Indiana GOP Senator Files Unjust Anti-Trans SB 35

While y'all were checking out what gifts were left for you under your Christmas trees and in your stockings, Indiana trans folks were given a lump of legislative coal from the GOP.

Indiana Republicans, mad because they were forced to back down from implementing the discriminatory RFRA they passed  because of the national backlash that cost them business, failed to learn their lesson from that debacle and have now set their sights on attacking the Indiana trans community.  

Senator Jim Tomes (R-Wadesville) has decided to unleash his inner trans oppressor and file a bill that would criminalize being a trans person in the state of Indiana.

SB 35 if passed and signed into law by Governor Mike Pence (R) would take effect on June 1, 2016 and make using the bathrooms, locker rooms that don't correspond to your genitalia a Class A misdemeanor, send you to jail for up to a year and fine you up to $5,000.

Exceptions would be made for parents of children under age 8, first responders, janitors and people rendering first aid and insist that public and charter schools adhere to its unjust provisions even though schoolchildren would not face criminal charges..   

This bill is a mess because it confuses sex and gender identity and throw chromosomes in the mix by using the  XX= female, XY = male as part of the bill's definition of 'biological gender'.

Umm Senator Trans Oppressor, Google a condition called Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome in which people with XY chromosomes not only develop female bodies but female genitalia.  There are also other combinations of chromosomes for humans besides XX and XY.

And if you're intersex, which locker room, shower facility or public potty do you use in Indiana?

And explain to me Sen. Tomes, who is going to pay for the expensive lab tests to determine someone's chromosomal makeup?  

You damned sure can't determine someone's chromosomes just by looking at them.

Tomes disingenuously tried to claim he's not singling out trans people for attack, but that's exactly what the unjust SB 35 bill does.

This unjust anti-trans bill is now in the Senate Committee on Public Policy, and if passed will put Indiana on a collision course with the US Department of Justice.   The DOJ recently said in July that trans students not being allowed to use the facilities that corresponds with their gender identity is a for of sex discrimination.

Indiana sadly is trying to establish itself as the Crossroads of Transphobic Bigotry, and criminalize trans lives.  The unjust SB 35 bill needs to die.

Donahue Show: Trans People and Their Families

Another Donahue trans show, circa 1987 in which he interviews a trans woman and her supportive sister.

Enjoy the video

Shut Up Fool Awards-Christmas Fools 2015 Edition

Merry Christmas TransGriot readers! 

Hope Santa Claus brought you what you were hoping for and it was under your tree wrapped up all nice and pretty for you.   If you didn't, there's always your birthday.

Thanks to those of you who may be using your new phones, laptops, tablets or desktop computers to surf by my blog today and who have done so throughout 2015.

Another present you'll get later tonight is a rare Christmas Day full moon.  The last time it happened was in 1977, and the next time it will occur is in 2034, so look up at the sky at our celestial neighbor later tonight for this rare event.

Since today is Friday, that also means I had to handle my usual TransGriot blogging business n deciding what fool, fools or group of fools deserved getting a lump of coal in their Christmas stockings today.

Just a reminder we are closing in on the big reveal of what fool, fools or fools get the 2015 Shut Up Fool of the Year as a late Christmas gift from me yo you to ring in the New Year.   Got it narrowed down to who will win it for 2015, but you readers still have a few days to nominate the peeps who over this year were just over the top in their idiocy.

And let's see what fool, fools or group of fools were naughty and not so nice this week,

Let's just go straight to this week's winner.   This week's Christmas Day fool and the last one for 2015 is Kentucky's new Teabagging governor Matt Bevin. (R).

Bevin deserves a trainload of Kentucky coal in his Christmas stocking for issuing the first executive orders of his new administration that rescinded the positive ones that outgoing governor Steve Beshear (D) issued.

In addition to handing hate clerk Kim Davis a victory, he took away the newly won voting rights of 140,000 non-violent felons who had served their time.   Kentucky is one of three US states that permanently take away your voting rights if you are convicted of a felony crime.

In addition to that. the Grinch, er Governor Bevin rolled back the $10.10 minimum wage for state workers back to $7.25 an hour.   For department that had fortunately implemented it, it stays in place, but for those unlucky state workers who hadn't gotten it yet, the TGOP  governor just showed you he and his party don't care about you working class people once again.

Merry Christmas to all you Kentucky folks who either sat out the election or voted for this Tea Klux Klown.  It''s going to be a long four years for you because you're about to get a real world example of why your azzes should have one to the polls on November 3.  .

This is also a prime example of what I and other trans advocates have been talking about when we say that trans rights executive orders are NOT enough and we need trans rights legislation.   An unfriendly governor can erase then with the same pen strokes that created them in the first place.

 Gov. Matt Bevin, shut up fool!

Merry Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas, people!   Hope everyone is enjoying the day and gets a chance to spend it with your blood or chosen families.

I also hope that you received the gifts that you wished to get under your Christmas trees, and if you didn't, that what you wanted is available at a steep end of year discount

And later on tonight we'll have a Christmas Day full moon for the first time since 1977.

As for me, I'm going to focus on counting my blessings. I went to a few conferences and conventions, got to attend an historic event at the White House in March, and got to reconnect with and meet some amazing people inside and outside the community.

And I'm also blessed to know, talk to and call my friends some amazing trans people in our community

Can't forget as of next Friday my blog will celebrate its ten year anniversary.  

So what will 2016 hold in store for me and our beloved trans community?   I'll do some hard solid thinking about that later, but today I'm going to take the opportunity to enjoy Christmas Day, kick back, recharge the creative batteries, scarf down somebody's holiday home cooking and take the day off.   Now if the news cycle intrudes on this day or I get some idea for a post I have to share with the world, I'll post it.  

Yeah, yeah you'll get this week's Shut Up Fool post at noon CST per usual.  Otherwise any other posts will wait until tomorrow, subject to the news cycle.

But besides that, Merry Christmas!

2015 TransGriot NFL Picks- Week 16

Merry Christmas!   Your present from the NFL is the last Thursday night matchup of the 2015 season and a Saturday game for the second consecutive week.

We in H-town got an early Christmas present from the Texans with the snapping of that 0 for Indianapolis streak with their 16-10 win against the Colts .  This was the first ever win as a franchise against the Colts after 13 straight losses in both the now demolished RCA Dome and Lucas Oil Stadium and ended a six game losing streak to the team we hate the most in the AFC South next to the Tennessee Traitors.

And I'm rooting for the Carolina Panthers to go perfect.  In addition to being the first NFC team with a chance to do so, Cam Newton has a chance to make some Black history as the first Black NFL quarterback to lead his team to an undefeated regular season.

Speaking of perfect, I came close to getting my perfect week, but missed on the Thursday night and Monday night games in Week 15 to end up with a still excellent 14-2 week and open up a lead on defending champ Mike with  two weeks to go.

Now I have to hold it.  So let's get busy doing just that.




Week 15 Results                                          2015 Season Record.
TransGriot    14-2                                        TransGriot      147-77
Mike             12-4                                         Mike               143-81
Eli                 11-5                                         Eli                  136-88

NFL Week 16 (Home Team In CAPS)

Thursday Night
RAIDERS over Chargers

Saturday Night 
Washington over EAGLES

Sunday Noon
Texans over TITANS
Colts over DOLPHINS
BUCCANEERS over Bears
CHIEFS over Browns
Patriots over JETS
BILLS over Cowboys
Panthers over FALCONS
LIONS over 49ers
Steelers over RAVENS

Sunday Afternoon
SAINTS over Jaguars
SEAHAWKS over Rams
CARDINALS over Packers

Sunday Night
VIKINGS over Giants

Monday Night
Bengals over BRONCOS

Gwen Araujo's Mom Sylvia Guerrero Needs Our Help

17 year old Gwen Araujo was brutally murdered on October 4, 2002 and ever since then, her mother Sylvia Guerrero has been a standup ally for our community.

I was saddened to learn Sylvia has been going through some tough times lately.   To add to the difficulties she's already experiencing, she unexpectedly lost her Social Security disability benefits and her Medicare in June.  The loss of those benefits has resulted in her car being repossessed.  She reapplied for reinstatement those benefits in August, but still hasn't heard any word whether they have been reinstated.

While some friends have stepped up to help her with a short term loan here and there, she's still fiscally underwater and has started a GoFundMe campaign in which she hopes to raise $4,000 to help her purchase a used car to get around and get her life stabilized.

At the time this post was compiled, $1,170 has been raised toward her goal.   Trans family, can we help Sylvia Guerrero out?   She's been there for us, and now she needs the trans community to stand up for her.

Here's the link to the GoFundMe campaign.

First Ever Africa Trans* Visibility Day

I keep pointing out the trans human rights movement is an international one, and we have increasing evidence of that global reach every day.  

On December 5 the first ever Africa Trans* Visibility Day event organized by Iranti-org took place at Johannesburg's Constitutional Hill.   Activists from six African nations gathered for an all day program of panel discussions covering trans rights, accessing health care, safety, security, legal recognition and employment in their various nations and on the African continent.

The event was also designed to create visibility for trans Africans and celebrate them taking ownership of their lives.  The afternoon program was filled with musical performances and gatherings to give the attendees a chance to connect and network with each other.  

Activists for this inaugural Africa Trans* Visibility Day event came from Lesotho, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia, Uganda and the host nation South Africa

The organizers not only wish to see this become an annual event that has ownership from all trans Africans, but the hosting duties be rotated amongst various nations.

Hope that happens for Africa Trans* Visibility Day as well

1965 Baldwin vs. Buckley Debate

"It is a terrible thing for an entire people to surrender to the notion that one-ninth of its population is beneath them.  Until the moment comes when we, the Americans, are able to accept the fact that my ancestors are both black and white, that on that continent we are trying to forge a new identity, that we need each other, that I am not a ward of America, I am not an object of missionary charity, I am one of the people who built this country-- until this moment comes there is scarcely any hope for the American dream.  If the people are denied participation in it, by their very presence they will wreck it.  And if that happens it is a very grave moment for the West."
-James Baldwin, 1965 Cambridge University debate    

50 years ago writer James Baldwin  accepted an invitation from Cambridge University's Cambridge Union Society to debate William F. Buckley, Jr., the father of modern conservatism and the young founder of the conservative leaning National Review magazine.

The debate topic was 'Has the American Dream Been Achieved At The Expense Of The American Negro?' 

Baldwin in addition to being a prominent writer, was one of the intellectual voices of the Civil Rights Movement.  Buckley was had voiced his opposition to desegregation in the pages of the National Review in 1961 but was a few years from his status as 'The Father of Modern Conservatism'.

Both got their opportunity to argue their points, and when it was over the Cambridge Union Society members voted on the proposition.   Baldwin trounced Buckley 540-160.  

Enjoy this debate, because sadly, many of the points Baldwin makes are still valid in 2015 and explain much of the racial animus we are currently dealing with.

What I Would Like To Give The Trans Community For Christmas 2015

We're 48 hours from Christmas Day, and it's been another year for transkind filled with good and bad news.   While we have unprecedented levels of visibility, it has come at the price of the right win increasing their dehumanizing attacks on us for their political advantage and increased anti-trans violence aimed at us.

We have the amazing trans teen Jazz Jennings as a kick butt trans advocate and a newly out trans woman on the Left Coast that needs to sit her azz down and learn from Jazz and a bunch of other longtime activists how it's done in addition to take take the time to get comfortable in her skin.

But let me move on to discussing what I would like to give the trans community for Christmas if I had the power to grant those wishes.

First up is an end to anti-trans violence, and those who visit it upon us getting serious jail time for doing so.

I'd like to see the unemployment rate for trans people come down into the single digits and LGBT orgs actually hiring trans people  (and especially trans people of color) for senior leadership positions.

I'd like to see HIV infections in Trans World come down to zero along with an immediate end to the practice of lumping trans people in the MSM statistics.

I'd like to see culturally competent medical care become a reality for trans people and trans specific care be covered by medical insurance.

I'd like for all trans kids wishing to come out, but fearing they'll be tossed on the streets if they do to be able to do so.

I'd like for all trans people who wish to participate in sports to be able to do so in their desired gender presentation.

I'd like to see all nations allow trans people to change their documentation without erecting fiscal, legal, or medical hurdles for them to do so.

I'd like to see trans people begin to get elected to public office and write the laws and policies that govern them.

I'd like to give trans people pride in themselves, pride in our history and the self confidence to know that we are amazing human beings who can accomplish anything we put our minds to if just given the opportunity to do so.

And finally, I'd like to see trans people be treated with dignity and respect in every situation.

Well, it is the Christmas season, and miracles do happen.   But at least I can get the process started for those wishes to become a reality by speaking about them and getting you to do some hard solid thing about how we make them a reality as a community.

TransGriot Note: The photo of the woman wearing a Christmas hat is none other than the lovely Geena Rocero.

This sister sittin on Santa's lap is the amazing Angelica Ross.

FTM Fitness World Body Building Competition Video

I talked about the FTM Fitness World Conference in Atlanta in a previous post, and in addition to this Al Jazeera America story about the transmasculine body building world, while searching for video I stumbled across this CNN video with interviews by Neo Sandja and Shawn Stinson about this trans masculine bodybuilding competition.



I hope I get the opportunity to go to the 3rd annual FTM Fitness World event next year in the ATL, see it in person and write about it for the blog

Donahue Show: Tula

During its 26 years of syndication from 1970-1996, The Phil Donahue Show was considered the gold standard when it came to talk shows.  

The wonderful thing about Donahue was that because he was a journalist and newscaster before he quit to start the show, when he covered trans issues and people, he did so in an intelligent and  respectful way for the time period.

Here's video of the show in which he interviewed trans pioneer, author, advocate, Bond Girl and model Caroline Cossey.

Mayor Parker's Last City Council Meeting

Her third and final term doesn't officially end until January 2 and Mayor-elect Sylvester Turner is inaugurated, but her final city council meeting will be today at 9:00 AM  

It will be the last council meeting for not only Mayor Annise Parker, but term limited councilmembers Ed Gonzalez, who is running for Harris County sheriff, C.O. Bradford, and Steven Costello, who ran for mayor in this recent cycle.

Unfortunately, one of the people we will also say goodbye to is District F CM  Richard Nguyen, who lost his reelection bid in the runoff by 245 votes basically because he was targeted by the HERO haters.

He gave one of the more memorable and moving commentaries before casting his YES vote for HERO passage and serves as a Houston profile in courage.

I'll be at City Hall to check out what's happening and say goodbye to these wonderful public servants.  

Cali Anti-Trans Ballot Initiative Fails To Get On 2016 Ballot!

There's good news coming from the Left Coast as the right wing haters in the 'Privacy For All' group failed to get their hate on transpeople initiative on the ballot.

The group, backed by the Sacramento based Pacific (in)Justice Institute, the same peeps who brought you Prop 8, needed to submit 365,880 valid signatures today to the California Secretary of State's office to get their unjust ballot initiative on the November 2016 ballot and announced they failed to do so.

The Orwellian named 'Personal Privacy Protection Act' would have if it had made it to the ballot and passed, banned trans people from using facilities in public restrooms in government buildings and required those bathrooms to be monitored.

"All Californians - no matter their race, age, gender, or sexual orientation - should have the same freedom to support their families and go about their lives without fear of discrimination," said Kris Hayashi, executive director of Transgender Law Center. "This initiative was a poorly veiled attack on transgender people that sought to undermine that freedom and single out for harassment anyone who doesn't meet stereotypes of what it looks like to be male or female. Today Californians have made clear these types of discriminatory attacks on transgender people and our families, communities, and neighborhoods have no place in our state."

Had the unjust initiative gotten on the ballot, it would have probably been a nasty, divisive and ugly fight filled with the deceptive anti-trans bathroom predator commercials.

California's trans community can exhale and breathe easy for now until the next attack on their humanity comes from the Forces of Intolerance.

But before they organize that next assault on the rights of trans Californians, the Transgender law Center and Equality California are launching a public education effort designed to educate California voted about their trans and gender nonconforming neighbors and dispel the misconceptions and lies about us.

Precious Davis On 'Say Yes To The Dress' In January

One of the things we'll be looking forward to in 2016 is the wedding of one of our fave couples in Precious Davis and Myles Brady.   I've known this was going to happen for a while, but now we have confirmation of the air date for this show.

Precious will appear on the TLC show Say Yes To The Dress, which chronicles her effort to find the perfect wedding dress for her upcoming nuptials with Myles.

The show will be broadcast on January 15 at 8:00 PM CST on TLC, a few days before the Creating Change she's one of the co-chairs for kicks off in Chicago on January 20.

Looking forward to seeing the show and seeing what fab dress if any she picks for her upcoming wedding.

Hey, can we get a screening of that Say Yes To The Dress episode during #CC16 as well?

You're A Mean One, Mr. Trump

Just in time for the holidays, stumbled across this wicked parody on College Humor of You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch with remixed lyrics slamming the Trumpenfuhrer that has gone viral..

Gee, I wonder why?

Enjoy!

My Being Patient With Caitlyn Is Over

Well, if you're wondering what my opinion was about Caitlyn Jenner before she and her I Am Cait entourage rolled through H-town.   I was neutral about her.  There's even a few posts on this blog where I expressed those hopeful thoughts when she came out back in March.

But after a long series of Jenner media missteps,  my 'trying to be patient' phase with Caitlyn Jenner and hoping she would evolve into the advocate she had the potential to be ended when she and her 'I Am Cait' team crew stealthily came to my hometown Thursday. They arrogantly dissed me and other Houston trans community leaders who have been doing the work to advance the human rights of this community while she was a stepparent to the Kardashian kids.

Dissing the Houston trans community leaders who actually have done the inside the Loop groundwork to pass HERO was not a wise move on your or your show producers parts.

There are many people inside and outside Black Trans World because of my blog and longevity in the movement who respect my opinions about what goes on in Trans America.  

You also just don't realize how badly you have screwed up with the Black trans, gender variant and SGL community by dissing Angelica on your show and now me by not talking to me period.
And that's before we even talk about the fact that Tracie Jada O'Brien and Miss Major are in California and you have yet to talk to these Black trans elders on your show.

Whether you wish to acknowledge that point or not, our emerging Black trans leaders are watching how you treat our trans elders.  With nearly two decades and counting of trans activism at a local state and national level and 21 years and counting of being me, FYI, I count as a trans elder.
And who has mentored many of those emerging Black trans leaders?  The same Houston based Black trans woman you just dissed.

FYI Caitlyn, Houston is one of the epicenters of modern trans human rights activism, and Houston trans leaders are the heirs to that legacy.

Note to some vanillacentric privileged peeps inside and outside the LGBT community who have been throwing shade at me for calling Caitlyn out for her BS in a viral post, y'all got it twisted. I don't need Caitlyn Jenner, she needs me.

I have the one thing she doesn't have. Credibility as a trailblazing Black trans leader in our human rights movement for 17 plus years with the awards and recognition to emphatically back it up.

I also have as of January 1 a ten year old blog 'nobody reads'.  While my mere 8500 (and counting) Twitter followers pale in comparison to Caitlyn's. they have influence as you have already found out.

The other thing I have is the respect and love of a diverse group of people for being my authentic self for over two decades and counting.

I thank you for the love and support you have given me and letting me know how important you think I am to this movement and in your lives.

And my being patient with Caitlyn Jenner phase is over.

Google is your friend.  So is talking to trans advocates, leaders and people who don't look like you and using your celebrity status to elevate their work if you're serious about becoming an advocate for ALL trans people.

Champion Gets Life For Killing Ty Underwood

It only took the jury 45 minutes to determine in the punishment phase of the trial yesterday that 21 year old Carlton Champion, Jr would be spending the rest of his life in jail for the murder of his onetime girlfriend Ty Underwood.

After several hours of testimony, the jury retired to the deliberation room around 2:15 PM and returned at 3:30 to let Champion and the world know his fate.

The jury sentenced Champion to 5 to 99 years in prison with a fine of up to $10,000.  Guess that little outburst Thursday in court after the verdict was read cost you, homes.

So naw, you won't be back on the streets, you'll be in a TDC facility until at least until 2045 when you'll be eligible for parole.

Of course, he plans to appeal his sentence, but he definitely won't be on the streets for a while.

14th Annual First Amendment TWCUC Toy Drive Later Today

For those of you in the Houston area who have or are aware of children from 3 to 12 years of age who are facing a toy free Christmas, you may wish to tell them to head to the Dr. Lonnie E.Smith branch of the Houston Public Library from 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM  for a toy giveaway.

Join First Amendment and Trans Women of Color United For Change (TWCUC) for their 14th annual Day of Gifts Giveaway.  Toy donations are also welcomed and you can drop them off at the Smith Library giveaway location between 10-11 AM.

Children in the targeted 3-12 age range must be present to receive a gift, and that policy will be enforced with no exceptions!

Last year Spiderman showed up as the special guest for the toy giveaway, and this year what superhero will pop up to save the day?

The Dr. Lonnie E. Smith Library is located at 3624 Scott Street on the METRORail Purple line near the Robertson Stadium/UH/TSU Station.

Hope to see you there.

Caitlyn Comes To H-town, Screws Up Again

For the last few months I've been basically sitting back and observing the developing Caitlyn Jenner situation.  Been paying attention to the growing trans community backlash aimed at her ever since she came out as trans back in March and gave a well received speech at the ESPY's.

Unfortunately, whatever good will she earned from that initial coming out ESPY speech is rapidly dissipating.  She already had much suspicion aimed at her because of the visceral dislike many people have for her media hungry Kardashian stepdaughters, while other people in Trans World have a long list of other issues with Caitlyn Jenner they vent about .  

Let's tell it like it T-I-S is.  Caitlyn's first few months as a freshly out trans woman have been problematic at times.   She gets honored with an ESPY and named by Barbara Walters as her Most Interesting Person of 2015, but follows it up by uttering jacked up commentary rooted in her conservative political beliefs and vanillacentric privilege.

Yesterday Caitlin bounced into my hometown to tape an episode for the second season of I Am Cait to talk about HERO. Yes, it's  a discussion we need to have now that we have just gotten past a contentious runoff election, we narrowly continued the 30 year Democratic control of the Houston mayor's office, held the controller`s seat and kept a progressive majority on Houston City Council come January 2.

And I find out Caitlyn's here while watching last night's 10 PM newscasts.

But the irritating thing for me is you have that HERO discussion with Kate Bornstein, Mara Keisling and Candis Cayne, none of who live in Houston by the way, and you flew Mara in from DC to tape this show.

Yes you get Ann Elder, an amazing ally to our community who the Houston Chronicle wrote a wonderful feature story on along with her trans child Ben that was published on Sunday.

The problem I have with it along with many of our allies is that the taping had no Houston trans representation, and especially Houston trans people of color leaders to discuss on camera an issue that we have been all in about and are the experts at discussing in HERO.   In Dee Dee Watters and my cases, we have been fighting to pass our human rights ordinance since January 2014.

And yeah, beside this being my hometown, we also have a diverse crew of kick ass trans activists and leaders that your I Am Cait viewers should have been able to get to know., but because of your (or your producers) lack of vanillacentric privileged vision, that won't happen.

So what happened to showing the diversity of the trans community and its leaders?  Massive fail that I'm not happy about.  I'm also not happy this happened while the waste of DNA who killed Ty Underwood was on trial 198 miles away in Tyler.

Then you compound the melanin free photo screw-up by going to the Christmas pageant at Second Baptist (Hate) Church, a venue in which its senior pastor Ed Young was hypocritically preaching anti-HERO and anti-trans vitriol from his pulpit as one of his youth ministers was getting carted off to jail for molesting teen Second Baptist girls.

Never mind the fact that Melissa Murry has been leading that initiative here locally, but was nowhere in range of the camera when this photo was taken .

Naw, this ain't about me 'not getting camera time' as someone shadily threw at me on my Facebook page when I complained about the melanin free photo devoid of Houston trans representation.

This is about once again the predominately white trans community conveniently ignoring the fact that some of our trans leaders don't look like y'all, and blowing another opportunity to use your vanillacentric privilege and media access to showcase some of those leaders.

 

Shut Up Fool Awards- Star Wars VII Is Out Edition

Here's the weekend we Star Wars fans have been waiting for ever since it was announced a new film was in production with JJ Abrams directing it.

Star Wars Episode VII  AKA Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released last night to sellout crowds.  For the first time ever yours truly who is a huge Star Wars fan, unless a miracle happens, won't be attending a Star Wars trilogy movie during its opening weekend.

Oh well, that's the breaks sometimes.  But I will eventually get to my nearby multiplex once the hoopla dies down to see the movie they are projecting may make $100-200 million during this opening weekend.

I definitely want to see a Star Wars move that for the fist time since Lando Calrissian made his appearance in The Empire Strikes Back, there's not one, but two characters who looks like me in this particular Star Wars edition played by John Boyega and Lupita Nyongo.

That's before we even start talking about all the Star Wars themed merchandise that's bordering on overkill in every store during this Christmas holiday season.  And yes, Star Wars Episode VIII is already in the planning stages with a tentative May 26, 2017 release date.

Well, on that note, let's get to this week's fools.

Honorable mention number one is Texas scrooge Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R) who threatened to dispense season's beatdowns to anyone who said 'Happy Holidays' to him.

Happy Holidays. Sid!   And may Texas voters slap you out of public office next year.

Honorable mention number two is Carly Fiorina for not only pandering to the Religious Reich, but getting caught in another lie by stating that General Jack Keane, who never served under President Obama, 'retired early' because of disagreements with the POTUS.  

Keane served under W, Carly, so get your facts straight.

Honorable mention number three is local transphobe Dave Wilson, who has filed to run in the Democratic primary against state rep Jessica Farrar    Will Dave lie in this race and claim he's Latino?

Honorable mention number four is everybody who was on the GOP debate stage lying to the American people.


Honorable mention number five is Denise Slader, who is facing hate crime charges in Alameda County, California  for being a good right wing Christian and attacking Muslims peacefully praying in an East Bay park.

Honorable mention number six is Gilbert Arenas.  The former NBA guard suggested that the WNBA could broaden their appeal to sports fans by wearing scanty uniforms, which the WNBA promptly pit him on blast for.

Honorable mention number seven is Caitlyn Jenner, for popping into Houston to tape a future I Am Cait episode about HERO with ZERO trans Houston representation in it.

This week's fool is Martin Shkreli.  

The Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO attempted in September to raise the price of Daraprim, a drug used to treat HIV/AIDS by 5,500%, and received bipartisan backlash for it.

Now he has been busted by the feds for securities fraud

Can you say 'schadenfreude', TransGriot boys, girls and nonbinary peeps?

Can you also say Martin Shkreli, shut up fool?