Shut Up Fool Awards-GOP Goddam Edition

Seems like the GOP has lost their collective minds.  They are careening toward what is going to be an interesting convention for their presidential nomination, have two candidates universally hated by not only their own party but much of the populace, and one hanging around with no shot at winning it.

Their candidates around the country are saying so much stupid and WTF commentary it's hard for me to keep up with at times, and they are gleefully embracing their oppressor gene in the states they control by using fear of trans people to attack the human rights of everyone.

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

Honorable mention number one is Bill Clinton, who forgot the first rule of a surrogate is to promote the candidate you are speaking for and not get bent out of shape because you got hit with protest over some bad policies pushed during your presidency.

Honorable mention number two is NC governor Pat McCrory (R), who is trying to claim that there has been no economic backlash against his state for passing the unjust HB2  while 13 organizations so far have canceled plans to have conventions in the state,  PayPal canceled plans for an expansion that would have added 400 jobs, and now Bruce Springsteen has just canceled a scheduled concert in Greensboro.

How much more money do you need to lose in order to get the message that transphobic bigotry is bad for business?

Honorable mention number three is Ray Lewis, who parted his lips to let out the asinine comment that slavery was about togetherness while attacking Black Lives Matter.

Yeah right,.we were together in the slave castles, chained together on that luxurious free boat ride, at the slave auction block and in the cotton fields.

You need to be slapped by the ancestors for even saying something that clueless.

Honorable mention number four is Florida governor Rick Scott  (R), who launched a personal attack video against a woman who called his azz out in a Starbucks

This week's SUF winner is..Bernie Sanders.   He couldn't explain to the NY Times editorial board in a disastrous interview how he would accomplish the signature issue of his campaign and break up the big banks, attacked Hillary Clinton for something she didn't say and called the most qualified candidate for the presidency since John Quincy Adams 'unqualified for the presidency'  in a Philly event, and then had to walk it back when the negative reaction to his jump the shark moment came fast and furously..

With every passing day, this DINO is proving himself to be the unqualified one for the office of POTUS, and much less our party's nomination...

Bernie Sanders, shut up fool!.

Ted Cruz Getting Not So Warm New York Welcome

When the late Molly Ivins and a long list of Texans tried to warn the rest of America not to elect George W. Bush to the White House, many of you shrugged off that warning to this country's detriment.

It ended up with us suffering through the worst presidency of my lifetime and one in which President Obama had to spend much of his first term cleaning up the Bushit left behind.

Now we're approaching 2016, and we have another Texas Republican born in Calgary trying to get the Republican nomination.   And while Caitlyn Jenner may like him, she's living on her California estate and  not inside the borders of the Lone Star State like I am having to watch Damien Thorn, Jr's dominionist azz.

So you know I've been enjoying the denizens of New York giving Ted Cruz a proper NYC welcome during his visit to attempt to mend fences for the upcoming April 19 primary in the state.

But it isn't going well, as that NY Daily News cover is emphatic testimony to.  He's been called out at various appearances, and one event at a high school had to be cancelled when the students threatened to walk out.

They haven't forgotten Cruz dissing their beloved city during a GOP debate in January in which he slammed Trump for his 'New York Values'.  The fact a Texas senator (yuck) did so only served to piss them off even more.




Hey New York, many of us in the Lone Star State don't like Cruz either, so keep the anti-Cruz insults coming.  

Angelica Ross On The Daily Show

Last night my homegirl Angelica Ross was on The Daily Show, and I missed the original telecast because I'm not usually in the habit of watching it and Empire was on.

Here's Angelica's appearance on The Daily Show and her interview with Trevor Noah for those of you who missed it like I did.

Massachusetts AG Healey Urges Vote On Trans Rights Bill

Remember when I called out the Massachusetts trans community for passing that incrementalist public accommodations free trans rights bill in 2011, and I got pushback from some leaders there when I called it an unjust law?

Well, hate to say I told you so, but just to refresh your memories, here's what I said back on November 16, 2011 about the Massachusetts trans rights law with the gaping hole of missing public accommodations language .

The truth hurts doesn't it?  This is a bad bill without the public accommodations language in it.  Even the sponsor of it is bothered about it like I am.

I also said this in the subsequent post I wrote pushing back against

If civil rights laws without public accommodations language are not acceptable for cispeople, then why should transpeople be satisfied with a human rights crumb of an unjust law that cispeople wouldn't accept or want to live by?

And if cispeople and legislators in Massachusetts don't want to live by the same laws they are trying to get transpeople to accept, it is an unjust law. 

Ever since then, Massachusetts has been trying to get the public accommodation piece passed, and as I have pointed out, it's harder to go back and revise a law instead of fighting tooth and nail to get it done right the first time.

Political conditions have changed since 2011.  Because Massachusetts now has a Republican governor instead of a Democratic one,  he is not in favor of trans rights and has threatened to veto it.   That means they have to get enough votes to override the veto despite having Democratic supermajorities in both chambers.

House speaker Robert DeLeo is using that as an excuse to stall the bill, claiming he doesn't have enough votes for an override..

AG Healey thinks that's unacceptable in light of Republican led efforts to demonize trans people and attack their human rights, and is urging Massachusetts to protect its trans citizens. .

"To me, this is really really important, " Healey said.  "This is about civil rights, it's about respecting the dignity of each and every human being, and unfortunately, right now, in this state, it is not illegal to discriminate against someone based on the fact that they're transgender.".   .

She's right Massachusetts.  Time for y'all to stop stall and show the same leadership for trans human rights that you did on gay marriage  

The Massachusetts trans community and their siblings around the United States and the world are watching to see if the.Bay State values its trans citizens and their human rights like they do the human rights of their gay and lesbian ones.  .  .

Dixon Takes The Plea Deal In The Nettles Murder Case

Just before jury selection was slated to start this morning in the trial of James Dixon, the killer of Islan Nettles decided to reconsider his previous decision to reject a plea deal and take his chances on a jury trial.

After adverse legal developments in the pretrial hearings on Thursday and Friday, Dixon decided to take the offered plea deal.   He was facing 25 years in prison if he had been convicted during the jury trial.

His defense attorney Norman Williams tried and failed to block a videotaped 2013 confession by Dixon to NYPD detectives that was played during Friday's pretrial hearing for the press and the public. The hour long confession was ruled admissible for trial by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Daniel P. Conviser.

On Thursday the video statement and two written confessions were read in court in which Dixon admitted to punching Nettles so she fell and hit the pavement because 'his manhood was threatened'.after he tried to hit on Nettles and realized she was a trans female.

Yeah, Dixon and his defense attorney tried to deploy the 'trans panic defense'.  And naw homes, if you didn't want to deal with a trans female, all your trifling azz had to do was step and be on your merry way.

The District Attorney's Office initially recommended 17 years for the guilty plea, but the judge who previously presided over the trail, Robert Stoltz, reduced it to 12 years.

"With this conviction, James Dixon has finally been brought to justice for this vicious and lethal assault," said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr in a statement. "Members of the transgender community are far too often the targets of violent crime."

Dixon will be sentenced on April 19.

Trans United Fund Launches

As many of you longtime TransGriot readers know, I have been preaching about the need to build, grow and sustain the political power of trans people and lost count about the number of TransGriot posts I have written over the ten years of this blog's operation concerning this subject.

There is no reason why we can't get trans people like us elected to public office at the local, state and federal levels. We need to be sitting at the nice conference tables in various LGBT orgs making the policy decisions that our blood, sweat equity and tears have paid for.

We are tired of being the mules and tragic figures for this movement, and with our community being the ones attacked to roll back everyone's human rights,  we can't wait for our allies to do the right thing and give us the support we have wanted and needed since Stonewall.

And with the conservative movement going on a post-Obergefell political temper tantrum and attacking trans people for their own nefarious political gains, it needs to happen immediately.  .

It also needs to happen to take our trans human rights movement  to the next level.

A major step in building that political power I envisioned is happening today with the launch of the Trans United Fund.   It's a 501(c)4 political advocacy group that is committed to building the political power of trans* people and our allies to advocate for trans equality.

“The transgender community is no stranger to adversity but what we face today is a new challenge, a coordinated, national and vicious attack from the far right at   municipal, school district and legislative levels. Trans United Fund will fill a crucial gap in our movement, creating a space for transgender people and our allies,” said Hayden Mora, a founding member of the Trans United Fund. “We can not only fight these vicious political attacks that cater to fear and division, we must build a proactive politics to address other issues that impact our community - from HIV to homelessness to immigration and the horrific epidemic of violence,” continued Mora.

“We need candidates to understand that being supportive of trans equality begins with supporting non- discrimination but also must proactively address the issues that impact the most vulnerable in our community. I'm exhausted and profoundly saddened every day I hear about another young trans person that has taken their life because the bullying and discrimination was too much, another trans woman of color murdered senselessly and the myriad other forms of discrimination we face. Education is crucial but so is action, there is simply too much at stake,” concluded Mora.

 “I'm part of Trans United because trans people need a strong political voice to support the activism, legal, policy and direct service work already happening. I fight every day to address the consequences of inhuman immigration policies, the disproportionate impact of HIV on our community, violence and disenfranchisement particularly of the most vulnerable in our community - young people, black and brown people- particularly women- and immigrants. We save lives every day but we can't reach everyone with direct services. We need to move from being primarily reactive to ore proactive, going to the root of institutionalized transphobia. And that requires a stronger political voice,“ added Bamby Salcedo, Executive Director of the Trans Latin@ Coalition .

And how will Trans United Fund build the political power we need?   Trans United Fund will accomplish this mission by engaging trans people and our allies in the political process at the federal and state level, building the political leadership and capacity of trans people and allies, and endorsing candidates with a platform and proven track record that reflects a meaningful commitment to fight for human rights for our community.

Trans United Fund is also putting together the first ever trans focused Presidential Candidate Questionnaire.  It will be distributed to all potential candidates as part of the 2016 election cycle, in addition to a legislative scorecard program.   Trans United Fund is also looking at key races in the 2016 election cycle in which its efforts and resources can be strategically targeted for maximum effect

A petition has also been drafted in order to demonstrate to our haters that we have far more people who love, support and stand with us than you trans oppressors.

Candidates seeking the support of Trans United Fund must go above and beyond support for basic issues of LGBTQ equality, such as supporting inclusive non-discrimination measures. Candidates must demonstrate a strong and proactive commitment to tackling issues like HIV/AIDS, immigration reform, violence, unemployment, and healthcare disparities, which all disproportionately impact trans people.

"Trans United Fund's launch is the next example of sophistication within this movement,” said Robert Raben, political consultant and former assistant attorney general under President Bill Clinton. “As long as we have a privately raised finance system, participating in it is crucial to achieve the progress we need.  Few in the nation have faced the challenges transgender Americans face; kudos that despite the discrimination, they are still willing to engage in the political process to make this country stronger," concluded Raben.

If you wish to earn the votes of transgender Americans, they must be earned, and just like any other group, when we give you our precious votes, we expect action on the issue concerns of our community

For more information concerning the Trans United Fund, in addition to clicking on this link to go to the petition, you can also access the organization's Twitter feed at @transunitedfund and Facebook page at Trans United Fund.  You can also follow the hashtags #TransUnited #TransUnidxs .    

WH Petition To Remove Derogatory Anti-Trans Comments From Trans Vets DD-214's

According to a survey from the Williams Institute, trans people are far more likely to serve in the military than our non-trans counterparts, and there are an estimated 15,500 transgender people who have answered that call currently serving in our armed forces..

They are fighting not only to defend our country, but for your specious right to hate them.

There are also up to 134, 300 trans military veterans like Carla, and they are required by many employers and state agencies to submit their DD-214 form. the Certificate of Release From Active Duty, when applying for work or social benefits.  

If you have served honorably, you should have a DD-214 that is free of derogatory statements.   But on Section 28 of Carla's, it contains the statement because she transitioned, "Conditions That Interfere With Military Service - Not Disability -Mental Disorders".

You can probably understand how problematic that kind of derogatory statement can be on your DD-214 if you're applying for a job, or simply being annoyed by it being on a document as important as the DD-214 is in pursuit of a quality post-military life.

So please take a moment to help Carla and other trans veterans in this situation by signing this White House You.gov petition.  I've already done so, and it needs to get to 100,000 signatures by May 3 in order to ensure a White House response to the request of this petition.

It's past time that the Department of Defense stop demonizing trans veterans and end the practice of putting derogatory information on the DD-214 discharge forms of trans military veterans who have honorably served our country.

The link to the petition is here



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In Austin For The Women's Empowerment Conference

There's good news and bad news to start off this Saturday.post.

The good news part of it is that I received the opportunity yesterday afternoon thanks to Crystal Solares and my trans fam in the Organization de Trans Latinas en Texas (OLTT)  to do a day trip to Austin to check out the third annual Women's Empowerment Conference happening on the Austin Community College Eastview campus.

And y'all know how much I love road trips.

The bad news part of that was it meant that in order to be there on time for the start of the opening WE Con 2016 sessions at 10 AM,  those of us in Houston would have to get up at 5 AM in order to get on the road by 7 AM for the 180 plus mile drive to Austin so we can get there by 10 AM for the start of the initial session block..

We Con 2016 is a bilingual event sponsored by the Women's Community Center of Central Texas, and is open to women, girls, femmes, trans women, genderqueer and non-binary people and everyone else who is interested in learning about the issues affecting those communities in the Austin and surrounding areas.

Yesterday was the opening night of it, but the business end of WE Con 2016 is happening today starting as you read this post.   Registration opened at 9 AM, and it's still not too late for you peeps in the ATX area to join us.

The ACC Eastview campus is located at 3401 Webberville Rd, and hope I get to see and meet some of my ATX TransGriot readers in the house.   

Who's The Real Danger To Society?

So tell me Republicans and all you enablers making excuses for these anti-trans laws?

Who are the real danger to society?   Survey says it's you 'christian' white male Republicans who are the dangers to women in bathrooms, schools and churches.

Think I'm kidding about that?  There was the glaring example in Houston of a youth minister Chad Foster, who is now doing five years in prison for sexual assault and online solicitation of a minor. .

There also the example of the former music director of a Christian radio station in Ohio taking the laying on of hands to another perverted level. and he wasn't in drag when he did so.

So nope, the evidence clearly shows it is white male Republicans who are the real danger to society, and not the trans women they demonized for their nefarious political purposes.

And we're more than a little sick of that in TransWorld..

Equality Texas Kicks Off The TransVisible Project

Was at the Mixed Emotions Gallery in the heart of Montrose last night for the well attended kickoff of the TransVisible Project. sponsored by the EQTX Foundation with the support of the ACLU of Texas.  

And you couldn't have picked a more perfect day for this TransVisible Project kickoff to happen than on the Transgender Day of Visibility

What's the TransVisible project?  It is a collection of gallery quality photos of a diverse group of transgender and gender non conforming Texans taken by photographer Eric Edward Schell for use in a broad transgender prejudice reduction public education campaign.  Some of the TransVisible posters are in Spanish

:The purpose of TVP is to educate Texans that transgender people are our neighbors, families, coworkers and friends," said Lou Wearer, the transgender programs coordinator for Equality Texas.

The event started at 6 PM, and the enthusiasm behind this event was so high that people were lined up 15 minuted before the scheduled start of the kickoff event waiting for the gallery to open for it.

The night was dedicated to celebrating and sharing the stories of trans and gender non conforming Texans and their ongoing pursuit of equality and fairness in the Lone Star State.

The kickoff event for this year long project also featured a panel moderated by Lou Weaver with TransVisible Project participants Reagan White, Dylan Forbis and Becca Keo-Meier as they told their stories to the overflow crowd of people in attendance for the kickoff event.

I missed much of the panel discussion because I was tapped to tape an on camera interview as the educational panel discussion was going on, but once I was done with it, I did get to once again share space with many of the Houston trans and gender nonconforming folks and allies I have mad love and respect for.

I'm honored to be part of it along with my Texas trans and gender non conforming siblings. .I'm also hopeful that the TransVisible Project accomplishes its goal of reducing the anti-trans prejudice that has been fueled by the hell fire flames of anti-trans ignorance and crass short term political gain.

Shut Up Fool Awards- April Fool's Day 2016 Edition

It's April Fool's Day, and fortunately for y'all coudln't settle on this year's April Fool's Day TransGriot spoof post in time to spring it on y'all by midnight CDT because I've had a few things on my writing plate that have had my attention.

But we've had an avalanche of fools speaking and saying WTF stuff ever since this year dawned three months ago, and I've been gleefully calling them out every Friday.

Let's go straight to the this week's winner, shall we?

This week's loser, er winner is Susan Sarandon.    She earned it for the MSNBC All In interview with Chris Hayes and her clueless commentary that a Republican needs to get elected to bring about the so-called political revolution Bernie Sanders has been talking about.

Charles Blow already called her out for it along with the author of this Salon article, now it's my turn,

Are you kidding me?  That comment from you is not only majorly problematic, but is off the charts stupid in an election cycle in which there are four potential SCOTUS seats opening up plus 86 unfilled federal judiciary seats.  We also have the possibility of regaining the senate by flipping four Senate seats, and a longshot chance with the flipping of 30 seats of retaking the House.

We need all liberal progressive hands on deck at the ballot boxes across the country on November 8 to make that happen, not another situation because the Democratic nominee isn't ideologically pure enough for some of you sitting at home on that date petulantly pouting.

I remember what happened when you and other Nader supporters in 2000 took enough votes away from Al Gore to make the election close enough for GW Bush to steal and we all know how that disastrous eight year mispresidency turned out.

So your suggestion that a jacked up GOP presidency will bring about Bernie's 'revolution' is not only flawed, it's off the charts delusional.   And as part of a minority group being legislatively attacked by the Republican Party, the last thing I want or need to see is them trying to pass these anti-trans attack laws at the federal level and a President trump (or Cruz or Kasich) signing them..

It's also the height of vanillacentric privileged arrogance to push that position because you're pissed off your candidate is miserably failing in his attempt to hijack the Democratic Party nomination and Democrats like myself are #NotFeelingTheBern and are supporting the longtime Democrat in Hillary Clinton for our party's nomination.

Susan Sarandon, shut up fool!.

Counting My Trans Visibility Blessings

On April 4 I celebrate the day 22 years ago that I walked into my then airline job and began a nerve wracking first week being out and unapologetically Black and trans in the middle of Houston Intercontinental Airport Terminal C's gates.  That first long week turned into two weeks, then a month, and before I knew it I was a year into being me. .  

Now two decades plus two years have passed, and since today is the 2016 edition of the Trans Day of Visibility I wanted to talk about the blessings of being out and unapologetically trans because we hear far too often in the media the negatives, especially when it comes to trans women of color..

The first blessing is finally being able to live comfortable in my own skin and body.  Once you are able to do that, the rest of your life begins to emotionally fall into place. You stand taller, are more confident as you body matches on the outside what you have long known and felt inside.  You are willing to be a participant in life and not a spectator.  You are more willing to chase those dreams you put on hold because prior to living your trans truth a paralyzing fear hung over you like a dark cloud.

Transition makes that dark cloud go away.

You still have to deal with all the other issues that crop up that are germane to your new gender presentation along with life's curveballs.  You will have to get adjusted to dealing with all the societal baggage that comes with the new gender role, but it is an assignment you are eagerly willing to take on because it is necessary for you to do so in order to grow and evolve as a person.

One of the first things you discover is that your family expands in terms of the international network of trans brothers and sisters you begin to meet online, at regional and national conferences, board meetings, collegiate and other panel discussions, trans social groups and community meetings..

Some of those people are the famous and legendary folks that are my role models, while others may just be beginning their journey and look to you as a possibility model.

I have also met athletes, politicians, academics, journalists, writers and other wonderful people along the way that if I wasn't my fab unapologetic visible Black trans self, I doubt I would have been in the necessary situations in order for those meetings to happen.  

And the best part is many of those people I have met over the last 22 years I call my friends.  The fact that my friends are international, multigenerational and diverse in scope means that my thinking doesn't get stagnant and mired in an American-centric world view.

The same is true of cis allies.  Over the last two decades I have met some amazing people inside and outside the advocacy world.   Some are now part of my current sistahcircle, while others for various reasons were in my life for a short time period so that as I figured out later, to teach me specific life lessons I needed to learn before they moved on.   There are others who were once in my life, we got separated for a while, and now they are back to help me gain insights necessary for my current life journey.

As for my sistacircle, they are a intergenerational and multiethnic group of cis and trans women who keep my butt grounded in reality.  My sistahfriends are there with helpful advice, to get me out of a depressed mood when I'm down, celebrate my successes, be brutally honest when I need to step it up and give me a swift motivational kick in the behind when necessary.

They also ensure that I don't get Big Head Syndrome.

The cis women in my sistahcircle ensure that in addition to checking any drift toward BHS, I don't start overthinking or trying too hard when it comes to being my fabulous femme self since they have been navigating life in female bodies since birth.

My sistafriends also keep me on track in fulfilling the promise I made to several of my cis feminine work colleagues back in 1994 when I transitioned that I would be a compliment and not a detriment to Black womanhood

So what are the other benefits of being my unapologetic Black trans self?  Those peeps who knew me before transition and are still in my life have noted that I'm happier than I was two decades ago.  I know I'm much healthier now that I've come out of the trans flagged closet, and I eagerly look forward to seeing what each day will bring.  I am working diligently towards making some of the dreams I put on hold come true, and working on making others happen.

How much healthier?  Within two months after beginning to live visibly trans, my blood pressure came down noticeably despite me working in the same stress inducing airline job.

So while I have laments and complaints that could fill another 700+ word post, the reality for me is that when I sit back and do some hard solid thinking about it, the trans visibility blessings far outweigh the negatives.

Happy Trans Day Of Visibility 2016!

Today is the Trans Day of Visibility on our side of the International Date Line.  It is a rapidly growing day founded by Rachel Crandall in which we trans folks around the globe celebrate every March 31 being our fabulous selves, and demand that our humanity and human rights be respected and protected.

Unlike last year, when I spent the Transgender Day of Visibility at a White House trans women of color policy briefing event, this year I'm in the Houston city limits for TDOV..

In light of the Republican anti-trans legislative assault we are enduring in several states right now and loud calls from elements of the white gay male community to kick trans people to the political curb for their own selfish gain, #TDOV2016 couldn't come at a more critical time for our American trans community and our trans brothers and sisters around the globe.

Trans rights are human rights. Our humanity as trans people is not up for theological debate or discussion. Deal with it.

We're not only tired of it in Trans World, we're tired of the attempts of Republican politicians to legislate anti-trans bigotry or using it as a Trojan Horse to repeal human rights coverage for everyone.  And we damned sure aren't as trans elders tolerating attacks on our trans younglings. We will go to war to protect our trans kids and ensure they have a better life than we trans elders did.

And yes GOP, as you'll find out on November 8, we trans people vote.

We trans people are also tired of anti-trans bigotry and hatred being peddled in our TBLGIQ community ranks and it's past time to eradicate it.  Now more than ever, we need our cis family and friends to stand up and declare in one voice that they love their trans family and friends, and will unconditionally love, support and stand with them.

My trans brothers and sisters are beautifully human and part of the diverse mosaic of humanity, and #TDOV2016 is another chance to drive that point home.

Happy Trans Day of Visibility, everyone!  .I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to support the trans community by attending a Transgender Day of Visibility event happening in your various locales today.

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50th Anniversary Of The Final Four Game That Changed History

The NCAA Men's Final Four comes to my hometown this weekend.  How apropos is it that we're hosting the game at NRG Stadium at a time in which we also are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1966 Final Four title game between Texas Western (now UTEP) and number one ranked Kentucky that changed not only history, but had a major impact of how NCAA men's basketball is played today.

The story is also depicted in the 2006 movie Glory Road.

That Final Four game played on March 19, 1966 pitted the number four ranked Miners against the Adolph Rupp coached Wildcat team that had NBA legends Pat Riley and Louie Dampier in their lineup.

It's also a point of pride for us in Houston because David Lattin, one of the starters in that historic NCAA title game is from here.  That game also marked the first time that five African-Americans started in an NCAA title game,and they were playing against a one loss Kentucky team with an all white lineup.  

While that is something we don't even think about in 2016, because the SEC and the now disbanded Texas-Arkansas based Southwest Conference were segregated and refused to recruit Black players, this was a big deal in 1966.  It was also a big deal because in addition to this seminal title game being played with the African-American Civil Rights Movement as a backdrop, there were less than complimentary stereotypes about Black basketball players at the time as well.   The Texas Western players also faced in their 27-1 title run racism from fans, other players and referees as they marched toward their date with destiny.

David Lattin, Bobby Joe Hill, Orsten Artis, Harry Flournoy and Willie Worsley shocked the world by upsetting the heavily favored Wildcats 72-65  It's also cool to note that David Lattin's grandson, Khadeem Lattin ( and whose mother BTW is WNBA Houston Comets legend Monica Lamb) playing for the Oklahoma Sooners, one of the four teams competing for the NCAA title here in Houston this weekend

 It is also fitting that during this weekend in which the Final Four returns to the Lone Star State, the 1966 NCAA championship team will be honored at halftime.on Saturday.

As I said in my 45th anniversary TransGriot post concerning that historic game, the Texas Western players that night in Cole Field House on the University of Maryland campus were playing not only for a title, they were playing for the dignity of a people.

They also ended up with their win,.changing NCAA college basketball forever.

MAJOR! H-town Premiere On Saturday

The MAJOR! documentary makes its debut in H-town this Saturday at 2 PM CDT during the Queer Hippo International LGBT Film Festival at the Houston Museum of African American Culture that runs from April 1-3.

The Houston Museum of African American Culture is located at 4807 Caroline Street in the Museum District, and looking forward to seeing this much anticipated documentary when it makes its Houston debut and I hope that LGBT Houston shows up to watch this movie about one of my Black trans elders that I have much love and respect for.

See y'all Saturday.

Trans Woman Sexually Assaulted At Stonewall Inn

To cap off last week being one of the worst weeks for trans kind in the US with the passage of the unjust HB 2 and anti-trans legislation percolating in Kansas and Minnesota, comes word out of New York that a 25 year old trans woman was sexually assaulted in the Stonewall Inn.

Yes, the same Stonewall Inn in which trans women jumped off the modern TBLG rights movement and is a national historical landmark

The 25 year old survivor told police she went into a single person stall at 11:40 PM EDT Saturday night and a man barged in behind her claiming he needed to wash his hands.  The man then groped the trans woman and sexually assaulted her before running out of the Greenwich Village area bar.

But when you hear right wing fundies, the TERF's, GOP legislators, FOX Noise and other conservafool media pundits flap their loud and wrong gums to demonize us, it's trans women who are the predators.

Um no.  This is just one concrete example of trans women being the prey, not the alleged sexual predators.

This waste of DNA is being sought by NYPD in connection with the crime.  The NYPD Special Victims Division has interviewed the survivor, several witnessed and gotten video sufficient enough to identify the perpetrator of this crime.

 Note the sexual predator wasn't in drag when he committed his heinous crime either.

According to my NYC area trans peeps, the perp also frequents another New York area club called The Hangar.

If you have any information like that which will help speed up the apprehension of this criminal, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577 TIPS (8477)

Hopefully this sexual predator he will be sitting in jail soon for his crime, and I'll keep you apprised of this story as i get mere details.

Hell No To Incremental Progress 2.0, Shannon Gilreath

Why am I not surprised that a white gay male would post something in Huff Po Queer Voices in the wake of the passage of the unjust HB 2 making the call once again for not only Incremental Progress 2.0, but dumping trans folks from the movement we have and are still currently shedding blood for?

It's obvious in the wake of the conservative movement being pissed off they lost on gay marriage that trans people are under legislative assault by bitter right wing bigots.   Now is not the time to call for trans people to be kicked to the political curb.

Not no, but hell no Shannon Gilreath and every other selfish white gay male thinking in that single minded 'dump the tr****es'  fashion. We trans folks will not be 'waiting our turn'.  Our people are paying in blood for our right to exist and the time to fight for our human rights is now.

We heard the same selfish calls for 'incremental progress' in Houston when HERO hit a rough patch prior to its May 2014 passage.  Our coalition that included trans folks like myself held and was rewarded with an inclusive human rights ordinance.  We lost HERO because of partisan GOP politics and Houston trans folks didn't get the opportunity to fight our lying detractors head on among other reasons.

Blaming the trans community is not only disingenuous, but is self serving victim blaming at its finest.  You want to blame someone for HB 2, put it squarely on the shoulders of the North Carolina legislative GOP bigots and Dixiecrat enablers that gleefully proposed and passed with lightning speed the unjust legislation.

We trans folks also know from our painful examination of our history that GL folks have a less than sterling track record when it pertains to 'coming back for the trans community'.  Wisconsin trans folks have been waiting since 1982 for you to come back for them to pass non-discrimination protections you have enjoyed in that state for three decades.  With Scott Walker (R) and a GOP controlled legislature now ensconced in the Badger State, unfortunately we'll be waiting a little longer for that trans inclusive non-discrimination legislation. .

In New York, my trans brothers and sisters have been waiting for statewide human rights coverage since 2002, and a death bed promise to Sylvia Rivera to keep us in the proposed SONDA bill was violated to make a gay only bill pass.   We were thrown under the legislative bus then, and trans folks in New York are still waiting for GENDA to not only pass, but get the same money, time, media coverage and maximum effort you expended to pass marriage equality and the gay only rights laws you have enjoyed for over a decade.

Just as the gay and lesbian community pushed hard to make marriage equality a national push in 2003, we trans folks need in 2016 to have our human rights codified into law in all 50 states. We can't afford as trans people to wait for that to happen any longer.  Neither can our trans kids.who are under legislative attack by these right wing legislative bigots you wish to abandon us to.

Neither can the trans community no longer have our basic human rights based on executive orders and favorable administrative policy changes. They must be based on and backed by legislation.  Those same positive administrative policy changes or executive orders that a Democratic POTUS or governor used the stroke of a pen to enact can be taken away with the same stroke of a GOP POTUS or governor's pen.

Trans rights are human rights.  If our human rights as trans persons aren't secure, as Houston and now North Carolina are ample witness to, your human rights as a gay person aren't secure either.