Why Including In TDOR's People Who Commit Suicide Is A Bad Idea

We have just concluded the TDOR memorials for 2018 here and around the world.   Sadly we will be doing them again next year on and around November 20.

I'm hearing online chatter about the topic of including trans people who commit suicide in these TDOR memorials.  That's a bad idea, and I'm going to lay out the case why it;s a bad idea.

A trans person who is killed due to a murder doesn't have the choice of and control over when and how they die.   It is a random act of violence that deserves public condemnation, media attention when it happens, and focus to ensure the perpetrator of that murder is tried and convicted for it.

A suicide is not the same as someone who has been murdered by either a random stranger or somebody they know.   The person who commits suicide has the choice of whether to do so or not. and if they do make that call, how and when they die.

Suicide is a serious issue in this community.  I believe a large reason why it has spiked in our community is not only because of the right wing repression of our community, but because of the international media attention that Leelah Alcorn's 2014 suicide got. 

If we are seeking to reduce suicides in the trans community, glamorizing them at a future TDOR is not the pathway to accomplish that goal.   We need to be as a community unequivocally encouraging people to live their best trans lives, not take them. 

As leaders in the trans community, we need to be possibility models encouraging trans people to choose life.   We also need to as leaders be pointing out that one of the powerful ways to send society the middle finger for hating on trans people at is to unapologetically live your life.

Laverne Cox recently revealed in an interview that she once considered over a decade ago committing suicide.   I and the community are glad she didn't, because we now get to witness her groundbreaking award winning acting talent and have the benefit of her advocacy. 

She is also a role model to many in our community, and I get to call her a friend.   But all the fabulousness of Ms. Cox we get to witness would have been lost forever to us if she had followed through 17 years ago on those thoughts of suicide.

Every trans life is a precious one.   By committing suicide, every trans life lost that way makes the TERF's and evilgelicals smile.  It also denies us the opportunity to get to know your amazing self. and deprives us and the world of your talents and future contributions to our community.

TDOR's are and have been for 20 years memorializing the people we lose around the world to anti-trans murders.  The reason the numbers are universally accepted by the media is because founder Gwen Smith set up a strict standard on what gets included on a TDOR list so that we aren't accused by our detractors of inflating them.

It has worked for 20 years.  If it ain't broke, it doesn't need to be fixed or altered without a compelling reason to do so. 

What I will suggest is that if people want to discuss trans suicides, they are welcome to do so in a conversation or event centering the subject that is held during Trans Awareness Week from November 12-19. 

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks- Week 12

Ugh, had my second losing week of the season after being on the wrong side of several close games and that Rams-Chiefs shootout in LA

At least the Texans won their seventh straight game and will go for their eighth consecutive win against the despised Tennessee Traitors on Monday night.

It's Turkey Day, and the games scheduled are anything but turkeys in the Bears-Lions, Cowboys-Washington and Saints-Falcons.

Let me get to my Week 12 picks because I want the stench of that losing week off of me, and once again I've frittered away a lead in this season long prognostication contest..

Mike's Week 12 selections will be here at this link.   Teams I'm picking to win in bold print with HOME team in CAPS.

Week 11 Results                                                        NFL 2018 Season Record
TransGriot   4-9                                                         TransGriot  103-56-2
Mike            7-6                                                         Mike           103-56-2

Thanksgiving Day Games
Bears over LIONS
COWBOYS over Washington
SAINTS over Falcons

Sunday Early Games
EAGLES over Giants
Jaguars over BILLS
PANTHERS over Seahawks
RAVENS over Raiders
49ers over BUCCANEERS
BENGALS over Browns
Patriots over JETS

Sunday Afternoon Games
CHARGERS over Cardinals
Steelers over Broncos
COLTS over Dolphins

Sunday Night Game
VIKINGS over Packers

Monday Night Game
TEXANS over Titans

Mississippi 2018 US Senate Debate

If you thought the 2018 midterms were over, not quite.   We still have some races in a few states that went to runoffs, and others they are still counting ballots in close races. 

One of those states in which a runoff is occurring is Mississippi, where Mike Espy is trying to become the first Black senator elected from the Magnolia State since Hiram Revels did so during Reconstruction.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) was appointed to fill the seat after Thad Cochran resigned for health reasons.  She has lately been making news for all the wrong reasons.

She commented that she would be on the front row of a public hanging lynching, and came out in favor of voter suppression.   An old picture has surfaced with Hyde-Smith in a Confederate cap standing next to a person from an SPLC certified hate group. 

This isn't dog whistle racism.  This is alarm klaxon racism.  That also concerns me as someone who has maternal side family members who live in Mississippi.

The debate between Espy and Confederate Cindy was last night, so if you missed it, here's the video of it.

The Holidays Can Be Hard On My Trans and GNC Family

The 2018 holiday season is about to commence.  People are heading to airports, train stations and hitting the interstate highways to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day with family and friends. 

But as you prepare to make new holiday memories with family, friends and all the people who love you, bear in mind those happy pics you post on social media and the conversations you have about your wonderful holiday dinners can be painful to many of my trans and GNC siblings.

And that depression brought on by forced family separation, exacerbated by constant reminders of the season with the classic holiday Christmas TV shows and movies, Christmas music on the radio, and people out and about doing holiday shopping, can lead to suicide.

Many of my trans and GNC siblings are facing a fall and winter of separation or banishment from their blood families for being their true selves.   It's also true for the Mama and Papa Bears that face the same issue for choosing to support their trans and gender non conforming child over their familial ties with disapproving family members.

So for those of you not in that situation in our community, please do everything in your power to lift our trans and GNC family up during this holiday season.   Invite them to your home for a gathering.  Call them on a regular basis from now through New Year's Day.  Check on them via social media.  Go out with them and do something fun when you can. 

For my trans and gender non conforming fam in that situation this holiday season, do not spend one nanosecond brooding about these holidays and the family that rejected you.  It is not your fault they foolishly chose not to accept the amazing and fabulous person you are.

It's their loss they won't have you at them family gatherings that will be less wonderful without your presence.

While there are some days during this period that are going to be hard not to do so, I challenge you to focus on building holiday memories with the chosen family who do want you in their lives,  I can tell you from experience I light up when I get Christmas cards, baked goods and gifts from my chosen family

There are some cities that have holiday events at their local LGBT centers for the trans and GNC community, so consider attending them.   Hang out with your trans and GNC friends.  Do fun stuff with them, be it Christmas or non Christmas related.  Call other people who may be having a rougher time than you are and talk to them. 

We love you, want you and need your fabulous trans selves to be around for 2019 and beyond

Call trans help lines if you aren't able to talk to someone locally or online, And for you trans allies and accomplices, show your trans family some love this holiday season   Do what you can to make a trans person's life that you are acquainted with better during the holidays.

As I continue to point out, we are an international trans and GNC community.  We are your family,  We understand and feel your pain.   Many of us, myself included, either have been or are still going through it, and we are determined to help you get through this emotion laden rough patch of a season.

I know the holiday can be hard, trans and GNC family.   But there are people inside and outside our community who are standing by to make it better and less sucky for you.   All you have to do is reach out to them and let them help you make things better.

TDOR At 20

Today is the official date of the Transgender Day of Remembrance.  It's been 20 years since Gwen Smith created the TDOR to remember the people that we have lost due to anti-trans violence.

And it's also been 20 years since Rita Hester was murdered, and her killer not being brought to justice.

We have another 22 people who were murdered in 2018, and as per usual in the States, they are disproportionately African American trans people.   Internationally Brazil depressingly leads the pack in being the most dangerous nation to be trans.

Say their names.   Their trans lives mattered.

Christa Lee Steele-Knudslien, 47, North Adams, MA
Vickky Gutierrez, 38, Los Angeles, CA
Zakaria Fry, 28,  Albuquerque, NM
Celine Walker, 38,  Jacksonville, FL
Tonya Harvey, 35, Buffalo, NY

Phylicia Mitchell, 45, Cleveland, OH
Amia Tyrae Berryman, 28, Baton Rouge, LA
Sasha Wall, 29, Chesterfield County, SC  
Carla Patricia Flores-Pavon, 26, Dallas, TX
Nino Fortson, 36, Atlanta, GA
Gigi Pierce, 28,  Portland, OR
Antasha English, 38, Jacksonville, FL
Diamond Stephens, 39, Meridian, MS

Catalina Christina James, 24, Jacksonville, FL
Keisha James, 58, Cleveland, OH
Sasha Garden, 27, Orlando, FL
Vontashia Bell, 18, Shreveport, LA
Dejanay Stanton, 24, Chicago, IL
Shantee Tucker, 30, Philadelphia, PA
Londonn Moore Kinard, 20, North Port, FL
Nikki Janelle Enriquez, 28, Laredo, TX
Ciara Minaj Carter Frazier, 31, Chicago, IL

2018 Trans Murders Stats Breakdown
Female 21-Male/GNC 1)

By Race
White-3   (3 female-0 male)
Latina-3   (3 female-0 male)
Black -16  (15 female-1 male/GNC)
Asian- 0
Native American- 0

By Age
50+  1
40-49  2

30-39  8
20-29  10
10-19- 1

That's 22 people from ages 18-58 that are no longer here with us, simply because they are trans.  When will it stop?   When will we finally be able to as a community to phase out this event? 

And a question that I ask for my Black trans siblings, when will the cis Black community and our legacy organizations care enough to say our Black Trans Lives Matter?

We're still waiting to hear those words from an NAACP president, the Congressional Black Caucus, and Black faith leaders.

And sadly, we're still waiting to hear them.

Moni's Marvelous Milwaukee Weekend

Got my 'I've arrived' phone call done to my mom last night after I arrived, and I'm in the state of Wisconsin and in my nice hotel room overlooking the Milwaukee River at the A Loft Milwaukee Downtown.    I'm also a mere two blocks from the new arena here.

The best part is I'm still in the Central time zone, so no jet lag issues. .

I'm chilling in Wisconsin's largest city, and woke up to snow on the ground to start my busy weekend that melted as the day wore on.    I was also on deadline for my OutSmart column and had to finish that column up

As for the weather, the last two days in Houston already prepped me for it since on Tuesday and Wednesday we were in the mid to low 30's temp wise.

Since I love to when I travel check out the local restaurants and food I can't get in Texas, Ian's Pizza is definitely on my foodie radar, along with Kopp's Frozen Custard.  Also looking forward to exploring the area near the hotel.

I spent part of today at the Milwaukee LGBT Center being this month's featured speaker as part of  their ongoing Stonewall Stage Talk Series.    I got a chance to do what I love and talk about trans history, current political developments, and what got me into my now 20 years of activism .

As soon as the link comes up for that talk, I'll post it.

Tomorrow is the more serious part of why I came here.  I'm the featured speaker for their TDOR that will take place at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee at 7 PM

Hope those of you in the Milwaukee area will check it out.

Moni's Leaving On A Jet Plane To- Milwaukee!

Been a few weeks since I hopped a flight somewhere, and this time I'm headed to the upper Midwest and a first time ever trip to Milwaukee.

And I'll get to see some of my United-CAL family since I'll be flying through IAH on this trip.

I'll be heading up there to speak at their TDOR event at UW-Milwaukee on Sunday night.   I'll also be doing on Saturday from 2-4 PM CST a Stonewall Stage Talk at the FORGE/ MKE LGBT Community Center at 1110 N Market Street.

The TDOR event will be on the UWM Campus in Bolton Hall, Room 150.  Address is 3210 N. Maryland Ave from 7-9 PM CST.   

Looking forward to hanging out with the Milwaukee and Wisconsin TBLGQ community and our allies this weekend.   Hopefully I will get a chance to see the 'Bronze Fonz' before I head back home Monday. 

Milwaukee was the setting for not only the longtime ABC sitcom Happy Days, it was also the setting for several seasons of the spinoff series Laverne and Shirley.

TransGriot 2018 NFL Picks- Week 11

Did a much better job in Week 10 of picking that week's NFL games than I did in the previous week as my hometown NFL squad got to chill out on their bye week while riding a six game win streak after starting the season 0-3.

But they go to Washington DC to take on the NFL franchise with the racist nickname I refuse to repeat.  They, like the Texans, happen to be leading their division with an identical 6-3 record.  Former Texans DJ Swearinger is already talking smack in advance of the Texans trip to FedEx Field.  We'll see who's talking after the game.

We'll also have a amazing clash of 9-1 teams between the Rams and Chiefs that could be a possible preview of Super Bowl LIII.  The game was originally scheduled to be played in Mexico City, but was moved back to LA because of poor field conditions.

It'll be the first Monday Night game played in the LA Coliseum since 1985.

Let's get ready to prognosticate.  Another six teams, the Bills, Browns, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots and 49ers will be watching everybody else play.  So with only 13 games on the schedule, have to make sure I get more than 7 picks right and avoid a sub-.500 week.   Perfect week would be ideal.

So let's get to the Week 11 picks.  Team I like will be in bold print with HOME team in CAPS.  Mike's picks will be at this link.


Week 10 Results                                                           NFL 2018 Season Records
TransGriot  11-3                                                            TransGriot  99-47-2
Mike             9-5                                                            Mike           96-50-2

Thursday Night Game

Packers over SEAHAWKS

Sunday Early Games
Texans over WASHINGTON
Titans over COLTS
Steelers over JAGUARS
Panthers over LIONS
Buccaneers over GIANTS
FALCONS over Cowboys
RAVENS over Bengals

Sunday Afternoon Games
CARDINALS over Raiders
CHARGERS over Broncos
SAINTS over Eagles

Sunday Night Game
BEARS over Vikings

Monday Night Game
Chiefs over RAMS 

Trans Man, Meet Laverne Cox!

There's a new digital show called Fearless hosted by model Ashley Graham that focuses on people who do not fit the status quo. 

This particular episode just in time for Trans Awareness Week features a trans trans man named Rickey who is a year into his physical transition, and says has never met another trans person.

That ended when Laverne Cox walked out to join them on set.   Hope you have the tissues handy.

 

Happy Trans Awareness Week!

Today starts Trans Awareness Week 

This week is designed for individuals and organizations around the country to provide visibility for trans and gender non conforming people and highlight the issues we face as a community.

It's also a lead in to the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, that serves as a memorial day for all the people that we have lost here and around he world to anti-trans violence.

Trans Awareness Week is a call to action for trans people and our allies to bring attention to and advance the cause of trans human rights.   It is also an opportunity to talk about the  transphobic bigotry, prejudice and violence we face and what we can do collectively to tackle these issues.

Trans Awareness Week is also a time for those of us in the trans community to stand tall, remind the world that we will not be erased from society, and we are a community that has much to contribute to making our communities, our nations and the world better,

It's also a time to point out just how awesome we all are from our trans kids to our trans and gender non conforming elders.

Happy Trans Awareness Week!   Here's hoping that knowledge is expanded to cis people about our community, and that pride in being trans is increased among us.

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.