2016 Olympics Watch- USA Women Ballers Rolling In Group Play

The USA women's ballers started this Olympic tournament heavily favored to win their sixth straight gold medal since 1996, and were carrying a 58-3 record and 41 game Olympic winning streak into Group B play.

They opened Group B play by whipping out their A+ game, jumping out to a 35-9 first quarter lead, shooting 70.3% in the first half, and coasting to a 121-56 blowout win over Senegal on August 7.

The lights out shooting eventually cooled off somewhat to have them finish with 64.8% shooting for the game, but it was a nice way to start Olympic group play.   The Team USA women had seven players in double figures, and the 121 points scored was the most ever by a USA women's team in Olympic play.  The 65 point margin of victory was also the largest ever.  

The next day at Deodoro Youth Arena found the Team USA facing Spain, and after trailing by two points for several minutes early in the first quarter, went on a 7-0 run fueled by Brittney Griner's eight first quarter points to flip that negative script into a 15 point first quarter lead they would never relinquish as they notched their second win of the Olympic tournament by taking down Spain 106-63.

Five USA players scored in double digits in this game, and 55 of their points came from off the bench as they built that first quarter advantage to a 57-35 halftime lead despite only outscoring Spain in the second quarter 25-23.

The 43rd consecutive Olympic win pushed Team USA to 2-0 in group play and their next game will be on Wednesday against winless (0-2) Serbia, and we face our northern neighbors Canada , who are unbeaten for now at 2-0 on August 12.    Their final group play game will be against China on August 14.

2016 Williams Watch-Shocking Olympic Exits

This Olympic trip to Rio has not been a good one so far for my fave tennis playing siblings.

On Saturday I got to painfully watch fifth seeded Venus go from being two points from winning her match and moving on to a second round match in the Olympic tennis singles tournament to a WTF loss to Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7) .

The pain got worse for we fans of the Williams sisters as we watched the once unbeaten Olympic in doubles and three time Olympic doubles gold medalists have a bad day at the office.

The number on seeded doubles team and defending Olympic champions shockingly suffered their first ever Olympic doubles loss after 15 straight wins in the first round to Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in straight sets  3-6, 4-6.

But all is not lost .  You will see a Williams sister playing tennis in Rio.   Number one seeded and defending Olympic singles champion Serena is still alive in the Olympic women's singles competition.   She beat Australia's Danila Gavrilova 6-4, 6-2 to move on to her second round match against Alize Cornet of France.

Winner takes on 15th seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the third round

Do We Finally Have Trans Olympians Present In Rio?

The IOC is declining to say whether that history has happened, and neither is the British Olympic Association or the Great Britain delegation, but the Daily Mail is reporting that a pair of unnamed British trans feminine athletes back in July were being considered for inclusion on the British Olympic team.

Trans athletes since 2004 have been eligible to compete in the Olympics, but starting with these Rio Games, provided they meet certain parameters, can compete without having genital surgery.

The two trans feminine athletes have represented Great Britain at a European championship event, and one of them has been described by Delia Johnston of Trans in Sports as 'a potential medal winner'.  According to Johnston both potential Olympians transitioned long ago, and their respective international sporting federations associations are aware of their trans status.

Their consistent sporting performances would quality them for inclusion on the team, and once selected by their sporting association would need the assent of the British Olympic Association in order to officially become part of the team.

But they are so afraid of the negativity and publicity that would inevitably come with being the first trans feminine competitors  Johnson said that one of the unnamed potential trans Olympians stated that if she were in position to win a medal, she'd hold back on her performance

I'm sorry, that's bull feces if that comment is truthful, and if this unnamed British trans athlete really feels that way, she doesn't deserve to be selected by the BOA to compete in the Olympics.  

Should you be selected, we as an international trans community deserve nothing less than you going all out for Olympic glory because you are not just competing for yourself, you are representing the hopes and dreams of a marginalized community.

It would be an insult to I and everyone around the world and our trans allies who fought tooth and nail and advocated in the IOC and international sporting federation ranks for trans athletes like you to be able to do so,  That would be an insult to the out trans athletes who have taken slings and arrows like Fallon Fox, Kye Allums,Chris Mosier  and others who want nothing more than to be able to compete in the sports they love to the best of their ability.

It would be an insult to the trans kids growing up around the world who their parents and trans elders are instilling with pride in their trans selves and the belief they can accomplish anything they wish to do, including standing on the top step of an Olympic medal platform.  

I hope that if you British trans athletes are wandering the Olympic Village in preparation for your event, congratulations for making that history, and you bear in mind you're not only representing yourselves and your country, but the entire international trans community..

Lea T Makes Some Olympic Trans History

We don't know definitively is we have trans folks competing at the Rio Olympics even though trans people have been eligible to do so since 2004, and with the start of these Games, can do so without the requirement of genital surgery.

While we're still trying to confirm the rumor that two trans feminine athletes were considered for inclusion on the British Olympic team who have repeatedly represented their country on the international sporting stage, we do know for a fact that trans inclusion happened during the opening ceremony for the Rio Games on August 5.

During the Parade of Nations portion of the Opening Ceremonies, each of the national athletic delegations as they marched into the stadium was led by a cyclist that powered a rotating national name placard in Portuguese and English mounted on the cycle painted in the gold, green and blue colors of the Brazilian flag.

And some trans history transpired as you did so.  Brazilian supermodel Leandra Medeiros Cerezo, was the person on the cycle that led the host nation Brazil into Maracana Stadium.

If you're scratching your head and saying, "Who's that?", maybe you'll recognize who this 35 year old international supermodel and face of Redken cosmetics is when I say the name Lea T.

In addition to being a trailblazing presence in the fashion world, she also has a connection to the sporting world via her father, the legendary Brazilian soccer player Toninho Cerezo.

She is the first out trans person to do so in an Olympic ceremony, and she was definitely pleased to have had a role in the Olympic opening ceremony being hosted by her country

"We are all human beings and part of society.  My role in the ceremony will help send that message" she said.  "At this time in which Rio de Janeiro and Brazil are being presented to the world, it's essential that diversity is present. Brazil is a vast country, and all of its diversity should be represented in this event."

"Like any other transsexual I raise a flag," she continued. "I'm talking about transsexuality because it is part of my history, but I'm just another member of the community.  I know I have the privilege that the media listens to me, but the daily struggle of transexuals is equally important for LGBT people."

She's not kidding about that, since my Brazilian trans sisters have been catching hell because of the murderous trans hate on steroids aimed at them.    Brazilian trans women have for the last five years made up far too many of the names we read during TDOR ceremonies every November 20 around the world, and that needs to stop

And this Lea T Olympic moment shouldn't be dismissed, but celebrated.

Cnngrats to Lea T for being a historic part of this Olympic opening ceremony, and I hope that the next time I get to talk about a trans person making history on the Olympic stage is because they have made their national team and are competing for gold, silver or bronze medals  

Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Brady!

Have to give a TransGriot shout out to one of my fave couples in Myles Brady and Precious Davis, who finally jumped the broom into the land of matrimony in front of their family and friends at the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel on the University of Chicago campus yesterday..

The Trans Obamas as we jokingly call them in the community were featured on the 2016 Windy City Times Wedding Guide in another indication of just how much attention their wedding got.

I last saw them both during #CC16, and have much love and admiration for both of them. Black love, and especially Black trans love is a beautiful and revolutionary thing to witness, and wish I could have been in Chicago for the wedding.

We also finally got to see what wedding dress Precious chose on that episode of Say Yes To The Dress she appeared in that was aired back in January.

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Brady!   Glad your special day went as perfectly as you wished it to happen.  May you two have a long, healthy and happy marriage!

Lavender Law 2016

While I was across town handling my media business as part of the over 4000 Black and Latinx media people attending the joint #NABJNAHJ16 conference, over at the Renaissance Washington Hotel, the LGBT Bar Association was hosting its 25th  Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair at the same August 4-6 time.

The LGBT Bar Association is headquartered in Washington DC, and that Lav Law gathering of our community finest LGBTQ legal minds started on August 4 and was scheduled to conclude today.

Lavender Law was first held in San Francisco in 1988, and started out being held in even numbered years for the first five Lav Law events.
Starting with the 1997 Lavender Law Conference held in West Hollywood, CA it became an annual event.

Unfortunately didn't get a chance to bounce over there and hang out with some of our trans legal peeps like my activist mentor Phyllis Frye, Dry Levasseur, Kylar Broadus and Jennifer Levi, but they probably were handling their business and networking with their friends and colleagues in the LGBTQ legal world like I was busy doing.

Hope y'all had a productive several days, and when you return to your locales you are armed with the information, strategies and tactics necessary to help advance TBLGQ rights in courtrooms at the local, state and federal level.

TransGriotNote: Photo by JasonSmith.com

Rio Olympics Start Today!

It's been four years in the making, but ready or not, the games of the XXXI Olympiad will kick off with their opening ceremonies at the legendary Maracana Stadium tonight in Rio.

Enough questions about whether the venues are ready or the other non competition related issues in the host country, it's time to watch all the competition play out until the closing ceremonies happen August 21, the Olympic flame is extinguished, the flag is lowered, and the hosting duties for the Summer Games move on to Tokyo in 2020.

For those of us in the Western Hemisphere, much of the action will be televised live since Rio is one hour ahead of the US Eastern Time Zone.

This will be an Olympics of firsts.   The first held in a South American country.   The first held in a Portuguese speaking country.  The first in which intersex athletes will be allowed to compete, and since we are south of the Equator and in the Southern Hemisphere, the first to be held entirely in a country's winter season.  

The competition in men's and women's soccer has already kicked off, with group matches in the women's competition starting on August 3 and the men's matches starting yesterday at several venues across Brazil..

So looking forward to seeing all the drama of the Olympics play out.   What favored athletes and teams will live up to pre-Olympic expectations?   Which ones will falter and fall short of Olympic gold and how will it happen?  And what athlete that was unheralded before the opening ceremonies rise and put together the performances of a lifetime to become an Olympic champion?

'I Am Cait' Cancelled

Won't have to worry or be pissed off about Caitlyn Jenner making future TV trips to Houston to ignore local trans activists any more.   Multiple reports and chatter is coming out of Hollywood stating I Am Cait is being cancelled after two seasons due to low ratings..

I Am Cait started off with over 2.7 million viewers, but has had a steep falloff to 800,000 viewers this season from those initial lofty first season numbers due to several factors.

There is a trans community backlash against it because of Jenner's constant missteps with our community that we finally got fed up with.   Jenner's fab lifestyle doesn't match much of the way that trans folks do live their lives, and has angered others.  Toss in her revelation that she is a Republican followed up by her laughable assertion that the GOP has been supportive of trans rights issues.

It's an assertion not supported by current political reality like HB2 and politicians with the GOP label gleefully oppressing trans people..

People have also not been happy about controversial comments from Jenner about her ex-wife Kris, and there's also the Hateraid people have for Cait's Kardashian stepdaughters that's probably part of the reason why the show's ratings are sinking.

And it's not helping that you have the very popular Jazz Jennings with a reality show following her fascinating teen life on TLC.

So not surprised I Am Cait is now I Am Cancelled

Moni's In The NABJ-NAHJ Convention House!

Well people, I'm at this moment sitting in the Washington Marriott Wardman Park hotel. I'm registered and ready to get my learn on for this joint NABJ-NAHJ conference.  Got up early this morning so I could beat the rush and get registered for it.

Looking forward to seeing the speech that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will be delivering to this conference of 4000 African American and Latinx journalists tomorrow.   Donald Trump was invited, but doubt he is going to want to appear at not only a media conference, but one chock full of media people who are members of two of the ethnic groups he has demonized during his train wreck of a campaign.

And I'm pleased and honored to have gotten an opportunity to be here, meet some people in the various seminars and watch the plenary sessions.  

This is one in which I get to wander around and just soak in the atmosphere instead of being one of the headlining participants as I'm used to being.  

It was also cool after four years of conversing with him on Facebook, I FINALLY get to meet Alberto Mendoza, who is now the head of the National Assn of Hispanic Journalists and a busy man around here working to keep the convention trains running on time.

Well, time to check out some of the interesting panels, represent our community and wander this historic hotel.

Happy 55th Birthday President Obama!

Today is the 55th birthday of our President Barack Hussein Obama.   He was born on this date in Honolulu, HI in 1961 exactly nine months before I arrived on the planet., even though Donald Trump and his birther fools ignorantly dispute that fact.

Frack 'em.   They can keep letting their hate flow for the best POTUS of my lifetime. He is still in the White House and the Oval Office until 12:01 PM EST on January 20, 2017,

Today will unfortunately be the last birthday that President Obama celebrates as a resident of that nice house at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave that our slave ancestors built.  That thought of the clock inexorably ticking toward the end of this historic presidency makes me sad to contemplate.

It has been amazing and inspirational to see the rise of the self described skinny kid with the funny name become a US senator and later POTUS, and he has lived up to everything I said he would do back when I wrote that post in February 2009

And the admiration for him hasn't stopped at our borders, it covers the entire African Diaspora.  I remember a conversation I had with Renee Martin of Womanist Musings and her telling me how excited her son was to get for his birthday the magazines I sent him with President Obama on the cover.

He is respected by other world leaders, unlike the previous POTUS, and that makes me as a person who shares his ethnic background pleased and proud to hear that.

I'm also pleased and proud to note that this is the most scandal free administration that we have had in decades.

Happy birthday Mr. President!   May you celebrate many more.
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Moni's Headed To The NABJ-NAHJ Joint Convention

About to head to Washington DC for my second media conference o 2016, and it's a big one.

The National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists re joining forces to host a joint media convention in our nation's capital  starting today and running until August 7 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park.

How apropos they are holding it at a hotel where poet Langston Hughes once worked.  Too bad the new African American history museum won't be open until next month.  

Maybe I can finally do that stop at the Newseum as a substitute for it  

I'm looking forward to being in the house for it, and spending time discussing the issues we trans peeps face with NABJ-NAHJ journalists and members.while i'm there.

Please Consider Donations To Trans Led Orgs On Give OUT Day

Give OUT Day is a 24 hour effort focused on fundraising for LGBT non profit organizations.

One of the things I hope will happen today is that trans led organizations get some of that fiscal love today because our organizations have historically not gotten the kind of consistent funding love that allowed LG orgs to grow and get to the point where they are not fundraising just to keep the lights on, but to build permanent capacity.

Frankly, it's one of the things our trans rights movement needs to have happen, and our underserved trans community could definitely use and deeply appreciates the cash infusion to help fund the work we do.

The Trans United Fund is one of those organizations that could use your help.   There's also a need to donate to organizations that focus on the Black LGBT community like the National Black Justice Coalition  and the Dallas based Black Trans Advocacy  that hosts the annual BTAC conference along with the Trans Persons of Color Coalition  (TPOCC)

They would love to clock some of those Give OUT Day dollars you wish to give today to help build their capacity and funding streams for their programs.

There's also a critical need for funding to go to LGBT human rights groups in the Southern US and trans groups based in the region now that our right wing opponents are focusing their efforts on attacking trans people.   Republican led state legislatures across this region and politicians are gleefully peddling anti-trans hatred for their nefarious political gain, and Southern based LGBT orgs would love for some of those donations to come their way.

So while the clock is ticking on this Give OUT Day, how about showing some love to national trans led organizations like the Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit (TTNS), the Organizacion Latina Trans en Texas (OLTT) , Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT)  Gender Infinity and others who will definitely not only appreciate your contributions but use them wisely.

So if you can give $5, $10, $20 or whatever amount you can spare, consider doing it with a trans led organization.

Transgender National Alliance Becomes TransGriot Technology Sponsor

TransGriot has not only been around for ten years, it is also the only award winning continuously publishing blog dedicated to trans issues with an emphasis on discussing the issues of trans people of color..  

Megathanks to the 6.4 million of you here and around the world who have repeatedly surfed by TransGriot to peruse my posts and commentary since January 1, 2006.  I also thank those of you who recommend my blog to your influence circles.

TransGriot has navigated a move from being based in Kentucky to my hometown and birth state of Texas.   It has outlasted three computers and me from time to time getting a timely donation here and there on that TransGriot Tip Jar button on the upper left hand side of the blog to help me pay for maintenance on those old refurbished or donated to me computers, internet access or travel expenses to help me as I cover many of the events you see me write about on these electronic pages.

But I have never had the fiscal flexibility or ability to get the new computers and the smartphone I needed to step up my blogging game on behalf of the community until now.

Working on the fiscal stability aspect of that now, but took a giant step forward on the technology end.

Thanks to the Houston based Transgender National Alliance, I now have a new Lenovo 100S ideapad computer and an LG K10 smartphone to replace my starter LG Leon smartphone thanks to their offer to become an Official Technology Sponsor for the blog.

It's the first out of the box computer I have owned since 1996, and it has been fun for me having a new one that I've been getting used to over the last two weeks that not only has Windows 10, but Word 2016

I also appreciate how light this Lenovo 100S ideapad computer is, and that matters when you are traveling as much as I do every year to different events.

One of the misconceptions about blogging is that it is a license to print money.  No, it's not. it's hard work.  I put a lot of hours into getting you fresh content to read and even more hours of research to make sure your posts are as accurate as possible.

As I like to say, I'd rather be accurate than first with a post.

Social justice blogs don't make hand over fist money like some gossip blogs do because we are in the business of speaking truth to power, and sometimes those posts calling out stuff will piss people off.

I deeply appreciate TNA for graciously offering to do so, and as a reminder, I welcome $5, $10< $20 or whatever you can contribute to help me keep TransGriot going.  

Ugh, Texas College Campus Carry Law Takes Effect

Just what we needed on Texas college and university campuses, armed drunken frat boys.

In more GOP ammosexual idiocy sponsored by the NRA and the idiots comprising our Texas Republican legislative majority, campus carry is now allowed on the campuses of public Texas colleges and universities.  It is now the eighth state, after Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin to do so.

What's the difference between campus carry and open carry?   Semantics.   Open carry is banned on Texas college and university campuses.  

But CONCEALED licensed permit holding ammosexuals have the rights as of today to carry their handguns on public Texas colleges and universities, and only the university presidents have the authority under the law to declare areas of the campus as 'gun free zones'

Texas private colleges and universities have the ability to opt out of the looney SB 11 law, and many of them like Houston's Rice University, Baylor University in Waco and others promptly did.  

There is also the ability to declare areas on Texas public college and university campuses as gun-free zones, but doesn't look like this is happening in the areas where it counts in classrooms and faculty offices, and only the university presidents can do so..

They had no problem however banning campus carry in on campus stadiums and arenas.  Nope, can't let those football and basketball attendees of our games that pay for the athletic programs become free fire zones, inside the classrooms are okay.

The law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) took effect today, which happens to be the 50th anniversary of the 1966 day that 24 year old Marine trained sniper and UT architectural engineering student Charles Whitman, after killing his wife and mother before heading to the UT campus, climbed into the observation deck of the 27 story tower at the center of the campus that at the time was one of the tallest buildings in Austin, armed with rifles, pistols, and a sawed off shotgun.

Over the next terrifying 92 minutes, starting at 11:48 AM CDT Whitman killed 13 people and wounded 30 others on campus and up to two blocks away before he himself was gunned down by APD officers Ramiro Martinez, George McCoy and UT employee Allen Crum to end the carnage.

It was sadly one of the first mass shootings that happened on a school campus, and we would see that reprehensible list get longer at Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Virginia Tech just to name a few.

The reality based folks in Texas are pushing back against SB 11, with the most vehement opposition happening on that same UT Austin campus that witnessed firsthand 50 years ago the problem of having an armed shooter blasting away indiscriminately at unarmed people minding their own business people

But what we are seeing already before the fall semester even starts is the chilling effect it is having on free speech and debate in Texas public college academic settings, which is probably what the conservative authors of this law were hoping for when they proposed and passed it.

"Weapons designed to end human life have no place in the academic life of the University, except when carried by duly authorized law officers." the University of Houston faculty senate wrote in a resolution condemning SB 11 last year.  "The diverse campus communities and free academic discourse are especially threatened by the presence of deadly weapons in teaching, research and living spaces."

Amen, and proud of the faculty of my alma mater standing up for common sense.  Their thoughts are echoed by other faculty members across the Lone Star State.

I also feel for the dedicated campus police officers across our state who will have to deal with the headaches brought on by this idiotic law.

There are times when things happen in classrooms and discussions get heated.  I have seen testosterone fueled drama between frats at step shows and intramural sports blow up into fights.   Students and professors at times have heated arguments over grades and other subjects inside their offices and classrooms..  Professors have been pissed off when they get denied tenure.  Collegiate romantic relationships go sour.

Now imagine a gun being introduced into to all those situations I just mentioned.   What could go wrong?  

We sadly know the answer to that question.

Clinton To Speak At Joint NABJ-NAHJ Convention

Looks like I'll definitely need to get to the hotel early to get a seat for this event on Friday.

I'm leaving Houston on Wednesday morning to attend the joint convention of the National Assn of Black Journalists (NABJ) and National Assn of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) that is taking place August 3-7 in Washington DC..

I was happy to hear that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has accepted an invitation to speak at the convention this Friday that will have 4000 Latinx and Black media professionals on hand to hear her speech.

As you probably guessed,  no word on whether Donald Trump has accepted his invitation to speak to the joint convention.   I presume he is going to turn down that invite, especially since he has demonized Black and Latinx people throughout his campaign and is probably terrified of the prospect and the optics of a convention full of members of the ethnic groups he demonized professionally calling his butt on the carpet for it as the nation gleefully watches it happen on the news.

Should be fun to see Sec. Clinton's speech, and I'll be blessed to be in the house for it.

Alleged Bayou City Bigotry?

Ever since our HERO ordinance went down in flames last November no thanks to an unholy coalition of out of town right wing haters, the GOP controlled Texas Supreme Court, the Harris County and Texas Republican Party and sellout kneegrow ministers, my pissivity has increased with every story I hear about discrimination happening within the city limits that would have been prevented and people would have a local recourse to deal with had HERO been in effect.

It's bad enough when entities inside our city limits gleefully discriminate because they know if the group they targeted for it is pissed about it, the only recourse they have now post-HERO repeal is file an expensive, time consuming federal lawsuit.

It's even more egregious when the entity doing the alleged discrimination is a gay nightclub located in the Montrose gayborhood.

I do an occasional trip from time to time to visit some of our local LGBTQ bars and establishments and support people with my presence at their events.   And when I was doing my Houston Montrose bar hopping starting in 1980, I ran into situations in which I was blatantly discriminated against for being Black and trans by being denied entry into the now closed Mother's, or had racial or transphobic slurs aimed at me from people in this LGBTQ community while patronizing those clubs.
So I'm keenly aware of the undercurrent of anti-Black attitudes that sadly exist in elements of our Houston GLBTQ community

But my attitude has been since the early 2K's because my life has evolved from the bar culture to leave the bar hopping to our TBLGQ millennial generation because I personally never wanted to be the 'old girl in the club.'

That personal point out of the way,  I'm still not happy about hearing and reading disturbing anecdotal claims from my millennial siblings that the Bayou City nightclub on Grant St.is harassing and targeting Black customers of the establishment.

I'm also hearing and reading in these anecdotal reports from people that I trust and who have no reason to prevaricate to me about the situation that the alleged targeting at this particular nightclub has possibly been going on since 2010.

If it's happening, it needs to be called out and immediately fixed.  I would encourage people who feel they have been targeted for discrimination in this or ANY other situation within the Houston city limits to file complaints with the Houston Office of Inspector General or your district and at large city council members so that we have a documented paper trail to point to

You can also sign up and show up to talk about it to Mayor Turner and our city council during the open city council sessions that are held at City Hall every Tuesday starting at 1:30 PM.

This is once again another example of why we need HERO 2.0 (or whatever we decide to call it) immediately back on the Houston Code of Ordinance books, and phuck the faux faith based GOP haters if they object to that.

As I've said far too many times and in multiple posts in the ten years this blog has been in operation, anti-Black attitudes exist in LGBTQ World because we are a microcosm of the parent society we all marinated in.

We need to be as a LGBTQ community BETTER than our parent society,and when I say that, I mean that we need to be role modeling how a diverse community handles its human rights business for the benefit of the entire group.

Discrimination's time in the Houston city limits, and especially in the Houston LGBT community needs to expire, and we shouldn't have to potentially file a federal discrimination lawsuit to make that happen.