertson, who let more brazen stupidity and selective interpretation of the Bible loose when he said that the laws in Leviticus only applies to gays. 

Oh really Marion? And what other scriptures don't apply to lying conservafool political con artists like you?

Honorable mention number five goes to Larry Kramer, who hypocritically called out people who have been calling for a boycott of the crime against history Stonewall movie.

Just do unto Larry what Marsha would have done and pay him no mind.

Honorable mention number six is  Mary Elizabeth Williams, who once again proved why that #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen hashtag exists by writing a Salon article calling on feminists to support Megyn Kelly who got attacked by Donald Trump post- Cirque de GOP debate.

My higher cognitive functions compel me to call your ass out for this BS article and ask what the hell were you thinking when you wrote it?   Hell naw I'm not supporting a woman who is not only is NOT a feminist, but has repeatedly said racist crap about Black people from her FOX noise perch..

Honorable mention number seven is a joint award for the (for now) unidentified female racist customer in Danville, VA who called the Lowe's store and demanded a white driver bring her stuff to her instead of the Black driver who did so on July 27. 

Guess she needed a supply of wood to build some crosses for an upcoming Klan meeting.

This week's Shut up Fool winner I have to go back to Kentucky for, and it's Kim Davis

She seems to have the misguided faux faith based fueled belief egged on by the constitutional know-nothings from the Liberty Counsel that her religious beliefs trump federal law and the US Constitution. 

Naw Miss Thang, they don't,.and on Wednesday US District Judge David Bunning made that clear.in his ruling that stated Davis has likely violated the U.S. Constitution's protection against the establishment of a religion by "openly adopting a policy that promotes her own religious convictions at the expenses of others."

He ordered her to issue marriage licenses to gay couples in the Rowan County courthouse in Morehead, KY where she works for now.and promptly defied it the next day.by denying a gay male couple a marriage license for the second time.

Naw homegirl, you do not get to choose when you are being paid with taxpayer dollars that also come from LGBT people that live in Rowan County to NOT do the job we pay you for.  Time for Judge Bunning to throw her behind in jail and give her some time to meditate on Matthew 22;21

They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

And let me close this SUF post in terms she and her fellow faith based oppressors can understand. 

Kim Davis, thou art a fool and needeth to shut up.

Mia Henderson Case Update

Thanks to Jen Fischetti, I have been advised that the Baltimore PD has solved the case involving our departed sister Mia Henderson.

You may recall that the 26 year old Henderson's lifeless body was found in an alley near the 3400 block of Piedmont Ave in the Hanlon-Longmont neighborhood back on July 16, 2014.

On August 6, the Baltimore PD announced they were filing murder charges against Shawn Oliver, who is currently incarcerated at a state penal facility in Hagerstown, MD on an unrelated conviction.

Turns out that Oliver was attempting to rob Henderson, and she fought him before she was killed   That fight led to the discovery of DNA evidence under Mia's fingernails.

Of course, her family is pleased with the new developments in this case along with the Baltimore area trans community..  Stay tuned to these TransGriot electronic pages to see if Henderson gets justice in this case and Oliver gets to do some additional time in the Hagerstown Iron Bar Motel.

The O'Bannon's On HLN August 27

During my Texan in Exile days in Louisville, two of the many people I got to meet in the nearly nine years I lived there were Sheila O'Bannon and her lovely trans feminine daughter Shemiyia

I met them back in 2004, when Miyia was just getting started with her transition, and Sheila was adjusting to it as well.

It's a story that Sheila captured in a play she wrote and produced entitled The Prodigal.  It was a fictionalized account of a family's journey to understand and eventually come to accept the transition journey of one of its family members. 

It debuted at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in downtown Louisville, and yours truly was going to be the moderator for its June 2010 debut until I had to move back to Houston several weeks before the play had the first of its two sold out performances on June 26-27.

It was another piece of unfinished Louisville business I was disappointed and pissed off about not getting a chance to complete as I pointed the moving van southward on I-65 toward Nashville and the opening leg of my journey back home.

I did get to catch up and have lunch with the O'Bannon women at the 59 Diner when they rolled through Houston on vacation two years ago. We had a wonderful time catching up on what was transpiring in all our lives at the time while discussing the then state of the trans community for Black trans folks vis a vis our white counterparts..

Thanks to Miyia's FB page, she's alerted me to an upcoming appearance of her and her mother on Dr. Drew On Call that they taped yesterday.   It's scheduled to air on HLN August 27.

Looking forward to seeing it, and you may wish to set your DVR's for it.  I'm also looking forward to the next time I get a chance to talk to these TV stars.
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Can We Talk 4 Real Podcast Turns Three Today!

On August 14, 2012, a podcast debuted on Blogtalkradio featuring as the hosts Michelle, Ina and Terri Boi that had as its mission to discuss the topics and subjects the LGBT community sometimes didn't wanna talk about, and so so from a Black SGL perspective.

I have been honored to be a guest on this show a few times since the Can We Talk 4 Real team started it, and have had the pleasure of meeting them at various conferences and events around the country during that time.

I also know how much work and dedication goes into producing a podcast, much less keeping it going for as of today three years.

It also goes without saying I have mad love for each one of you!

So happy anniversary Can We Talk 4 Real team!   Thank you for all the conversations you have facilitated via your show, the people you have given a voice that didn't have one until you started this show, and may you have much continued success in facilitating those much needed conversations in the future.

I Repeat: Transpeeps Wish To Pee In Peace

Once again, just a friendly TransGriot reminder of why we trans folks have to go to a bathroom that matches our outward gender presentation.  

To answer nature's call.  

.Trans people, just like you cis people have to eliminate bodily wastes either by peeing, pooping or a combination of both.  Once we are done we flush the toilet, wipe the seat, wash our hands, check our appearance on the trans feminine end and go.

We are not the predators as the Duggar family and other hypocritical conservafools projecting their sexual fantasies and proclivities accuse us of being, we are the prey.

It's why we transpeeps want to go in the bathroom, handle our business, and get out with no fuss, no muss and no drama and have been doing so ever since Christine Jorgensen stepped off the plane in 1953.  We are in there to handle a natural bodily function, not to get a date or prey upon your wives and kids.  

That would be your ministers, some male relative or family friend of yours.   They also as Josh Duggar and others have proved overwhelmingly tend to be right wing Christian white males, and you have to be far more concerned with them being around your wives, female relatives and kids than the average trans woman.

I'm just sayin'.   Now where's my unsweetened tea?.

The point I'm making is that the trans predator myth is a debunked lie, and anyone trying to pimp it deserves you either laughing in their face, calling their lying azzes out or you giving them the side eye.

If you see any trans women in your bathrooms, they are more likely to be hogging the mirrors and complimenting your wives and children, even if you wish to irrationally hate on them because FOX Noise and some right wing minister pushing an agenda told you so.

I repeat.  Let my people pee in peace.

We Mourn A 13th Trans Woman's Murder This Year

Another trans person has been murdered, and this time the scene shifts to my home state of Texas.

The 13th trans woman murdered this year is 22 year old Shade (pronounced like the singer Sade) Schuler, whose badly decomposed body was found in an open field July 29 near Dallas' medical district.

It took Dallas PD detectives nearly two weeks to positively identify her, and as you probably guessed  as per the pattern with murdered Black trans women, Shade was promptly misgendered in the local media.

FYI, the violator of the AP Stylebook standards for reporting on trans people this time was The Dallas Morning News.   The Dallas Police Department has also been guilty of misgendered Shade as well in their press releases.

With this now 13th murder, we have surpassed all the trans people killed in 2014, and once again, still have four months to go in this year.

Anyone with information on this Shade Schuler case is asked to call Dallas PD Detective Chaney in the Homicide Unit at 214-671-3650, and refer to case number 174511-2015. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 214-373-TIPS (8477).

And as usual, as I receive information concerning this latest murder of an under 30 trans woman of color we are now just finding out about, I`ll pass it on to you.

And the question I asked in the last post is still relevant today.  When will #BlackTransLivesMatter to you Black America?

Rest in power and peace, Shade.  We will not rest until justice has been served in your case.

Stop Cosigning The Opposition Lies, HERO Defenders

While I was at the Hilton Americas Hotel`s Skyline Ballroom for the rollout of the Houston Unites campaign to defend it, one thing happened at the end of the press event that really pissed me off in terms of a reporter ignorantly asking the bathroom question again and our side wasting valuable air time answering it.

The question I have for the Houston Unites folks is when are you going to stop giving credence to a right-wing meme that needs to die?

As I learned when I went through GLAAD media training three years ago, just because a reporter asks you a question doesn't obligate you to answer it.

We aren't obligated to use our precious air time answering a question that we know is a fear and smear lie, so why dignify it with an answer?.  And I believe it is a mistake to continue to give validity to a anti-trans bathroom predator meme that we know and repeated studies tell us is a lie, but elements of the Houston media (FOX 26) seem to be stuck on stupid about.

So my proposal about how to handle the issue is this:  don`t answer a question that we know is a anti-HERO talking point.   If the media member asks that damned bathroom question, immediately pivot off of it and go straight to our pro-HERO talking points.

And here`s an example of what I`m talking about:

Question from media:  Won`t the HERO allow men dressed as women to go into women`s restrooms?

Answer from us:  Why aren`t you asking me about how the HERO will benefit the 15 classes of Houstonians that are protected in this much needed ordinance with a local remedy for combating discrimination that unfortunately happens in our city?

That`s the conversation we should be having.

Houston didn`t have a local ordinance to address discrimination until HERO was passed last year.  It sends a loud and clear message we Houstonians welcome all who wish to move and live here, do business with our city, and cements our growing international reputation as a diverse, welcoming place.

***

That`s how that question should have been answered, and there will probably be others we come up with over the next few months.

And next time, don`t send someone to me to condescendingly talk about  polling stating we need to acknowledge the fear and the lie that is stoking that fear.  I saw that data, and it's time to try a new tactic of just saying no to cosigning right wing fear and smear and calling it out for the lie it is. 

I`m part of the Houston trans community they have been demonizing ever since this Houston human rights battle started and we're tired of hearing 'we need to acknowledge the fear'..

How about acknowledging the fact that now 13 transpeople have been killed because of anti-trans lies like this and the fear we trans people have of somebody in the Houston area joining that list this year because of the anti-trans hate that is about to be unleashed by the opposition? 

How about acknowledging the humanity of trans people and noting we live in the H-town city limits, too?   We`re not only tired of it, we need our allies to be just as bold in calling out the lie as the hatemongers are in telling it.

I repeat:  No we do not have to answer that bathroom meme question . It is a demonstrably false right wing talking point being used across the country by our opponents, it`s the only card they can play, and let me say it once more with feeling, IT IS A LIE..

We have the facts on our side in this HERO fight.  Fair minded Houstonians are with us. .All the out of town haters meddling in Houston human rights business have is GOP support and fear.  

We should not let their fear damage our economy and cause us to lose the Super Bowl , NCAA Final Four rand future corporate relocations.

So let`s have the courage on our side to call out the bathroom meme for what it is, a lie and a scare tactic from out of town  suburban professional gaybaiters who don`t care about our beautiful diverse international city,

Geena Rocero Takes Part In The #GirlsCan Campaign

Y'all know how much I love my modeling sis Geena Rocero, and it was wonderful to see the latest thing she is involved in.    Geena's stylishly dressed self was onstage sitting with other accomplished women discussing the kickoff of a COVERGIRL Cosmetics #GirlsCan campaign videos.

It's a campaign launched in February 2014 by Soledad O'Brien and COVERGIRL that encourages young women to break down social stigmas and challenge themselves to achieve what many would say impossible.

In this photo Geena was sharing the stage with a CEO, a computer science specialist and a rapper who have not only broken down social stigmas and barriers in their own lives, but have excelled in their respective fields.    

Congratulations Geena for being part of this campaign and repping #GirlsLikeUs

Here's Geena's #GirlsCan video with Soledad O'Brien

Hell Naw I'm Not Supporting Megyn Kelly

One of the major reasons I identify as a womanist is because far too often, I see situations in which white feminists will rush to the defense of any white woman who has been slimed by 'the menz' or call for across the board female solidarity in those situations, but you're cricket chirping silent when it is women of color who are being attacked.

Yeah, that's why that #SolidarityIsForWhiteWomen hashtag exists.   We have glaring examples of it popping up and not being reciprocated with depressing regularity

Another glaring example of it popped up in my Facebook feed today when I was sent a link to a Salon article by Mary Elizabeth Williams in which she asked feminists to support Megyn Kelly in the wake of Donald Chump Thump's misogynistic attacks on her, even though she has never declared herself to be one, and sides with a political movement that believes feminists are The Enemy.

I'm damned sure not down with what Trump said about her and it needs to be forcefully called out.  But stand in solidarity with her?  Not no but hell naw am I not going to stand with her. 

Since when has Kelly ever stood with women of color, much less not said anything  that wasn't straight up racist? 

And while she has her broken clock moments every now and then, on balance she earns every penny Rupert Murdoch pays her for being the pretty blonde face peddling that odious right wing agenda.

Her azz had the nerve to say from her FOX Noise propaganda perch that a Black female teen manhandled by an out of control McKinney, TX cop earlier this year 'was no saint'.   She declared that Santa Claus and Jesus were white.   She tried to downplay the racist e-mails discovered in the DOJ probe when Ferguson was on everyone's minds last summer by claiming 'racist e-mails are everywhere'

And yeah, I would be remiss in not pointing out that one of her broken clock moments involved trans people on September 1, 2011.

The transgendered, they go through so much pain and emotional turmoil in dealing with the effects of that disorder or whatever you want to call it and I don’t think they need people piling on and mocking them once they do something that many people consider very brave. But that’s me, that’s my two cents. [emphasis added]

But ever since them, she has devolved on trans issues as her FOX Noise employers shift tactics to attack trans people.

So not no, but oh hell no am I as an proud unapologetically Black trans woman going to support Megyn Kelly's behind, especially when she can't seem to do the same on a consistent basis for women of color and trans women.

Not Feeling The #BeyBeAHERO Campaign

We in Houston are gearing up for what will be a nasty, knockdown drag out battle to keep our hard won Houston Equal Rights Ordinance on the books. The ballot language has already been created so it is easy to understand for the voters in November and as straightforward and matter of fact as possible. 

I just returned from watching a press conference announcing the kickoff of the Houston Unites coalition that will coordinate the defense of the ordinance.  The fundraising for the pro-HERO defense will be starting soon if it hasn't already,  We have had Houston's largest business association, the Greater Houston Partnership, put out an ad declaring their support for HERO.

And in last Tuesday's City Council public comment meeting, we have had the head of the Houston Sports Authority warn that next year's NCAA Men's Final Four and the 2017 Super Bowl are in jeopardy along with the estimated $1.6 billion in economic activity that will be generated by hosting those two sporting events if HERO unfortunately gets repealed.

The stakes are high in this battle, and our pro-HERO side is seeking to do everything possible to defend the ordinance including starting a campaign to try to pressure our Houston homegirl Beyonce Knowles-Carter into tweeting something about supporting it in the hope that it somehow would be a game changer in the soon to be PR and media war over the HERO.

I'm not feeling that #BeyBeAHERO campaign, and here are some of the reasons why. 

First problem is that local Houston Black trans, bi and SGL folks weren't consulted before it launched. If you had, we would have told you about other peeps you could have approached locally.  Also by not talking to the Black LGBT community and getting our input first as to whether this was a viable idea, you may have missed out on some peeps who actually have some connections with Team Beyonce.

Another point is that although Beyonce is a beloved figure here in H-town and in Black Houston's TBLG ranks, she has been living in New York with her hubby and daughter.  Even if she wanted to, it is still difficult from over 1500 miles away to keep up with the nuances of local politics.

I spent 8 years in Louisville, and as much as I tried to keep abreast of Houston and Texas state politics, the longer you are away from your hometown, the harder it is to do because you tend to focus politically on the area you live in at that moment in time.

Another problem I have with it is why is Beyonce the ONLY Houston based celeb being hit with this campaign?  

Jim Parsons from CBS' The Big Bang Theory is a Houstonian, too.  So is actress Loretta Devine.  Alexis Bledel, Cierra Ramirez from The Fosters,  Isaiah Washington, Chandra Wilson from Grey's Anatomy, Hilary and Haylie Duff, Renee Zellweger, Clint Black, Rodney Crowell, Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad and gospel singer Yolanda Adams.

And I'm not even close to scratching the surface of the Houston celebs that can be possibly called on, especially in the sports world.

Yeah, yeah I'm acutely aware of Bey's massive social media presence.  But another point is where her sister Solange has no problem calling crap and fools out, Beyonce has been more reluctant to chime in and be overtly political about the issues of the day. 

The most overtly political thing she has done was sing at a 2009 inaugural ball for President Obama, sing the national anthem at his 2013 inauguration and declare she was a feminist (with far too much derisive hatin' about that declaration) from many people.

Even when Mike Huckabee was racistly sliming her and her hubby, not too much commentary from her about his jacked up comments aimed at her.

So if she hasn't justifiably called out a loudmouth conservafool FOX Noise commentator who let loose racist commentary about her and her husband to boost his GOP presidential political fortunes, what makes you peeps think based on past history that she's going to comment about this HERO fight?

If she does, hooray and I'll be shocked if it happens.  But I'm not holding my breath that it will.

JCPS Trans Inclusive Policy Passes First Stage Vote

When I left Louisville in May 2010 four days after my birthday to come back home, I had unfinished human rights business I was unhappy to leave undone.

That unfinished business was getting a nondiscrimination policy that included gender identity language for the Jefferson County Public Schools. 

In 2007 I was part of a coalition effort to get a comprehensive LGBT inclusive policy passed for JCPS..  Trans people were cut out of that policy in committee because of then Supt. Berman's lack of human rights vision.   I was highly pissed off about it at the time and almost dropped our of the effort at that point because I was upset about the trans community getting throw under the political bus again. 

After calming down and promises being made to me and the Louisville trans community that the Fairness led coalition would come back and fight for trans inclusion in the JCPS policy at another time, .I changed my mind and fought hard to get the JCPS trans free policy passed.. 

The trans free policy subsequently passed after three long and contentious public hearings on a 4-3 vote.

On Monday I was alerted by Dawn Wilson that the trans inclusion policy n JCPS I was fighting for passed its first stage JCPS board vote with a 5-2 margin.to take it to the second stage

Linda Duncan, just as in 2007  tried to use all the tools in her oppression handbook, but failed to slow down this policy what should have been adopted 8 years ago had Berman and the board listened to me and the coalition then..   Duncan along with board member Chuck Haddaway opposed it.

Rounds two and three are coming up, and I expect Frank Simon, Jerry Stephenson and the rest of the merry band of suburban haters will be loading up the buses to stick their nose in JCPS human rights business soon.

Houston Unites Sponsored HERO Press Conference Tomorrow

TransGriot Note: The battle to defend our hard won Houston Equal Rights Ordinance has begun!   A statement from the Houston Unites coalition group to keep HERO.

They will have a press conference that will take place tomorrow, August 12 at the Hilton Americas Hotel in downtown Houston at 10 AM CDT. to launch what we hope will be the successful effort to defend this much needed human rights ordinance.

***
 
Tomorrow, concerned citizens, members of civil rights groups and representatives of the faith and business communities will gather to launch Houston Unites, the campaign in support of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO). On November 3, Houstonians will vote on this critical ordinance that protects Houstonians from discrimination based upon 15 categories that include race, age, military status, pregnancy status, gender identity and sexual orientation..

Those of us who supported HERO and advocated for its passage last year are in agreement that NO Houstonian should be discriminated against.  That’s a core value a majority of Houstonians share, and that's why HERO's passage a year ago was supported by more than 80 current and former elected officials, community and non-profit organizations, major corporations and more than 70 local faith leaders.

In America’s most diverse city, we believe that everyone should be treated fairly no matter who they are.

Houston Unites is the coalition working to elevate the diversity of voices supporting HERO. The leading coalition partners include: ACLU of Texas, Equality Texas, Freedom For All Americans, Human Rights Campaign, NAACP Houston Branch and Texas Freedom Network.

We The People Petition To Formally Investigate US Trans POC Murders

As many of you TransGriot readers know, I have been tracking since the inception of my blog nearly a decade ago the murders of trans women of color and whether or not they have received justice in their cases.

I have been alarmed by the fact that we have already matched the number of trans women killed in the US in all of 2014 (12) in just 8 months, and this year still has 4 months left to go.  I am also particularly concerned and incensed about the fact that the majority of trans women that have been murdered are not only trans women of color, but under age 30.

I am pleased to not only affix my signature to this (Signature #23), but also signal boost this We The People petition that started today.   It seeks to get 100,000 people to sign on to this effort to get the federal government to investigate this unacceptable slaughter of trans women of color, of which far too many of them have been under 30 years of age.

We have to get the 100,000 signatures by September 10 to get a formal response from the White House on the requested action stated in the petition.

Here's the link to the petition and I hope you will join me in taking just a few moments of time out of your busy day to sign it.

If you do, thank you.  I and my community deeply appreciate the support, and please share this news in your influence circles.

Christie Vetoes Trans Birth Certificate Bill For Second Time

Governor Transphobe, er Chris Christie (R-NJ) showed his transphobic side again to the people of New Jersey, its trans citizens, the nation and the world by vetoing for the second time a bill that would have allowed trans and intersex people the opportunity to get a clean copy of their birth certificates without undergoing genital surgery..

I would have had he signed it, allowed for a person’s gender marker to be changed upon receipt of a note from their health care provider indicating that the individual has undergone treatment appropriate for a gender transition, in accordance with the most recent medical standards for treating gender dysphoria.

Several states and the District of Columbia already have such policies in place, and this is the second time that he has vetoed such a bill, citing 'fraud and abuse' as his cover excuses for doing so.

Activists in the Garden State were hopeful but not surprised that this veto happened.   There was hope that because this 2015 version of the bill had more bipartisan support, he would possibly sign it, but LGBT activist in the state were less optimistic about that possibility.   They pointed to his need to pander to the GOP conservative base in the rest of the country in an attempt to bolster his 2016 GOP presidential nomination aspirations as to why this TBLG bill would probably get vetoed by him .

As for the possibility of a potential override of his veto?  Not likely even though the Democrats have the majority in both the Assembly (48-32) and the Senate (24-16)    An override would require 27 votes in the Senate, and 54 votes in the Assembly.

That means it would require six Republicans to join that effort in the Assembly and three Republican senators to do so in that chamber, and Republican legislators have traditionally supported their governor..  

The trans birth certificate bill initially passed the Senate 30-6, with four members absent, and the Assembly 51-23, with six members absent.

So trans and intersex New jersey residents once again got thrown under the political bus by their GOp governor.   Why should I not be surprised by that development?

Alberto B Mendoza To Become NAHJ Executive Director

You TransGriot readers are familiar with him as the founding creator of the Honor 41 list that recognizes LGBT Latinos, but on September 1 Alberto B. Mendoza will be recognized for another reason.   On that date he will become the executive director of the National Hispanic Journalists Association.

“Alberto is the right leader at the right time for NAHJ,” said Mekahlo Medina, NAHJ President. “He comes with decades of non-profit experience, exceptional organizational skills, sponsorship building and a history of elevating organizations to the next level.”

That extensive non-profit experience includes recently serving as the Regional Vice President with Jumpstart: Children First where he led the operations in California, Texas and Washington which served over 3300 children. He also served as the President and CEO of the Coalition for Clean Air, a California policy and advocacy organization, where he was the first Latino leader to run a statewide environmental organization.

In 2009, United States Senator Barbara Boxer honored Mendoza with the first ever U.S. Environmental Leadership Award. Alberto was also the founding Regional Executive Director for the Drug Policy Alliance- Southern California office and also led programs for Girl Scouts USA, Public Counsel and AIDS Project Los Angeles.

And as pleased as NAHJ was to name him on June 10 as their new executive director, he is just as pleased to be joining the organization.

“I’m extremely honored and excited to join the NAHJ family,” said Mendoza. “The caliber of our membership and the organization’s impressive reputation, are the two key elements of why I wanted to take this leadership role. While there’s lots to do, I am confident we will achieve new levels of success for NAHJ and our members”

Congratulations Alberto!  I have no doubts that NAHJ is headed to the next level as a journalism organization with him in their executive director role that he will assume full time in September.  I've known him for several years as one of my FB friends and couldn't be happier for him. 

I'm looking forward to the day I finally get to meet him.  May have to do so at that joint NAHJ-NABJ conference in Washington DC next year.

Straight Outta Stonewall

One of the things that pissed me and many folks off last week was the release of a trailer for the upcoming Roland Emmerich directed crime against history Stonewall movie that centered the story around a fictional white gay man named Danny.

We all know who really kicked off the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion.  It damned sure wasn't the Fire Island  'good homosexuals' covering in their closets.  It was the trans peeps, butch lesbians, bi folks, drag queens and other LGBT people of color fed up with NYPD police harassment of them.

And the Stonewall Inn was their hangout.  

In honor of the 20th anniversary of the release of the classic NWA rap album Straight Outta Compton, Beats Audio created a meme maker in which you could upload a pic of yourself and add your 'hood or hometown to it.  Of course, their are mischievous pranksters who have gleefully taken it and ran with it and I'll be talking about that in another post late.

But thanks to La La Zannell, we have these reminders of who the real heroes and sheroes of Stonewall were in terms of Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson and Miss Major.

In light of the fact we have had far too many trans murders this year, these memes serve to remind usof the proud history we have as trans women of color, and that we are not just tragic victims.   We kicked off a human rights movement.  We are fighting not only to advance our own human rights cause but the human rights of all people.   We are providing  trailblazing and innovative leadership as we continue to make history in our 21st century time on Planet Earth.

It  is also vitally important for our trans younglings to know we existed before they were born, are part of the fabric of our communities, and they have possibility models they can look up to, be proud of and emulate.

We who benefit from the pioneering work of Sylvia, Marsha, Miss Major, the Dewey's Lunch Counter Sit In protestors, and the Compton's Cafeteria and Copper's Donuts riots must never forget that we all walk in their pumps, and it ain't about us.  It's about the next generation of transkids that we do this work for.  All we are simply doing is building on the foundation of resistance and struggle they have painstakingly laid down. 

Even though we may not live long enough to enjoy the fruits of that work, it's trans human rights work we must do.  At the same time we must tell our stories, work intersectionally to build allies, build community here and abroad while documenting our history.  We must pass it on to the next generation so they can know what we did in our late 20th-early 21st century time on Planet Earth did to make the world better for trans people than when we encountered it.

As the Stonewall movie whitewashing tells us,  we must also be vigilant in ensuring the historical record is correct when it comes to events we know beyond a shadow of a doubt were trans people of color productions.  We cannot allow POC contributions to building the LGBT rights movement to be erased by whiteness and white supremacy.   

We're Straight Outta Stonewall, and don't you ever let anyone try to tell you you're not.


TransGriot Mote:  Last two images courtesy of Elizabeth Rivera, previous three  LaLa Zannell.

RIP Amber Monroe

Was made aware of this by Melanie Davis that we have now had a 12th transwoman killed in 2015, this time in Detroit.

Her name was Amber Monroe, and she was just 20 years old and a student at Wayne State University in Motown.   Her body was found early yesterday morning, and she had been shot, according to a statement by Equality Michigan .

“Our hearts are heavy with grief that we have lost another vibrant member of our community too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of Amber’s family and friends whom she clearly loved deeply,” said Yvonne Siferd, Director of Victim Services for Equality Michigan.

“We have no idea yet whether this attack was fueled by transphobia, but we do know that Amber’s murder is the 12^th murder of a transgender woman in the United States this year, and the 10^th murder of a transgender woman of color. Transgender women, and especially transgender women of color, are disproportionately affected by violence.

Her life was just beginning; I know that this loss will leave so many people with a hole in their lives and with more questions than answers. Let’s come together to celebrate her life, and work for real change so that our transgender sisters can be free from persecution. I know we can do better. We have to do better.”

Yes, we as a society MUST do better.  With this third murder of a transwoman in the last 17 days, I know I'm getting fracking tired of writing the story about another young Black trans woman being killed.   We are being hunted, and nobody seems to give a rats anus about it.

Papi Edwards, 20, Louisville, January 9

Lamia Beard, 30, Norfolk on January 17

Ty Underwood, 24, Tyler TX on January 26

Yazmin Vash Payne, 33, LA on January 31

Taja de Jesus, 36, San Fran February 1

Penny Proud, 21, New Orleans February 10

Bri Golec, 22, Akron on February 13

Kristina Grant Infiniti, 47, Miami on February 15

London Chanel, 21, Philadelphia on May 18

Mercedes Williamson, 17, Alabama on May 30

India Clarke, 25, Tampa on July 22

K.C. Haggard, 66, Fresno on July 23

Amber Monroe, 20, Detroit on August 8#SayHerName

This is still a developing story and Detroit Police are still investigating what happened, so as further details get passed on or I find out about them, I'll pass them on to you TransGriot readers.

This crap needs to strop.   With this murder we have matched in eight bloody months what it took all of 2014 to accomplish, and these are just the ones we know about.   Ten of the 12 trans women killed have been trans women of color.  

What also irks me the most is that nine of the now twelve murdered trans women were under 30 years of age, and one was just 17 years old.

I'm also tired of my young trans sisters being misgendered and posthumosly slimed by the media after they are murdered. 

So tell me Black America, when will #BlackTransLivesMatter to you?   Today?   Next week?  Next month?  Next year?  How many more young Black trans people must die before you start caring enough to work with us to stop the murders of trans people? 

When will you  send the message that Black trans people are part of the Black community too? 

Your fellow trans people are waiting to hear that answer instead of loud and wrong condemnation from sellout ministers cooning it up for white cconservafool fundamentalists and deafening silence from our legacy organization like the NAACP and the Urban League.

Rest In Power and in peace, Amber.   You are loved, and your trans family and our allies won't rest until justice is done in your case..
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