Had A Wonderful Easter Weekend With The Trans Kids!

Easter Weekend 2016 has faded into the history books, and now that the calendar is moving inexorably toward April, time to look forward after a week that was less than positive on the trans human rights front for our community.

And in this week in which a GOP controlled state legislature went there and took direct legislative aim at these kids seeking to legislate them out of existence, stuff couldn't be more real in terms of the stakes of the battle we are waging against the Forces of Trans Intolerance.

It's a battle we must win.

I and Dee Dee Watters had the opportunity to check out a Gender Infinity family gathering event Saturday afternoon at the Council on Recovery building near downtown Houston.  It was an honor and a pleasure to watch these trans and gender non conforming kids get to meet others like them, have fun, and for a little while just do the things other kids take for granted.

It was also cool getting to see Dr. Colt Keo-Meier, Becca Keo-Meier, Heather Simpson, Mel Gonzales
and see other old friends in the community.   I also had the pleasure of meeting some Houston area trans parents along with their supportive family members and friends.

For a moment, as I watched the trans younglings play and engage in team building exercises, I  thought about how different my life would have been if  had been able to have a childhood like theirs.

But being around those trans kids reminded me of why I have been fighting for now 18 years to advance the human rights of trans people so that all our trans kids have o do is dream big, make them come true and be the best human beings they can be.

Being around the trans kids, being hugged by them and getting thank yous from the parents for being part of the team that killed the Texas anti-trans bills in 2015 put a smile on my face, and looking forward to the next time I can spend some quality time with the trans younglings.

So yep, thanks to our trans kids, it was a wonderful Easter weekend.
 

Lawsuit Filed Against Unjust NC Anti-Trans Bill

In some good news after a horrible legislative week for trans kind, a lawsuit was filed in federal court today against the unjust HB 2 anti-trans bill.

Lambda Legal, Equality NC,  the ACLU, ACLU-NC  and three individuals filed suit against the unjust bill that nullified local civil rights ordinances and attempts to enact Jim Crow style bathroom restrictions upon trans North Carolinians and trans visitors to the state.

“By singling out LGBT people for disfavored treatment and explicitly writing discrimination against transgender people into state law, H.B. 2 violates the most basic guarantees of equal treatment and the U.S. Constitution,” the lawsuit argues.

The complaint argues the law violates people’s equal protection, privacy, and liberty rights under the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and their civil rights under Title IX of the Education Act of 1972. The lawsuit is asking for a declaratory judgment that the law violates the Constitution and Title IX and an injunction against enforcement of the law.

We'll see how this case plays out as it winds its way through the federal court system.

TransGriot Update:  NC AG Roy Cooper, who is running as the Democratic candidate for North Carolina's governor, announced that he would not be defending the unjust HB 2 law in court.

Countdown To BTAC 2016 Has Started

We are less than 30 days from the start of the 2016 edition of the Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas and it's one of my favorite events for many reasons.   .

In addition to the fact it happens in my home state, it's one of the few conferences in which we get to see a significant level of visibility of trans masculine participation.  Since 2013 Black trans women have also been an increasingly integral part of the BTAC action with it being an unapologetically Black trans centered conference open to all who wish to attend..

I believe so strongly in the mission of this organization I sit on the Black Transwomen, Inc board.

It also ends around, on or just before my Cuatro de Mayo birthday, so I treat it as an extended birthday celebration week.. And yep, I'll be doing a couple of seminars this year during the event which runs from April 25-May 1.

The keynote speakers for this year's event are Mr. Cris and Dora Santana, and that's just one of the events taking place during an empowering week that included the Awards Gala, the Mr. and Ms. Black Trans International pageants, the Black Diamond Ball, and the eagerly anticipated Family Fun Day.

There's still time for you to make plans to be at BTAC, which is celebrating its fifth year and is moving to a new hotel, the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum.

Hope to see y'all in my home state in less than 30 days!  

Three Western Caucuses Today

There will be three more Democratic caucuses in Alaska, Hawaii and Washington in which the Bernie Sanders folks feel confident they will win all three.  Alaska is worth 20 delegates, Hawaii is worth 35 delegates with Washington being the big prize of 118 delegates. .

Probably will since all three states have a Black population of 3% of less, and the whiter the electorate, the better Bernie does, especially in caucus states..

Even if he sweeps all three states, Hillary Clinton will still carry a big delegate lead into the month of April and the Wisconsin primary on April 5.

Shut Up Fool Awards- GOP Hate Week Edition

It`s Holy Week, the runup to Easter Sunday, the holiest day in Christianity. .

But this year it`s more like Hate Week than Holy Week will all the unjust legislation either being passed or proposed by so called GOP`Christians`.  The GOP presidential candidates are gleefully throwing shade at each other about their wives, and the Republican are doing their usual hate on President Obama shtick in the wake of his historic visit to Cuba.

This Good Friday is anything but good this year.

It`s also Friday, so that means I get to call out some fools today.   Let`s get started shall we?

For Honorable mention number one we go north of the border to as my homegirl Renee Martin calls it, `that wretched province`.    Faux `christian` MA Weible gets the nod for writing a transphobic rap song that is not going number one with a bullet except in the conservative hate ranks.

Look everyone, it's MC Transphobe

Honorable mention number two is Clay Aiken, who unleashed a tweet that cluelessly stated that his loss in his 2014 US House race was more of a problem than the the unjust HB2 passed and signed by his governor.

Really fool?

Honorable mention number three is a joint one for Ted Cruz and Donald Trump for attacking each other`s wives on the GOP presidential campaign trail.

Honorable mention number four is for every Log Cabin Republican trying to ludicrously say there is no difference between the two parties in the wake of the tsunami of condemnation justifiably coming down on the GOP in the wake of the HB2 passage in North Carolina

Honorable mention number five is another group award for the 11 North Carolina Dixiecrats who sold out their constituents and voted for HB 2

Reps. Larry Bell, William Brisson, Elmer Floyd, Ken Goodman, Charles Graham, George Graham, Ed Hanes, Garland Pierce, Robert Reives, Michael Wray names will live in human rights infamy, and all need to be primary challenged and ousted from office.

Honorable mention number six is Nebraska state senator Bill Kintner (R) who suggested that LGBT Nebraskans leave the state if they want human rights coverage.

Naw fool, maybe you need to leave office with a phucked up attitude like that.  Hope Nebraska LGBT voters expedite your legislative retirement on November 8.

Honorable mention number seven is George Will, who worries that Donald Trump will turn the GOP into a party of white people.

Really George?  Too late now.  Should have been worried about that prospect in 1970.  It is now and has been since the Dixiecrats left the Democratic party for the GOP a party of white people, and your party has made it clear no non-whites are welcome in your vanillacentric privileged tent...


This week`s SUF winners is a joint award for the GOP controlled NC General Assembly and Gov Pat McCrory (R) who blitzed the unjust and unconstitutional HB2 through the legislature that McCrory signed.

McCrory keeps reciting the usual BS trying to justify taking away human rights coverage for LGBT North Carolina citizens, but nobody's buying the woof tickets he's selling.

North Carolina based corporations, Duke University, the NAACP, SONG and a growing list of people and organizations ave brought an avalanche of criticism down upon the state.

As for economic boycotts.remains to be seen what happens next.

This gubernatorial fool needs to just shut up already.

North Carolina Unjustly Legislates Anti-Trans Hate

I have often said that the most dangerous bigots are the ones who have the power to write legislation.  You can also never underestimate the Republican and conservative movement desire to oppress people they hate and what lengths they will go to do it.

That was clearly on display in North Carolina as the Republicans succumbed to their white supremacist oppressor genes and in less that 12 hours, called an expensive $42,000 a day special session of the NC legislature they have controlled since 2010, blitzed the unjust HB 2 bill mandating trans, bi and SGL oppression through both chambers, and NC Governor Pat McCrory (R) wasted no time signing it into law.

11 Democratic traitors joined the Republicans in passing HB 2 through the GOP dominated NC house 83-24, while North Carolina's Democratic senators walked out of the chamber, leaving them to own their legislative bigotry and pass it 32-0.

This unjust law not only takes direct aim at the North Carolina trans community, it mandates discrimination against TBLG people, wipes out local anti-discrimination laws, and prohibits local jurisdictions from enacting non-discrimination protections.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper denounced HB 2 in a video statement.



Yo Caitlyn!  What was that BS about Republicans respecting the human rights of people?.    

This unjust law is an affront to human rights, democracy, and respect for the Constitution that Republicans loudly claim they revere but ignore when it suits their political agenda.

Time for the business community to step up and punish the state for legislating hate.  And yeah, I feel the pain of my North Carolina peeps today in having to witness this unjust process happen.

Okay North Carolina citizens, want revenge against this outrage?  Punish the GOP at the polls on November 8.

Clinton Wins AZ In A Blowout

Three Western states were on the election agenda in last night's Democratic Party presidential primary contest slates in Arizona, Idaho and Utah.    Idaho has 27 delegates available and Utah offers 37 delegates in its caucuses while the big prize of Arizona was a primary election state with 85 delegates available..  

Both sides spent a lot of time and money in the Grand Canyon State courting voters, and when the votes were counted, while Sanders continued his pattern of winning states with overwhelmingly white populations like Utah and Idaho, but failing in a more diverse population state like Arizona.

And once again, the big diverse state prize eluded them as Hillary Clinton won Arizona in a blowout, thus negating the two Sanders caucus wins in Idaho and Utah and and once again to their frustration, not even making a dent in Clinton's 300+ delegate lead be`cause of the YUGE win in Arizona that offsets Sanders twin caucus wins..

Next up on Saturday are three caucuses in Alaska (20 delegates) Hawaii (35 delegates) and Washington with 118 delegates before the primary calendar flips to April and the critical April 5 primary in Wisconsin

But Sec.Clinton to the chagrin of Sanders supporters is getting closer to securing the Democratic nomination that eluded her in 2008, and is doing unto Sanders what was done to her by now President Obama...      

Unjust Tennessee Anti-Trans Bill Dies In Committee!

I was alerted by the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition to the introduction of an unjust bill aimed at our trans kids in the Volunteer State.   The latest attempt to legislate anti-trans hate, HB 2414, the Transgender Student Bathroom Harassment Act.was sponsored by Rep Susan Lynn (R- Mount Juliet).

Those of you who live in her district know what to do to her this November.  Vote her butt out of office.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) had also expressed concerned about what the unjust bill would do to imperil the state's Title IX education funding.

Thanks to the efforts of the TTPC, the Tennessee trans community, our fair minded allies, and the countless other folks who called, showed up for the meetings of the House Education Administration and Planning Subcommittee to urged the members of that committee to not go forward with that bill, your efforts were successful.

According to chatter and reports from multiple sources, I'm pleased to report that HB 2414 has died in committee!    A unanimous committee vote was taken to study it over the summer, effectively killing the bill.

 "Once again we saw today how meeting with trans young people changed hearts and minds," said ACLU Staff Attorney Chase Strangio in a statement.  "Our common humanity can unite us and we can push back against these costly and discriminatory impulses if we center those most affected."

" It is an exciting day in Tennessee and I am thankful for the brave young people who are making the world a better place for us all,." added Strangio.


As to what is happening with the unjust senate companion bill, SB 2737, we'll have to keep an eye on that to ensure it dies as well.

Congratulations to my Tennessee trans family for killing that unjust legislative attack on the humanity of our trans kids who live in the Volunteer State.

Three More 2016 Dem Primary Contests Today

After a Clinton sweep of five primary contests that included blowout wins in Florida, North Carolina and Ohio and narrow wins in her home state of Illinois and Missouri, the 2016 Democratic nomination contest head to the western part of the country with caucuses in Idaho and Utah and a primary election in Arizona.

As a result of that five state sweep last week, the Clinton delegate lead swelled to a 300+ one not factoring in the superdelegates that are still overwhelmingly supporting Sec. Clinton over Sen. Sanders and keeps picking up endorsements like Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

But back to today's primary contest news.

The Utah caucus has 37 delegates up for grabs and Idaho offers up another 27 delegates with the big prize tonight being Arizona with 85 delegates.

bad news for you Sanders folks in that it not only is a closed primary, but also in terms of the demographics of the state that skew more toward seniors and more Latino.  It's also an early voting state, and there have been over 300,000 ballots cast in advance of Election Day.

The attention of both campaigns have been focused in the Grand Canyon State in the runup to today.  And yes, may I remind you it's proportional splitting of those available delegates.

The Sanders folks are confident they will do well out there, but we heard that last week, too..All I have to say is the only poll that counts is the one at the ballot box.

We'll see what happens when the polls start closing at 8 PM CDT.  But if you live in those states, hope you vote today and make your voice heard.

HRC Does Something Politically Stupid, Endorses Mark Kirk

With the critical 2016 presidential election looming, the Human Rights Campaign has released their campaign endorsements for the upcoming election cycle.

The one that is drawing the most WTF's in LGBT America and beyond is the head scratching one in which Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) was endorsed by the group in the upcoming Illinois US senate race over Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)

This one ranks up there with the 1998 endorsement of then incumbent Sen. Alphonse D'Amato (R-NY) in his race he subsequently lost to now senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and the one in 2012 in which they endorsed incumbent GOP Rep. Mary Bono Mack, who subsequently lost her California US House race to now Rep. Raul Ruiz.

What is galling about this is that Rep Duckworth, who was first elected to Congress in 2012, has a perfect score on HRC's own rating system versus Mark Kirk's.  He may have been the first Republican co-sponsor of the Equality Act and has a moderate record, but according to HRC's own 2013-14 rankings he scored a 78 versus Duckworth's 100.  Kirk's HRC ranking was an even more abysmal 39% in 2009-10.

The HRC endorsement not only doesn't pass the smell test, it's also snubbing the first Asian-American elected Congressional representative in Illinois, the first disabled female elected to Congress and an Iraq War shero who is better according to HRC's own rankings than the GOP incumbent senator they endorsed.

With the Democrats only needing to flip only four seats to gain control of the Senate, it's another glaring example of HRC political malpractice to ignore your own rating system and support a candidate whose record according to your own rankings is against the LGBT community's political interests.

You have also endorsed an incumbent candidate who if he holds on, could possibly help the GOP keep control of the Senate and make passage of the Equality Act in that chamber a sure impossibility because we know a senate led by Mitch McConnell won't even consider it, and a Democratically controlled one will be more likely to do so..

And if he doesn't, Sen. Schumer and Senator-elect Duckworth will be chuckling about it during their Democratic senate caucus meetings. .

We'll see if this becomes a political blunder along the lines of the disastrous D'Amato and Bono Mack endorsements.  But it is repeated dumb moves like this that keeps people in the LGBT community giving HRC the collective community side eye and regarding it as irrelevant.

The 'Obamacare Kid' Is Now Part Of Our Trans Family

Remember when President Obama signed the landmark Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010 and there was an adorable 11 year old African-American child standing there to witness the signing of this new law?

Marcelas Owens' mother died in 2007 as a result of losing her job and subsequently her health insurance, and the then pint sized advocate told that story as part of the contentious push to pass the ACA.

It's now six years later, and Marcelas Owens is now a 17 year old trans teen living in Seattle who recently celebrated a birthday on March 10 and transitioned at age 16 with the love and acceptance of her grandmother Gina Owens.

It's bitterly ironic now that while the Affordable Care Act she championed does prohibit discrimination against trans people, unfortunately there are loopholes in the ACA that result in providers not being required to provide the transition related health care that she is now considering.

She is now beginning her evolutionary trans feminine journey while wondering if people will still love her.

While Rush Limbaugh, the right wing, transphobic fundies and the ignorati may hate on you, know that I, your trans elders and your trans family in Seattle, here in the US and around the world welcome you with open arms to our family.

You are now part of a community that stretches across the world.  If we are blessed to meet each other, I'll be more than happy to give you a hug and whatever advice you wish about becoming the fierce Black trans woman that you have the potential to be.  .

Welcome to the trans family, Marcelas.

BernieBros, You Aren't The Democratic Base, Black Voters Are

Been amused by the Bernie Bros getting their draws in knots about the fact their Democratic socialist candidate who is trying to hijack the 2016 Democratic Party presidential nomination is so far getting his political azz whipped by Sec. Hillary Clinton.

They are shocked this is happening, and are lashing out in nekulturny ways at everyone who doesn't share their love of St. Bernard of Sanders, the progressive lord and political savior of all and sole arbiter of who is or isn't progressive enough in his eyes who will lead us to the promised land of free college, universal single payer healthcare and a grand era of American unity and harmonious race relations.

With Clinton having a 300+ delegate lead, they are bristling at calls for Bernie to drop out of the race by claiming they are the base and they haven't spoken yet, California primary is coming, and all the other spin line they say to themselves and online to keep hope alive.

That 84-16% gap among Black voters is the reality check smacking them in the face why Bernie is losing. He realized too late along with his team that #BlackVotersMatter, and because he has failed to make his case to the unacknowledged and far too often ignored base of the Democratic Party in Black voters.

Clinton rolled through the South like Sherman and Grant piling up blowout wins because of a relationship she and her husband have cultivated with Black Democrats since 1972, and it is that history as a Democrat that has her on the path to the Democratic presidential nomination..

That Black voter advantage is a major reason why she pulled out narrow wins in her home state of Illinois last week and in Missouri in addition to winning 11 Southern states and Ohio in blowout margins . Black voters matter, especially in Democratic primaries because they are the base of the Democratic party.  

Let me repeat that for you once again, and follow the bouncing Hillary logo.  Black voters are the base of the Democratic Party

Black voters have been the most loyal constituent group of the party since the modern era 1964 shift of Black voters becoming unapologetic Democratic Party members and massive bloc voters for Democratic candidates at ll level of government.

It is also our population clustered in critical presidential battleground states like Florida, Virginia and Ohio just to name a few is why we have political clout beyond the 13% of the US population we make up.

While some of you Bernie Bros were voting third party and railing about how much you hate the two party system, we Black voters were getting busy for five decades not only voting in long lines for Democratic Party candidates without fail, but working from the precinct to the DNC level to sustain and grow the party and elect the viable Democratic party candidates that would advance our political and economic interests.

The fact that Bernie has disparaged the party and called for the highly popular President Obama to be primary challenged in 2011 is a major reason why he is getting the collective thumbs down from a clear majority of African-American voters.  Bernie Bros disrespecting Rep. John Lewis and racistly commenting as Sen. Sanders was getting trounced in the South also didn't help.

And when you Bernie Bros or your candidate disses the diverse Democratic Party we helped build with our decades of effort, votes and sweat equity, it is an indirect slap at the Black voters who want a Democrat to get the Democratic presidential nomination, and not some johnny come lately who admitted he only joined because he thought it would give him a better chance to win the presidency.

With America becoming a more diverse place, it has been Black voters fueling Democratic presidential wins, and especially Black women. Our share of the vote has been in creasing, not decreasing, which is why the Republicans have been hellbent on passing voter suppression laws in a desperate attempt to squash Black voter turnout. ..

So no Bernie Bros, you aren't the base of the Democratic Party, Black voters are, and it's time you you and America to recognize that fact.

Later Baltimore, Headed Back To H-town!

As with any event that is a yearly one, you wait 365 days (366 days this year)  for it to happen, it arrives, you enjoy being in the same space and time zone with people that you know, love and admire, say your goodbyes when its conclusion day comes, and go home to start the countdown cycle until next year.

It's been a wonderful two days up here in Baltimore chilling near the Inner Harbor and hanging out with my friends and colleagues in the LGBT media world old and new, getting my crabcake during brunch at Gertrude's.   But as always, the bittersweet time to say goodbye to everyone has come.   It's now time to check out of the hotel and head back to my H-town life.

I enjoyed getting my learn on during the sessions yesterday, enjoying the panelists dropping knowledge, and honing my journalistic skills at #LGBTMedia16 so I can continue evolving to become a better journalist than when I arrived here Friday afternoon.

But Hobby Airport and Pappas Barbecue awaits.  And I do have a nonstop on the return leg home.

Hopefully the flight home won't be as bumpy as the one coming up here to Charm City.
.

Getting Started At #LGBTMedia16

Going to have a long day ahead of me and tried to get my beauty sleep for the business end of the LGBT Media Journalists Convening.that's starting right now.

Won't be watching much NCAA tournament action on either the men's or women's side today.but had my breakfast and I'm ready to go.  The best part is I'm 40 pounds lighter than I was last year.

One of the panels I'm looking forward to is one at 10 AM EDT with NY Times columnist Charles Blow, Danielle Moodie-Mills and Michelle Garcia on the topic of Responsible Reporting on Black Communities that will be moderated by Faith Cheltenham..

The opening one discussing RFRA's and other unjust measures to enable discrimination is also going to be an interesting one.

I'll be live tweeting along with everyone else attending under the #LGBTMedia16 hashtag, and will post some commentary on my Facebook page.

Moni's in the #LGBT16 Media Journalists Convening House!

After getting up at 5 AM Houston time to start a several hour travel day, I've finally arrived in the eastern time zone and Charm City, AKA Baltimore for the 7th annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

It wasn't a non-stop darn it, so I had to go through Pittsburgh before I got here, but as long as I got the frequent flyer miles for it and arrived here in one piece with all my luggage, than everything is okay.

At the moment I'm attending the opening #LGBTMedia16 reception, and the keynote speech is going on the American Visionary Arts Museum as you peruse this post.

They usually keep the keynoter a surprise, and last year it was the Rev. Dr William Barber II.   Should be interesting to discover who it is this year.

The main business day is tomorrow, and after we get back from the reception, I'm hanging out for a little while and then taking my behind to bed because I will have a long day tomorrow.

Shut Up Fool Awards- Moni's Headed To #LGBTMedia16 Edition

At this moment if my flight left Hobby on time I should be descending toward final approach to Thurgood Marshall -BWI airport and my rendezvous with my media friends from 16 states and the District of Columbia for the LGBT Media Journalists Convening. 

And yes, I'm quite aware of what today is.  It's Friday, and it's the day y'all eagerly surf over here to have me call some fool or group of fools out for all the ignorant, foul, or WTF worthy stuff that went on this week.

It's time for this week's edition of the TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards.

Honorable mention number one is Donald Trump for the ongoing lies he continues to tell as he rolls to the GOP presidential nomination.

Honorable mention number two is Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX)   In reaction to President Obama calling him out during SXSW, once again he's trying to peddle the laughable lie that voter fraud is rampant in Texas when it actually isn't and the only reason the TX GOP passed that unconstitutional law was to suppress the votes of the non-white Texans who outnumber them..

Honorable mention number three is Michael Savage, who crawled out from under the rock he was hiding to do some combined Hillary Clinton and trans bashing.

Honorable mention number four is Ann Coulter, who said she'd like to see 'more violence' from Trump supporters at his hate rallies.

Honorable mention number five the half term chillbilly Alaska governor herself in Sarah Palin who during a campaign stop for Donald Chump spouted her loud and wrong opinion about the proesters who shut down the Trump Chicago rally.

Hey, don't you have an injured husband to attend to?

Honorable mention number six is GA state senator Renee Unterman (R) who blocked a bill to deal with the rape kit backlog in her state.

Really?  I swear, the GOP 'wimmin' are worse than their 'menz' at times.

This week's Shut Up Fool loser winner is Kevin Swanson, the virulently anti-TBLG hate pastor who not only has endorsed Ted Cruz, and called for our genocide, but has hated on Harry Potter and the movies How To train Your Dragon and  Frozen.  

Now he's taken the Conservafool War on The Girl Scouts to another level and called for Girl Scout leaders to be put to death.

Okay, when you are openly calling for people to be put to death, you need to be put in check.

Kevin Swanson, shut up fool!

Moni's Leaving On A Jet Plane-To Baltimore

Been a few weeks since my last flight to Chicago and Creating Change, and now it's time for the Air Marshal to jet off to her latest community event in the 2016 LGBT Media Journalists Convening.

It's one of my fave events, and this 7th annual edition of it will feature LGBT journalists from 16 states and the District of Columbia will be gathering in Baltimore to get our learn on, network and get a better grasp about the issues impacting our community..

While I have driven through Baltimore on the way to and from Philadelphia twice and have flown into BWI a few times on my way to our nation's capital, it's actually the first time I've had a chance to spend some quality time inside the Baltimore city limits.   The best part of this trip is I get to reconnect with some amazing people while I'm there.

The game plan as usual is to tweet, post to my Facebook page and write about what happens, and you can follow the action at #LGBTMedia16 and my TransGriot twitter feed.

But I have a few hours before I have to get up, get to Hobby and prepare for a 8:40 AM departure.  Hopefully TSA won't stand for Transsexuals Searched Always, because I'm getting a little tired of getting felt up without Luther Vandross playing in the background t every time I roll through an airport

We'll see what happens in a few hours.

Alleged Islan Nettles Killer Rejects Plea Deal, Going To March 30 Trial

James Dixon, the alleged killer of Islan Nettles was offered a plea deal today, but rejected it and is going for a jury trial.  The 25 year old Dixon is alleged to have viciously beaten Nettles to death at 147th Street and Frederick Douglass Ave in Harlem back in 2013 and subsequently confessed to several people that he was the perpetrator.  .

 Prosecutors pushed for 17 years in jail in exchanged for pleading guilty for nettle's murder, but Judge Robert Stolz, citing his age and lack of a criminal record, offered him 12 years in jail.  

Dixon turned it down and according to his defense attorney Norman Williams, "would like to exercise his right to go to trial.".

That trial is scheduled to start March 30, and the case against Dixon is considered by Judge Stolz and Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Viorst to be a strong one.

'There will be confessions the defendant made to four different civilians prior to turning himself in and a written confession he made to a detective after he turned himself in," said DA Viorst.

"There will be a lengthy, detailed, videotaped confession he made to me after that," he added.  DA Viorst also stated medical experts will also testify about the horrific injuries that killed Nettles  

"There's clear overlay of animus toward the transgender status of the victim," argued DA Viorst.

Since Dixon decided to take his chances on a jury trial, he is facing if convicted of manslaughter a punishment range of 5-25 years in jail..Unfortunately since the NY state hate crime statute passed in 2000 only covers sexual orientation, the enhanced punishment isn't available.

Yep, New York trans folks got thrown under the legislative bus to pass that sexual orientation only law.

It is a trial in which the New York trans community and all of us across the nation will be watching to see if Islan after nearly 3 years, finally receives justice.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2016

Happy St. Patrick's Day TransGriot readers!

It's probably a happier than normal one for my trans cousins in Ireland thanks to the amazing trans human rights progress they have made there over the last few months.  Congratulations to the trans Irish folks who successfully stood up for their human rights, and may TENI keep that momentum going.

Hope the positive trends that have been happening for Irish trans people lead to positive action for the rest of the British Isles, Europe and eventually the rest of the world.

Here it's falling during Spring Break, and I'm spending today getting my last minute packing and other stuff done in preparation for my trip to this weekend's LGBT Media Journalist Convening in Baltimore.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone at #LGBTMedia16 and getting away from Houston for a few days

As for drinking any green beer, umm no, not for me.

Unjust SB 180 Passes KY Senate

Got the news from my old Kentucky stomping grounds that the GOP controlled Kentucky Senate in Frankfort went there and passed the unjust SB 180, a 'right to discriminate' bill sponsored by Sen. Albert Robinson (R-London).

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article66200452.html#storylink=cpy

It passed the Kentucky Senate on a 22-16 vote with five Republican senators, Julie Raque Adams (R-Louisville), Alice Forgy Kerr (R-Lexington), Christian McDaniel (R-Latonia), Carroll Gibson (R-Leitchfield) and Wil Schroeder (R-Wilder) joining the 11 Democratic senators in opposing the unjust bill.

It moves on to the Democratic controlled Kentucky House, where Speaker Greg Stumbo (D-Prestonburg) stated this bill was headed to committee to die.

"We took an oath to defend the Constitution, not violate it," said Speaker Stumbo.

The 2016 legislative session ends on April 12.and I'll be watching along with my former fairness campaign colleagues to make sure that the unjust SB 180 never makes it out of committee.