Muhammad Ali 1942-2016

So saddened to hear that another one of our community icons has gone on to join the ancestors.

Muhammad Ali, 1960 light heavyweight Olympic champion, three time world boxing champion, humanitarian, father and beloved civil rights advocate passed away in a Phoenix area hospital on June 3..

Much of my childhood and teen years spanned his remarkable boxing career.  Him becoming the heavyweight champion three times.  The three fights with Joe Frazier including the 'Thrilla In Manila'. .The 'Rumble in the Jungle' in Zaire in which he rope a doped George Foreman into defeat.

While his long battle with Parkinson's .Disease robbed him of his verbal loquaciousness, he still remained one of the world's most beloved figures and humanitarian .  He helped negotiate the release of 14 American hostages before Desert Storm kicked off in 1991.    

He received the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron to start the Atlanta Games in 1996.

I also lived in his hometown of Louisville, and visited the Muhammad Ali Center several times in the period I lived there after its 2006 opening for different events..

 His hometown is also feeling the loss.

Said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer in a statement.: “The values of hard work, conviction and compassion that Muhammad Ali developed while growing up in Louisville helped him become a global icon. As a boxer, he became The Greatest, though his most lasting victories happened outside the ring. Muhammad leveraged his fame as a platform to promote peace, justice and humanitarian efforts around the world, while always keeping strong ties to his hometown. Today, Muhammad Ali’s fellow Louisvillians join the billions whose lives he touched worldwide in mourning his passing, celebrating his legacy, and committing to continue his fight to spread love and hope."
Congressman John Yarmuth (D) said in a statement, "The word champion has never fit a man better. Muhammad Ali was a champion for peace, a champion for justice, and a champion for equality. He was a man who gained fame in a violent game, but immortality as a gentle and caring soul. In the ring, there was no one better, but his contributions to humanity managed to eclipse his boxing prowess."

But to many of us, and especially those of us who grew up during the 60's and 70's, he was simply The Greatest.

Rest in power and peace Champ/  You've earned it.

Crucial Caribbean Democratic Primary Elections This Weekend

The calendar page has flipped to June and thankful for Democrats, the end of the contentious primary season is in sight with Hillary Clinton poised to make American history. .

Clinton is only 94 pledged delegates away from passing the magic 2383 delegates needed for clinching the nomination.  She has 1770 pledged delegates plus an overwhelming 520 of the 715 superdelegates available.

And for the supporters of Bernie Sanders, they realize that time is running out.  While some have resigned themselves to #FeelingTheMath and realizing that it's a matter of time before she clinches the nomination and began the process of unifying the party to take on Republican nominee Donald Trump, there are others who support Bernie who have been showing their vanillacentric privileged  behinds and ramping up the nekulturny behavior and sexist Hillary hate as this weekend, the upcoming Omega primary on June 7 and the final primary in the District of Columbia on June 14 close out the Democratic presidential primary calendar.

The Virgin Islands will have their caucus today with 12 delegates available, and Puerto Rico will follow that up with their primary election tomorrow in which 67 delegates will be up for grabs.

If nothing else, the winners of these Caribbean weekend contests can claim having momentum into the Omega primary June 7.

For my readers in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, all i ask is that you handle your business and vote.

Hillary Clinton Calls Out Trump In San Diego Speech

"He's not just unprepared-- he's temperamentally unfit to hold an office that requires knowledge, stability and immense responsibility."
--Sec. Hillary Clinton 

For those of you who wondered why I endorsed Hillary Clinton back in February and said she was the best qualified person for the job of replacing President Obama, yesterday in calling Donald Chump Trump out  in a San Diego campaign speech unqualified for the job on national TV, she justified my confidence in her to be the next POTUS.

But hey TransGriot readers, see it for yourself if you missed it.

2016 Williams Watch- Serena To The French Open Finals!

It has been a French Open at Roland Garros in which they have battled through rain delays, cold temperatures and the field being decimated by upsets and injuries, but Serena Williams has survived.

She dispatched the red hot Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands in straight sets at Court Philippe Chatrier to punch her ticket to the French Open finals 7-6 (9-7), 6-4 but she had to fight for it.

Trailing 4-2 and noting that Bertens was hobbled a bit by a strained left calf, Little Sis zeroed in on that to flip the match script.  While everyone on tour knows that she can hit with power and is undeniably the best shotmaker in the women's game, many people forget that she can also hit an amazing deft drop shot, and she repeatedly deployed it against Bertens to get back in the match..

Like the great champion she is, Serena survived and advanced.  She's now made it to her 27th Grand Slam final and her second consecutive French Open final.  Serena is also playing for her 22nd Grand Slam title to pass Steffi Graf and get her closer to Margaret Court's 24 Grand Slam titles.

Standing in her way of making more tennis history is number four seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain, who dispatched 21st seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 in the other semifinal at Court Suzanne Lenglen.

If that name sounds familiar, she was the player responsible for shockingly knocking Serena out in the 2012 French Open second round in lopsided fashion, which Little Sis beating her in last year's Wimbledon final in straight sets.

But tomorrow Williams will be playing her fourth straight match while Muguruza will be playing her third straight one  because of all the rain delays.  

Will she handle her business tomorrow and make this business trip to Paris a successful one?   We'll see.

Shut Up Fool Awards- It's Hurricane Season Edition

With the calendar page changing to the month of June, it also means that those of us who live in Texas and everywhere else along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts will be until November 20 casting nervous eyes toward the west African coast or in the Caribbean Sea every time we hear our weather casters say the words 'tropical wave' or tropical storm'.

The 2016 Atlantic hurricane season has started, and before the official June 1 starting date we have already had two named storms in Alex and Bonnie in May.

The rest of the storm name list?   Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Ian, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Matthew, Nicole, Otto, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tobias, Virginie, and Walter..

And what happens if it is a busy year and they run through all the names this year?  Then the National Hurricane Center goes to the Greek alphabet to name the storms.

It's also Friday, and time to call out our Category 5 level windbags and fools in this week's edition of the TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards.

Honorable mention number one is Donald Trump for pick whatever lies he said this week during his campaign stops.

Honorable mention number two is Sen. Bernie Sanders, who immediately after Sec. Clinton lambasted Trump as unfit to be president in a well received speech, instead of piling on and co-signing that speech hypocritically attacks Sec. Clinton.

Will be so glad when this Dem primary is over and you slink off to defeat along with the rest of the Green Tea Party.

Honorable mention number three is Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who stated in an interview that 'there are no serious barriers to voting anywhere' and he wasn't in favor of restoring the Voting Rights Act.   Really?  What crystal meth are you smoking?

Honorable mention number four is Stacey Dash, who's clueless ass revealed that she was transphobe in addition to being a sellout when she stated that trans people needed to 'pee in the bushes.'

Naw tramp, I'm peeing and pooping next to you in the women's restroom as I have for the last two decades and trans women in the United States have done since Christine Jorgensen returned from Denmark in 1953

Honorable mention number five is Maya Dillard Smith, who revealed her transphobic side and resigned as the interim head of the Georgia ACLU because she didn't wish to defend the human rights of transgender people.   Cheryl Courtney Evans eloquently called her out about that transphobia.

This week's Shut Up Fool winner is James Dobson, who basically called for the murder of trans people for simply doing what every other person on the planet does in pooing and peeing while engaged in another hate sermon aimed at President Obama.

And like all conservative white men, he dusted off the old Jim Crow rhetoric of 'defending our women and children' to justify his faux faith-based transphobic rant..

Yep, once again, by their transphobic fruits ye shall know them.   If you haven't gotten the message, here it is.  Dobson and all his dominionist friends are unrepentant transphobes who hate us.

Anti trans hate thoughts + anti-trans hate speech = anti-trans hate violence and murder.  Dobson and the rest of Satan's Helpers will do anything to stir up resentment and animus toward trans people, up and including spewing hate speech from their megachurch pulpits in the hope that some unhinged person will act on the negativity they put out there.

James Dobson, shut up fool...

Been Invited To The 2016 White House LGBT Pride Month Reception!

It has been an event that I have been wanting to attend ever since it started seven years ago.  It had heightened importance for me because of the African-American president we have in the White House right now.and was more disappointing when I didn't get an invitation to it.

Yesterday that invitation that I have been hoping for finally happened.

I've been invited to next week's  LGBT Pride Month Reception!.   I cried when I saw the e-mail, and now I'm scrambling to do my best to get to Washington DC so I can attend it.  

It's going to be the last one of President Obama's administration, and I want to be there for that history and most of all, to record it for my TransGriot readers.

Now it's just a matter of doing what I can to make it happen and be in the room when it kicks off..

I Am Jazz Season 2 Debuts June 8

We have a date for the Season 2 debut of the hit TLC reality TV show featuring our community's fave transteen Jazz Jennings and her family.

The second season will debut on June 8, and during its eight episode run will document Jazz's life as she navigates the jump to high school, sports, her social life and being an advocate

Just your average teenage girl who won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Series and was named to TIME Magazine's 25 Most Influential Teens list in 2014  and 2015.


This season she's learning that she may need surgery to deal with the puberty blocking implant, she and her mom Jeanette take on anti-trans haters targeting their family, dating and learning how to drive.

In other words, she's just your average teen.   Her parents Greg and Jeanette, sister Ari and twin brothers Sander and Griffen will also return for season two.  

The new season stats June 8, and if you have Xfinity On Demand, all the season one episodes are available for replay.

Looking forward to watching Season 2.

2016 Williams Watch-Serena To The French Open Semis!

It took her three sets, but number one seed Serena Williams fought through a bad day at the office and a short rain delay  to prevail over a determined Yulia Putintseva  5-7, 6-4, 6-1 to punch her ticket to the French Open semifinals.

Serena got off to a slow start in large part to the 24 unforced errors she sprayed all over Court Philippe Chatrier in the first set.  Despite that display of error infused tennis, she was serving at 5-5 in the first set up 40-love but got broken, then Putintseva took advantage of the huge gift to serve out the set and become the first person in this edition of the French Open to take a set from the tournament's number one seed.  

Williams ended up with 43 unforced errors to just 16 for Putintseva, but offset that with 36-16 advantage in winners.  Little Sis woke up just in time at 4-4 to rally and take that second set with some timely assistance from Putintseva.  She was down two break points but held serve to take a 5-4 lead, then broke Putintseva to take the second set to even the match when Putintseva double faulted.

Serena then found her A game and blew out Putintseva in the third set to take the match.

She will face the red hot Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands, who is on a roll and has taken down four seeded players in number 3 Angelique Kerber, number 25 Daria Kasatkina, number 15 Madison Keys and number 8 Timea Bacsinszky on the way to the semifinals and qualifying for the Dutch Olympic tennis team .

 Fourth seeded Garbine Muguruza and 21st seeded Samantha Stosur will square off in the other women's semifinal.match

President Obama Stands Up For Trans People In PBS Town Hall

Another historic moment for transkind took place in a PBS town hall Wednesday  hosted by Gwen Ifill as President Obama continued to cement his legacy as the best president ever on trans human rights.

A question was asked of him during the town hall in Elkhart, IN concerning why the bathroom has become a pressing political issue?

As any trans person can tel;l you, it isn't about bathrooms, it's about human rights coverage for trans people, but check out courtesy of this video how eloquently President Obama made that case.

Parents Of Texas Trans Kids Speak

I have a major problem with bullies of children since I had to deal with them myself.  I also have a major problem with bullies that wield legislative power like my Republican Governor, Lt. Governor, and indicted attorney general who are attacking Texas transgender kids for their own political gain.

Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, and Ken Paxton claim their are speaking for Texas parents, but one group of parents whose voices are being ignored in their one sided discussion are the voices of the parents of Texas trans kids.

Yesterday, there was a press conference outside of our state capitol in which several parents joined with Equality Texas in order to talk about why these GOP led attacks on the humanity of Texas trans kids is wrong.

Here's the press conference video.

The Pride Flag Flies On Parliament Hill

To underscore the sea change that has happened in Canada since the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party have taken control from the Conservatives, yesterday for the first time in Canadian history, in honor of LGBT Pride Month,  the rainbow pride flag was raised on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Trudeau will also become the first sitting Canadian prime minister to march in Toronto's gay pride parade later this month.

The flag will fly on a temporary pole set up on Centre Block, and many members of the Liberal Party caucus were in attendance at the event, including several openly gay MP's.

"This is a great day for Canada and it's part of a long series of milestones this country has hit over the years," said PM Trudeau.  "It hasn't been easy, it hasn't been automatic, a lot of people fought for a long time for this day to happen.."

"Canada is united in it's defense of rights and it's standing up for LGBTQ rights," said Trudeau as he noted the attendance of all the parliamentary parties at the ceremony..  "And quite frankly, we still have more work to do," he added as he talked about C-16, the trans rights bill his government just tabled several weeks ago.. .

We'll see how C-16 progresses, but for my Canadian LGBT cousins, this is a wonderful and historic time to be in their nation.

Massachusetts House Overwhelmingly Passes Trans Public Accommodations Bill

A month after the Democratically controlled Massachusetts Senate passed the trans public accommodations bill,  the Massachusetts House passed the measure on a 116-36 vote.

It passed the Massachusetts Senate on a 33-4 vote   While the Massachusetts House also has a Democratic supermajority like the senate does, the Republican  minority fought the Trans Rights Bill tooth and nail for over seven hours before its final passage.. The GOP opposition proposed 36 anti- LGBT or poison pill amendments to kill the legislation, which all failed.  .

The House bill bans discrimination aimed at trans people in area of public accommodations including restaurants, sports arenas, stores, hotels, schools and sports arena

Before it gets sent to Gov. Charlie Baker's (R) desk for his signature, the bill will have to be reconciled because the house version is different from the Senate passed bill.   Massachusetts senate leaders have indicated that they are ready to speedily accomplish that task, and Gov. Baker has indicated that he will sign it once they do.

And I Gov. baker keeps his word to do so, the Massachusetts trans rights bill passed in 2011 will finally have the public accommodations language it should have contained five years ago.

Deric Muhammad, #WeExist

One of the things I get pissed off about in my Black community is activists, ignorant people and ministers spouting facts free anti-trans and anti-SGL rhetoric in our ranks that is a carbon copy of crap that white fundamentalists have been sputtering for decades from their megachurch pulpits and talk radio shows.

I was sent a link to a homophobic op ed authored by local activist Deric Muhammad published in the Houston Forward Times that attacks teen lesbians.

It's not only a slap in the face of the Houston Black LGBT community, this op-ed also has the problematic timing of being published as a Forward Times featured editorial on the first day of LGBT Pride Month..

Since Mr. Muhammad wrote in his article he wished to get a community conversation going, be careful what you wish for.

Ashton Woods has already written his response to Muhammad's homophobic Forward Times scribblings, now it's my turn.  .

I've met Deric Muhammad at various Houston community events in the last two years, and one of the vibes I picked up from him when I heard him speak at city hall or during various community events is that he may have a problem with his Houston LGBT siblings.   I had to call him out during a meeting held at KCOH a little over a year ago about some problematic comments that erased the Houston LGBT community during a community conversation about police brutality and the Jordan Baker case..

It's reprehensible that you have written an article that attacks lesbian teens and blames them for the problems of the Black community.  Sadly, it is confirming what I suspected when I first encountered you at the Harris County Courthouse.   I'll also point out that same gender loving attractions are not a 'choice'.. If you really believe that bull feces, then tell me the exact date that you chose to be a heterosexual Black male and chose to live a heterosexual lifestyle?

I'd also like to point out to you that one of the iconic leaders in our Black H-town community was a lesbian named Barbara Jordan.   Our lesbian sisters have not only historically been on the front lines in helping uplift our community and fighting for our civil rights, they are continuing to provide innovative and principled leadership for our community as well.

Teen lesbianism isn't the cause of what ails the Black community as a whole.  It's anti-Black policies pursued by politicians and a conservative movement that hates our people.

Our LGBT kids are already under attack from predominately white Religious Right and Republican politicians.  The last people that need to be attacking them are people in our Black community.

This divisive BS of attacking kids in the name of 'starting a community conversation'  is the last thing we need right now, and as a unapologetically proud Black trans Houstonian, it pisses me the hell off every time some person that shares my ethnic heritage decides to try to live up to the 'Black people are more homophobic' meme I have to constantly argue against in mixed human rights company.

#WeExist, Deric.   If you claim you love all Black people in H-town, then by default that includes my unapologetic Black trans behind and your Black trans, bi and SGL siblings.

2016 Williams Watch- One Sister Still In The French Open, One Sister Is Out

It has been a rainy few days in Paris during this 2016 edition of the French Open that has not only seen rain delays that have wiped out whole days of play, but many of the seeded players falling on the women's side.

That pattern continued in the fourth round after two days of rain delayed play once again in which number two seed Agnieszka Radwanska, number 4 seed Garbine Muguruza, number 6 seed Simona Halep and number 12 seed Carla Suarez-Navarro all fell.

So did number 9 seeded Venus Williams in straight sets to number 8 seeded Timea Bacsinzsky 2-6, 4-6 to end her time at Roland Garros.

But 'Williams'-don will be cranking up on June 27-July 12 on the other side of the Channel.  See you then Big Sis.

Meanwhile, number one seeded Serena cruised to the quarterfinals after blitzing Elina Svitolina in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 to set up her quarterfinal match with Yulia Putintseva, who upset Carla Suarez-Navarro in a hard fought 7-5, 7-5 straight set match.

Should Little Sis prevail against Putintseva, she would take on the winner of the Timea Bacsinzsky-Kiki Bertens match.   Bertens is on a roll, and now that she has qualified for the Dutch Olympic tennis squad in Rio by getting past the third round in a emotional 6-2,3-6,10-8 three set win over Daria Kasatkina, the pressure on her entering the tournament has been lifted.   She could be a dangerous opponent for the eighth seeded Bacsinzsky.  

But once again, you have to play the matches.

2016 LGBT Pride Month Presidential Proclamation

This is the last LGBT Pride Month presidential proclamation (sniff sniff) that President Obama will issue during his term that ends on January 20.

he is the best president ever on trans issues, and I hope his successor, whoever SHE is exceeds his record on trans issues.

Here's the proclamation.

***

LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2016

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Since our founding, America has advanced on an unending path toward becoming a more perfect Union.  This journey, led by forward-thinking individuals who have set their sights on reaching for a brighter tomorrow, has never been easy or smooth.  The fight for dignity and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people is reflected in the tireless dedication of advocates and allies who strive to forge a more inclusive society.  They have spurred sweeping progress by changing hearts and minds and by demanding equal treatment -- under our laws, from our courts, and in our politics.  This month, we recognize all they have done to bring us to this point, and we recommit to bending the arc of our Nation toward justice.

Last year's landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteeing marriage equality in all 50 States was a historic victory for LGBT Americans, ensuring dignity for same-sex couples and greater equality across State lines.  For every partnership that was not previously recognized under the law and for every American who was denied their basic civil rights, this monumental ruling instilled newfound hope, affirming the belief that we are all more free when we are treated as equals.

LGBT individuals deserve to know their country stands beside them.  That is why my Administration is striving to better understand the needs of LGBT adults and to provide affordable, welcoming, and supportive housing to aging LGBT Americans.  It is also why we oppose subjecting minors to the harmful practice of conversion therapy, and why we are continuing to promote equality and foster safe and supportive learning environments for all students.  We remain committed to addressing health disparities in the LGBT community -- gay and bisexual men and transgender women of color are at a particularly high risk for HIV, and we have worked to strengthen our National HIV/AIDS Strategy to reduce new infections, increase access to care, and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV.

Despite the extraordinary progress of the past few years, LGBT Americans still face discrimination simply for being who they are.  I signed an Executive Order in 2014 that prohibits discrimination against Federal employees and contractors on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.  I urge the Congress to enact legislation that builds upon the progress we have made, because no one should live in fear of losing their job simply because of who they are or who they love.  And our commitment to combatting discrimination against the LGBT community does not stop at our borders:  Advancing the fair treatment of all people has long been a cornerstone of American diplomacy, and we have made defending and promoting the human rights of LGBT individuals a priority in our engagement across the globe.  In line with America's commitment to the notion that all people should be treated fairly and with respect, champions of this cause at home and abroad are upholding the simple truth that LGBT rights are human rights.

There remains much work to do to extend the promise of our country to every American, but because of the acts of courage of the millions who came out and spoke out to demand justice and of those who quietly toiled and pushed for progress, our Nation has made great strides in recognizing what these brave individuals long knew to be true in their hearts -- that love is love and that no person should be judged by anything but the content of their character.  During Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, as Americans wave their flags of pride high and march boldly forward in parades and demonstrations, let us celebrate how far we have come and reaffirm our steadfast belief in the equal dignity of all Americans.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2016 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.  I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first 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

. 

4th Circuit Denies En Banc Review In Gavin Grimm Case!

Good news for transkind from Richmond, VA.   Several hours ago the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Gloucester County Schools request to hold an en banc hearing in the Grimm vs Gloucester School Board case.   In an en banc review, all the active judges in the 4th Circuit court review the case, and there are currently 15 active judges in the 4th Circuit..

That means the favorable April ruling in the Grimm case stands, and the school board's only option is to take it to the US Supreme Court   The dissent in this ruling came from not surprisingly, Judge Paul Niemeyer (GHW Bush appointee) , who was on the dissenting end of the three judge panel that heard the Grimm case in April .

Of course, Grimm was ecstatic about yesterday's ruling from the 4th Circuit.

“Now that the Fourth Circuit’s decision is final, I hope my school board will finally do the right thing and let me go back to using the boys’ restroom again,” said Gavin Grimm, the high school junior who is the plaintiff in the case. “Transgender kids should not have to sue their own school boards just for the ability to use the same restrooms as everyone else.”

Also happy about the ruling are the folks fighting Hate Bill 2 in North Carolina, since it is under the 4th Circuit's jurisdiction.  .Three cases to strike down HB2 are pending in federal court in addition to the lawsuit the Department of Justice filed against the state several weeks ago.    

We need to stay tuned to see what happens next in this case and if the Gloucester School Board wants to continue being on the wrong side of history and pushing this all the way to the Supreme Court.

Shoutout To Our 2016 Trans Wedding Couples

June is traditionally considered the month for weddings, and for people who make their money in photography, wedding planning, making wedding dresses and DJing, this is the beginning of the time that they make their money.

Trans folks get married, too.  Unfortunately over the last few decades we have had to fight tooth and nail in courts in Texas and around the world just to have the right to say 'I do' as witnessed in cases like Delgado v. Araguz, Ms. W in Hong Kong, and Joanne Cassar's in Malta.

One of the other things that I have been so happy to see besides the landmark marriage case wins is continuing to see trans folks hooking up with each other in long term relationships that end up with them saying 'I do' in front of their families and friends.

While we in Trans World are aware the anticipated wedding of the Trans Obamas, AKA Precious Davis and Myles Brady is going to happen soon, just last month we had another out trans couple get married in Logan and Laila Ireland.

Logan and Laila got married in Hawaii on May 17, and I couldn't be happier for both of them.  Still looking forward to the day i meet both of them.

As for Myles and Precious, we've already seen her make a little trans history of her own on Say Yes To The Dress as we and the rest of America got to watch her pick between several gowns.

As for which one she finally did choose, we and Myles won't know until their wedding day..

But I also want to take this TransGriot shoutout post time to salute not only our trans couples, but our couples in which a trans person is marrying or have been happily married for years to a cisgender person.  

But no matter what type of couple is walking down the aisle, I wish you well.   I envy you  because you have found your soulmates.  I'm exceedingly happy for you, and hope and pray those relationships stand the test of time as long, healthy and happy ones..

Trans Kids Go To Austin With Equality Texas To Fight GOP Transphobia

Texas trans kids and their parents head to our state capitol in Austin to put a face on the kids our Republican leaders want to demonize and discriminate against for their own political gain.

Gov. Greg Abbott, L. Governor Dan Patrick and our indicted Attorney General Ken Paxton are pushing another doomed to failure lawsuit against the federal government in response to the Obama Administration issuing guidelines on May 13 that the human rights of all trans students be respected.

Equality Texas today went to our state capitol with parents of trans children to talk about their lives and urge our GOP controlled government to cease and desist from the discriminatory anti-trans course they seem hellbent on engaging in when the legislature kicks off its 85th session in January.

“It is the responsibility of all of us to educate ourselves so these false attacks can be exposed for what they are, a solution where there is no problem in order to perpetuate discrimination against LGBT Texans,” said Chuck Smith, CEO of Equality Texas.  “Lt Governor Patrick appeals to the worst chapters of our history, in which discrimination runs rampant and understanding and compassion are absent.  Transgender students, like transgender adults, don’t want to cause any problems.  They simply want to use the bathroom when the need arises.  The lt. governor’s proposal would cause Texas to put billions of dollars of federal school funding at risk and threaten the Texas economy.”

It's past time to also acknowledge this is not just about bathrooms, this is a human rights fight. This about the Texas Republican Party wanting to whip up hatred of transgender Texans to keep their political based riled up and voting for them.

This is also all about the Texas Republican Party despicably wanting to distract the media and their voters from examining the piss poor job of governance they have done while in control of the governor's mansion and the state legislature.

'Assigned Male' - A Trans Themed Comic Of Our Own

You TransGriot readers are aware of how much i love comics, and while surfing the Net one afternoon I stumbled across he delightful webcomic entitled Assigned Male, created by French-Canadian comic artist Sophie Labelle.

Assigned Male follows the adventures of Stephanie, a young 11 year trans girl who is making her way through early transition, school and her interesting life that includes cis and trans friends, activism, and her amazing parents.

Assigned Male is quickly becoming a favorite for kids who are in early transition and even trans adults like myself who identify with many of the situations that Steph deals with such as anti-trans bullying, insensitive comments, invalidation of who she is as a trans girl, and balancing activism with having as normal a life for a kid as she can.

And as you probably guessed, transphobic haters are coming for this comic as it gets increasing well deserved attention and popularity..

Assigned Male creator Labelle has made it clear that this comic is a transcentric FUBU production, but if cis people get joy out of it and learn something about what our trans community and trans kids deal with, that's cool, too.  .

The online Hateraid that our trans sibling Labelle is getting in some quarters of the Net for her trans positive comic that has now reached 220 issues and counting  is why I'm writing this post about Assigned Male.

It not only deserves to be celebrated in our community, we also need to recognize how important it is for trans kids to see themselves and their lives reflected in popular culture in a world that tries on an almost daily basis to viciously erase their existence.
.
Assigned Male updates every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and you can find it at www.assignedmale.com or on Facebook to check out the latest issue of it..

TransMilitary Project Documentary Kickstarter Campaign

As many of you TransGriot readers are aware of, I am a big supporter of open trans military service for many reasons.   It not only needs to happen for the over 15,000 trans people already serving in the US armed forces, but it honors those trans vets who have served our country.   It also will allow our trans kids growing up who wish to do so an option to serve as themselves.

The TransMilitary Project is a documentary film directed by Gabe Silverman and produced by Fiona Dawson  and Jamie Coughlin that seeks to tell the stories of the courageous trans folks in the US Armed Forces that have risked their military careers to push for open trans military service.

They are seeking to raise $89,500 to produce this documentary in this Kickstarter campaign that has 24 days to go.

The documentary will highlight what it means to be trans in our military and illuminate the discrimination they face in their military and civilian lives.

While the ban on transgender military service was supposed to end this month, it is getting transphobic resistance inside the military despite the fact that 18 nations and many of our NATO allies allow their transgender citizens to serve in their military.

So if you can contribute to making this documentary happen, please do.