Archie Marries The Sistah

Knowing Archie's history of not committing to either Betty or Veronica, the one with Valerie probably won't last either.
-TransGriot, April 23, 2010  'Archie Dates A Sistah'

Still tripping about how I missed this Archie related news four years ago, but then again, it WAS a presidential election year and I like everyone else in Black America was worried about the reelection of President Obama.

One of the things my close friends and longtime readers know about me is that I am a huge Archie comics fan.  I have followed the exploits of Archie, his Riverdale High friends and pondered the Betty and Veronica love triangle since my preteens.

I was pleased to see as a longtime Archie comics fan besides the gender swap one that happened in issue 636 that puts a new gender swapped spin on the Archie, Betty and Veronica love triangle, the interracial relationship curveball they introduced into this longtime iconic comic that is now 75 years old.


;It started with the release of Issues 608-609 featuring the budding relationship of Archie and Josie and the Pussycats bassist Valerie Smith, and received rave reviews from Archie fans.

The storyline picks up from where it left off in issues 631-634 that were published by Archie Comics starting in June 2012.

In issue 631 Valerie returns to Riverdale for a Josie and the Pussycats concert with news for Archie that she and her family are moving there, which as you guessed is not received well by Betty and Veronica.

But Betty gets the bonus with the move to Riverdale of her latest romantic rival for Archie's affections an interracial relationship of her own.  Valerie's little brother Trevor quickly takes Betty's mind off of Archie's rekindled romance with his big sister, and Trev turns out to be a talented vocalist on top of it..

Valerie after moving to Riverdale with her family, takes a walk after settling into her Riverdale life down Memory Lane and starts imagining what her life would be like married to Archie.  

Valerie ends up seeing it five years into the future with her and Archie getting engaged and married. They leave their respective bands to make music together as the duo Him and Her, and Trevor Smith ends up as the new lead singer of Sugar Sugar, the renamed Archie's, and Veronica joins the Pussycats to fill the vacancy left by Valerie's departure.  

The happy couple ends up teaching at a music school, on a reality TV show, and eventually have a child together in their daughter Star.  She turns out to have inherited her parents musical talents and ends up being a serious attention getting child musical prodigy.

The four part 'Archie Marries Valerie' story arc concludes in Issue 634 with Valerie still wandering Memory Lane pondering their futures together.  She realizes that Archie has shown the ability to attract many of the girls in the Riverdale area prior to her arrival there, and ponders how that affects her by contemplating all the possible wedding scenarios  in the pages of that issue that involve Cheryl Blossom, her bandmate Josie McCoy, Sabrina Spellman, Betty and Veronica of course, Ginger Lopez, Midge Potts and even Big Ethel.

That TMI overload sends Valerie scurrying away from Memory Lane and leads to Valerie and Archie setting up a meeting to discuss their relationship. .

How that conversation between Valerie and Archie ended up, I'll have to get the graphic novel to tell you definitively what went down.

The series of comics covering the Archie and Valerie relationship story arc was published in the graphic novel entitled Archie- A Rock 'n' Roll Romance.
Looks like I'll have to see if I can find it either at my fave comic stores or try to find it online to see how the story ended.

2016 Williams Watch-Time For The French Open

We are still in the month of May, and that means it's time for the second Grand Slam tournament on the professional tennis calendar.  It's the 2016 French Open, and the clay courts of Paris' Roland Garros await as the tournament is scheduled to run from May 22-June 5

The big story as usual is world number one Serena Williams and her attempt to win her 22nd Grand Slam title.  Little Sis has unfortunately been upset in her last two attempts to get that title, falling in the 2015 US Open semis and in this year's Australian Open title match.

So you know the defending French Open champ is ready and eager to get this milestone done and over with Williams-don and the Rio Olympics looming.

She's seeded number one in this 115th edition of the French Open, and Serena kicks off her title defense with a first round match against Serbia's Magdalena Rybarikova.   should she handle her tennis playing business she gets the winner of the Teliana Pereira- Kristyna Pliskova match.

Venus Williams is also in this tournament, and she's seeded number 9.  She faces off in the first round against Estonia's Anett Kontaveit.   Should Big Sis win this opening round match, she'll face the winner of an all-American first round battle between Louisa Chirico and Lauren Davis.

Unfortunately the Williams sisters are in the same half of the draw, and would potentially meet in the semis should both sisters go on extended runs during their time at Roland Garros.

Here's hoping my fave tennis playing siblings have a successful business trip to Paris, and Serena finally gets her 22nd Grand Slam title to tie her with Steffi Graf and add another Coupe Suzanne Lenglen to her trophy case..

Support The Brazilian #NomeSocialEDireito Campaign

Our Brazilian trans family are fighting to keep a policy alive that allows them to use their social names in dealings with the Brazilian federal government.

The backstory starts with embattled Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff issuing before she left office for an interim president pending the result of her impeachment trial issuing Decree n.8.727 that allows trans folks to use their social  names in federal government situations and settings.

But a Brazilian politician unfortunately is pushing to have the Rousseff issued decree invalidated, and that would cause problems for many of our Brazilian trans cousins.

The attempt to invalidate Decree n.8.727 is instead serving to galvanize the Brazilian trans community in a 'we're fed up and not gonna take it any more' way.  A social media campaign has popped up #NomeSocialEDireito with the goal of keeping the decree in place.

Brazilian trans people and their allies are asked to take photos with the #NomeSocialEDireito hashtag which translates in English to 'My Name Is My Right'.

Here's hoping my Brazilian trans fam is successful in keep Decree n 8.727, and success in doing so leads to more wins in Brazil for our trans family.

What Happens With My African Diaspora Trans Peeps IS My Business

One of the things that has always bothered me is that I am more cognizant about trans people and the issues that affect them in Latin America, Europe, Australia, and the Asia-Pacific region than I am about the issues that affect the trans peeps that share my African bloodlines on the Mother Continent.

That desire and yearning to know more about what's happening with trans issues on the African continent is one of the reasons why TransGriot was founded ten years ago.

It's also part of my mission, and one of the reasons I eagerly feature posts about African trans activists like Kenya's Audrey Mbugua, talk about organizations like South Africa's Gender DynamiX,  and follow what happens when African trans activists organize regional conferences and gatherings..

I was cheering when Titica was busting out as an out trans music artist in Angola, and was keenly interested in hearing her story

It's also why I have the attitude that what happens to African descended trans people in the Caribbean, Latin America, Brazil, continental Africa or anywhere else on the planet where African descended trans people reside IS my business.

That desire to know more about what's going on with my continental African trans siblings is why I'm proud to have several African diaspora trans siblings as FB friends. I not only want to know what's happening in their lives, but git is a two way relationship that helps give me  insight and context as an African descended person living in the United States concerning some of the trans developments going on in continental African nations and across the African Diaspora from their vantage points. .

It's also interesting to note that there are not only gender variant peoples on the African continent, but one of the initial international destinations where trans women from around the world converged to get gender confirmation surgeries in the mid 1950's-1960's was Dr. Georges Burou's Clinique du Parc in Casablanca, Morocco. 

Dr. Burou not only was the innovative surgeon who performed the SRS surgeries for April Ashley, Marie-Pier Ysser, the late Jacqueline-Charlotte 'Coccinelle' Dufresnoy, and author Jan Morris he influenced his contemporaries in the SRS field like Dr Stanley Biber

Speaking of gender variant people on the African continent, there is also evidence of gender variant behavior across the African continent going back to ancient Egypt and persisting to the present day.  During the Egyptian Mamluk Sultanate that was in power from the 1200's to the 1700's, assigned female at birth children who exhibited masculine behavior could be raised as men.

In Benin, during its Kingdom of Dahomey days, there were the Mino, assigned female at birth persons (AFAB)who were warriors, and considered masculine.  The Maale peoples in Ethiopia have peeps they call the Ashtime, assigned masculine at birth (AMAB) eunuchs who lives as women.  The Ashtime term evolved to become a term describing all types gender variant people who were assigned masculine at birth.

In Swahili speaking areas of the Kenyan coast including Mombasa, the Mashoga reign, and in the Democratic republic of the Congo, the Mbo people have the Mangaiko, and in Madagascar, the Sakalava people have the Sekrata, who are analogous to binary trans women.

And I agree, we need more media focus on continental Africans when we talk about transgender issues and the unique complexities and challenges it entails.

Trans people exist on the second largest continent on this planet, and their stories need to be heard and talked about.   As long as this blog exists, that's exactly what's going to transpire..

What happens with my African Diaspora trans peeps is not only my business, I have a responsibility to help get those stories out to my readers and the general public.. .  .

Happy 25th Birthday Raquel!

Last year I got to meet this amazing twentysomething trans advocate during an anti-violence conference in Chicago..

When I first met her, I originally thought she was a cis feminine ally until she spoke during one of the discussion sessions and let us all know she was a girl like us.  

I had a chance during the Chicago event to have a long one on one conversation with her, and participate in some discussion groups with her during the conference.  I could tell right away that she was going to do amazing things for our community.  The fact that she was a writer made me even more of a fan of hers, and we exchanged contact information that day.  

That twentysomething I met who so impressed me was Atlanta-based advocate Raquel Willis, and as I figured out after meeting her, my initial impression of her was on target.

 She has been getting well deserved attention for her thoughtful and incisive writing and her efforts as one of the group of trans leaders we are blessed to have in Atlanta doing the education not only on trans issues, but an eloquent voice speaking about a wide range of social justice issues.

Raquel is the bomb as one of our emerging young leaders, and I'm glad people inside and outside our trans   community ranks are recognizing it.

I'm also exceedingly proud of her. .Yeah, she's heard me say this to her in our check in phone conversations, but I wanted to put it in writing so she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt how much I love and admire her.
And what better day than her birthday to do so?

 I also couldn't let her 25th birthday pass without giving her the TransGriot shout out this auspicious occasion deserves.

Happy birthday Raquel!  Thanks for everything you do for our community, and I hope your special day is one filled with love, fun, and maximum fabulousness.    Hope it is also a blessings filled one for you, and you receive the ultimate blessing of being around to celebrate many more of them.

Another Busy H-town Saturday

This Saturday was a busy one, but in a good way for me.

I was invited to take part in a panel discussion for the New Leaders Council with Lura Groen and Judge Steven Kirkland about being a progressive leader in diverse communities on the fourth floor of the Legacy Health Services building in Montrose. .

The panel started a little after 11 PM, and it was a lively two way one and a half hour conversation that I hope the NLC fellows not only enjoyed but gleaned some lessons out of it.

I then went home and attempted to rest for a few hours, then get freshened up and dressed for the 19th annual Houston HRC Gala at the Hilton Americas Hotel in the downtown Convention Center District at the invitation of Lou Weaver.  .

Dee Dee was headed to Spring High School to support their GSA for an on campus event they were having that started at 7 PM, so the game plan was to bounce out of the crib at 6 PM, she drop me off, and she would continue to Spring High on the far north side.

But we ran into bumper to bumper traffic on I-45 that started past Loop 610 and was creeping along a such a snails pace that we eventually jumped ff I-45 and took side streets to the Hilton Americas.  the end result was I didn't get to the hotel until 6:50 PM, and got to the second floor ballroom moments later

Despite me not getting enough time to my liking to say hello to everyone there for what we call locally 'Houston Gay Prom', I did get to sit at Lou's table with my activist mentor Judge Phyllis Frye and her lovely wife Trish, and Mike Webb, who moderated the NLC panel I'd done that morning

The Houston human rights warriors were in the house in full effect   Got to see Januari Leo for the first time in months, Melissa Vivanco was looking fab along with Fran and Kim Watson, Crystal Solares, Jeffry Faircloth and a long list of people I managed to get conversations in with along with getting a chance to eat before i had to leave.  .  

I also got to see in the two and a half hours I was there everyone from City Councilmember Robert Gallegos to Rep Sheila Jackson-Lee to our former mayor Annise Parker.   I missed the speech that Houston homegirl Loretta Devine gave, but I was in the room for HRC president Chad Griffin's speech where i once again got an unexpected shout out along with Dee Dee Watters and Judge Frye.  

It was a busy H-town Saturday for me, but enjoyable.

Shut Up Fool Awards- I Pity The Fools Edition

Tomorrow is Mr T's birthday.   Mr T will be turning 64, and is still around as a actor, pitchman, and as you longtime TransGriot readers are aware of, the inspiration for the TransGriot Shut Up Fool! Awards.

It's Friday, and my day to call out the fool, fools or group of fools that have labored mightily to show to America an the world their ignorance and WTF level arrogance.

Unlike Mr. T, I'm not taking pity on the fools, I'm calling them out.  So let's get busy as I gleefully do that.

Honorable mention number one is a group award for the GOP controlled Oklahoma Legislature.  It is a body that has LGBT hater Sally Kern as one of its members, and seems to not care if the laws they pass are constitutional.   In addition to passing or proposing bills to criminalize abortion and hate on trans Sooners, they just passed a resolution calling for President Obama to be impeached for standing up for the human rights of trans people.

This week's Shut Up Fool  loser winner is TX Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

Greg Abbot continued to attack on the Texas transgender community he started during the HERO fight with a WTF rant he tweeted against the DOE/DOJ policy directive.

'JFK wanted to send a man to the moon.  Obama wants to send a man to the women's restroom.  We must get our country back on track. 

Naw fool, President Obama wants to send a man to mars, but your party has thwarted that, too

News flash for your azz.  trans Texans like myself exist and we not only live here, we contribute to making our state better, and we're not going into hiding to make you or your transphobic base happy.

Greg Abbott, shut up fool!.

 

Tamron Hall Calls Out The Berner NV Bad Behavior

One of the many reasons I love my Texas homegirl Tamron Hall is because she's a no BS journalist who doesn't let peeps on either side of the political spectrum weasel out of tough questions.

Here's the recent interview in which she asks some tough question of Sanders surrogate Nina Turner in the wake of the Green Tea Partiers showed their nekulturny selves during last weekend's Nevada Democratic meeting

Watch as Tamron doesn't allow Turner to spin her way out of the mess the Benrers made in Nevada.

Enjoy.

 

Once Again, Trans Rights Are Human Rights

Trans rights are human rights.  Simple statement, but with all the anti-trans hate rhetoric coming from the Right Wing noise machine at maximum volume, they are desperately trying to drown out that message.

But no matter what they say, the bottom line is that the war they stated to attack our humanity and eviscerate our civil rights with it is not going the way they expected.   They expected a blitzkrieg of success when they launched World War T, but what they are getting is a protracted struggle that we have no choice in Trans World but to fight and win.

It will take a united effort from all trans folks around the world and our allies to make this global trans human rights dream a reality.  We will have to work twice and three times as hard as our opponents are who are desperately attempting to oppress us to work on making the public relations and legislative equity tide match the moral arc of the universe that is already in our favor.

And if we want the trans kids going up to have the quality lives they deserve, then we trans elders have to get cracking on defeating the Ignorati and moving the middle to our side.  We're going to have to vote for trans human rights supportive candidates in every election cycle at all levels of government, and vote out the transphobic bigots when they reveal themselves.    That is just a small part of the sweat equity part of this World War T fight were engaged in for our trans and gender variant kids.

And make no mistake about it, we are winning.  We're making progress. If we weren't the right wingers wouldn't be tripping with all this blatant anti-trans hared and flood of unjust legislation in their desperate attempt to stop our forward societal momentum.

That progress may not be fast enough or coming soon enough for some of you, but it is progress.  Every time a trans person is elected to office, that's progress.  When a trans kids graduates from high school or college while matriculating in a school system or on a college campus that is trans supportive, that's progress. When a trans kid and her family has a highly rated reality TV show that basically shows her interesting life, that's progress.  

When you have trans characters on television and in the movies, that's progress.  When that trans kids can dream dreams and make them come true, that's progress. When we can serve openly in our country's armed forces, that's progress.  When trans actors can play trans people on TV, that's progress. When  it becomes a political liability for a politician to push anti-trans hate, that's progress   When a nation like Canada makes a huge deal out of introducing trans human rights legislation, that's progress

When the United States Attorney General states that the DOJ and the Obama Administration will do everything to protect your human rights, that's progress..   

Vice President Biden was correct, Trans rights are the human rights issue of our time. And trans rights are human rights.   The world is starting to get it that it's not cool to oppress people who are part of the diverse mosaic of human life.

And I'm happy to see that this shift in attitudes is happening in my lifetime. .  .

.

DC Security Guard Charged With Assault After Playing Potty Police

I've been expressing my concerns that all this negative anti-trans hatred being put in the atmosphere by the Republican Party and the conservafool movement would eventually start having negative consequences for cis and trans women.

Yesterday that played out in Washington DC when a security guard took it upon herself to play potty police and forced trans woman Ebony Belcher out of the restroom of a Giant Foods store in NE DC.

The 32 year old Belcher was at the store on 3rd and H Streets to pick up a Western Union delivery with a friend and asked a store employee to point her to the restroom.  She passed the security guard while en route to it, and said the security guard entered the restroom making derogatory comments while telling her to get out.

The security officer then grabbed her by the shoulder and arm and shoved her out of the store.. Belcher alleges the guard said, "You guys cannot keep coming in here to use our women's restroom.  They did not pass the law yet."

Wrong, boo boo kitty. The human rights of trans people in the District of Columbia have been covered and protected under the DC Human Rights Law since 2006.

Giant has issued a press statement:

"As this matter involves a third party that provides security services for Giant and there's an ongoing criminal investigation, all inquiries related to the incident at the H Street Giant should be directed to the local police for a comment at this time."

The unidentified guard in question was arrested and charged with simple assault.  We'll see how this plays out in court..  

TransGriot Update:  The security guard busted for her transphobic crime is 45 year old Francine Bernice Jones according to a Washington Blade report by Lou Chibbaro,Jr.  After spending the night in jail was released by Superior Court Judge Renee Raymond on personal recognizance pending a July 21 status hearing. 

Danni Askini Suspends Washington State Legislative Campaign

I've been happy to hear about trans people stepping up to run for state legislative offices in this 2016 election cycle.  I consider trans people being in our state legislatures and eventually the US Congress to be the next vital step to pushing our civil rights movement to the next level.

I recently heard some disappointing news recently out of Washington state. Danni Askini is dropping out of the race for an open legislative seat in Washington's 43rd District to focus on her executive director duties at the Gender Justice League.

"I have been overwhelmed by the support our campaign has received since I filed in March," said Askini in a press statement. "This decision has weighed heavily on me, but I have come to the conclusion that I cannot run the campaign for State Representative this district and my community deserve while also fighting attacks both nationally and across our state on transgender rights."

The local attack on trans rights she's talking about is I-1515, an attempt by the haters to roll back the Washington's trans human rights protections that have been in effect for a decade and must be stopped.

The Washington Won't Discriminate coalition has been established to fight the unjust initiative and keep it off the November ballot   A decline to sign campaign is underway, and it will be determined in July if I-1515 has enough signatures to qualify.

"I think people understand that this is a unique challenge," Askini said about I-1515.  "It's new territory for the community and it is unfortunately an all hands on deck issue."

While I and her supporters understand why she's dropping out of the race, it's still disappointing news.

The $33,000 in surplus funds raised for Askini's run for office will be distributed to several organizations that include the Pride Foundation, Legal Voice and the Transgender Law Center.

Askini's withdrawal from the race she announced for back in March is additionally disappointing because she was considered the front runner in this crowded race.  Had she been successful in capturing the 43rd District seat, she would have become the first out trans person elected to the Washington State Legislature.  

It still leaves six people in a crowded field to fill the seat that opened up after state rep Brady Walkinshaw resigned to run for the 7th Congressional District being vacated by retiring Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)

Split Decision In The Kentucky and Oregon Democratic Primaries

Hillary Clinton will not go 0-for May to th chagrin of the Sanders camp..

While Sanders won Oregon as expected to continue the pattern of winning overwhelmingly white states, Clinton took the Bluegrass State in a tight contest that my homies and homettes in Louisville cast the deciding votes for

Yep Bernie supporters, once again it was ongoing failure of the Sanders campaign to get Black Democratic voter support that cost him this state.  

It also put Clinton just 99 delegates away from clinching the Democratic nomination with the June 7 contests looming.

And once again, the obese opera singer's doing sound checks in preparation for singing the 'It's Over' aria.

You Can Call Her Representative-Elect Scott!

One of the other races that had my attention besides the contentious race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders was the 41st District race between longtime incumbent Rep. Tom Riner and former Louisville metro Councilmember Attica Woodson Scott.

Riner had occupied that seat since 1982, but was increasingly out of touch with this overwhelmingly Democratic district.   It didn't help his admission he hadn't caucused with the Democrats since the 90's and he introduced Kim Davis to the Liberty Counsel.

Scott was attempting to become the first African-American woman since 2000 from the Louisville area to be elected to the Kentucky General Assembly.

The race wasn't even close.  Scott amassed an overwhelming victory, taking 59% of the vote in the district to 23% for Riner.  Phil Baker, the third candidate in the race received 19%.  

Since there will be no Republican candidate for the District 41 seat in the fall, you can call her Representative-elect Scott.

She will be headed to Frankfort when the 2017 session starts, and becomes the first African-American woman elected to the house from Louisville since Rep. Eleanor Jordan left to take on then US Rep. Anne Northup. .

Congratulations Representative-elect Scott!  How apropos you won this race four months after the first ever Kentucky African-American legislator in Sen. Georgia Davis Powers has joined the ancestors.

Now let's hope that the Democrats can hold their majority in the House on November 8.

I have no doubts that you will do a wonderful job for your constituents in the 41st District and they will get the representation they have been lacking recently.    .

Marisa Richmond Confirmed To Metro Nashville Human Relations Commission!

In some more good news for trans kind, Dr. Marisa Richmond and 8 other candidates for the Metro Nashville Human Relations Commission were unanimously confirmed by Metro Council tonight for a three year term.

By doing so, Marisa becomes the first out trans person nominated and confirmed to a term on this or any commission in Nashville metro government.   The Human Relations Commission is tasked with investigating discrimination complaints within the city of Nashville and Davidson County.

Congrats for making history in your hometown Marisa, and kudos to Mayor Berry for recognizing that you would be a wonderful addition to that body.  

The Anti-Trans Hate Speech Is Affecting Our Cis Sisters

Since today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, this subject needs to be addressed, and what better day than the IDAHOT to do so?

Anti-trans hate thoughts + anti-trans hate speech = anti-trans violence/murders.  That is the Equation of Anti-Trans Oppression that the Republican Party, the conservative movement and right wing evangelical church folks are gleefully engaging in right now.

But some of the unintended consequences of that nonstop anti-trans hate speech are being felt by our cis sisters who are 5' 8" or taller, who have androgynous gender presentations or whose presentations don't mesh with what the Gender Gestapo thinks a woman should have.

Unfortunately, it is increasingly leading to cis women finding out firsthand what it's like to walk in our trans feminine pumps and disrespectfully have their femininity questioned.

But this isn't a new phenomenon. There were instances of cis women with non stereotypical gender presentations getting yanked out of female restrooms long before this current coordinated GOP anti-trans hate campaign began. .

But now with the increased media attention on trans issues, the ignorati are letting their misogynistic flag fly. Cisgender women who because of the genetic luck of the draw are the average height of a WNBA point guard, have short hair, don't look like supermodels, or are deemed 'not feminine enough' by the Gender Police for specious reasons are getting caught in World War T crossfire.

I'm increasingly hearing stories from my cis sisters about having anti-trans slurs ignorantly hurled at them. I'm  not liking hearing how people with non standard gender presentations are starting to get insults hurled at them in public restrooms.  

And i'm not happy that many of my cis sisters are starting to experience what we trans women have for years and are having their femininity disrespectfully questioned by the Gender Gestapo.

But this is something I expected would happen when the GOP ramped up the anti-trans hate, and this is also what happens when anti-trans hatred goes unchecked or people are silent about what is going on   because they don't think it affects them.

I have to ask this question for those of you who erroneously think you are the arbiters of all things feminine and who is and isn't worthy of it.  Who the hell deputized y'all as the Femininity Police?

I'll say it again.  Trans women are women. trans men are men.  What needs to happen right now is that cis and trans women need to collaboratively work together with the goal of eradicating the misogyny that affects both groups.  We also need our cis sisters to more frequently and forcefully call out the bathroom trans predator lie that is feeding the anti-trans hatred that is now negatively affecting them.

Cis women are the ones best positioned to shut down the anti-trans lies from conservative white men and calling them on it while we do the same from the trans feminine perspective..

But the sooner we get started doing so, the better because the gender policing BS needs to stop before someone gets hurt or killed..

Rest In Power, Mercedes

Once again, it's my sad TransGriot duty to announce that we've lost another trans sister due to senseless violence.

We move to Haines City, FL to talk about the death of 32 year old Mercedes Successful, whose body was found on Sunday at 7 PM in the parking lot of Big Lots and Tractor Supply Company at 35884 US 27.

And as you probably guessed, Mercedes got misgendered in the initial reporting by Bay 9.  While I know the deadname, I'm not using it in this post so that I can give her the respect she deserves of being seen in death as she was during her all too brief life.

And once again, we have lost another Black trans sister before her 40th birthday.  I'm beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired of this crap happening.  The conservative movement's facts free anti-trans rhetoric and transphobic hatred has real world costs, and trans women of color are paying in blood those costs.

Haines City Police are investigating her death as a homicide, but the extent of the injuries and cause of death are unknown pending the autopsy that was performed on Monday.

If you have information that will get us closer to solving this crime and apprehending the person or persons who killed our trans sister, you are urged to call the Haines City Police at 863-421-3636 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477)

Mercedes was born in Kingston, Jamaica but resided in Haines City.  She was involved in the drag and pageant world, but according to various Facebook posts had recently started her transition two months ago and was on HRT..

This is a developing news story, and as I continue to get details about this heinous crime, I'll pass the details on to you TransGriot readers.

Rest in power and peace, Mercedes.  Your trans siblings, family and all who loved you will not rest until the person who took you from us is brought to justice.

TransGriot Update:  Results of the autopsy showed that Mercedes died from a gunshot wound.

Canadian Liberal Party Trans Rights Bill Introduced

Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have said in a recent interviews that today would be a big day for the Canadian trans community, and they weren't kidding.

Not to be outdone by the NDP, who have been pushing trans rights legislation since 2004 and already have a private members bill filed in this session of Parliament, the Liberal majority in the Canadian House of Commons led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has decided to give the Canadian trans community a gift on the IDAHOT and table the government's 'trans rights bill.

This morning in Ottawa, the Justice Minister announced the introduction of Bill C-16, The Trans Rights Act, which is federal legislation that if passed, would ensure legal and civil rights protection across Canada for transgender Canadians.

'I'm proud to say that moments ago, I introduced legislation, C-16, that would ensure that Canadians will be free to express their gender as they wish while being protected against discrimination and hate because as Canadians, we should feel free and safe to be ourselves," said Justice Minister Wilson-Raybould.

"Diversity and inclusion have long been among the values that Canadians embrace, and Canadians expect their government to reflect those values," added the Justice Minister.

Prime Minister Trudeau said about the tabling of C-16, "Today is about ensuring that all people — regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity — feel safe and secure, and empowered to freely express themselves," .

"There remains much to be done, though," Trudeau said adding, "Far too many people still face harassment, discrimination and violence for being who they are." 

"This is unacceptable," the prime minister added

My Canadian trans siblings across their home and native land cheered today's announcement.  Longtime Alberta based trans advocate Mercedes Allen said in an e-mail message to me, "One of the most significant things about the bill, though, is that it does send a nationwide signal that trans* people need to be accommodated in everyday life." 

Ontario based advocate Michelle Boyce had this to say about today's announcement and its impact on trans Canadians.

"Although Gender Identity is already fully protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act under the ground of "Sex", implicit inclusion of Gender Identity and Expression makes a clear visible addition to the protected grounds. Inclusion under the Canadian Criminal Code allows for protection of Gender Diverse people from hate motivated crimes, "said Boyce . 

NDP MP Randall Garrison is the party's critic for LGBT issues, and has been trying to get a trans rights law passed multiple times. He has gotten two of his private member's bills through the House of Commons only to have the Harper's Conservative  government undermine it after its House passage in the Canadian Senate.

MP Garrison tabled C-204 in December in his latest attempt at a private member's bill that will once again attempt to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code to add gender identity and expression to it.

It's hoped that with the Liberals running things in Canada now, that C-16 will pass by this summer, but with the Conservatives holding a majority in the Canadian senate, we'll see.

Happy IDAHOT 2016!

In addition to today being a primary election day in Kentucky and Oregon, today is also the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

And with unbridled transphobia and anti-trans hatred being peddled by the Republican Party, it couldn't have come at a more appropriate time.

This day was conceived in 2004 by Louis-Georges Tin as a way to raise awareness of violence, discrimination and repression aimed at LGBT communities around the world and take action against it.  The May 17 date was chosen because it is the date in 1990 that homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases Manual.

The first IDAHOT was held on May 17, 2005, and Tin served as chairperson of the .event until 2013, when he resigned and it was chaired by Tamara Adrian, who now serves in the Venezuelan National Assembly..

Transphobia was added to the campaign in 2009, and biphobia was officially added in 2015.

Happy IDAHOT 2016, everyone.
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