Happy Birthday Jenifer Rene!

Need to close out this emotional day with some positive news. Today also happens to be the birthday of my trailblazing sis Jenifer Rene Pool!

Jenifer made some Texas electoral history back in March when she became the first trans Texan to win a primary election of any kind in the Lone Star State. She handily won with 78% of the vote her Democratic primary election for Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 3 race.
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She is now in the November 8 general election against six time Republican incumbent commissioner Steve Radack who has been in that office since 1980.

It won't be easy in a district that covers 400 square miles of Harris County's fast growing west side, but by winning that primary, she has a chance to win.

If she beats Radack, she will not only add another historic election achievement to her resume, she will also flip the balance of power on the Harris County Commissioner's Court to liberal progressive control.

Happy birthday Jenifer!  Hope you get a chance to make that history and hear us getting to call you #MadameCommissioner as your late birthday present!

Rest In Power Jay Kallio

Was advised by Joshua Holiday that our community lost New York based trans man and longtime TBLGQ community activist Jay Kallio to cancer today at age 61.

Medical transphobia may have played a major role in Kallio's death

Kallio's activism began when he was fired from his job for being a lesbian in 1972 and angered about the lack of human rights protections for LGBT people   Kallio along with his late partner Eleanor Cooper provided critical compassion and care for terminally ill persons during the height of the AIDS crisis in the 80's, and the former EMT transitioned to male when he turned 50

He added action against medical transphobia and discrimination aimed at trans people in a medical setting to his activist platform when Kallio was not told during a checkup about a malignant tumor discovered during a 2008 mammogram.  

Dealing with the medical transphobia in the so called liberal blue oasis of New York unfortunately delayed the critical early treatment he needed to increase his odds of beating the cancer.  

Jay's story about fighting terminal cancer and medical transphobia was published in the New York Times in their Faces of Cancer series.

When I receive information from my New York area trans folks and allies concerning any memorial service for Kallio, I'll pass it along for you TransGriot readers in the area wishing to pay your respects to a longtime human rights warrior in out TBLGQ community ranks.

Rest in power and peace, Jay.   You will be missed by all who loved you.

Rest In Power, Cheryl Courtney-Evans

I was shocked and saddened to hear that another one of our trans elders and pioneers has transitioned and earned her wings.

Still trying to process the sad news that Cheryl Courtney-Evans has passed away.

The award winning Atlanta based advocate was one of the co-founders of the Atlanta based organization TILTT (Transgender Individuals Living Their Truth), worked with the SNaP Coalition, and was a blogger commenting on issues affecting the ATL community at A Bitch For Justice.

I'd known Cheryl for a few years online before I finally met and spent some quality time with her during the 2012 Trans Faith In Color Conference that I was a keynote speaker for in Charlotte.

I enjoyed having dinner with her and Diamond Stylz (who I was also meeting for the first time at that event) as she expressed her thoughts about being one of mine and Diamond's trans elders, along with the changes she'd seen since her 1968 transition at age 16.

This is Diamond's interview with Cheryl.



From time to time since I knew she was having some health challenges recently, I made it a point to call and check on her to see how she was doing at regular intervals, and I'm so thankful not only for those opportunities I did get to talk to her, I'm so happy I did this 2011 TransGriot Ten Questions interview with her.

This is a more recent January 22 interview Raquel Willis conducted with Cheryl.











As soon as I have information from my ATL area contacts concerning a memorial service for her, I'll pass that along as a soon as I receive it.

She lived up to the name of her blog in fighting for justice in the Atlanta area and beyond, and I'm going to miss the conversations we had about a lot of subjects.

I, the Atlanta and national trans community and all who loved you are going to miss you.

I know that while mine and the hearts of the people in the ATL area are heavy at this time, they will remember your legacy of love and service to our community, and we will never forget you.

Rest in Power and Peace, Cheryl, and hug all the ancestors who have moved on for us.

Whoopi Tears Into Kellyanne Conway On 'The View'

If the Trump campaign team had been listening to Mitt Romney's infamous 47% tape form the 2012 election cycle, they should have paid close attention to the section of it in which Romney told his donors in that quiet room not to go on ABC's The View, and specifically named Whoopi as a major reason why conservatives should stay away from the show.

Trump Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway has the unenviable task of trying to clean up Trump's messes, and took to The View to try to do just that.  

But she ended up getting her clock cleaned by Whoopi.

Enjoy.

Prime Minister Trudeau's First UN Speech

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson may not be able to name a foreign leader he admires, but I can rattle off a long list of them.

One of the top people on my list is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who recently gave his first UN General Assembly speech at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

And yeah, Prime Minister Trudeau called out a certain oompa-loompa running for president without mentioning him by name.

Here is the Prime Minister's UN speech.

2016 Presidential Election October Registration Deadlines

Today is October 1, and we are just 37 days away from a critical Election Day on November 8.  

Just as a reminder of how much time you have left in your state or territory to register to vote and participate in this critical election, I posted those dates to the blog last month.

In September there were only two territories that had voter registration deadlines.  If you live in the Northern Marianas (September 9) or Puerto Rico (September 19), your registration deadlines have already passed

There are 36 states and three territories that have election registration deadlines in October, and as a TransGriot public service, I'm going to remind you readers of what those dates are.

And hallelujah, early voting starts in Texas on October 24 and runs until November 4.   But in order to participate, you must be registered to vote by October 11 and have that blue voter registration card in order to participate in this 2016 presidential election.  

As an additional  reminder for my Lone Star State readers, thanks to a federal court order, the Texas GOP Voter Suppression law is no longer in effect, and you don't need a photo ID to vote.

October Registration Deadlines 

October 8 in  Mississippi, South Carolina and the US Virgin Islands,

October 9 in Alaska, Rhode Island

October 10 in American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas and Hawaii

October 11 as I mentioned earlier in the post is deadline day for Texas and ten other states.  
For those of you live in the Lone Star State, you need to make that registration happen and have that blue voter registration card by this Tuesday date.  

The other states in which you need to handle your electoral registration business by this date are Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.  

Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania are 2016 swing states, and so if you wish to determine who the next POTUS will be, get busy getting registered.

October 12 in Missouri

October 14 in New York, North Carolina and Oklahoma.   

So peeps in the Tarheel State, if you want to kick Pat My Crotch out of the governor's mansion along with the unjust GOP controlled NC legislature, have until this date to register for the election   You're in a swing state as well.

October 14 in Delaware

October 17 in Virginia.

October 18 in Kansas, Minnesota  Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and West Virginia   Nevada is another crucial swing state, so please handle your election registration business there. 

October 19 in Massachusetts

October 24 in Alabama, California and South Dakota

October 28 in Guam, Nebraska

October 31 in Washington   If you peeps living there don't want to have the horrifying prospect of a President Donald Trump, you must be registered in your state by Halloween.

Shut Up Fool Awards- Last Friday In September Edition

Well TransGriot readers, it's the last day in September in a year that is going by pretty quickly.

With October starting tomorrow, it means we are in the homestretch of the 2016 presidential election contest.  It also means we are weeks away from Halloween, Thanksgiving in Canada and the USA, Election Day, and Christmas.

We have a few weeks before we get to October 10, October 31, November 8, November 24 and December 25, but today is September 30, and it's time to call some fools out.

It's the latest edition of the TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards.

FYI, for those of you wondering why I haven't called Donald Trump out lately, he's already locked down the 2016 Shut Up Fool of the Year Award, but he won't officially get it until New Year's Eve.

Besides, it's too easy to give it to him every week when as Mr. T says, fools are everywhere, and you need to know who they are.

Honorable mention number one is to all the Beckys being busted on social media for posing with racist blackface photos   Just say no to Blackface.  Your future self and your future post collegiate career prospects will thank you for it.

Honorable mention number two is Mary J. Blige, who seems to think that being polite and compliant will keep us from getting shot by KKKiller KKKops .   Nope, hasn't worked so far.
Ask the families of Philando Castile and others how well that worked.

Honorable mention number three is Wake County NC sheriff Donnie Harrison, who let loose his transphobic bigot and seems to think that parents should be notified when a trans child uses the bathroom.

Really?  Gee, I wonder what party he belongs to?

Honorable mention number four is MSNBC's Chuck Todd, for letting loose the idiotic comment that Hillary Clinton was 'over prepared' for Monday's debate.

Yo Chuck, I'd rather my future POTUS be 'over prepared' than overwhelmingly clueless and ignorant. Have a whole section of seats at FedEx Field and STFU.

Honorable mention number five is the CDC, for putting out an infographic on TBLGQ violence that erases the trans community

Honorable mention number six is (hopefully) former Tulsa PD officer Betty Shelby, who is making the jaw dropping WTF claim that she was 'temporarily deaf' when she shot and killed Terence Crutcher.

Any lie to justify shooting Black people, huh?

This week's Shut Up Fool award winner is Tomi Lahren, who every time she opens her mouth makes blondes with brains cringe along with any reality based American.

In her latest idiotic outburst on The Blaze she stated that cops will continue to shoot Black people until they renounce Black Lives Matter.

Really fool?   Wherever you're getting your wash and set done, either that peroxide is affecting your brain or the white privilege and massive ignorance you're swimming in  .

Tomi Lahren, shut up fool.

Linda Phillips Celebration Of Life Service Set For October 15

I posted here about the recent death of one of our trans community pioneers in Linda Phillips, who along with her amazing spouse Cynthia ran the San Antonio area based group the Boulton and Park Society and the Texas T Party Convention.

The San Antonio based Texas T Party was the largest trans themed convention in the world from 1988 until the mid 90's.

This is the article written about her in the San Antonio Express-News.

Cynthia Phillips contacted me this morning, and wanted me to let you TransGriot readers know that the date, time and location for Linda's Celebration of Life Service has been set.

It will be held starting at 1 PM on October 15, 2016 at the Metropolitan Community Church San Antonio.  The address of the church is 611 E. Myrtle St. in San Antonio, TX.

If you are in the San Antonio area or just wish to come and pay your respects on that day to one of our trans community pioneers here in Texas and nationally, I urge you to do so.

This is the obituary for Linda Phillips.  

In lieu of flowers, donations are asked for the Bulverde Area Humane Society, P. O. Box 50, Bulverde, TX 78163 (which she helped build); or Transgender Education Network of Texas, 102 Wonder World Dr. #304-174, San Marcos, TX 78666; or The Center-Pride Center San Antonio, 1002 N. Flores St., San Antonio, TX 78212

CDC Forgets The T In Their Infographic

Several of my readers sent this link to me of a Centers for Disease Control (CDC)  sponsored infographic campaign in which they are attempting to draw attention to the violence faced by our TBLGQ younglings.

So what's the problem with this poster?  They forgot to include the group of young people that is facing the most disproportionate level of violence in trans and gender nonconforming kids.

WTF CDC?   As of this moment a federal district court hearing is taking place in Wichita Falls in which transphobic federal judge Reed O'Connor is being asked to clarify his previous unjust ruling.  

We have Texas GOP state officials openly planning on targeting the trans community when the legislative session starts in January, Republicans across the country along with white fundamentalists attacking trans kids, an explosion of anti-trans bills and lawsuits that are feeding anti-trans hatred, bigotry and discrimination, and you ignore all of this when you put this campaign together?

I'll say it again.   WTF CDC?    The data exists pointing out trans and gender nonconforming kids are under attack and have disproportionate levels of violence being aimed at them..

I'll repeat this one more time.  Trans and gender nonconforming kids are the ones being disproportionately targeted for violence and abuse.  

A 2013 study of middle and high school age students found that 74% of the respondents to that survey were verbally harassed for gender identity and 55% were harassed for gender expression

72% of the victims of anti-TBLGQ homicides were trans women, and 67% of those trans women murdered due to anti-trans violence are trans women of color.

And BTW, my sis Raquel Willis fixed your graphic to more correctly reflect the community

The CD did try to respond to why trans and gender non conforming youth were erased in this infographic campaign, and here is their weak response:.

This is inexcusable.  As a reminder, trans people are part of the over 300 million people that make up the American population, and our tax dollars we contribute every April 15 do go toward the CDC's budget

We don't need excuses CDC for erasure.  Erasure is deadly to our community, and especially for trans women of color.    Fix it CDC.


H/T Raquel Willis  

Rep. Geraldine Roman Handling Her Legislative Business

Back in May Geraldine Roman became the first out trans person elected to the Philippine Congress and only the sixth person internationally to become a member of that small sorority of trans national legislators.

It was a BFD when it happened, and it's still a BFD now.that she is now officially Congressmember Roman.

There has been recent debate in the Philippines concerning an anti-discrimination bill that would include sexual orientation and gender identity language, and she has been at the forefront, since she is now a legislator, of helping craft that legislation

Here's two videos that you need to watch.

The first is a privileged speech that starts at the 36:00 minute mark that she is making concerning the proposed bill.

The second is the Q&A she is engaged in with several legislators concerning the proposed legislation.

Enjoy it, and imagine it happening in the USA.

Someday we will have one of our own trans peeps elected to Congress, and I hope I'm still around to see that glorious day occur..
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It's what we need to have happen in our US Congress and state houses across the nation in terms of electing trans people to our national and state legislatures to help write good laws and kill bad ones.

Thanks Rep. Roman for doing so with dignity and class.
 

Number 6 UH Takes On UConn

After finishing a stretch of three games in 14 days with a 64-3 demolition of Texas State in San Marcos, the number 6 ranked University of Houston Cougars (4-0, 1-0 AAC) face at TDECU Stadium the team that ruined their bid for a perfect season last year in the Connecticut Huskies.

UH was unbeaten at 10-0 and ranked number 13 in the nation when they rolled into Rentschler Stadium on November 15 to play UConn.  A questionable targeting call against star UH linebacker Elandon Roberts in the first quarter got him tossed from the game.  Kenneth Farrow and QB Kyle Postma were injured, and they turned the ball over four times, the final one being an interception tossed by Ward with 55 seconds left to seal the 20-17 upset loss..

Needless to say UConn will have the Cougars undivided attention despite the fact the Coogs are a 24.5 point favorite to win this game..

There's a lot more at stake for the Cougars besides avenging that loss in front of the home crowd. In addition to UH having their highest poll ranking since 1991 and being a spotless 4-0 on the year, they are also a serious contender to play in the College Football Playoff.

The Coogs are also determined to continue their mission of repeating as The American champs.

Greg Ward. Jr played only the final four snaps in that UConn game because of that injury and being forced to play because Postma got hurt late, but that isn't the case this year.

He will be in the TDECU Stadium house in full effect and ready to lead the Cougars to what he hopes will be their fifth victory of the season and second in AAC play..

We'll see starting at 7 PM CDT on ESPN.

TransGriot 2016 NFL Picks-Week 4

Week 3 is over, and now it's Week 4 of the 2016 NFL season.  This week means a quarter of the season has gone by.

We now have a rough idea of which teams are contenders for an NFL title, which teams are potential playoff teams, and which teams are cruising towards the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia and the number one pick.

There have been some surprises in this young season.  The Eagles are doing better than expected with their rookie QB Carson Wentz along with the defending champion Broncos and ugh, the Arlington Cowchips.

Something else that turned out to be a surprise was that the Falcons-Saints game, which was a 45-32 victory for Atlanta, because of the first Clinton-Trump presidential debate being televised at the same time, becoming the lowest rated MNF game in history because of the debate's record audience.

My fave NFL ballers suffered a major loss when all everything defensive end JJ Watt reinjured his back in that shutout loss to the New England Patriots and is now on IR for the next 8 weeks and possibly the season.

After two stellar weeks in which I went 22-10 with my picks, cooled off a bit in Week 3 due to some games that didn't go my way, but still maintaining my overall two game lead over Mr. Watts, which is all that matters right now.

It's time to handle my NFL prognostication business.   Only 15 games to select this week because teams are now starting to get the bye weeks, and the  Eagles and Packers are getting to chill and watch everyone else play.

Y'all know the drill.   Teams I'm picking to win this week will be in BOLD print.  Home team will be in all CAPS and Mike Watts' picks can be accessed via this link.

2016 NFL Week 3 Results                                      2016 NFL Season Standings

TransGriot     9-7                                                     TransGriot    31-17
Mike              9-7                                                     Mike            29-19
Eli                  --                                                        Eli                ---

Bye Week
Eagles, Packers

Thursday Night Game
BENGALS over Dolphins

Sunday Early Games
TEXANS over Titans
Colts over JAGUARS (in London)
WASHINGTON over Browns
Seahawks over JETS
PATRIOTS over Bills
FALCONS over Panthers
RAVENS over Raiders
Lions over BEARS

Sunday Afternoon Games
Broncos over BUCCANEERS
CARDINALS over Rams
Saints over CHARGERS
Cowboys over 49ERS

Sunday Night Game
STEELERS over Chiefs

Monday Night Game
Giants over VIKINGS

Accomplished Two TransGriot Twitter Milestones!

Yesterday evening I hit two Twitter milestones on the same day in terms of sending my 20,000th tweet and reaching 10,000 followers!

And unlike some folks, I didn't have to buy them, I did it the old fashioned way.  I earned every one of them

I've only been on Twitter since January 2009, and initially resisted joining it because as a writer, I like having more than 140 characters to comment on the issues of the day.  But I discovered it helps in promoting my TransGriot blog posts that I would like people to read, and also keeps me in practice in terms of thinking in soundbites for future media interviews.

While I'm not on Twitter every day, when I do sign in to my Twitter feed, I can end up spending a few hours of my day commenting before shutting it down and getting back to writing.   .

Over the seven years I've been on Twitter,  I've  also composed enough tweets when I am on to where they surprisingly to me started getting media attention when I do so.

But it really shouldn't have been a surprise when it first started happening.  OutSmart magazine, our local Houston area LGBT magazine, has nominated me twice for Favorite Tweeter, an award I won in 2014 and was a finalist for last year.

And I'm pleased to have in my Twitter followers some of my fave media people, journalists, bloggers politicians  actors, and all around cool people that like seeing me comment on the issues of the day.

Well, on to the next milestones. Since we have 39 days left until Election Day, I'll definitely have more to say in 140 characters or less on the election and other pertinent issues of the day.

 

Black Houston, Cease And Desist With The Transphobia

One of the things I'm getting sick and tired of is elements of the Houston Black community being willfully transphobic.  I'm beyond tired of it along with my Houston Black trans fam and our families, friends, and allies.

What's driving me to write this is Dee Dee telling me about a event that happened on Tuesday at the Ensemble Theater that I almost went to but because I was catching up on my backlogged writing didn't attend.

Wish I had, and I'm about to tell you why.

It was supposed to be an open mic event in which people were encouraged to step to the mic and talk for one minute about whatever issues that were bothering them.

Dee Dee spoke, and was followed up three speakers later by a man named Vince Duncan who not only misgendered her, but bragged about in the card he handed out at the event of being one of the sellout fools who worked for the defeat of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance last year.

Dee Dee was already upset about an incident that happened at a Black Lives Matter Houston event at City Hall that we both attended two months ago when a woman at that event misgendered her.  So you know she was not a happy camper when she returned home and told me she was done with attending cis Black events.

Their loss, and it's sad they have made her and many of us feel unwelcome in a community that should be our refuge from all the transphobic Hateraid we get from the rest of the world..

I love my people and my hometown, but damn folks, y'all have to show us Black trans Houstonians not only some love but respect for our humanity.  Neither I, Dee Dee or any Black trans Houstonian gave up our Black cards when we transitioned, and y'all need to recognize that fact.

Black trans women are women.  Black trans men are men.   How many times do I and countless other people inside and outside Trans World have to repeat that easy to grasp concept until you get it?  

Something else y'all need to recognize is that Black trans Houstonians aren't going back into the closet just because you wish to be willfully ignorant of the fact we exist   Neither are our trans lives and our humanity up for theological or political discussion.

Miss me with that crap.   And some of you repeating those anti-trans talking points are in the Black SGL community, and y'all need to chill with that as well.  The anti-trans comments and right wing bathroom predator lies are not only Grade A bull feces, but are hurtful and wrong,

The anti-trans rhetoric you are repeating makes Steven Hotze, the Texas GOP, Dave Wilson, Max Miller, FN Williams and other assorted Houston area transphobes smile.  It leads to anti-trans discrimination, harassment and violence.

It is getting Black trans kids thrown out of their homes.  Black trans teens make up 13% of the homeless trans teen population, and that needs to end ASAP.   It also led to many of you in Black Houston stupidly voting to repeal a HERO ordinance that I, Dee Dee and other Houstonians fought tooth and nail against GOP out of town oppressors to pass that protected your human rights in the city of Houston.

It was disgusting to me as a native Houstonian to see you fall for the 'men in dresses' okey doke lie parroted to you by suburban white Republicans, white fundie pastors egged on by sellout kneegrow pastors, and them gleefully laughing at your behinds for allowing them to hoodwink and bamboozle you into voting against your own human rights on Election Night 2015.

It's past time for the verbal abuse of trans people in our Black Houston ranks to cease and desist.  Black Trans Houstonians are part of the diverse mosaic of humanity in our beloved hometown, and all we want in addition to having our humanity and human rights respected and protected by law is to simply be able to live our lives to the best of our ability and contribute our talents to building our community and our city.

But the minimum requirement for that to happen is for you Black Houston, to cease and desist with the transphobia, and respect out humanity, because our Black Lives Matter, too.   

You Don't Need A Photo ID To Vote In Texas!

Hallelujah, the Texas GOP Voter Suppression (ID) law is dead!  If you don't have a photo ID, you do not need to produce one to vote when early voting in Texas starts on October 24.

You will need to fill out a short form explaining the reason you don't have one, swear you are who you say you are, then sign it.

Early voting dates for this 2016 election are October 24-November 4.   Election Day is November 8.

All you'll need is either your blue Texas voter registration card or these government documents with your name and address.  Voters with a disability may apply for a permanent exemption to showing ID at the polls.

*Your certified original birth certificate
*A government check  (copy or original)
*A current utility bill (copy or original)
*A bank statement (copy or original)
*A paycheck (copy or original) 

As a reminder, the accepted photo ID are a Texas drivers license, a Texas ID card issued by the DPS, Texas Election Identification Certificate issued by the DPS, a handgun license, US military ID with photo, US passport, and US citizenship certificate with photo.  

Election poll workers are prohibited by law from challenging your reason for being unable to obtain a photo ID.   If they give you any drama, you can call the Voter Protection Hotline at 1-844-TXVOTES 

If you wish to participate in the upcoming election in Texas, you must be registered to vote by October 11.

So handle your election business, people!

Moni's At The Equality Brunch 2016

I know I wrote about it on Sunday, but wanted to post more pics from the 8th annual Equality Brunch.  And yes, I was still shaking off the jet lag when I walked into the venue.

In addition to this being a fundraising event for the Houston LGBT Caucus, I was one of several people being honored with awards.  It gave me an opportunity to break bread with and spend some quality time hanging out with my Houston liberal-progressive community family.

We had a few of our Houston political peeps there like CM Robert Gallegos and CM Mike Laster, TX state Senator Sylvia Garcia, Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, Judge Maria T. Jackson, former Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia and candidates for various offices in the room like Harris County DA candidate Kim Ogg, Harris County Sheriff candidate and former CM Ed Gonzales, judicial candidate Ramona Franklin and Harris County Commissioner's Court candidate Jenifer Rene Pool.

This year I became the second out trans person to receive the John Paul Barnich Award, and I thank the Caucus for honoring me with this award named for a trailblazing member of our Houston LGBT community.

The other awards presented on Sunday and the deserving folks who received them were:

Eleanor Tinsley Award
Erika Richie

Don Hrachovy Award
Maria Gonzalez

President's Award
Melanie Espinosa Pang

Tim Brookover Award
Greg Jeu

The Tony and Bruce Award
Bruce Smith

The 2016 class of Equality Brunch honorees were also surprised by a presentation from Audrey Natividad with Congressional Recognition Certificates signed by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee  (D-TX).

It was a wonderful event across the board.  Capacity crowd, amazing venue, delicious food, and most importantly, the fundraising target of $10,000 was hit.   That money will help get those Caucus endorsement cards out in time for early voting that's starting on October 24.

This year's edition of the Equality Brunch set the bar high for future ones, and enjoyed being there for it.

Why I Don't Want Trump's Hands On The Nuke Launch Codes

As a baby boomer, one of the anxiety ridden things I grew up with and pondered almost every day until the Cold War ended and the Soviet Union collapsed was wondering if today was going to be the last day on this planet for me and everyone I cared about because somebody in either superpower did something stupid and triggered World War III.

And living in Houston, which I suspected had a few Soviet warheads targeted on it because of the ship channel, being a railroad hub, the 200+ refineries in the area, Ellington AFB, several oil company headquarters located here and being at the junctions of I-10 and I-45 didn't lessen that nuclear holocaust anxiety that the Cold War era literature, films like WarGames and the 1983 ABC movie The Day After expressed..

I was five months old when the Cuban Missile Crisis happened, and that was considered at the time the closest point the USA and USSR came to launching nukes at each other.

Hearing about false nuke attack alarms on our side in 1979-80  and the Soviet side in October 1983, followed by the Able Archer 83 NATO exercise nearly turning into World War III because of the combination of Reagan's anti-Soviet rhetoric and Soviet leaders believing he would launch a first strike despite the USA's declared 'No First Use' policy only added to my concerns about nuclear annihilation of our planet.

So when I hear Donald Trump flapping his gums about being willing to use nuclear weapons in Europe or the Middle East, or he wants to be unpredictable with nuclear weapons, that scares the crap out of me and everyone across the planet.   It also brings back all those feelings I and other boomers had prior to the end of the Cold War.

This man is not only unfit to be president and commander in chief of our armed forces, his non-intellectually curious self doesn't need to be anywhere near our nuclear launch codes.

Donald Trump's already demonstrated thin skin, willful ignorance and alarming to me, our allies and our military establishment's expressed willingness to use nukes and spread them around the globe in hotspots like East Asia definitely disqualifies him to be the person who has to make the decision on whether to use or not use our nuclear arsenal.

And in situations like what happened in 1979-80 in terms of the NORAD false attack alarms, in which you would have had six minutes to determine whether this was a genuine attack or a false alarm, do you think Trump would have the temperament and cool head necessary to handle that situation?    

I don't, and it's why I don't want Trump becoming president and getting his hands anywhere near the nuclear football.  It only ratchets up my determination to do what I can to ensure that Hillary Clinton takes the oath of office on January 20, 2017.

Must See Trans TV Alert- 'Modern Family' Trans Episode To Feature Trans Child Actor

You may wish to set your DVR's for this upcoming ABC Modern Family episode Wednesday at 8 PM CDT.   It's going to feature a historic first in an open trans child actor playing a trans role.

In this episode entitled 'A Stereotypical Day', same sex parents Cam and Mitchell allow their cis daughter Lily to invite her trans masculine classmate Tom over for a play date.  Their pride at raising a daughter in Lily who is open minded and accepting quickly turns when they overhear Lily unwittingly insult her trans friend.

How do Cam and Mitchell handle the situation?  You'll have to tune in and watch Modern Family tomorrow on your local ABC station.

Tom is played by 8 year old Jackson Millarker who is from Atlanta,  While we have had a few shows in the last few years that have featured adult trans actors playing trans roles, this is the first time we have had an out trans child actor playing a trans child.

This is a BFD for trans kind and all the trans kids out there who finally get to see someone like themselves on a television show, and I couldn't be happier to see it.

Now if Hollywood would just stop casting cis male actors in trans feminine roles.  

Texas v. USA Case Hearing In Wichita Falls Friday

For those of you in the Wichita Falls area, the unjust federal transphobic lawsuit that Ken Paxton filed is going to get another hearing on Friday

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS WICHITA FALLS DIVISION STATE OF TEXAS et al.,Plaintiffs,v.UNITED STATES et al., Defendants.§§§§§§§§§§Civil Action No. 7:16-cv-00054-O ORDER Before the Court is Defendants’ Motion for Clarification of the Court’s Preliminary Injunction Order and Unopposed Request for Expedited Consideration (ECF No. 65), filed September 12, 2016.

This motion is set for hearing at 9:30 AM on September 30, 2016. The hearing will take place in the District Judge’s Courtroom, 2nd floor, 1000 Lamar Street,Wichita Falls, Texas.

SO ORDERED on this 26th day of September, 2016.
This motion is set for hearing at 9:30 AM on September 30, 2016. The hearing will take place in the District Judge’s Courtroom, 2nd floor, 1000 Lamar Street,Wichita Falls, Texas.

SO ORDERED on this 26th day of September, 2016.

The Texas v USA case will be heard starting at 9 AM CDT in the 2nd floor District Judge's Courtroom.  If you are a friend, ally to the trans community,or parents of a trans child and can make it to Wichita Falls for that hearing, Equality Texas wants to chat with you

You can also get in contact with Erika Richie of PFLAG Houston and she'll pass on your availability to Equality Texas.

I hope the courtroom is packed with our family and supporters Friday morning, and this time justice prevails.

Texas Association of Business Formally Opposes HB2 Style Bills

If you;re wondering why I and other TBLGQ Texans and our allies stay and fight the right wing powers that be to make our state better, this is just another example why having angelic troublemakers in the Lone Star State matters.

On Friday the influential Texas Association of Business (TAB) Board of Governors overwhelmingly approved a resolution that states according to TAB president Chris Wallace the TAB opposes 'legislation that is seen as discriminatory and would impact workforce recruitment and/or cause a negative economic impact on the state'.

The 4,300 member Texas Association of Business is our statewide chamber of commerce, and has the ear of conservative politicians in the Lone Star State.

They are nervous in the wake of our transphobic Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) statements back in May of wanting to repeat the mistake of the North Carolina GOP to legislatively hate on Texas trans people.  

The TAB is nervous that when the 85th session of the Texas legislature opens in January, Patrick and his GOP colleagues will try to pass an HB2 style bill that will cause the same economic damage to Texas that its blitzkrieged passage in North Carolina has done to their state's economy.

They are trying to prevent that self inflicted Texas GOP legislative idiocy from happening along with Texas Competes, a coalition of 1,100 + Texas businesses and business friendly organizations that are making the case that TBLGQ equality is good for Texas, Texas based businesses and the Texas economy.

North Carolina since the passage of HB2 has suffered an estimated $395 million dollars (and counting) in lost business, conventions, and sporting events, and the NC GOP refuses to take responsibility for their lack of human rights vision.

"We don't want economic fallout here because of legislative action that could be prevented, said Wallace. "We know it's going to be a top issue, and because of that, business has to speak up."

Texas has in 2017 the NCAA women's Final Four scheduled to come to Dallas, the NCAA FBS Championship Game in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, and the 2018 NCAA men's championship game in San Antonio.

All are in jeopardy along with scheduled conventions and other business if Patrick and the Texas GOP persists with their delusional thinking that Texas will not suffer the same fiscal fallout that North Carolina has if they pass anti-trans hate bills or HB2 style legislation.  

The Texas GOP has made hatred of Texas trans people part of their reprehensible 2016 platform, and just as their attempts to legislate bigotry against LGB Texans failed, they will fail against transgender Texans.

And thanks to the Texas Association of Business, Texas Competes and other Texas business leaders who are stepping us to say in a loud and collective voice we don't want the self inflicted economic disaster that is happening in North Carolina to happen in Texas