What's Victoria's Secret? - It's Transphobic

One of the things that I did early into my transition was head to the Victoria's Secret store near my old southwest side apartment and buy a couple of pairs of Victoria's Secret bras and panties that I liked.

The 2018 edition of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show just happened in New York City after bouncing to Shanghai and Paris for the last two years. 

The show has propelled some of its participants like Brazil's Adriana Lima into modeling superstardom, and I know that one of the goals of some of my trans sisters who are ripping runways like Isis King and Carmen Carrera is to one day walk that Victoria Secret Fashion show that is broadcast to the US and 44 nations around the world.

Several years ago there was an online petition campaign seeking to have Carrera become the first trans Angel that garnered over 40,000 signatures.   That petition was ignored.

Now we know why.   Victoria's Secret Chief Marketing Officer Ed Razek revealed in a recent interview that transphobia and prejudice against plus size models roams its hallways in response to a question from American Vogue magazine's Nicole Phelps about whether trans models would have the opportunity to become Victoria's Secret Angels.

"No. No, I don’t think we should,” Razek told Phelps.

“Well, why not?",asked Phelps in a follow up question.

"Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is. It is the only one of its kind in the world, and any other fashion brand in the world would take it in a minute, including the competitors.”

Umm hmm.  When the worldwide backlash from those transphobic and plus size phobic interview comments hit, Rezek tried to quickly backpedal from what he said.

Came across as insensitive?   Dude, it was straight up insensitive and transphobic to boot.   Carmen Carrera and other trans models have reported they have never received a casting call invitation from VS for the show. 

I also have a major problem with the fact you barely have models of color in your shows, and it's why I don't care to watch the VS fashion Show broadcast.

Other trans women have (and still are) expressing themselves about Rezek's comments like my British trans sister Munroe Bergdorf.

"To me, his apology sounds like back-pedaling and brand damage limitation. The damage has already been done and he has exposed himself and the brand for how they view women who do not fit a very exclusive and narrow minded criteria when it comes to gender and body shape."

To her, Razek’s original comments “speak volumes about how certain people within the industry still view trans women.” “This comment is rooted in transphobia and feeds into the narrative that trans women are not women,” Bergdorf states. “If you want to sell a fantasy, then sell a fantasy. Fantasy can be whatever you want it to be and if that intentionally doesn't include trans women, then that's your prejudice talking. The reality is that trans women are desired by many, to suggest otherwise is shortsighted and without doubt transphobic.”

Carmen Carrera said this in response to a Teen Vogue interview question about why Victoria's Secret has been slow to embrace diversity.

"I think that Victoria’s Secret is afraid, and they’re unwilling to take a risk. I think we are seen as a liability rather than the amazing opportunity we truly are. I think by them not including us, it's sending a dark message and contributing to the ignorance and hate that exists today. They as a company have the power to give us the opportunities that we need to thrive, and to actually set the record straight on who we are to the world at large. They need to stop looking at us as a liability, and instead look at us as potential for positive change in the world," she stated.

"Because that’s who we’ve always been. It almost feels like they’re waiting for us to become famous enough on our own until they have no choice but to include us, but the reality is that’s almost impossible without help and support from companies like them in the first place. It’s hard for us to thrive without the resources. We’re so disenfranchised: We barely have equal rights and federal protection. They have the power and potential to help change that,." Carrera continued.

I was considering buying some Victoria's Secret undies for myself and some trans friends of mine for Christmas, but I think I'll pass until a trans feminine person (or multiple trans feminine people) rip that VS runway.   

TransGriot Note: Thanks to Elizabeth Rivera for the VS boycott graphic

'Assigned Male' Cartoonist Sophie Labelle In Houston Today!

I met Sophie during the 2012  Philly Trans Health Conference and fell in love not only with the French Canadian cartoonist, girl like us and public speaker, but her Assigned Male comic.

Assigned Male chronicles the adventures of Stephie, a young Canadian trans girl from Montreal getting adjusted to life while trans.   The cast of Assigned Male also includes her gender nonconforming friend Ciel, their cis friend Eirikur, her boyfriend Frank, her brother Virgil and a diverse cast of minor characters.

And yes, I'm a fan of Assigned Male, with its cast of unapologetic trans and gender nonconforming characters making their way in the world.  It also has some timely commentary on events transpiring in Canada, the US and the world concerning trans people.

It has also drawn it share of right wing haters who hate the unapologetic truth telling that Assigned Male brings to its updated three times a week webcomic pages. 

Labelle is currently doing a US Tour, and the southern US leg of it started in New Orleans with stops in Austin last night, Houston today and Denton on Tuesday.

Looking forward to seeing Sophie and welcoming her to H-town.  If you want to see her and get some Assigned Male swag at the same time, you'll need to swing by the Montrose Center starting at 4 PM CST.

Tired Of The Racist Commentary Being Aimed At Judge-elect Hidalgo

On Tuesday night no doubts were left that Harris County is undeniably blue as the blue tsunami knocked every remaining Republican judge off the bench, fired the much disliked Stan Stanart, and left every executive position in Democratic hands when the night was over.

Lina Hidalgo's upset win over longtime county judge Ed Emmett combined with Adrian Garcia's win for the Precinct 2 commissioners court seat put the Democrats in control of that body for the first time in over a decade.

Much of the racist vitriol about the shellacking the Harris County Republicans took Tuesday night is being aimed at our new county judge-elect, who at 27 is the youngest person ever elected to the position since 1937.  She's also the first Latina to also hold the top executive position in Harris County. 

And frankly. I'm tired of it.

As you have probably guessed, the commentary from the right wing peanut gallery is that 'straight ticket Democratic voters put her in office'.  And that came from sore loser Ed Emmett. 

The MAGAt's have picked up on that attack line, in addition to calling her 'unqualified' and 'inexperienced' along with other epithets I won't repeat in this post.   As for the other ridiculous charge of 'she's never attended a Harris County commissioners court meeting' or 'hasn't spent much time in the county', hello, she was spending that time outside the county getting a Stanford degree. 

I am a native Houstonian and I've never attended a commissioners court meeting either.   So what's your point with that BS line?    I know one commissioner court meeting I am going to attend soon is the one in which she and Adrian Garcia are officially sworn in.

Hidalgo has a degree from Stanford University and studied public policy at Harvard.  She's going to get a chance to put that education to work on behalf of the 5 million residents of Harris County. 

I find it interesting y'all don't worry about qualifications and experience when it's a Republican white male running for a position.   You also didn't complain about straight ticket voting when it benefitted your party in 2010 and 2014.

And speaking of complaints, I'll bet if Hidalgo were a white female with the same or lesser qualifications, we wouldn't be hearing a peep out of the GOP peanut gallery, especially if she was on their political team.  But because she's a Latinx woman, and her upset win flipped control of commissioner's court to make it look more like our diverse county, y'all wanna hate. 

I'm also tired of hearing people on the left grousing about Emmett being bounced.  Really don't care, because as far as I'm concerned, the only good Republican politician these days is an out of office one. 

If Emmett were a good man as y'all claim he is, he would have left the Republican Party.  Since he didn't, he paid the political price for it in a county that is filled with non-white people sick and tired of being repeatedly attacked and demonized by the Texas GOP.

Harris County is blue, I and the majority of Democratic voters wanted Democrats in these positions and we seized the opportunity to make Harris County blue again. 

And yes, I think she'll do an excellent job in the position. 

So be mad and stay mad about that Harris County GOP snowflakes.   But what we will not do is tolerate racist commentary being aimed at our new County Judge-elect.|

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks- Week 10

While I stayed above .500 during Week 9 because I was on the wrong side of a few close games, Mike had another double digit win week.

My Texans are now on a six game winning streak and chilling on their bye week along with the Broncos , Ravens and Vikings

Time to get serious and rebound from last week.   Mike's picks are here 

Week 9 Results                                        2018 NFL Season Results
TransGriot   8-5                                       TransGriot  88-44-2
Mike           11-2                                      Mike           87-45-2

Thursday Night Games
Steelers over Panthers

Sunday Early Games
Bears over Lions
Saints over Bengals
Falcons over Browns
Jaguars over Colts
Chiefs over Cardinals
Bills over Jets
Washington over Buccaneers
Patriots over Titans

Sunday Afternoon Games
Chargers over Raiders
Packers over Dolphins
Rams over Seahawks

Sunday Night Game
Eagles over Cowboys

Monday Night Game
49ers over Giants

Trans America Has a Great 2018 Election Night

The political junkie in me was up late watching returns and election coverage until I finally called it a night at 3 AM.   While I was focused on Texas, local and some key national races, I also had a nervous eye cast in the direction of Massachusetts to see what was happening with Question 3.

After a trans non discrimination law was passed in 2016 with public accommodations language, the Axis of Anti-trans Evil in the Bay State gathered signatures to put it on the ballot.

It was the first time we'd had a trans rights law put on the ballot for potential repeal, and the stakes were high surrounding Question 3.  A loss using the same bathroom predator attacks in a blue state means that us red state folks would probably spend 2019 fighting a red tide of anti-trans referenda.  A win means our Massachusetts trans and GNC fam keep that hard fought for law.

The national trans community justifiably saw this as a must win referendum.  Laverne Cox, VA Del Danica Roem, Trans United Fund and other people went to the state to help the YES on 3 team get what turned out to be a huge win for American transkind as the Trump misadministration is preparing to ramp up anti-trans oppression.

Question 3 was a resounding win for the trans community  1.5 million Massachusetts voters, or 67.7 percent, voted YES to preserve the current anti-discrimination law and support transgender rights. About 700,000 people or 32.3 percent, voted NO.

While the Massachusetts Question 3 referendum was the big news for Trans Election Night 2018, we also had in New Hampshire two more trans women get elected to state legislatures.

Gerri Cannon and Lisa Bunker were elected to the New Hampshire House.  Cannon finished second in the Stafford County District 18 race.  Bunker will represent Rockingham County after she won in District 18, that includes the city of Exeter.

Brianna Titone's race in Colorado is too close to call at this moment.  She's trailing by 400 votes in the race for the open Arvada area HD-27 seat    In another open seat race in Montana's HD 52, Amelia Marquez is trailing Republican Rodney Garcia by just 205 votes

As for the other trans candidates in this cycle, Christine Hallquist's bid to become the first ever trans governor fell short in Vermont, but she got an impressive 40% of the vote. 

Martin Rawlings- Fein and Mia Satya fell short in their San Francisco school board races,

In my home state of Texas, Finnigan Jones got 44% of the vote, but lost to incumbent Republican Tony Tinderholt.    The Austin City Council races also didn't break Danielle Skidmore's or Jessica Cohen's way in their respective council district races.

So we trans Texans are still waiting for our first elected trans officeholder.

So while we had a great night, it definitely could have been a lot better.   These close races will eventually break our way and result in more trans people getting elected and #TransformingPolitics when we do so. 

But we did take more steps toward making that political day happening

It's Election Day, Family! Go Vote!

At 7 AM the polls will open in Texas and across the nation for a crucial election that will determine the course of this country.    If you haven't voted already, please do so.

Nah, scratch that.  That crucial election to our country was two years ago.  The one today will determine how fast and how much of the mess gets cleaned up from Agent Orange's disastrous mispresidency. 

As for how I feel at this moment?   I'm nervous, but a lot more confident we'll have some successes to celebrate later tonight than I was in the last days before the 2016 election..

I've already cast my ballot.   I did so on the first day of early voting, and was part of the massive early voting turnout in Harris County that saw over 855K of us heading to the polls nearly matching our 2016 presidential election numbers.   There were over 5 million Texans lining up to do so across the state as the last minute attack ad blitz and nonstop political ads had me frequently picking up my remote to hit the mute button.

So who did I vote for?   Damned sure wasn't my Texas Republican oppressors.  I had plenty of great Democratic candidates to vote for up and down the ballot. 

In Harris County, I got the pleasure of voting for the 19 Black women who are seeking to sprinkle their sorely needed Black Girl Magic, Black Excellence and diversity all over our Harris County court system.    Good luck to you, ladies.

We have trans candidates on the ballot across the country seeking to transform politics and make history in their respective states.   Christine Hallquist is running for governor of Vermont.  Brianna Titone and Amelia Marquez are seeking to become state legislators in Colorado and Montana.
Martin Rawlings-Fein and Mia Satya are running for positions on the San Francisco school board.

And in the Lone Star State, Danielle Skidmore, Jessica Cohen and Finnigan Jones are running for the Austin City Council and Texas Legislature.

I'll be casting an nervous eye toward Massachusetts to see if Question 3 either passed to protect the human rights of trans Bay Staters or enough transphobic Massholes voted NO to gut the just passed trans rights law.

I'll also be looking at Georgia, Florida and Maryland to see if all three states elected their first Black governors in Stacey Abrams, Andrew Gillum and Ben Jealous.

To avoid the nerve wracking anxiety of watching the clock and trying to resist the temptation to watch MSNBC and CNN until the polls close, I'll definitely be relying on my DVD movie collection and Netflix subscription to distract me.   

When the polls finally do close,  if I don't attend somebody's watch party,  I'll be at home hitting the laptop going to the Harris County elections website and yelling "Fire Stan Stanart" as our election returns get released at a snail's pace.

Remember, voting is like driving a car.   If you want society to move forward, you vote 'D'.  If you want society to move backwards, you vote 'R'

 Once again, it's Election Day!  Handle your electoral business and go vote.

Radio Interview With Paola Acha Today

Another day, another radio interview.   This time I'll be on the air with the lovely Paola Acha, the hostess of the Be Cool Be Smart show on KNLY 91.1 FM The Boss in The Woodlands.

Yep, the Woodlands. 

Her show runs from 3- 4PM CST and is available through YouTube and Facebook Live

Looking forward to heading up to the northern 'burbs in Montgomery County and spending what promises to be an enjoyable hour talking about whatever issues come up for discussion in that time frame

Here's the link to the show

WPATH Conference Starts Today

The 25th biennial World Professional Association for Transgender Health Conference (WPATH) is starting today in Buenos Aires, Argentina and running through November 6.

So what is WPATH?   It is a professional association headquartered in the United States devoted to the study and treatment of gender dysphoria, that was formerly known as the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association. 

 

Its mission is to promote evidence based care, education, research, advocacy, public policy, and respect in transgender health.  In addition to medical professionals and trans activists, other attendees include people working in the fields of psychology, law, social work, counseling, psychotherapy, family studies, sociology, anthropology, speech and voice therapy and sexology.

Non professionals in those fields are also welcome to join WPATH, but don't have voting privileges in the organization.

With trans communities in the US, Great Britain and elsewhere facing unprecedented facts free attacks on their humanity and human rights, this conference is happening in Argentina at a crucial time in our community's history.

Argentina has also been a leader in the last few years in passing trans supportive human rights policies and laws.

Good luck to everyone traveling to Buenos Aires for this conference, and may they all return to their home nations better informed on trans medical issues and the issues of importance to trans communities around the world.

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks- Week 9

The calendar has flipped to November,  the NFL trading deadline passed on October 30, and we're past the halfway point of the NFL season with my Texans, after stumbling out of the gate 0-3, now on a five game winning streak and in first place in the AFC South with a two game lead on the Tennessee Traitors.

And at the trading deadline, they added Demaryius Thomas to our receiving corps after Will Fuller tore his ACL in last week's win over the Dolphins. 

In Week 8 of the NFL prognostication contest I have going with Mr Watts, both of us tied with 13-1 records, narrowly missing getting that first ever perfect week.   I got the Seahawks-Lions game wrong, and Mike got the Cardinals- 49ers one incorrect. 

I still have the lead going into the second half of the season, and it's time to build on it.  Only have  13 games to pick because six teams, the Cardinals, Bengals, Jaguars, Colts, Eagles and Giants are all on their bye week.

Y'all know the drill. Teams I pick to win in bold print with the HOME team in caps.   Mike's picks will be available via this link

Week 8 Results                                                   2018 NFL Season Results
TransGriot  13-1                                                  TransGriot  80-39-2
Mike           13-1                                                  Mike           76-43-2


Thursday Night Game
Raiders over 49ERS

Sunday Early Games
Bears over BILLS
PANTHERS over Buccaneers
Chiefs over BROWNS
DOLPHINS over Jets
Steelers over RAVENS
VIKINGS over Lions
WASHINGTON over Falcons

Sunday Afternoon Games
Texans over BRONCOS
SEAHAWKS over Chargers
Rams over SAINTS

Sunday Night Game
PATRIOTS over Packers

Monday Night Game
COWBOYS over Titans

Tommie Ross Recovery Fundraiser

As many of you know, and I've told her personally, I have mad love and respect for my Houston homegirl and Miss Continental 1999-2000 Tommie Ross.

One of my early forays into Montrose was a trek to Studio 13 to watch her perform.  Her graceful elegance made her one of my transition role models.   I can't forget when I finally did meet her she not only is one gracious and lovely individual, she thoroughly whipped my butt when we played pool one night in 1990 at a defunct club called Uptown Downtown.

Was saddened and upset to hear that she suffered a mild stroke while traveling out of the country.  She drifted in and out of consciousness, had a fever, temporary kidney loss, suffered some memory loss and lost the ability to walk. 

I also didn't appreciate hearing about a shady drag queen making some disrespectful remarks about Miss Ross while she was in serious condition in a local hospital. 

More about that waste of DNA later.  Back to talking about Tommie. 

When she returned to the States, her condition worsened and after a battery of tests were conducted by her medical team, she was diagnosed with Legionnaires Disease.

After several rounds of antibiotics to treat the infection that got embedded in her lungs, she has begun to regain her ability to speak from the strole, and was able to stand up for the first time recently with the aid of a walker

Her medical team believes that she will fully recover over the next few months, and she is facing several rounds of physical therapy that she is determined to get through.

People have asked what they can do to help Tommie as she goes through this trying time.  A fundraiser has been set up with a $25,000 goal,.  So far as of this writing it has reached $3785,  so there's a long way to go to hit the targeted amount.

So if you can help a legendary sister out, please do so.   The link to the fundraiser is here.

Two Trans Women Elected In Alaska!

We in the lower 48 don't get much news out of Alaska, and when we do it's focused far too often on the tabloid mess coming from the Palin family.

But in a rough week for trans kind, we definitely can use some good news, and it's coming out of the city of Fairbanks.

In an electoral history making moment in the state of Alaska, two trans people have been elected to office in the area, and are now serving in their respective positions in Kathy Ottersten and Liz Lyke.

It comes during an election year in which like everywhere else in the US, women were running for office at all levels of government 

Ottersten was elected to a Fairbanks city council seat, while Lyke was elected to a seat on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly,  Fairbanks is the second largest city in the state of Alaska with an estimated population of 32,751 residents.  The Fairbanks North Star Borough has a population of over 97,000 residents.

Boroughs are equivalent to county level governments in the other 48 states.

Ottersten is serving as a newly elected representative on the Fairbanks City Council in Seat D for one year.  Lyke is ironically serving a three year term on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly in Seat D.

While Ottersten and Lyke just want to get to the business of serving their constituents and insist that being trans is just a small portion of their lives, I and the trans community recognize and salute the political history they just made in the Last Frontier for our community. 

Congrats ladies, and may you have much success serving your community to the best of your ability. 

Stan Stanart Trafficking In Anti-Semitism In Re-Election Bid

I have loathed Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart, the Republican in charge of Harris County's voting apparatus for years.  He has made it clear multiple times he is a partisan hack who camouflages it a veneer of 'good Republican' respectability in order to get crossover votes. 

In addition to wasting $2.75 million of Harris County tax dollars on an automated voter check in system that is still not ready for election prime time, he has engaged in voter suppression on behalf of his party as he desperately tries (and fails) to keep Harris County from inexorably turning blue by restricting early voting hours from 8 AM-4 PM in the Lone Star State's largest and most populous county during the first week of it to 8 AM-4 PM instead of 7 AM-7 PM.

For this midterm it was 8 AM-4:30 PM.   

He also pissed off the Houston TBLGQ community back in 2015.  On the day the Obergefell v. Hodges SCOTUS ruling dropped, he stalled the issuance of marriage licenses for same sex couples for most of the day until he was forced to issue them by Harris County attorney Vince Ryan and several couples ready with attorneys on hand to handle their marriage business. 

Stanart then later shadily changed the design of the Harris County marriage licenses to include a pic of a man and woman getting married.

The non-white community in Harris County despises him to the point that #FireStanStanart has been a hashtagged rallying cry for us every election cycle as we fume not only about the suppression efforts, but how slowly the election night returns come in from his office.

Stanart is finally up for reelection and being challenged by Diane Trautman, the Democratic nominee for his job.   It has come to light that on his campaign website he is pimping an anti-Semitic attack on George Soros in order to stave off election defeat.

Make NO mistake, George Soros wants to control Harris County Elections and Stan Stanart is in his way. If Harris County, larger in population than 26 states, allows socialists like Soros to control our elections, then Texas is next. It is almost impossible for a Republican to win the White House without the 38 Electoral College votes from Texas. 

Stan needs your help TODAY to fight the millions that Soros and his allies plan to pour into Harris County. There are many more Flag Waving, defenders of the Constitution then those who support Soros’ world views, but remember “All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.”– Edmund Burke.

This is disgusting, and Stanart needs to be punished at the polls for it.  Fortunately we have a few days left in early voting and Election Day on November 6 to #FireStanStanart, and hire Diane Trautman in his place.

TransGriot Update:  Stanart has pulled the disgusting ad from his website.   Still needs to be bounced from his position and replaced by Diane Trautman  

'Trans People Deserve To Live' Banner Displayed During World Series Game

I wasn't watching Game 5 of the 2018 World Series in Los Angeles because I'm still salty about what happened to my Astros.   But when chatter started popping up online about something happening at the game, I took a few moments from the writing assignment I was working on to check it out.

My online social media search was rewarded with the glorious sight of a trans flag themed banner being unfurled in Dodger Stadium with the words 'Trans People Deserve To Live' on it.

The question that crossed my mind when I saw it was,"I wonder if the trans Latinas were behind this?" It didn't take long to have my hunch confirmed that it was indeed the Trans Latina Coalition handling their Dodger Stadium protest business.

Bamby Salcedo and Maria Roman were at the Red Sox- Dodgers game and during the fifth inning, dropped the banner from the left field upper deck seats of the stadium.

Even if I had been watching the game, would have found out about it until later because the banner according to multiple reports, wasn't shown during the FOX broadcast of the game.

It did hang for a few minutes before security personnel intervened, removed the banner and escorted Salcedo and Roman out of the ballpark without incident and without being arrested .

“I felt my heart was dropping along with it,” said Salcedo,  the president of the Trans Latina Coalition in an interview with INTO. “I was kind of exploding because of the adrenaline. You don’t know what’s going to happen with the police and security and all of that.”

Even though the banner drop didn't make it on the FOX broadcast of what turned out to be the final game of the World Series, it is blowing up on social media.

Salcedo is calling for trans people in other communities to take up space in mainstream community events and replicate the action just conducted in Los Angeles as a show of resistance to the anti-trans actions being aimed at us.

“I hope that this action will motivate members of the trans community, our allies and our comrades to really activate and to really understand that we have power,” Salcedo said. “We can demonstrate our power anywhere and everywhere.”

Yes, we can.    What it also demonstrates is that we will not be erased, either. 

Houston Stands With The Trans Community Rally Happening Today

We have seen this Trump Misadministration ever since they gained power gleefully attempt to roll back and eviscerate the human rights of trans Americans.

While their initial actions such as attempting to ban trans people from serving in the military have been bogged down in the courts, others they have executed have been successful such as the Department of Education not taking student discrimination complaints. 

In addition to wiping all mention of trans people off US government websites, the Sessions controlled Department of (In)Justice is tying to push a legislative interpretation that claims trans people aren't covered under Title VII and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. and open us up to discrimination.

The persecution of trans people not only extends to our trans kids and their parents, but also extends to our trans immigrant population.

Since trans people are under attack by this government, we are doing what we must do in terms of standing up and fighting back against the oppression. 

The Organization Latina de Trans en Texas (OLTT) is organizing a rally starting at 7 PM that will give our allies and accomplices a chance to show support to our local trans and gender nonconforming community. 

It will also send the message that we're here, we're part of the Houston community and we won;t be erased.

Houston City Hall is located at 901 Bagby Street, and the rally will take place on the steps near the reflecting pool side of the building.     Hope to see you there!

Why I Hate The 'Vote The Person, Not The Party' Line

One of the things I have been sick of hearing in the 2018 cycle is Republicans, knowing they are about to take a serious butt whipping at the polls on November 6, trotting out that 'vote the person not the party' line in a desperate attempt to save themselves from the Blue Tsunami that is about to engulf them.

What has me doing some hard solid thinking about this issue is a couple of local races.   There was an AKA candidate forum held here about two weeks ago in which one of the Black Republican judges, Melanie Flowers, got huffy because the Democratic ones kept saying vote a straight Democratic ticket during all their presentations. 

Flowers got appointed to the 257th District Court seat by Gov Greg Abbott, and is now being challenged by the Democratic nominee Sandra Peake for it.   

Because we have partisan election of judges here in Texas, we are subject to having these wild swings in which during the GOP waves of 2010 and 2014, we lost all the Democratic judges who had the misfortune of running that year, and in 2008, 2012 and  2016 the reverse happened to the Republicans. 

Black Republican judges also have to deal with the fact they get primary challenged by their bigot wing.  Flowers was bounced from a previous judicial bench in a GOP primary.   It's one of the major  reasons why besides the fact that Flowers is in the wrong party, why I'd rather have Peake serving on that judicial bench.

I've also been pissed by far too many white liberal progressives in my circles stating they are going to vote for the ten year incumbent Ed Emmett's problematic behind for Harris County judge instead of the eminently qualified Democratic nominee in Lina Hidalgo.   They usually say that BS line in a weak attempt to justify it, or harp on the nebulous 'experience' excuse.

Really?  Hidalgo is a Stanford grad pursuing a joint degree in law and public policy.

The vote the person, not the party' argument is highly problematic in a time in which one party has basically become unrepentantly fascist.   If you are a still a member of the Republican Party, by being a member of it you are signaling to me as a Black American you aren't a good person.

It's even more problematic to me if you are a person of color who is a Republican

You signal to me as a trans person of color by being a Republican that you are okay with the gleefully executed persecution of all non-white people, the TBLGQ community and immigrants.

You signal to me that you are okay with white supremacy as long as it doesn't personally impact you, your wallet, or that you can stay blissfully not woke about how it affects non white Americans.

You signal to me that you are okay with Trump's mispresidency, the anti-Black, anti-POC and anti-civil rights policies pushed by the Republican Party, and you're down with its platform.

Well, these Trumpian times call for you 'good Republicans' to make a choice.  If you don't want to get thrown out of office, and consider yourself a 'good person', the time has come for you to take a principled stand and switch parties.

Or you can stay and not only get swamped by the Blue tsunami that's coming, but lose your soul as well.   The choice is yours

Republicans don't vote the person.   They without question fall in line and vote for their party.  If they were really all about 'voting the person and not the party', Hillary Clinton would be living with Bill in the White House family quarters right now, Alabama Republicans wouldn't have voted in massive numbers for that pedophile Roy Moore to be their US senator, and Texas Republicans wouldn't have voted for a three time indicted felon in Ken Paxton to be our state's attorney general.

So no, why should we Democrats not do the same thing in terms of unrelentingly supporting our candidates?  Because the last few years should have taught us by now that you can't get liberal progressive policies from conservative politicians.

You also can't get justice from Republican judges who are making rulings in many cases based on concerns with fending off primary challenges from their bigot wing or getting GOP donors to back them for their next race.

If we want a liberal progressive policy agenda to be legislated into law, we must get control of our government back.   The only way that is going to happen is if we elect Democratic candidates in every election cycle in sufficient numbers.

Republicans have made it clear they don't care about the person, they vote their party.  It's past time that Democrats unapologetically do the same.