Actress Ivory Aquino Comes Out As Trans

I know I have some amazing trailblazing trans people in my life that I'm also blessed enough to call my friends.   One of those people is Cecilia Chung, who I happily discovered has actress Ivory Aquino playing her in the upcoming ABC miniseries When We Rise scheduled to be broadcast on February 27.

The cool thing about the actress playing Cecilia in this miniseries is that she is a girl like us.

Ivory Aquino, who will play my homegirl in this ABC miniseries that is based on longtime gay activist Cleve Jones' memoir When We Rise: My Life In The Movement chronicling the TBLGQ rights movement in San Francisco., recently came out as trans.

The 26 year old transpinay always knew she wanted to act, but initially gave up on that dream because she felt there was no place in Hollywood or the acting world for someone like her.

Interestingly enough, when she auditioned for the role of Cecilia,, producer Dustin Lance Black was pissed at casting because they hadn't found any trans actresses for the role, and he was determined to cast a trans person in it.  

Aquino came out publicly for the first time during the recent Television Critics Association conference.  She tearfully said in an interview that she can hardly believe that she's part of this project.

"You spend your whole life dreaming of these things,"she said. "And it's really humbling when your dreams come true."  

Looking forward to seeing you play Cecilia when this miniseries airs February 27-March2

Happy Birthday Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr 2017

Today would have been the 88th birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born in Atlanta on this date in 1929.   The federal holiday is tomorrow

Dr King's birthday and holiday are falling as we are in the last week of the administration of the best president of my lifetime and a president who shares my ethnic heritage.    He is being succeeded on Friday by a boorish, nekulturny racist and sexist loudmouth who has less class than President Obama has in his pinky finger.

President Obama, and the country deserved better than what were about to get

Dr King if he were here would be appalled at the looming Trump presidency and the people that are filling leadership positions in it.   He would especially be alarmed, as his wife Coretta was back in 1986 that Jeff Sessions was nominated by this man to be our nation's attorney general.

In a time when it's hard for us to generate infinite hope in the face of the crushing disappointment of the November 8 election results, it's what we must do right now..   Our kids are counting on us to fight for them and the America we want to see harder than this conservafool nightmare the right wing fought hard for decades to make happen.

We must resist the GOP tyranny and Twitler with every fiber of our beings and resolve to crush Trump's enormous ego still further by working our azzes off over the next four years to make him a one term president.

We also need to in liberal progressive world fight our common enemy instead of each other.  I need far left people to fight the Republicans harder than they do the Democrats.  We're not your enemy. The Republicans crapping on the Constitution are.   How about you deal with that reality?

Dr. King once said, 'The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Looks like we're about to find out where a lot of people stand on both sides of the political aisle in this challenging and controversial moment of American history.

Moni's Will Be Headed To LGBTMedia17!

Got the word last month that I've been invited to attend the LGBT Media Convening that will take place in Orlando March 23-26.

It will be the fifth one I've attended since 2013, and I'm looking forward to hanging out with my friends in the LGBT media world.

It's hosted by the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association with sponsorship from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and the Arcus Foundation.

It's an opportunity along with my media colleagues to hone and build on our reporting skills, discuss issues of importance to the TBLGQ community so that we are better versed in covering them, and also network with each other.

In a time in which we have an incoming president that hates the media, it is even more important that we have media willing to speak truth to power and fight back.  We also need media that will fight the lies and falsehoods disseminated about our community

As I get closer to my departure date for the event, I'll be giving y'all more details about #LGBTMedia17 as I get them.

2016-17 NFL Playoffs- Divisional Round

I ran the table and got all four of my picks correct during the Wild Card weekend round of the playoffs, and now it's time for the Divisional Round of the 2016-17 NFL Playoffs

All the teams remaining are division champions, and now the number one and two seeds get to play after a week off.  The teams winning in these games go on to face each other in the AFC and NFC Championship Games next week. .

Now it's time for me to make those picks.

Saturday Games

NFC Divisional Game

#3 Seattle Seahawks (11-5-1) vs  #2 Atlanta Falcons (11-5)  3;35 PM  CST  on FOX

This Divisional Round game at the Georgia Dome is a rematch of a wild and controversial game in Seattle that Seattle pulled out late courtesy of a Steven Hauschka field goal with 1:57 left .

Atlanta's attempt to win the game ended on a 4th down pass breakup by Richard Sherman on Julio Jones that the Falcons were screaming warranted a pass interference call.  The officials said otherwise and the game ended in a 26-24 Seahawk victory.  

This time it's in the Georgia Dome with higher stakes.  You can probably bet that the NFC South champion Falcons not only want some payback, they don't want this game to be the last one they play in the Georgia Dome. They move to the new Mercedes Benz Stadium next door later this year.

The Falcons also have a lethal offense that was held in check for a half in that October 26 game by a Seattle defense that is missing key players in this rematch. .The Falcons also had a week off while the NFC West champion Seahawks were sending the Lions packing after they spanked them 26-6 ..

So who is going to win it?   Going with the Falcons.

AFC Divisional Game

#4 Houston Texans (10-7) vs #1 New England Patriots (14-2)  &:15 PM CST on CBS

This nightcap game is also a rematch, and no one outside of NRG Stadium and Harris County is even giving the Texans a chance in this playoff game. They are a two touchdown underdog.

The AFC South champion Texans were shut out 27-0 in their previous trip to Gillette Stadium on September 22 that occurred while Tom Brady was serving a four game suspension.  It was also the game in which JJ Watt was lost for the season.  The Texans are also 0-4 against the Patriots in that stadium, including a 2013 playoff loss.

But the Texans have the number one ranked defense in the league thanks to Jadeveon Clowney staying healthy and having an All Pro season on top of it,  That gives them a chance if they can force some turnovers, they don't turn the ball over and even get a pick six out of the dea

Unfortunately, the Texans don't have an offense to go with that championship level defense, and the Patriots have a future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback.  .

It was a nice playoff run while it lasted.   Patriots to win this one, but you know I'll be happy if this pick is wrong.

Sunday Games

NFC Divisional Game 

#4 Green Bay Packers (10-7) vs #1 Dallas Cowboys (13-3) at 3;40 PM CST on FOX

This is the only playoff game in the Divisional round that isn't a regular season rematch.   This is one in which the red hot NFC North champion Packers have won seven straight games, including their playoff win at Lambeau field last week against the New York Giants.

This matchup is also dripping with NFL playoff history  

The NFC East champion Cowboys went 8-2 after their bye week, but stumbled a bit against the Eagles in their regular season finale.  The question that will be answered is did the layoff hurt or help the number one seeded Cowboys, who are also facing the playoff debuts of rookie sensations Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott?

I think it helps Green bay since they have momentum.  The Packers and Aaaon Rodgers will pull this game out in an upset and save us in Houston from the spectacle of seeing the Cowboys play in the Super Bowl we're hosting.at NRG Stadium.

AFC Divisional Game

#3 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-5) vs #2  Kansas City Chiefs (12-4) at 7:20 PM CST on NBC

This is a rematch of an October 2 game at Heinz Field in which the Steelers curb stomped Kansas City 43-14. After that game the Chiefs went on their bye week, regrouped and went 10-2 to capture the AFC West title and a season sweep of the Raiders that allowed them to grab the number 2 seed.

The AFC North champion Steelers are on a bit of a hot streak themselves, going 7-2 after their bye week.  They have won eight straight games, including last week's 30-12 Wild Card round playoff demolition of the Miami Dolphins .

But the rematch is in Arrowhead Stadium, and the Chiefs aren't the same team the Steelers rolled over in Week 4.   The Steelers do have momentum on their side.  So do the Chiefs, who got to chill and watch everyone else play during Wild Card weekend..

So who is going to win this game?   Going with the Chiefs in this one.

Shut Up Fool Awards- First Friday The 13th Edition

This is the first of only two Friday the 13ths on the 2017 calendar with the next one happening in October.   But the date that is really going to be a scary nightmare is seven days from now at 12:01 PM EST.

It's time for our weekly TransGriot business of calling out fools, so let's get to it.

Honorable mention number one is Diamond and Silk for coonery above and beyond the call of duty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1MSvTLcwVA&feature=youtu.be

Honorable mention number two is the group of kneegrow pastors who held a press conference to urge the confirmation of unrepentant segregationist Jeff Session for AG

 Uncle Ruckus would be proud of you.   This is also prime evidence why I can't stand conservative kneegrows.  They will sell you out for their own selfish gain every time.

Honorable mention number three is Uncle Ruckus in real life in Ben Carson, who partled his lips to say that TBLGQ Americas don't deserve 'extra rights'  

Naw you ignorant mofo, demanding that people respect you humanity and human rights is not 'extra rights', it's a constitutional imperative.

Honorable mention number four is Sen. Mitch McConnell, for just pick an outrage.

Honorable mention number five is Kellyanne Conway, for lying every time she opens her mouth.

Honorable mention number six is to Steve Harvey for his bigoted comment about Asian men.  Some friends of mine are married to Asian men and are extremely happy and satisfied they have them as their life partners.

Honorable mention number seven to Matt Walsh for his racist The Blaze column  insinuating that Black youth aren't human.  That's mighty white wing of you considering you're descended from people who enslaved, sexually assaulted  and brutalized Africans for several centuries

This week's Shut Up Fool loser winner is Jeff Sessions.   During his confirmation testimony to become the next attorney general, he claimed he worked on civil rights cases on issues he has actively opposed and was called on it by Sen Al Franken,



He also whined ''it's hard to be a white southern senator' in response to a question by Sen. Lindsey Graham ,

Naw Senator, you have been a documented unrepentant bigot for much of your public service life, and now you're upset about being called a racist?   Coretta Scott King wouldn't have written that 1986 letter opposing your nomination to the federal bench with the words 'Jeff Sessions would irreparably damage the work of my husband, Martin Luther King Jr' if you weren't a racist.

If you didn't support the KKK and push racist policies, maybe that pointed hood wouldn't fit so well.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, have several seats and shut your lying azz up,fool

Wear Black On Inauguration Day!

I'm going to be in Philadelphia for Creating Change when it happens, but I already know what color I'm going to wear on that day:  Black/

Hey, it's what you wear to a funeral, and at 12:01 PM EST hope is going to die 139 miles away from me along with the America we got to enjoy under the Obama Administration when Twitler gets sworn in.

And make sure your TV is turned to any channel not showing his inauguration or watch Netflix.

While it may be a glorious day for white supremacists and Republicans, it won't be for the 65, 844, 954 Americans who didn't want this vile waste of DNA in the Oval Office.

So what do you do when you attend a funeral and are paying your respects to the deceased?  You wear black.   .That'a what I'm planning to do on this Inauguration Day in protest of Trump desecrating the presidency and the White House

Hell, I may even wear my Black beret with it.

So for those of you who wish to join me across the nation and the world in protest this outrage, please join me in wearing black next Friday.  

Valentina Sampaio Appears On Cover Of Brazilian ELLE

While we were embroiled in the final stages of our contentious presidential election, there was a little trans history being made in Brazil from the modeling world.

19 year old model Valentina Sampaio became only the second trans person ever since Lea T did so in 2011 to grace the cover of ELLE Brazil.

That ELLE Brazil cover featuring Sampaio was released in November 2016.

There was also a L'Oreal commercial that ran during International Women's Day of Valentina getting made up to take her new Brazilian ID photo.

 

She's just the newest member of the long stylish line of trans models that goes back to the 1960's that gets more beautiful , groundbreaking and expansive very day..

Anthony Anderson's On Point 'Black-ish' January 11 Episode Monologue

Last night i was busy flipping channels between Star and the Black-ish episode entitled 'Lemons' that focused on the tensions that have been exacerbated in this country since Trump (yuck) won this contentious 2016 presidential election with three million fewer votes.

Anthony Anderson's character Andre Johnson during his monologue encapsulated many of the feelings I and many African Americans have concerning this recent election and the subsequent loud and contentious debates that in some cases have ended friendships.

Here's the full monologue.

“You don’t think I care about this country? I love this country, even though at times it doesn’t love me back. For my whole life, my parents, my grandparents, me — for most black people, this system has never worked for us. But we still play ball, try to do our best to live by the rules even though we knew they would never work out in our favors. Had to live in neighborhoods that you wouldn’t drive through; send our kids to school with books so beat up you couldn’t read them; worked jobs that you wouldn’t even consider in your nightmares. 
Black people wake up every day believing that our lives are going to change, even though everything around us says it’s not. Truth be told, you ask most black people and they’d tell you that no matter who won this election, they didn’t expect the hood to get better. But they still voted, because that’s what you’re supposed to do.

You don’t think I’m sad that Hillary didn’t win? That I’m not terrified about what Trump’s about to do? I’m used to things not going my way. I’m sorry that you’re not and it’s blowing your mind, but excuse me if I get a little offended that I didn’t see all of this outrage when everything was happening to all of my people since we were stuffed on boats in chains. I love this country as much if not more than you do, and don’t you ever forget that.”

Truth.  I emphatically get what that Anderson monologue to the tune of Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit was saying about many African Americans feeling like this country doesn't love us back.
 I expressed the same sentiments in a TransGriot post I wrote in the immediate aftermath of Trump being declared the winner.
Right now I'm once again processing the fact that my country hates me.   That's not something I wanted to or needed to ponder before going to sleep tonight.-TransGriot,  November 9, 2016 

I hear 'I hate you' with every white person gleefully cheering for Trump. stating they proudly voted for him or expressing pride that he won.  I hear that with every white supremacist I see giving Nazi salutes while hollering 'Hail Trump' and every smirking Bernie or Buster who loudly and wrongly claims Bernie would have won.

That's why he is #notmypresident, and I will never respect him.  I will gleefully be dancing in the streets when he leaves office on January 20, 2021 

United, Undaunted, Unstoppable Trans United Fund #CC17 Event

For those of you attending #CC17 in Philadelphia next week and looking for things to do and check out that are away from the host hotel, here's something for you too put on your #CC17 event calendar.

The Trans United Fund is hosting an event at Philadelphia City Hall on January 19 that is a fundraiser with the goal of raising money to build the political strength of the trans community.

The United, Undaunted Unstoppable event will feature the Trans United Fund team, Minneapolis City Council candidate Andrea Jenkins and Danni Askini,  the Executive Director of the Washington state based organization Gender Justice League.  Washington is facing another potential anti-trans statewide referendum this November if the transphobes gather enough signatures (259,622) by July to put it on the ballot. .

The goal of the event is to raise $5,000 to help support these efforts to build trans community political power.  If you can't be at the event or aren't going to be in Philadelphia for Creating Change, you can still support it by clicking on this link to donate to the cause.   Even $1 will help  

If you can attend, suggested donation is $10, and it will take place in Room 201 at Philadelphia City Hall starting at 6:30 PM.   Address is 1 Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

Moni's Headed To Creating Change 2017!

At one point I was debating whether or not I would go to Creating Change in Philadelphia after going through the contentious and mentally draining 2016 edition of it in Chicago.

But my presence was requested for some events taking place at #CC17 like the National Black Justice Coalition's (NBJC) Black Institute and by the Trans United Fund , so that means I'll be leaving the Lone Star State and heading up to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection for this 2017 edition of the Creating Change Conference.

Creating Change will be taking place from January 18-22, and the #CC17 host hotel will be the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.   With the start of #CC17 coming a mere 48 hours before a president hostile to our TBLGQ community will be inaugurated, the timing of this Creating Change couldn't be more crucial or critical to our human rights movement, especially for the transgender contingent of it.

I'm looking forward to witnessing the plenary keynote by the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II that will happen Thursday night.   I've had the pleasure of not only meeting Rev. Barber, but hearing him speak at previous events I've attended in Louisville and the last LGBT Media Journalists Convening hosted in Philadelphia in 2015.

I'm also looking forward to participating in the events I will be involved in that I know abou like Thursday's NBJC The Black Institute.  Also looking forward to tearing into a few Slurpees and some cheesesteaks while I'm there.

Speaking of being there in the #CC17 house, as always, when I step into the Marriott Downtown host hotel, don't be shy, say hi.  If I'm not rushing off to a panel, some off the hotel property event or engaged in conversation with someone, I'm more than happy to talk to people, and my trans, bi and SGL younglings will get priority.

See y'all in Philadelphia next week, #CC17.

President Obama's Farewell Speech

It was a moment that we knew would eventually come, but it still didn't make it any easier to watch.

President Barack Obama returned to Chicago last night and took the stage at McCormick Place to make his farewell address to the nation.

There were moments when I was in full ugly crying mode as I thought about the historic nature of this presidency and the fact that those of us in the trans community are losing a champion.

It's also irritating that our nation is going from Harvard Law to Hee Haw (or worse) in nine days/

Here's the video of it

The 85th Texas Legislature Starts Today

The opening session of the 85th Texas Legislature under the Pink Dome kicks off today as you read this with a lot of ceremonial business happening such as the swearing in of new members.  We don't get to elect statewide offices until 2018, and us liberal progressive Texans will be anxiously waiting to do just that.

But first we have to get through this session that as people around the world know, Lt Governor Dan Patrick is trying to shovel through the unjust SB 6, the Texas Transgender Oppression Act.

In the Texas House, the election of the speaker will take place who is expected to be for his seventh term with Democratic minority help (thank God) moderate Rep. Joe Strauss (R-San Antonio).

Here are the numbers we'll be pondering for this session that will run 140 days until the end of May or the first week of June.  

The Republicans have a 20-11 majority in the Texas Senate that Patrick controls.

In the Texas House, it's 99-51 Republicans, just short of a supermajority..

Some of the issues they need to be focused on besides hating Texas trans people, guns and women's uteruses are our public school funding, the state's ailing foster care system, better mental heath access, making Texas colleges more affordable and special ed.

We'll see what happens over the next 140 days, and I know I'll have a few trips to Austin planned to do some lobbying to kill some bad bills like SB 6 and help support some good legislation..

And as you probably guessed, I'll be keeping track of the progress or lack of it on SB 6 and other bills of importance to the Texas TBLGQ community and liberal progressive Texans.

President Obama's Farewell Address Later Tonight

Note I didn't say 'potentially'. I have the confidence to say that he WILL be a great president. If we were going to have a first Black president I like my African descended brothers and sisters wanted him or her to be the best and brightest member of our community. Hopefully at the end of his second term, the nation will be lamenting the fact that we couldn't elect him to a third term.
-TransGriot, February 28, 2009 Why Barack Obama Will Be An Outstanding President

Seems like ages ago and a different more optimistic time that I wrote that post about our newly inaugurated president.   The eight years he has been in office during this historic presidency have flown by and the country is much better than it was when he took it over.
His hair is a lot grayer than when he took the oath of office in 2009 as well.

But now he's about to hand it over in ten days to a blithering Republican idiot and buffoon, but before he does so, he will be in Chicago later tonight to give his farewell address to the nation
The 7000 tickets in the venue where he will deliver that farewell address were distributed in less than fifteen minutes/

Like many people, especially in the African American community, I will probably be shedding a tear of two as the realization hits me that I not only won't see this man and his amazing family living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in ten days, I may not see another African American or other person of color elected president in my lifetime .

And after five trips to the White House during this presidency, I know after January 20 I won't be going there, much less seeing the inside of that building for the next four years.  I also won't feel , much less feel as proud of my president as I was of Barack Hussein Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and their wonderful daughters..  

The speech will air at 8 PM CST, and I like many Americans will be glued to the television to watch it.

The 2017 Trans 100 List Goes International!

Well international trans folks, you are finally getting what you have asking for ever since the Trans 100 List founded by Antonia D'orsay cranked up here in the US several years ago.

The Trans 100 List is going international.

The 2017 Trans 100 International List will honor those trans people who are NOT in North America (North America for the purposes of this award is Canada, Mexico and the United States)
North America will have its own 2017 Trans 100 nomination list that you can nominate people for via the link provided.

Here are the guidelines for the 2017 Trans 100 Nominations

– Nominees must have been living and working to improve the lives of trans people for at least six months of the prior year. (International will be 2015 and 2016)
– Nominees can be working at any scale, locally, regionally, or nationally.
– We would like to see all parts of the country represented.
– We particularly encourage the addition of the otherwise unsung or only locally known workers.
– We particularly encourage the addition of persons of color.
– Nominees must identify as trans.
– Nominations must include a means of contacting them.
– Organizations are eligible, provided the organization is entirely run by trans persons.

This is not an award. The goal is to recognize outstanding members for the Work itself, and it is the work they do that is considered before anything else.

Nominations will close on March 1, 2017, at midnight MST.

Notes:

– Voting is anonymous.
– The list will not be ranked, and the tally will not be publicized.
– Nominees will be contacted by the Trans 100 Team for permission before the list is published

Here's the link for the 2017 Trans 100 International Nominations

So yes, I'm excited to see what trans folks in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, Australia, Europe and the Middle East will be nominated and eventually make the final cut for doing the work of standing up for transkind in 2015 and 2016.

Landis Smithers, This Is What Golden Globes Trans Beauty Looks Like

I'm more than a little sick of people letting their inner transphobic bigot out and aiming transmisogynist comments at cis women for whatever jacked up reason.

Far too often they get aimed at Black women in positions of power like Serena Williams and First Lady Michelle Obama.   It's even more odious and heightens my pissivity about it when the trans misogynist comments come from someone who is a member of the TBLGQ community

Last night, Landis Smithers the VP of Grindr, took to Twitter to make a comment about actress Kristen Wiig's new short hairstyle and tweeted this:

Well Landis, guess your ignorant behind wasn't aware of it last night, but there were actual trans feminine beauties attending the Golden Globe Awards last night and slaying the red carpet in actresses Trace Lysette and Rain Valdez

Rain's Golden Globes red carpet pic is gracing the top of this post, and here's Trace's red carpet slayage:

Landis, this is why I have a major problem with your tweet.   At a time when the Republican Party, the conservative movement, right wing 'christians' , my home state of Texas and several others are openly attacking the humanity and human rights of trans people,  I'm beyond sick and tired of white gay men like you thinking that you can disparage trans women or aim trans misogynistic and shady comments at cisgender ones and arrogantly think you won't get called out on it by us.

Trans women are women,even if your behind doesn't get that simple point.  Some of us when we transition hit the genetic lottery and turned out gorgeous.  The long stylish line of trans models going back to the 60's drives that point home.

There's also an ever growing list of trans actresses in Hollywood in addition to Rain and Trace like Alexandra Billings, Angelica Ross, Jen Richards, Laverne Cox, Mya Taylor, Amiyah Scott, Zackary Drucker and Jamie Clayton just to name a few of them who will be slaying red carpets and hopefully getting awards for their trailblazing work in the near future.

I also can't forget Aleshia Brevard, who was blazing the Hollywood trail that many of these women are following

And FYI  Landis, short hair doesn't make a woman less feminine.  Ask Toni Braxton, Halle Berry, Lupita Nyong'o and countless others who look fab with short hair and have walked red carpets while doing so

Trace and Rain are just two examples of the diverse beauty of trans women that exist not only in Hollywood, but across this country and the world.

And we trans women will continue being our fab selves slaying runways, red carpets, beauty pageants and just being our amazing selves in whatever setting we find ourselves in.

The ISS Will Finally Get A Black Astronaut On It!

NASA has launched 14 African Americans into space through it history.   Thanks to the movie Hidden Figures, we now know that African-American women played a prominent role in America's first manned space mission.

But NASA hasn't sent an African American astronaut to the International Space Station,  and that is thankfully about to change.

On Wednesday NASA announced that Dr. Jeanette J. Epps would become the first African American to board and stay on the ISS.   She will join fellow astronaut Andrew Feustel as a flight engineer on Expedition 56 to the ISS that will launch in May 2018 ,and will stay onboard for Expedition 57

Epps has a PhD in aerospace engineering, and has been a NASA astronaut since 2009

The Syracuse, NY native will become when that May 2018 launch happens the 13th woman to spend time on the ISS and only the fourth African American woman to fly in space.

She's currently training for that historic mission, and looking forward to seeing it happen.  .

Meryl Streep's 2017 Golden Globes Speech

“This instinct to humiliate, when it’s modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters down into everybody’s life, because it kinda gives permission for other people to do the same thing.  Disrespect invites disrespect, violence incites violence. And when the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.”
-Meryl Streep

I took a nap earlier this afternoon, and guess I needed the rest because I only just woke up thirty minutes ago.   That meant I missed the Golden Globe Awards and the amazing speech Meryl Streep made while accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award

Since the conservafools are complaining about it and her eviscerating Trump in it, that means she plucked some conservanerves. Good. because these times call for unapologetic truth tellers.

Here's the speech if you missed it.

Black Trans Advocacy Statement Concerning SB 6

TransGriot Note:  One of the Texas organizations condemning SB 6, the Transgender Oppression Act is the Dallas based Black Trans Advocacy, the umbrella org for Black Trans Women, Inc, Black Transmen, Inc, the Black Trans Advocacy Conference, and the Black Trans International Pageantry System.

Here is a statement from BTA about the introduction by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) and Sen Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) of SB 6.  

***

January 6, 2017

Black Trans Advocacy, Black Transwomen, Inc, Black Transmen, Inc and the Black Trans International Pageantry System are angered but not surprised as Texas based organizations by the decision of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst to continue the Republican Party's attack on Texas trans people and specifically Texas trans women.

In case you've forgotten Lt Governor Patrick,  our state motto is 'Friendship', not Hatred

The introduction yesterday of the unjust, immoral and unconstitutional SB6  is nothing more than a frontal assault on the humanity and human rights of Texas trans people.  We are also concerned about the negative effects a passed SB 6 would have on trans Texans and visitors who come to the Lone Star State to enjoy our hospitality and attend our Dallas based Black Trans Advocacy Conference that is now in its sixth year.

Texas trans people are spouses, family members, children, business owners, taxpayers and your neighbors who would also feel the negative repercussions of any boycott of the Lone Star State  that would occur if SB 6 were unfortunately passed.   That boycott  would do irreparable harm to our state's economy and condemn the Lone Star State to face the same international rebuke and scorn as a human rights oppressor that North Carolina is facing.

We urge our lieutenant governor and Sen Kolkhorst to withdraw this reprehensible bill.  We insist as Texas residents and voters that you spend this 85th Texas Legislative session focusing on the issues of importance to our state. Attacking the humanity of Texas trans people is an unnecessary political distraction, and frankly is nothing more than legislative bigotry and oppression.

If you persist in pushing transphobic legislative bigotry upon our community, you, Sen Kolkhorst and the Texas Republican Party will own the responsibility of lost Texas jobs and billions of dollars in lost business revenue.

More importantly, you and your party will bear the responsibility for the harm done to the lives of the transgender Texans that we proudly and unapologetically serve.

How Many Transphobic Hate Sermons Were Preached This Morning?

We have had two trans people of color killed in Mississippi and South Dakota in the first full week of 2017 along with anti-trans legislation being introduced by Republican controlled legislatures in several states including my home state of Texas.

The Roman Catholic Church has hated on us since 2003 and Pope Francis along with is predecessor Pope Benedict have repeatedly made hateful statements about trans people   The Southern Baptist Church has made it clear since 2014 they hate the trans community, and so has the Republican Party and the conservative movement in terms of being gleeful oppressors of the trans community.  The TERF's (trans exterminationist radical 'feminists' ) have enthusiastically hated on us since the early 70's.

Even the Ku Klux Klan is joining World War T.   It's a culture war we didn't ask for, but we have no choice but to fight for our humanity and human rights against this Axis of Transphobic Evil and win it.

It should be obvious to anyone paying attention that the humanity of trans people is under attack. It made me wonder before I went to sleep last night while pondering the ongoing rebukes of Kim Burrell for her anti-gay hate speech she spewed from the pulpit at her northside Houston church she tried to claim was a sermon, how many anti-trans hate sermons would be preached from pulpits this morning?

If that number is above one, it's still one too many.   And yeah, if you open that Bible you barely read to the Ten Commandments, it says you should not be bearing false witness against thy neighbor.

Thy neighbor includes your transgender neighbor.   Far too much false witnessing happening when it comes to the trans community from our willfully ignorant opposition, and especially those of you who claim you are Christians but are really serving someone else.  

Before you Satan's Helpers attempt to step to me and start talking about 'what the Bible says' about transpeople or quoting Pope Francis or other faith based hatemongers, here's some words from Jesus himself in Matthew 19:12 about eunuchs.

For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. 

Eunuchs by the way, are the equivalent of today's trans people/   Trans people are part of the diverse mosaic of human life, and we inhabit every continent on Earth save for Antarctica.   It wouldn't surprise me to hear about a girl or guy like us actually being at one of those research stations at the frozen bottom of the world.

Translation:  We're transgender humans. We inhabit every nation,   We're amazing, talented people We aren't going anywhere, and our humanity and human rights are not up for political or theological debate.

Many of us are also part of various faith traditions including Christianity.  Deal with it.

Just so we're clear on this last point, faux faith based transphobic bigots, transphobia wrapped in bigotry is still transphobia and will be resisted with every fiber of our beings.  Your attempts in 2017 of Bible belting us will be rebuked and called out by me, my community and our allies.

It is my hope and prayer that the majority of sermons preached today here in Houston, across the state of Texas, the nation and the world were more like Rev. Denise Junious' sermon.she shared with the congregation at Resurrection MCC today and not the transphobic variety



There are far more pastors like Rev Junious, Rev. Lura Groen, Bishop Yvette Flunder and countless others around the nation and the world who get it that loving thy neighbor includes your TBLGQ neighbors as well.

For those of you who choose hating TBLGQ people over loving them, your religion is nothing but as the Rev.Dr. Martin Luther King ,Jr stated, a 'dry as dust religion'.  

Any religion which professes to be concerned with the souls of men and is not concerned with the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them, and the social conditions that cripple them, is a dry-as-dust religion. 

Meditate on that, and y'all have a blessed day.

6.5 Million Hits!

As of 11:37 PM CST on January 7, I had the 6.5 millionth visitor surf by and peruse my blog in its 11th year of unapologetic truth telling.

It was helped along by my post discussing the SB 6 press conference unexpectedly going viral and sadly, two memorial posts for our first two trans murder victims of 2017.

I also find it apropos that it happened mere days after I passed my January 1 blogiversary.

Once again, I thank you longtime and new TransGriot readers who surf by and read the current and archived posts I have here. 2017 is probably going to be a busy year for me personally and writing wise, and I thank everyone for their kind words and letting me know how much this blog means to them.

On to the next milestone of 7 million hits!