Our Trans Parents Need Love, Too

Out of the hundreds of people that I have met during my two decades plus trans journey, some of the people I have major props, love and respect for are the parents of transgender kids.

Whether they are high profile ones like Jeanette Jennings, Wayne Maines, or Kim Pearson, emerging leaders like Debi Jackson and DeShanna Neal, ones in my Lone Star backyard like Ann Elder and Kimberly Shappley, or parents who are active in the secret online groups but choose to be non disclosed for now, may I remind everyone in Trans World that raising a child is not an easy job to begin with.

Raising a trans child comes with its own set of challenges.  It's getting tougher now that the Republican Party and conservative movement, being the reprehensible bullies they are, have now resorted to attacking the humanity of our trans youth and their parents for their negligible political gain.

So yes Trans World, it's past time we collectively send some love and appreciation to all the trans parents this morning and every day beyond today's date.  

Let's be real, there are times we trans elders don't say thank you enough for our trans parents who have the courage in this moment when hostility and anti-trans hatred is needlessly being stirred up, to be the fierce warriors our trans kids of all ages need to ensure they grow up to be productive, healthy and happy adults.

I'll get a chance to support my local trans parents in a few weeks at the Gender Infinity Conference here in Houston, and hope my trans family in the Houston metro area will join me in doing so.

I am also making it clear that I stand with our trans parents here in Texas and around the country as they seek to make this world a better place for their kids to survive and thrive in and will continue to do my part to make that better world happen.

I would also encourage my trans siblings to make it your mission to support the trans parents, our allies, and the people and organizations that are giving trans parents the spaces and support systems they need to not only raise their kids, but deal with the slings and arrows they get from society for simply doing so.

Thank you Mama Bears and Papa Bears for being there for our trans younglings, and in many cases for us trans elders who are on the front lines fighting the powers that be to make the world better for your kids.

Trans parents need love, too.  If nobody else on this planet will give them that love and support, then trans family, we need to be the first in line doing so.

Positive Bud Light Transgender Ad

While checking out Rio Olympic coverage two nights ago, was surprised and pleased to see this ad as part of the 'Bud Light Party' ad campaign featuring Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer.

Normally I'm tuning out the ads, but when it mentioned the words 'gender identity' my ears perked up to see where they were going with this.  

I liked the ad, and I'm posting the video of it on these TransGriot pages for you readers to peruse and judge for yourselves if this is a positive ad or not.

Directive Requires Bathroom Access In Federal Buildings For Trans Citizens

'Federal agencies occupying space under the jurisdiction, custody or control of the GSA must allow individuals to use restroom facilities and related areas consistent with their gender identity'
The Federal Register, August 2016

More trams positive news is coming from inside the beltway   Reporting comes via BuzzFeed and the Washington Blade  concerning a new directive in the Federal Register that states trans people in federal facilities across the US, whether they are employees or visitors to those facilities, must be granted access to those facilities based on their gender presentation.

This directive is building on the increasing body of case law, regulatory agency rulings, EEOC cases and Obama Administration interpretations finding that transgender people are covered under the sex discrimination bans ensconced under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Trans people do not have to complete any medical procedure to qualify to use the facilities that correspond with their gender presentation, are not required to show proof of genital or other trans related surgical procedures, or cannot be restricted to a single occupancy restroom because of their trans status.

There are over 9,200 federal properties from federal buildings to Social Security offices covered by this new directive.

Unfortunately the GSA properties that aren't covered by this upcoming regulation are the White House, the US Capitol Building and national parks.

But this new directive send the unmistakable message and makes it clear that we trans folks can access the facilities that match our gender presentations.  We trans Americans and visitors also have backup on that from the Obama Administration, the Department of Justice, and an increasing body of supportive court cases and administrative rulings.  

Tracee McDaniel To Be Appointed To ATL Citizens Review Board

#BlackTransExcellence is breaking out all over lately!

Was pleased to hear the news coming out of the ATL that my sis Tracee McDaniel will be appointed by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed on Friday to the city's police civilian review board.

The ACRB is charged with providing citizen oversight any time there is an accusation of misconduct against sworn members of Atlanta's police or corrections departments.    

"I am pleased to appoint McDaniel to serve on the Atlanta Citizen Review Board," said Mayor Reed. "As a lifelong advocate for the transgender community, Ms. McDaniel will bring an important perspective and a lifetime of experience to this role. It is always important to have minority voices in the room, and our LGBTQ community has a tremendous stake in positive police-community relations."

So proud of Tracee getting this appointment and being the representative for the Atlanta LGBTQ community on their ACRB.   She will do an amazing job, and is determined to do so.

Tracey Africa Norman Hired Again As Face Of Clairol!

Woke up to the fabulous news that one of my trailblazing trans elders in Tracey Africa Norman is  being hired once again as a face of Clairol!

The Cut is reporting that Clairol called Tracey and asked her at age 63, just short of her fast approaching birthday, to come back and be the face of their Clairol Nice 'n Easy "Color As Real As You Are' campaign.

Wow!  So happy this amazing blessing has happened for her!

I wrote about Tracey on these TransGriot pages starting in May 2010 after seeing the video interview she'd done with The Luna Show about her amazing modeling career we trans people didn't know about because of her nondisclosed status at the time.

For those of you who aren't aware of it, time for a trans history moment ,

Back in the 70's and 80's, Tracey was not only the face of Clairol, but had contracts with Avon Cosmetics, Ultra Sheen and had graced five ESSENCE magazine covers.

But adhering to the prevailing trans community transition protocols at the time, she was undisclosed while doing so.

Her booming modeling career was messed up by a transphobic hater who outed her to then ESSENCE managing editor Susan L. Taylor in the early 80's while shooting a sixth ESSENCE cover.

While Susan L Taylor claimed in a subsequent interview that she supported Tracey, the ESSENCE actions post outing don't support her words, and modeling work for Tracey immediately in the wake of that outing dried up..

Hey ESSENCE, here's an idea.  How about making it right by inviting Tracey to shoot that cover that was so rudely interrupted?  

Here's the new Clairol video featuring Tracey.




While I understand what the transition protocols were at the time, it would have been amazing for teenage me to know there were trans women like Tracey out there who not only existed, but had thriving careers.

But I am happy to know that me simply documenting the Black trans history that she made as part of the long stylish line of trans models may have been the catalyst for this day.  

I hope I get the opportunity, honor and pleasure to one day meet my trans elder, hug her, and thank her for clearing the way for trans models to work openly as who they are even with all the challenges they face,

I also want to thank Tracey for being a possibility model to mine and the next generations of Black trans kids, and hope this Clairol opportunity leads to more work for her..

'Doubt' Trailer

I've mentioned that Doubt was greenlighted by CBS back in May and is going to premiere during the 2016-17 television season,

One of the reasons you should be as excited about the show as I am is because it will be historic television in terms of having Laverne Cox play Cameron Wirth, the first scripted trans main character in a dramatic series played by a trans actor on broadcast television.

Doubt also stars Katherine Heigl, Dule Hill, Dreama Walker, Elliott Gould, Steven Pasquale, and Kobi Libii

Here's the trailer for the dramatic legal series that starts next month.

Kim Coco Iwamoto Falls Short In Hawaii Senate Primary Election

A little electoral bad news out of Hawaii.

Our sis and Hawaii Human Rights Commissioner  Kim Coco Iwamoto was in a three way Democratic primary race for a state senate seat that came open with the retirement of longtime Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland (D).

The primary election was held on August 13, and the voters of Senate District 13 have spoken. After all the ballots in the race were cast and counted, they chose Karl Rhoads to be the Democratic Party nominee for the Senate District 13 seat.

Rhoads will take on Republican nominee Rod Tam, who was unopposed in his race and Libertarian Harry Ozols on November 8 for the Hawaii Senate District 13 seat.

Rhoads got 3,605 votes, or 41.8% of the votes cast to Iwamoto's 2,530 votes, or 29.4% of the votes cast by Senate District 13 Democratic primary voters.   Keone Nakoa polled 1,865 votes, or 21.6%.

While this is disappointing news,  hopefully this is just a temporary setback and there is a bigger, better electoral office in Kim Coco's future .

'Strut' To Premiere September 20

Laverne Cox won't be the only trans person I know that will have a television series debuting next month.

Isis King will be one of the trans models who will appear in the unscripted series Strut, which follows Isis and  her fellow models Arisce Wanzer, Laith De La Cruz, Dominique Jackson and Ren Spriggs.   Cecilio Asuncion and Cassandra Cass of Slay Model Management will also be on the show that debuts September 20 on Oxygen.

Strut is executive produced by Whoopi Goldberg, and in a Variety interview pointed out why she believes the show is needed, necessary and debuting at the right moment in time.

"The show is important right now because for all the positive advances the community has made and continues to make, transgender is still a hot button word that gets people hysterical," said Goldberg.

"People tend to focus on the stereotype instead of the person, and this series will give viewers a unique opportunity to spend time with real people who are struggling with the same challenges we all face as we make our way through the world."

"You may be surprised to discover that you have been seeing and interacting with transgender men and women in ways you didn't even realize!" she commented.



Have another trans themed show to look forward to watching this fall, and hope you will join me in doing so as well. .
 

'Stacey's Not A Girl' Book Indiegogo Campaign

There's a reason why I'm constantly popping my collar about my Houston trans community, and it's because we have some amazing advocates in it, families that are a part of it, and allies supporting us.

One of those amazing people is Dr, Colt Keo-Meier.  In addition to being a psychologist, he and his spouse Becca Keo-Meier are the founders of the Gender Infinity support group for our Houston area trans kids and their parents.

I've met some of those parents when I've been in town and had the opportunity to check out their meetings, and looking forward to the Gender Infinity conference next month at the University of Houston student center September 16-17 that also has a professional seminar track that offers CME's and CEU's.

You can add children's book author to the long list of things that Colt has done, and I'm pleased to announce that his children's book Stacey's Not A Girl is ready to be printed.

I had a chance to read an advance copy of it from his laptop when I ran into Colt during the recent Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit in Killeen and loved it.

Stacey's Not A Girl has been in the works for a year, and is a compilation of stories from not only Colt's childhood, but three other Houston area trans masculine and gender nonconforming persons, their loved ones and families.





The book is focused on the title character Stacey, who has in this gender binary driven society never felt like a girl, and in the pages of this book undergoes an unforgettable gender journey with a diverse group of friends and supportive people.

The book is ready to be printed, but needs to raise $9,000 to get published, for promotion and marketing, and to get it in the hands of the public for purchase.   They are almost halfway to their fundraising goal, and anything you can contribute o get to that goal will be definitely appreciated.

Here's the link to the Indiegogo fundraising page to help Stacey's Not A Girl make it to a bookshelf and the hands of a transgender child near you

I'm The Caucus' 2016 John Paul Barnich Award Winner!

I don't do what I do activism wise just for awards, it's to help advance human rights for all.  But it definitely is nice when people think so highly of your work and what you do that you get nominated for them, and occasionally win a few.

 It's even nicer when the people in your hometown recognize and value your work on their behalf.

The Houston GLBT Caucus, one of the oldest TBLGQ organizations in the southern US, has for the last several years hosted their Equality Brunch at various locations around the city.  

It is a fundraiser for the organization that we in the Houston LGBTQ community and our allies get to break bread, spend quality time with each other and share a delicious meal.

At the Equality Brunch there are several awards given out by the Houston LGBT Caucus to honor members of our community.  Those awards are the Eleanor Tinsley Award, which goes to a distinguished community ally, the Don Hrachovy Award for the most distinguished LGBT Caucus member, the Presidents Award for distinguished Houston community leadership, the John Paul Barnich Award for justice for the LGBT community, and the Tim Brookover Award for lifetime achievement.

This will be the 8th annual edition of the Equality Brunch, and it is being held deep in the heart of the Montrose gayborhood this year at the La Colombe d'Or Hotel's Grand Salon

I'm pleased and proud to announce that when this 8th annual edition is held next month, I will be receiving the 2016 John Paul Barnich Award!

Judge John Paul Barnich was an attorney and a trailblazing leader in our community who was the first openly gay person appointed to become a municipal judge here and in the state of Texas.

He received that historic appointment from Mayor Lee Brown in 1999, and served on the municipal bench until illness forced him to resign in October 2007.   Barnich was also chairman of the Houston AIDS Foundation board, and created in partnership with the FBI the criminal justice program at Waltrip High School that evolved to become HISD's High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice

He passed away at age 63 from diabetes complications in 2009.

There have been some amazing people and advocates in our Houston community who have preceded me in receiving this award like John Nechman (2010), Noel Freeman (2014) and Brad Pritchett (2015).

I'm not the first trans Houstonian to win the John Paul Barnich Award.  Lou Weaver won it in 2013, and I'm honored to be joining the distinguished ranks of the winners of this award.

Thank you to the LGBT Caucus for bestowing me with this honor, and for those of you who will be attending the Equality Brunch, see y'all at La Colombe d'Or on September 25.

Paxton's Unjust Anti-Trans Lawsuit Being Heard In Federal Court

School is about to start in the over 1000 independent school districts in Texas and elsewhere, and our indicted GOP Attorney General Ken Paxton, fresh off a loss from his futile defense of the unjust Texas voter suppression law has now turned his attention toward oppressing trans people.

Yesterday Paxton asked for an expedited ruling in their federal lawsuit they have filed against the DOE/DOJ Dear College letter guidelines that encourage school districts to not discriminate against their transgender students.

But since the Republican Party is now politically invested in oppressing transgender people for their nefarious political gain, of course he would lead twelve other Republican controlled states in the effort.

The case is being heard in Judge Reed O'Connor's court in Fort Worth, and I'm nervous about it because this judge is a GW Bush appointee and has an anti-LGBT rights history.

However, the fact that after a two hour hearing Judge O'Connor didn't issue a ruling in either direction may be a good sign.

But until he actually announces it, it could go either way.  Because of this judge's anti-LGBT history and being a GW Bush appointee, I'm not expecting positive news out of Fort Worth

We'l see if Judge O'Connor rejects Paxton's and attorney Austin Nimock's argument that the federal government has usurped the authority of states and schools by requiring that sexes must be mixed in  'intimate areas' like bathrooms.

The administration is arguing that discrimination against transgender students violates federal nondiscrimination statutes, violates Title IX, and gives transgender students the right to use their prefered bathroom in public school, and requires schools to treat a students gender identity as the student's sex for the purposes of Title IX compliance.

I have an idea what Republicans like Paxton and his transphobic friends have historically done in bathrooms since they are so overly fixated on them.

But we are tired of in Trans World the GOP doing nonstop fear mongering about them.

Texas so far has not only jumped the gun by filing this lawsuit before the DOE/DOJ guidelines have had time to be enacted so we can see their effects in real time, but have also not shown so far how the DOE/DOJ guidelines have 'irreparably harmed Texas and the other states suing for the right to continue to oppress trans children.

This is also about Texas and its 12 co -conspirators wanting to continue to hate on President Obama by any means necessary, Dan patrick and Greg Abbott trying to divert attention from their SB 14 court loss, and Paxton trying to deflect from his own legal problems at the expense of our human rights.

Two More Trans Women Of Color Killed In Ohio And Texas

While I was up in western New York making a little trans history with Janet Mock, the world kept turning, and I stepped off the ground to find out that two of my sisters have been killed.

And once again, it fit the infuriating pattern in these trans murders of both trans women being under age 40, and being trans women of color

The one that really bothers me is the murder of 28 year old Rae Lynn Thomas of Columbus, Ohio.   This one happened mere weeks after the death up I-71 un Cleveland of 26 year old Skye Mockabee and sadly fits one of my mantras that I often repeat when I talk about anti trans bigotry and hatred.

Anti-trans hate thoughts + anti-trans hate speech = anti-trans hate violence and murders.

Thomas was murdered by her mother's transphobic ex boyfriend James Allen  Byrd.   He often hurled anti-trans slurs at Rae Lynn and referred to her as 'the devil'.

Gee, wonder where the 53 year old Byrd heard that description and some of that anti-trans rhetoric?  Pope Francis? Some sellout kneegrow pastor?   The Republican Party?   Right wing media?

Wherever he heard it, it unfortunately resulted in Byrd unfortunately taking his transphobic hate thoughts and hate speech to another level on Wednesday, as he called Thomas 'the devil' one last more time before he shot her twice and killed her.

And once again, the local paper, the Columbus Dispatch, added insult to injury by not only misgendering Rae Lynn, but refuses so far to correct their problematic story.

He was arrested, charged with murder and is being held in the Franklin County Jail on a $2 million bond.   Hope that will be a permanent condition for his when justice is served in this case.

775 miles to the west of me along I-10 in El Paso, we lost another trans woman to senseless anti-trans violence on Monday.

38 year old Erykah Tijerina was found dead in her apartment on Lisbon St.   El Paso County medical examiners have not as yet ruled on the cause of Erykah's death, but El Paso police investigators in the Crimes Against persons unit are quoted as saying there were obvious signs of foul play.

And just as in the Thomas murder, Tijerina was misgendered in the El Paso press.

Her family thinks it was a hate crime and she was targeted for being her unapologetic trans Latina self.  In case you're wondering, no thanks to Diane Hardy-Garcia, the head at the time of the proto organization, the Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby that became Equality Texas.  As the ED of the LGRL she was responsible despite our best efforts, for throwing Texas trans people under the legislative bus in 1999 and 2001,

And nope, still pissed off about what happened in Austin at that time.

As a result of her actions, Texas trans people are not covered under the state's James Byrd Hate Crimes law that eventually passed in the 2001 Texas legislative session.  Translation: Tijerina's death isn't being investigated as a hate crime as a result of that legislative bull feces.

I'll gripe about that legislative travesty another time.  Right now I need to be focused on the fact my fellow Texan's life was tragically cut short earlier this week.

And yeah Dan Patrick, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton and Texas Republican Party, your anti-trans rhetoric has real world consequences and negative ripple effects in the lives of transgender Texans

As of this writing there has not been an arrest made in Tijerina's murder, and anyone who has information that will lead to the capture and successful prosecution of it is urged to call El paso Crime Stoppers at 915-566- TIPS (8477) or toll free at 877- 566-TIPS.

If you have tips that will lead to the expeditious capture, prosecution and conviction of Tijerina's killer, please call the El Paso Police Department at 951-000-0000, text EPPD and the tip to 847411 or submit an anonymous tip

There will be a vigil hosted by Sun City Pride for Tijerina at The Edge nightclub tonight at 8:30 Pm MDT, with a second vigil being planned for August 21.

Tijerina's family also has a GoFundMe page up to help raise funds to defray the costs of her funeral.

I will be keeping up with the legal developments in both these cases until both the perpetrators of these murders are brought to justice.

Rest in power and peace Rae Lynn and Erykah.

Pearland ISD Oppressing A Trans Child

I was not happy to hear that while I was handling my Chautauqua business, the Pearland ISD has decided to be unapologetic trans human rights oppressors and ignore the guidelines contained in the DOE/DOJ 'Dear Colleague Letter.

Kimberly Shappley's five year old trans daughter Kai starts school on August 22, and Shappley appeared at the PISD school board meeting on Tuesday to appeal once again to PISD trustees.

The subject wasn't on their board meeting agenda, but Shappley was trying once again to get the district in Houston's booming southern suburbs to wake up and start treating transgender kids not as people to gleefully demonize but with the dignity and respect they deserve just like every other kid that is in the boundaries of their school district.

Looks like unfortunately at first glance that plea fell on deaf ears, and they are following the lead of their transphobic superintendent Dr. James Kelly.

Kelly back in May made a transphobic comment criticizing the Dear Colleague letter that alarmed Shappley, the Houston area trans community and allies living in PISD and the Houston area.  

Shappley has been told by PISD officials that when Kai begins kindergarten in a few weeks, that she will have to either use the boys bathroom or one in the nurses office.  It is a policy that runs counter to the DOE/DOJ Dear Colleague letter, that encourages districts to allow trans students to use the bathrooms that match their outward gender presentation .

It also violates Kai's civil and human rights.

Shappley said as she addressed the PISD board on Tuesday that the PISD policies create an intolerant atmosphere that promotes bullying and could put her daughter's life at risk.

"You are increasing the risk of suicide among these children.  "I am the mom of a little girl who I want to live." Shappley said to the board.  "I'm fighting for her happiness.  I'm fighting for her freedom."




Since the topic wasn't on the PISD board meeting agenda, the trustees declined to address Shappley's comments either at Tuesday's board meeting or in the media.

But it's increasingly clear that the Pearland ISD, despite their rhetoric that they care about the welfare of all their students, doesn't care about the happiness, lives, freedom and welfare of its transgender students.

They are hell bent on being trans human rights oppressors and unfortunately are willing to continue violating Title VII and Title IX at the behest of bad advice from our indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.   PISD probably won't care about the human rights of Kai and other trans kids in their district until they lose a federal human rights lawsuit.

And that's sad because PISD should be embracing Kai and doing what they can to educate her.  Instead they are taking the path of gleefully oppressing Kai and greasing the skids for her cisgender classmates and adults who should know better at her elementary school to bully her.

Shut Up Fool Awards-Moni's At Chautauqua Edition

I'm on my way back to Houston from western New York viia Buffalo and Baltimore from spending a few days on the Chautauqua Institution grounds.   I was invited to participate in a historic discussion from the Amphitheater stage in which Janet Mock and I talked about transgender human rights issues yesterday morning

I enjoyed not only getting to spend some quality time with my amazing trans sister Janet, but getting an opportunity to for the first time since the late 90's to spend some quality time with my homegirl Susan Davis.   She took me on a tour of the Chautauqua grounds and explained to me her and her family's deep personal connection going back to her great grandparents of Chautauqua Institution and how special it is to her.

Thanks also to Bob Jeffrey for dinner and the conversation last night, and Rachel Borzilleri, my hostess at Hagen Wensley House where I have spent the last few days being spoiled rotten and getting an education from her about what makes Chautauqua special from her vantage point.

But yep, this is Friday, and it's also time for me to call out this week's chain of fools as I wing my way back home to my H-town life,
.
So let's get to it.

Honorable mention number on is a group award for the Pearland ISD, for continuing to thumb their nose at the federal government and oppress a five year old trans child about to enroll in their district this month..

Honorable mention number two goes to Donald Trump for pick whatever outrageous comment or lie he's told this week.   November 8, please get here ASAP so we can put this fool out of his political misery.

Honorable mention number three is the Green (Tea) Party and the Bernie Or Busters whose unhinged hatred of Hillary Clinton leads their vanillacentric privileged faces to attempt to say that Jill Stein and her running mate are an acceptable alternative that is more in line with their values.

Well, if conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial are part of your values, then the Stein-Baraka ticket is the one for you.

Honorable mention number four is NBC's problematic Rio 2016 Olympic coverage.  Despite Rio being only one hour ahead of the US eastern time zone, it has tape delayed some events, and has had some gaffes in which Al Trautwig ad to apologize for comments he made about Simone Biles' parents, not showing the historic gold medal ceremony of Simone Manuel until an hour after it happened, and whatever else will happen between now and the closing ceremony.

Honorable mention number five goes to all you hypocrites who are dragging Gabby Douglas for the 'crime' of not having her hand over her heart during the Rio medal ceremony, but couldn't be bothered to call out Donald Trump's failure to do the same thing.during a GOP debate.

Guess the option to not be patriotic is only for white people, huh?.

This week's Shut Up Fool winner is Nico Hines, the journalist from The Daily Beast who decided to do a piece about gay hook up sex during the Rio Olympics.

Oh yeah, he's straight, and problem number two is that his piece , which has subsequently been taken down has outed gay athletes from countries in which homosexuality is criminalized or just being known as gay can result in severe bodily harm or death.

But naw homey, your privileged behind didn't think about that as you wrote that post, you were looking for the hits it would generate, and damned the consequences on the lives of the people who have not only been outed, but will have to deal with the ripple effect of that piece that may include imprisonment or death.

And deleting it isn't going to make it and the problems your piece caused in their lives go away.

And oh yeah, Nico Hines, shut up fool.

Moni And Janet On The Chautauqua Amphitheater Stage

Woke up to both of us being the front page featured story in the Chautauquan Daily (and a picture of me I despise), but at this moment Janet Mock and I are having a conversation on the historic Amphitheater that presidents, Supreme Court justices, ambassadors, congress members, authors and Nobel laureates have graced with their presence.

And I will be enjoying every nanosecond of it.

We'll be discussing trans issues for a learned audience that wishes to be educated on these issues, and hoping we have a full house or close to it for this featured conversation.

We are scheduled to go for about 40 minutes, with questions and answers from the audience once we've completed the discussion part.   I don't fly back home until tomorrow, so there's a brief meet and greet after the event concludes

Moni's At Chautauqua

After my flight from Hobby through Baltimore to Buffalo and my ride down I-90 through western New York wine country and the Seneca Nation to Chautauqua, I've been since yesterday afternoon chilling in my nice digs here on this picturesque campus that since 1874 has been dedicated to ongoing education and learning.

Only glitch I had was my 737-500 on the HOU-BWI leg had no wifi..

Just great.  The 3 hour flight leg has no wifi, but the short hop from BWI-BUF did.   Go figure the logic in that one.  Oh well, still getting my frequent flyer miles for it.

I'm in the Hagen-Wensley House, just across the street from the Athenaeum Hotel and down the hill from the open air auditorium when Janet Mock and I will be the featured talk tomorrow.  It's the place where performers and speakers stay then they are on the 750 acre Chautauqua Institute campus next to the lake bearing the same name.

Speaking of Janet, she's on her way here, and I'm looking forward to being in the same space with her for the first time in several years..

Chautauqua Institute is a place for ongoing education and learning about not only the current issues of the day, but subjects that include science, technology and the arts.

That point was driven home when I got a chance last night to have dinner on the Athenaeum's patio overlooking Lake Chautauqua with today's featured speaker in Dr. Randy Schekman, a Nobel prize winning molecular and cellular biologist

The conversation was even better than the meal, which was quite tasty

One of the subjects that Chautauqua Institution wishes to discuss and learn more about is trans issues, which is why Janet and I are here.

The Hagen-Wensley House has the feel of home, and I'm on the third floor of it.  I along with the other guests have snacks, drinks and munchies we can nibble on until we get our breakfast, lunch and dinner, and there's other spots in the town square just a short walk away

I said walk because you get around by walking or biking here, and there's not much vehicle traffic on the streets except for the Chautauqua Institution vehicles, carts and scooters.   Hey, not complaining because I am getting my exercise.

Got up early to do a 9 AM EDT radio interview this morning on WJTN-AM about the upcoming chat with Janet, and may do another one before I leave for Houston.   It has been nice chatting with Rachel, our hostess here at Hagen-Wesley House, the staff and getting to meet various members of the Chautauqua education department who are sponsoring this event.

Well, later peeps.  Need to take a walk along this lakefront and enjoy the cooler summer temperatures in comparison to the triple digit heat I left back in Houston Tuesday,.

The Air Marshal Is Headed To Chautauqua, NY

The third of my three consecutive trips to three different events in three weeks is finally happening as I take to the friendly skies once again to go to Chautauqua. NY via Baltimore and Buffalo, then the road trip to southwest New York state and the Chautauqua, Institution grounds..

I'm headed to Chautauqua Institute to do a historic talk on Thursday with Janet Mock that takes place at 10:45 AM from their Amphitheatre Stage as part of their Pushing Our Bodies Limits Summer Lecture Series.

It is a venue that has seen a president, a Supreme Court justice, senators, poets and scientists wander its grounds dedicated to learned discussion, and now two Black girls like us will be on that hallowed ground.

And one again I'll have the blessing of TSA Pre, which means I won't have to nearly strip down to clear security

Well. time to start this latest road trip.    Hope it's a drama free one.

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..