Geraldine Roman Elected To Philippine Congress!

It's official!   You can now call her Congresswoman-elect Roman!  
49 year old Geraldine Roman has made Philippine and world trans history by becoming the first out trans person elected to the Philippine Congress!

She was favored to win her race thanks in large part to her mother preceding her in the First District of Bataan House seat and serving for nine years, and her father being also a political heavyweight in their native Bataan region.

She didn't disappoint on election day.

With 95% of the vote counted, Roman is cruising to a comfortable win over her opponent Danny Malana in their First Legislative District of Bataan race to get her first three year term as a Philippine congress member

Dindi Tan, a trans advocate in the Philippines and a former board member of the QC Pride Council there, is just as excited about the historic election of Roman as much of the international trans community is.

She is hopeful that Roman's election to the Philippine Congress results in more positive changes LGBT rights wise in her nation

"For a country that has yet to catch up with the significant LGBT rights developments and inroads around the world, the election victory of Congresswoman-elect Geraldine Roman is an inspiration by itself for a community that has long yearned for its own voice in the halls of Philippine Congress,"said Tan.  

"Her election is a breath of fresh air and is welcomed with great optimism by the Philippine trans community. Her being the first openly trans woman voted into Congress is a clear testament that the tide is slowly shifting to our favor. For the longest time, the Philippine LGBT community has persevered in lobbying for a national law on anti-discrimination. It has taken us 16 long years and counting. We hope that with the election of young blood political movers like Roman, we are rest assured that the lobby will take on an easier path," Tan continued.

"While we celebrate her victory, we also give meaning to the political statement that her election entails-- that politics in the Philippines is slowly becoming more and more embracing of the LGBT agenda. By breaking the glass ceiling in politics, she has paved the way for others like us. We look forward to working with her in Congress and in pushing for more gender-inclusive policies and the advancement of the rights of LGBT people."  

"This is such a history-in-the-making for the LGBT movement on this side of the globe,." added Tan. 

Roman is now part of an elite sorority of out trans feminine politicians internationally who have been elected to their national legislatures that includes Georgina Beyer (NZ), Vladimir Luxuria (Italy), Anna Grodzka (Poland), Michelle Suarez Bertora (Uruguay) and Tamara Adrian (Venezuela)

In her remarks to me concerning this historic win, Naomi Fontanos, the executive director of GANDA Filipinas was also excited and optimistic about the upcoming term of Congresswoman-elect Roman.

"Yes. I am very happy that herstory was made today with Ms Geraldine Roman winning the congressional race in Bataan. While it is radical that she is the first openly out transwoman to be elected in Philippines Congress,she is also undeniably a product of a political dynasty that has dominated local politics in Bataan for a long time.' said Fontanos.

"This is a historic moment though, and I want to focus on the many good things that Ms Roman can bring to the Lower House of the Philippine Congress. I laud the fact that she has openly stated that she would make legal gender change part of her legislative agenda," she added.

Roman is the sixth out trans person worldwide to have accomplished that feat, and the second in the Asia-Pacific region after Georgina Beyer of New Zealand, who was the first out trans person in the world to do so in 1999..

And while Congresswoman-elect Roman is officially representing her constituents in the 1st Legislative District of Bataan, she is also by default the defacto representative of all TBLG people in the Philippines as well.

Congratulations Congresswoman-elect Roman!.   May you be successful in representing not only the voters of the 1st Legislative District of Bataan, but also your Filipino TBLG siblings across the country.

TransGriot Update: Roman won her race in a landslide:  106,315 votes to 64,643 votes for her opponent Danny Malana  

Clinton Wins The 2016 Guam Democratic Caucus

Who said that Sec. Hillary Clinton couldn't win a caucus?

The Guam Democratic Caucus was held Saturday, with 12 total delegates up for grabs.   And surprise surprise, Clinton took that caucus by a healthy 59.5-40.5% margin.

That was good news with the West Virginia Primary coming up tomorrow and the Kentucky and Oregon primaries looking on May 17.

Clinton still has a 300 pledged delegate lead, and is on the verge of getting the 2383 pledged delegates and superdelegates to clinch the Democratic presidential nominations, and not a whole lot of contests remaining on the calendar.



 

The SNL Church Lady Humorously LambasTED My Canadian Senator

Y'all know I have no love for Sen. Damien Thorn, oops Ted Cruz, who I call on these electronic pages the junior senator from Alberta in addition to other sarcastic nicknames when I'm in the mood for calling out his perennial Shut Up Fool award winning behind. .

In the wake of his withdrawal last from the Republican presidential primary after being humiliaTED in the Indiana Republican primary by Donald Trump, NBC's Saturday Night Live brought back former SNL castmember Dana Carvey and his iconic Church Lady character to lampoon my junior senator.

Well isn't that special?   Sure is, and I heartily approve of the SNL skit whacking the defeaTED transphobic Republican presidential candidate.

Here's the video of it if you missed it.

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President Obama Recognizes Trans Mothers In His Mother's Day Proclamation

I'm going to miss President Obama for a lot of reasons when he leaves office January 20.   But the biggest reason I'm going to miss him besides being the first occupant of the Oval Office that reflects my cultural heritage is because he has been the best president ever on trans human rights issues.

And as an unapologetically Black trans person, I am bursting at the seam proud of the first Black POTUS being a staunch ally when it comes to trans issues.

Just 24 hours after he mentions the trans community in his remarks to the Howard University Class of 2016, in his 2016 Presidential Mother's Day Proclamation he recognizes the existence of trans mothers.

Guess some peeps at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have been reading TransGriot when it comes to this issue.

Here's the proclamation.

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MOTHER'S DAY, 2016

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

On Mother's Day, we celebrate those who are the first to welcome us into the world.  Performing the most important work there is, mothers -- biological, foster, or adoptive -- are our first role models and earliest motivators.  They balance enormous responsibilities and shape who we become as adults, their lessons guiding us throughout life.  Regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status, mothers have always moved our Nation forward and remained steadfast in their pursuit of a better and brighter future for their children.

Caring and loving without condition, even in our darkest moments, mothers put the interests of their kids ahead of their own.  They are inspiring embodiments of strength and determined drivers of progress, and through their example, our youth learn the values of grace, empathy, and kindness.  For generations, mothers have led the charge toward a freer, more inclusive country -- embracing the task of ensuring our Nation upholds its highest ideals so that they, and America's daughters, know the same opportunities as America's fathers and sons.

Our country's mothers deserve our unwavering support -- at home, in the workplace, and throughout our communities.  I am committed to empowering working mothers so they do not have to choose between caring for their family and earning their paycheck, and I will continue fighting to ensure those who choose to become mothers are not financially punished for doing so.  My Administration has pushed to expand child care and strengthen paid leave, including maternity leave.  We will also keep working to close the gender pay gap -- a disparity that is contrary to our values as Americans, limits the scope of mothers' futures, and affects those they provide for.  And earlier this year, we launched an effort to help low-income mothers and families afford diapers -- a basic necessity for babies -- by bringing together online retailers, diaper manufacturers, and nonprofits to reduce the high cost of diapers.

Each of us is the son or daughter of a mother.  Today, let us pay these extraordinary women the admiration and respect they deserve.  And each day, let us thank them for all they have done for us, remember those whose spirits remain with us, and support those who take on the awesome mantle of motherhood.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 8, 1914 (38 Stat. 770), has designated the second Sunday in May each year as "Mother's Day" and requested the President to call for its appropriate observance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 8, 2016, as Mother's Day.  I urge all Americans to express love and gratitude to mothers everywhere, and I call upon all citizens to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.

BARACK OBAMA

Thank you Mr. President for recognizing the existence of trans mothers.  As for why this is a BFD to the American trans community,  it's important and it matters in a time when the Republican Party and the  conservative movement is trying to turn our existence into an election year  political wedge issue.

Happy Mother's Day 2016

Today is Mother's Day, the day on the calendar in which we celebrate the number one woman in our lives and all that she does, has done and is still doing to make us the best people we can be.   It's also a day in which we acknowledge all the people who take on the joys and challenges of motherhood.

And it's the day that we remember our mothers and mother figures who have joined the ancestors.

I also want to give a TransGriot shoutout to the special group of mothers that I know here in Houston and around the country who are raising trans children.

I've had the pleasure of meeting the amazing Jazz Jennings and her mom Jeanette, and one of the things they have in common with the other moms of trans kids I have met is they are fearless advocates not only for their kids, but for us trans elders as well.

I get a chance to interact with Gender Infinity, our local group of trans parents and the trans kids from time to time, and observe firsthand how happy these trans kids are.  I also get a chance to talk to their amazing parents as they break down to me the joys and challenges of raising a trans masculine or trans feminine child..

I know it's not easy at times raising a happy, well adjusted trans child in a world that is being stirred up by a too long list of TERF's, fundamentalist transphobes, the conservative movement, the Southern Baptist denomination, the Roman Catholic Church,  the Republican Party and other ignorati to irrationally hate on us.

I also need to send some love to all the amazing trans women who are either currently raising kids be they cis or trans or have successfully done so.

We trans elders love you, and are willing to do whatever it takes to be part of the support system you need to help raise your kids and be possibility models for them.   We also wish to work hand in hand with you to change society for the better so your kids when they reach our age will have a better world than we did to accomplish their dreams.  .

Happy Mother's Day!

H-town LGBT Community Shops At Target For A Cause

Ever since Target expressed support for the trans community and made it clear that employees and shoppers go to the bathroom that matches their gender presentation, the right wing faith based ignorati have been engaging in a white-hot orgy of rage aimed at the retailer.

The conservahaters have called for a boycott of Target because of their trans inclusive policies, and in response the LGBT community and our allies across the country have ramped up our support of a store that supports our community.

In addition to the numerous online petitions supporting Target, we took #StandingWithTarget a step further in Houston as the hatemongers gathered on a nearby corner at the entry street to the Sawyer Heights Target location to spread their faux faith based ignorance..

Surprised they weren't at the Bigot Fil-A across the street.  but that's probably where the haters had lunch.

Earlier today our Houston LGBT community had a shop in at the Sawyer Heights location just west of Downtown to not only express our thanks to Target employees for their support of the trans, bi and SGL community, but also purchase items for Montrose Grace Place, an LGBT youth homeless shelter located in the nearby Montrose gayborhood.

A list of items needed at Montrose Grace Place was handed to people wishing to participate in the shop-in event along with thank you cards to hand to the cashiers to let them know why we were in line spending their hard earned T-bills and rainbow cash.

The shop-in ended several hours later  with 10 carts full of items valued at $5700 for Montrose Grace Place and piles of those cards at the store registers.

Thanks for everyone who organized it, and those who participated in this innovative way to support a company that is LGBT friendly and do something for a community organization like Montrose Grace Place at the same time. .

   

President Obama's Howard U Commencement Speech

The Class of 2016 was graduating from Howard University today, and didn't realize that my cousin Derek was going to be in the audience getting his bachelors degree.(magna cum laude) and heading off to Meharry Medical School.

Hey, if you haven't noticed, brains run in my family ;)

My cousin along with the 2300 other HU grads and their friends and family in attendance got the amazing honor of having President Obama give the commencement address.at their graduation.

Here's today's commencement address for those of you who missed it.

Win Attica Win!

The Kentucky Primary election is on May 17, and in this case I'll be looking at some races besides the presidential one between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders at the top of the ticket.

As many of you long time readers know, I spent nearly nine years living in Louisville, and TransGriot actually started there.  I also met and made friends with some wonderful people while I was there in Kentuckiana.

One of those people I got to know was Attica Woodson Scott.  We kept bumping into each other as I settled into my Louisville life after moving there in September 2001 and I got involved in the Louisville liberal progressive political scene and activist circles.   She's been there for me and the Kentucky trans, bi and SGL community as a staunch activist, organizer, and ally when we needed support.

And she's a cool person on top of that.

I was elated when she decided to run for the District 1 seat for Louisville Metro Council, but moved in May 2010 before I had a chance to return the favor and do some work to support her election bid.  She was subsequently elected to the Louisville Metro Council that fall and served until 2015.

While on Metro Council, she sponsored the Louisville Living Wage ordinance, efforts to ban the box and led efforts to increase affordable housing.   Attica has been an ally not only of our Louisville TBLG community, but seniors, our union brothers and sisters, and JCPS teachers.  Former state Rep. Eleanor Jordan and my former state Rep. Mary Lou Marzian have endorsed her, and Scott  has an ever lengthening list of endorsements backing her campaign

I am happy to see her take on a 34 year DINO incumbent in Rep. Tom Riner who is not an ideological fit for the diverse west side District 41 and alarmingly bragged at a recent debate about not having caucused with the Democrats since the 90's.  Riner was also responsible for hooking Kim Davis up with her Liberty Counsel attorneys and I'm surprised he hasn't jumped to the GOP.

That DINO Riner has got to go.   In addition, we haven't had a Black female state legislator representing Louisville, much less in the Kentucky House period since Rep. Eleanor Jordan (D) left her seat in 2000 to take on then Congresswoman Anne Northup (R). It's past time we had another Black female state legislator from Da Ville in Frankfort, and many peeps agree with me.  

Hope the voters of District 41 will agree with me on May 17 and give Attica Scott the opportunity to serve them in Frankfort.

.  

Trans United Fund 'Meet My Child' Video

The Trans United Fund has just released in time for Mother's Day a video featuring mother's talking about their trans kids and the loud and wrong anti-trans hate being put out there

The video is entitled Meet My Child, and has three moms discussing the emotions they went through when their children let them know they were trans.

It also points out that there have been 50 anti-trans bills introduced in 20 states, and also has a snippet of Sen.Ted Cruz (R-TX) pushing anti-trans hate on the campaign trail.
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Here's the video, and let's share it for these amazing moms.

Nicole Maines' TED Talk

Another one of our amazing trans advocates I've had the pleasure of meeting is Nicole Maines.  

This is the video of her TED Talk today that was focused on her growing up openly trans and coming to the point of loving and accepting herself.    She also points out that community support is important so that trans youth like herself can find their voice.

Enough introductory jibber jabber from moi, let's get to the video for it.

Our Trans Kids At Times Are Leading Us Trans Elders

There is a Biblical scripture that states, "And a little child shall lead them.'.  That scripture has become reality repeatedly in my nearly two decades as a trans advocate.

We've witnessed more than a few times this year in Trans World the all hands on deck efforts to kill unjust anti-trans bills popping up all over the country being fearlessly led by our trans kids..

We all are aware of the amazing Jazz Jennings, who has been doing this trans advocacy work since she was the ripe old age of six and has an ever lengthening list of accomplishments and awards for the work she does as her parents and family ensure she has the space and time to just be a normal teenage kid.

Then there are trans kids like Capri Culpepper, Nicole Maines, and Gavin Grimm who were thrust unexpectedly in the national spotlight because they were forced to confront anti-trans bigotry aimed at them.  They fought back and filed with the help of their parents lawsuits that were ultimately successful in redressing the transphobic wrongs aimed at them.   Gavin Grimm's case against his VA school district is ongoing, but it may be the key in killing the odious Hate Bill 2 in North Carolina..

There are the trans kids who make news by making trans history or attempting to do so.  Becoming the first trans persons to become a homecoming king or queen at their schools in their various home states, playing sports, or simply being the first out trans students to graduate from their high schools.

There are the trans kids who become the faces of lobbying efforts to kill unjust anti-trans legislation like Kendra Heathscott was in South Dakota or efforts to pass trans inclusive administrative policies like Zeam Porter was in Minnesota...

In our fight to get people to realize that there is nothing wrong with being our trans selves, some of our best advocates to convey that message have been our trans kids.

Jazz now has help across the country from an amazing array of trans kids, trans teens and young trans adults who are emphatically pointing out that we exist, we aren't going away, and all they want are the same things that any kids cis or trans who are in their peer group want.

Trans kids just want to be able to live their lives to the best of their abilities, and make their dreams come true.. And it has been as a trans elder a beautiful thing to watch transpire..

The trans kids are gonna be more than alright.  They are in many cases not waiting for us to pass the leadership torch to them, they are stepping up to handle their leadership business themselves.

Marisa Richmond Nominated For Nashville Human Relations Commission

Was elated to hear that Dr. Marisa Richmond was nominated by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry yesterday to serve on the Metro (Nashville) Human Relations Commission   This commission is tasked with investigating discrimination complains in Nashville and Davidson County.

If she is confirmed, she would become the first openly trans person to serve on any Metro commission or board in an official capacity.

The confirmation votes for Dr. Richmond will take place in the Rules-Confirmations-Public Elections Committee and the full Metro Council on May 17.   If you like in the Nashville metro area, both meetings will be open to the public.

Congratulations Marisa on a well deserved nomination!

Shut Up Fool Awards- 2016 Mother's Day Weekend Edition

Sunday is Mother's Day, and it's on that day we celebrate to woman who brought us in this world, threatened to take us out of it if we were misbehaving, and played a major role in molding us into the human beings we  are today.   Some of us are still blessed to be able to pick up the phone and call or visit them, while others of us are left with photos and memories of the woman who loved and nurtured us.

Motherhood is not an easy job, and a special shoutout goes on this Mother's Day weekend to all the mothers who are raising trans kids.  It's not  easy to raise a child in the face of a world that is demonizing them and telling them every day they shouldn't exist, but they manage to not only do so, but raise a well adjusted child in the process.

Another TransGriot shoutout goes to all the trans women out there who are raising and have successfully raised kids.  Much love and props to you for doing so.

Happy Mother's day to all my TransGriot readers.   May you celebrate many more of them.

And now, let's move on from celebrating motherhood to calling out fools only their mothers could love.  It's time for this week's edition of the TransGriot Shut Up Foll Awards

Honorable mention number one is for all the BernBots still not #FeelingTheMath and holding on to the fantasy that Bernie Sanders will win the Democratic presidential nomination and spreading their Hillary hate all over the Net.

People, you're losing, nobody in the Democratic Party wants a DINO who HATES our party as its nominee.

Honorable mention number two is another group award for  all the Republicans stunned that Donald Trump became their nominee

Honorable mention number three is Missouri state Rep Tila Hubrecht (R) who stated that 'rape has a silver lining if it results in childbirth.'

Wonder if she'd feel the same way if she was the person who was sexually assaulted or a member of her family.

Honorable mention  number four  is indicted Texas AG Ken Paxton (R).  Despite having to deal with his own messes, he took time out of his busy schedule to write a letter to Target and engage in some trans bashing over their trans friendly policies.

Time to kick the TX Teapublicans out of office.

This week's SUF loser winner is a group award for the North Carolina Republicans.  

They were sent a DOJ letter May 4 warning them they faced losing billions in federal funding if they didn't repeal HB 2 by Monday, and they are still doing their best George Wallace imitations.and laughingly claimed they needed time to study their options..

They also had the nerve to get indignant about being served with that DOJ letter

It only took y'all 12 hours to propose, pass and Gov. McCrory to sign Hate Bill 2, so spare us and the world the crocodile conservatears and bull feces..

We'll see how recalcitrant they'll be on Monday when they are looking at losing $861 million in school funding and $1.4 billion for the UNC system..

North Carolina Republicans, shut up fools!

Will The Philippine's Geraldine Roman Become The World's Sixth Trans National Legislator?

In November 1999 Georgina Beyer made news that electrified trans kind and gave hope to trans people dreaming of holding elective office in their respective nations across the globe when she was elected to the New Zealand Parliament.   The Labour party member served until September 2005 representing the Wairarapa electorate, and was the world's first ever trans parliamentarian.

Beyer was followed by Italy's Vladimir Luxuria in 2006, Poland's Anna Grodzka in 2011, Uruguay's Michelle Suarez Bertora in 2014 and last year Tamara Adrian in Venezuela.

It's an exclusive sorority of trans national legislators, and we have news coming out of the Philippines that another trans feminine politician on the verge of making history in 49 year old Geraldine Roman..

National elections are taking place in the Philippines on Tuesday, May 10 (Monday, May 9 on our side of the IDL), and Roman is running for a congressional seat in the 1st district in Bataan where she grew up.

But Roman is not your average political candidate. Besides being a proud transpinay, she has some advantages that make her an odds on favorite to become the first trans person elected to national public office in the Philippines.   Roman is not only a member of current President Benigno Aquino's ruling Liberal Party, but she comes from a powerful dynastic political family.   Her mother has represented Bataan's 1st district in the Philippine Congress for nine years, and her father was a powerful politician in that predominately rural province.

Roman transitioned over two decades ago, speaks three European languages, holds two masters degrees and worked in Spain as senior editor of the Spanish News Agency before she returned home to the Philippines four years ago to care for her ailing father.

'My life has not been a secret. I grew up here. People know me. (Gender) only becomes an issue when you try to keep it a secret," Roman said in a recent interview.  "It's nothing bad. I never hurt anyone in the process. I'm so happy so why should I be ashamed?"

She hopes that her election if it happens, will send a powerful message that aids in the Philippine fight for TBLG human rights.  

"My loyalty is to the first district of Bataan.  But that somebody of my condition is going to enter Congress for the first time is a statement that even transgender people can serve our country and should not be discriminated against."

Should Roman win her race, she would not only become the first trans person elected to office in the Philippines and the sixth worldwide, she would be the second in the Asia-Pacific region after Georgina Beyer.

Best of luck to Ms. Roman, and hope she's successful in making Philippine and international trans history on Tuesday. (Monday our time)

Dr. Jillian Weiss Talks About The DOJ HB 2 Challenge On CNN

Earlier today on CNN attorney Dr. Jillian T. Weiss was on CNN's Legal View With Ashleigh Banfield to discuss the unjust HB 2 and the ramifications on the DOJ letter sent to Gov McCrory and the University of North Carolina.

I've been saying for a while that HB 2 was unconstitutional and a violation of Romer v. Evans., but I'm going to defer to my friends in the legal profession to let me know whether I'm on the right legal path here and if HB 2 could be the trans version of that landmark Romer v Evans case.

And now, for those of you who missed it earlier today, here's the video from Dr. Jillian Weiss' appearance on Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield.

 

NC Facing Monday Deadline To Repeal HB 2

Got another wonderful birthday present on Wednesday when the US Department of Justice finally dropped the hammer on  North Carolina by declaring in a letter sent to NC Governor Pat McCrory (R) that the unjust HB 2 was in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX.  

A letter was also sent yesterday by the DOJ to Margaret Spellings, the new president of the University of North Carolina,  W. Louis Bissette, the Chairman of the UNC Board of Governors, and Thomas Shanahan, the Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel for UNC.   Spellings indicated that UNC would comply with the unjust HB 2.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act bars employment discrimination, and Title IX bars education discrimination based on sex..  Recent EEOC and federal court rulings have affirmed that 'sex' included transgender people.

That repudiation of HB2 by the Department of Justice puts billions of federal funds in question, and the DOJ gave the state until Monday to 'confirm that the state will not comply with or implement HB 2'.

“The letter confirms what we’ve already known – that HB2 is deeply discriminatory, violates federal civil rights law, and needs to be repealed as soon as possible,” said Rep. Chris Sgro, a Democrat who is also the  executive director of Equality NC. “We’ve already lost $500 million in economic impact, and now we are violating federal civil rights law and risking Title IX funding.”

North Carolina public schools received $861 billion in federal funds for the 2015-16 school year, and the 17 campus University of North Carolina system received $1.4 billion in 2014-15.

That funding is in jeopardy if NC state legislators continue to refuse to comply with US law..

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article75601912.html#storylink=cpy

Hate Bill 2, as it was dubbed by NC NAACP head the Rev. Dr. William Barber II, was hastily passed in 12 hours by the GOP controlled legislature in response to Charlotte passing a trans inclusive human rights law.

Republican officials are defiantly saying they will not comply with the DOJ deadline, claiming that 'they need more time' to respond to the letter, but their transphobic azzes proposed and blitzed through the legislature and Gov McCrory signed HB 2 in 12 hours.

We'll see what happens Monday.

RIP Tyreece Walker

One of the things I've been afraid of with all the anti-trans hatred being pushed by Republican politicians and the conservative movement, that it will result in a spike in anti-trans hate crimes, assaults and murders.

We've lost another of our trans sisters this week when 32 year old Tyreece Walker was stabbed to death in Wichita, KS  on Sunday after an altercation in her apartment complex in SW Wichita with a 16 year old.

The 16 year old boy was arrested and charged with second degree murder, and Wichita police have ruled out hate crime charges.  Meanwhile, the mother of the arrested teen is claiming that the deceased tried to sexually assault her child.

Gee, wonder where she got that idea from?

According to Walker's friend Victoria, she told KAKE-TV that not only was that allegation false, Reecey dreamed of one day becoming a counselor so that she could help other people going through the same trans related drama she was dealing with.

"(She) wanted to get a degree in psychology or social work to try to become a counselor to help other people try to get through some of the same struggles (she) had been through," Victoria said.

Unfortunately, a 16 year old transphobe ended those dreams for her.  

And once again we have another Black trans woman under 40 who has had her life cut short due to anti-trans ignorance and hatred.  .I'm so tired of my young trans sisters being killed and the ongoing silence from mianstream Black orgs about it.   Don't our Black lives matter, too?   
Rest in power and peace Reecey!  Your trans brothers and sisters will do what we can to ensure that justice is served in this case, because your Black trans life mattered..

NYC Trans Woman Attacked For Riding While Trans

Anti-trans hate thoughts + anti-trans hate speech = anti-trans hate violence/murders.  That is the equation that unfortunately adds up to anti-trans violence aimed at our community

The Republican Party and the conservative movement has been putting unchecked anti-trans hatred in the air, and as I and other trans leaders have been warning, it's just a matter of time before the ignorati seize on that hate speech they put out there and turn into anti-trans hate violence aimed at us.

Here's video recorded by Translatina Network outreach social worker Pearl Love while she was minding her own business on the subway back on April 28.

This member of the ignorati began flinging unsolicited bigoted and transphobic comments at her, and then became agitated as she realized she was being videotaped and subsequently attacked Love.

Love is okay, but  it's just a taste of what we trans folks are increasingly seeing no thanks to the Republican Party gleefully spewing anti-trans hate for fun and political advantage.

And oh yeah, New York State, when are you going to add gender identity to the list of categories in your state's hate crimes law?  This video is more evidence that adding coverage for transgender New Yorkers is sorely needed.

May The 4th Be With You On Star Wars Day!

In addition to noting some of the famous peeps who share my birthday like the late Audrey Hepburn, sportscaster Erin Andrews and Kimora Lee Simmons, my May 4 birthday has also become synonymous with Star Wars Day.

I'm a huge Star Wars fan and have been since i got to watch the original movie debut in 1977.   Many of the Star Wars trilogy movies also have in common they were released in the month of May.

In fact, one of my activist nicknames is Darth Maul because of my love for the movies and my take no prisoners attitude towards our not so esteemed trans human rights opposition.  I also got the nickname because my activist mentor at the time was nicknamed Darth Vader.   The fact she likes to fence only cemented the nickname into our consciousness.

Personally I think it should have been Emperor Palpatine, but (cough, cough, hack wheeze...)

Oh yeah, where was I in this post?

The unofficial day to celebrate all things Star Wars became May 4 because the date easily could be used to create a pun filled version of the movie's catchphrase 'May The Force be with you."., and the first organized celebration of it took place in Toronto in 2011.

Social media and the purchase of the Star wars franchise by Disney helped drive this fandom based day into a quasi official day celebrating everything Star Wars related, and now my birthday  is associated in the mids of Star Wars fans with the movie.

Can We Talk 4 Real Podcast Tonight Featuring BTAC

Later tonight myself and BTAC CEO Carter Brown will be chatting with the award winning Can We Talk 4 Real podcast duo of Michelle and Terri Boi about the just completed Black Trans Advocacy Conference in Dallas.

BTAC just celebrated its fifth anniversary and an amazing week in the Lone Star State, and we'll be discussing what happened at #BTAC2016   To become part of the conversation, you can dial 347-215-8985 and press 1 to take part in tonight's conversation.

The Can We Talk 4 real podcast featuring Carter and the birthday girl will start at 8:30 PM EDT-7:30 PM CDT, and hope you will join us for this sure to be informative and amazing conversation.