Number 12- Rest In Power And Peace Denali Berries Stuckey

Was distressed to hear while attending a BTAC leadership training in Dallas about the way too soon loss of another young Black trans woman.  We head to North Charleston, SC for the latest news.

Thanks to Marcus Yasir Ross and Taliyah Cassadine Smith for alerting me to this latest death.

North Charleston PD officers responded to a 4:05 AM EDT call of a body lying on the side of the road at 2721 Carner Avenue.  They arrived at the scene to find 29 year old Denali Berries Stuckey dead from a gunshot wound

And as you probably guessed. local media misgendered her in their reporting.

North Charleston PD is still investigating the crime.   As of this writing NCPD has no suspects or persons of interest in the case.   If you have any information that will lead to an arrest and conviction, please call NCPD Crime Stoppers at 843-554-1111 or the NCPD Tip line at 843-607-2076.

Stuckey is the 12th trans woman to die this year in the US, with all of the known victims so far being African American.  She is also the 8th one under age 30 to be killed in 2019.

As of yet no word about whether there will be a vigil or memorial service for our trans sibling.  If one is organized, I will pass that info along as soon as I receive it. 

Rest in power and peace, Denali.   Hoping that the person who killed you  is swiftly caught and punished to the full extent of the law. 

Moni's Thoughts On The 'Trans People Are Sacred' Billboard In Detroit

The 110th annual NAACP convention is taking place in Detroit starting today, and I'm loving a pic of this billboard that popped up in east Detroit that states 'Trans People Are Sacred'.

In a time in which we have a presidential misadministration that is openly hostile to trans people and gleefully being egged on by evilgelicals to be as cruel as possible to our community , this billboard is a timely reminder of our humanity

And yeah, let me say it once again and make it clear where I stand with Dolt 45.  The Trump misadministration is the worst ever for the trans community.

I also find it interesting this billboard popped us just as the NAACP  convention has arrived in town.  It's my hope and prayer that some of the expected 10,000 delegates to the NAACP convention not only see this billboard, but ponder the fact that our community's oldest civil rights organization has been way too silent on the violence being aimed at Black trans people.

Black trans America has noticed that deafening silence and your cricket chirping response to it.   We need you to say from the floor of your convention that Black Trans Lives Matter and then follow it up with action.

Trans people are indeed sacred.   Our trans kids are even more sacred to us.   It's past time you treat us that way.

But to echo what my Texas homegirl Anna Nguyen said when I posted this pic on my Facebook page, I'd just be happy with trans people just being considered human. 

And we need that to happen like yesterday

 

In The 2019 BTAC Leadership Institute House

Last week I was in Philadelphia for Netroots Nation, now I've made another drive up I-45 with Dee Dee Watters and Diamond Stylz to attend the second annual BTAC Leadership Institute.

This time instead of having it in NOLA, we're having it in our headquarters city of Dallas.   Last year's event in New Orleans helped us tremendously in not only building a solid foundation for us to kick off our 2018-2019 programming year, it also had the benefits of allowing us to get to know each other better

We had a board meeting yesterday at the Wyndham Dallas Suites in which we discussed BTAC coalition business, our upcoming 2019-2020 programming year and fundraising to pay for it.

Today at the Wyndham Dallas Suites starts our two days of training to level up, and I'm looking forward to it.

Also looking forward to seeing and spending quality time this weekend with my BTAC family

Trump Is A Racist, And So Are You If You Support Him

Like every rational African American, I supported and voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election because as I warned y'all repeatedly in the runup to that election,  Trump was historically bad  and unqualified to become POTUS.

Some of y'all were too caught up in your 'Bernie lost' fee fees to get over it and see the big political picture that I and many Black voters saw as November 8 loomed.

It was about the SCOTUS and the federal court system, stupid

Because of your lack of political vision, we are now navigating the worst presidency of my lifetime, and I was a teen during the Nixon years.

Black people have known for decades that Trump was a racist, and after his unwarranted attacks on four POC US congresswomen, some of y'all are finally shaking off the willful ignorance along with the media to call his racist azz out.

Now it's time for you folks who fell for the okey doke, voted for Trump and gleefully support him to come to grips with an unpleasant truth about yourselves.

Since you are enabling and unquestioningly defending his azz, that makes all you MAGA hat wearing white peeps and the 53% of white women who voted for Trump racists as well.

And before you go there, don't even part your conservalips to illogically call me 'racist' for calling out the racism I undeniably see. 

You don't like Moni saying that unpleasant truth about you?   Too damned bad.   You voted for and still support a man that David Duke endorsed.  With every passing day of this incompetent mispresidency he makes it clear he hates Black and non white people.

And y'all are eating up the oppression, hate speech and cruelty he aims at us.  Some of you are even engaging in it.

Spare me the whitesplaining about how saying 'go back to you country' is not racist because it is.

To me, the most disgusting Trump supporters are ones who are in the trans and SGL community.  That's a rant for another time.

Note to you Trumpettes and MAGAts.  I am not obligated as an American citizen to unquestioningly love this country.   That what you conservafools do.   I love my country enough to praise it when it does the right thing and when it's wrong, to use my First Amendment rights to speak truth to power and call BS out.
 
I love my country when it comes closer to living up to its democratic principles and I see people who look like me participating in governing it.  I want it to be better and always striving to evolving to be a more perfect union.

Trump and his ilk want a dark, white supremacist America that is the antithesis of the beloved community that the Rev Dr Martin Luther King talked about  Your racism is not patriotism, and the sooner you MAGAts grasp that concept, the better our country will be.

Trump is undeniably a racist.  Disagreeing with him doesn't make me un American.  It makes me a patriot. 

A Californian's Thoughts On Sen. Kamala Harris' Candidacy

I've been getting sick of hearing the borderline racist at times vitriol being aimed at Sen Kamala Harris and the BS 'Kamala is a cop' line.   I'm leaning toward supporting her in large part because I've been keeping an eye on her political ascent since 2010 and I'm tired of the anti-Kamala rhetoric.

Is her record perfect?  Nope.  Neither are the other 20 people running for the Democratic nomination either,

One of Harris' constituents, Viktor Kerney wrote this on his Facebook page explaining why he enthusiastically supports her 2020 candidacy for president.

 ***

So, someone asked me why I ride hard for Kamala Harris, especially since was a prosecutor. Well, I don’t see being a prosecutor a bad thing. I think people have to realize that a prosecutor is not a simple job, like working at Target. It takes someone who can make tough decisions and look at things through a critical lens. But here are my reasons.

Kamala has fought for people of color during her time as DA and AG in California. She’s worked on initiatives to get people back on track after being incarcerated, making sure the children had a proper education and opportunities to succeed. Yes, the truancy policy was not ideal, but with the research about children missing school and later becoming incarcerated, she had to do something.

Kamala is comfortable making tough decisions. I want a president who can make these decisions with proper caution.

Kamala’s policies for America helps middle-class workers as well as Black people. I’ve seen people say what is her Black agenda. It is my belief that the Black agenda is healthcare, jobs, education, shortening the pay gap and the ability to have home security.

She has a strong list of successful receipts through her time in office and a high approval from President Obama himself.

Kamala has fought the big banks, predators, corporations in the world to make life easier for her constituents.

She understands hard work and does not shy away from big tasks.

She understood that being a prosecutor will bring negative views about who she is. However she used her experience to improve criminal reform.

While there are many rumors about her record, the facts state that she has been successful. I encourage people to read her records from California.gov versus some blog post from these descendant of slaves (ADOS) or her rivals’ fan base.

She has taken on men like Trump and not afraid to call them out and hold them accountable. That’s what I want in a president and I think she can do it.

Congrats Judge Watson!

Y'all know I have much love and admiration for my trailblazing Houston activist sis Fran Watson.

She's an attorney and former head of the Houston GLBT Caucus.   She was also the first Black woman to head the Caucus.  ,

Fran has run for the Texas state senate,  is one of only three Black women to be elected as a Houston Pride grand marshal, and volunteers her time to many worthy causes and organizations in the Houston area.

Earlier today the Houston City Council unanimously voted to approve Fran's nomination for a two year term as a municipal judge.

Congratulation Judge Watson!   This is a well deserved, and glad you will get to serve our fellow Houstonians from our municipal court bench.  I have no doubts that you will do a fantastic job in this new position

2019 Williams Watch - Serena Makes It To The 'Williams'-don Final

I call 'The Championships' as they are referred to across The Pond 'Williams'-don because both Serena and Venus have basically turned the All England Club into their personal tennis playground..

The 2019 edition of Wimbledon started with Venus exiting the tournament in the first round after being upset by 15 year old American qualifier Cori 'Coco' Gauff 4-6,4-6 in straight sets.    Gauff electrified the tennis world by making a run all the way to the fourth round before being eliminated by Romania's Simona Halep.

That wasn't the end of  Venus' time in London.   She decided to play mixed doubles with fellow American Frances Tlafoe while Serena an Andy Murray of Great Britain played together.

Venus and Tlafoe made it to the second round of the mixed doubles tourney while Serena and Murray lasted until the third round,

11th seeded Serena had no problems with the qualifier she faced in Italy's Giulia Gatto-Monticone, dispacting her in straight sets 6-2,7-5.   That sent her into a second round match with another qualifier in Slovenia's Kaja Juvan

Juvan served notice that this wasn't going to be like Serena's first round match.    She took the first set, but Little Sis regrouped and took the next to to punch her ticket to the third round after her 2-6, 6-2. 6-4  win. 

Her third round opponent was Germany's Julia Gorges.   Williams rolled to a 6-3, 6-4 straight set win over the 18th seeded Gorges to set up her fourth round match with Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro.

Williams handled her tennis business and sent the 30th seeded Suarez Navarro packing after a 6-2, 6-2 straight set win to punch her ticket to the quarterfinals

After Serena won the first set of this quarterfinal, Alison Riske flipped the tennis script and forced a winner take all third set.   Little Sis would not be denied, and took this match 6-4, 4-6, 6-3,

Serana faced Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic in the semis, and wasted no time pinning a 6-1 6-2 straight set 59 minute tennis beatdown on Strycova to punch her ticket to her 11th Wimbledon finals appearance.

She will take on seventh seeded Simona Halep, who is playing in her first ever Wimbledon final.   She has also won just once against Little Sis in ten meetings, but thinks she's ready for the challenge.

If Serena wins on Saturday, she will capture not only her eighth Wimbledon title, but will tie that unrepentant homophobe Margaret Court with her 24th Grand Slam title win.

Good luck Serena!    Handle your tennis business

Moni's Headed To Netroots Nation 2019!

Once again I'm hopping on a jet plane to the East Coast, and unlike the secret World Pride trip, this time I can tell y'all what my destination is. 

I'm headed back to Philadelphia for the first time since Creating Change 2017 to check out the 2019 edition of Netroots Nation.   If my flight left on time at 11:00 AM CDT the Air Marshal is already winging her way to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.

Even better, I'm doing so on a nonstop flight.

The reason I'm leaving H-town today is because I'm participating in the Netroots Connect LGBTQ Pre-Conference event that's happening tomorrow starting at 8 AM EDT. 

One of the reasons I love Netroots Nation is because it's not just a TBLGQ  conference.  While we do have a community specific pre-conference event and an LGBTQ caucus, Netroots Netroots is predominately a progressive political one I've been attending and participating in since 2012.

That 2012 one was held in Providence, RI and I was there to participate in the first ever all-trans panel on the subject of trans bloggers doing so for social justice and trans visibility.

It would be 2016 before I got to attend another one in St Louis, MO and start my streak of consecutive Netroots Nation events.   It was also memorable for me because I walked away from it as the 2016 Netroots Nation Pundit Cup champion

Netroots is also one in which I get to hang out with and see many of my peeps who are involved in progressive politics at the local, state and national level and meet new ones.. 

I also get a chance to get my learn on, and see some of our up and coming progressive political peeps.   I met Stacey Abrams during the 2017 one in the ATL, and wasn't surprised when she made the Georgia governor's race so close Brian Kemp had to do what Republicans do and cheat to beat her.   I also passed the Pundit Cup championship torch to 2017 champion Tenaja Jordan, who was the third straight Black woman to win it.

In NOLA last year I got to meet Del. Danica Roem and see my old friend and Colorado House member Leslie Herod.    Won't be surprised if Leslie ends up in the Colorado governor's mansion or Congress soon.

And even though I've been to Philadelphia now six times in this decade, I actually haven't done much sightseeing in the city beyond checking out Dewey's Lunch Counter during the LGBTQ Media Convening.   That one happened because it was right across the street from the host hotel.

Sadly, it closed in 2017 and was demolished for a new hotel.

Philly also has 7-Elevens.   But Wawa definitely gives them a run for their money. 

On that note, I'm so ready to see what transpires at this year's edition of Netroots Nation    Since the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination has begun, there will be a presidential forum during this year's event that will take place on Saturday from 3-6 PM

Also looking forward to spending some quality time with my Philly trans fam when I'm not at the convention center.

Here's I come again Philly!  Break out the cheesesteaks.

MJ Rodriguez and Billy Porter Sing 'Home' At Trevor Live

One of the things we've learned form season one of POSE is just how talented MJ Rodriguez is.

Hopefully after this year's season, she'll get some Emmy Award consideration and maybe even snatch a trophy this time.

But one of the revelations about Rodriguez is that girlfriend can 'sang'.   The 'Love Is The Message' episode in which she and Tony award winner Billy Porter, who plays Pray Tell,  sang the song 'Home' from The Wiz in a room full of AIDS patients had me shedding tears by the time it was over.

Here they are again with Our Lady J at piano singing it again at the Trevor Foundation's TrevorLive event in Los Angeles back in December 2018.

Enjoy

 

Soldier Accepts His Trans Daughter Video

Every now and then you get to see a video that tugs on your heart and reminds you what you are fighting for. 

I constantly say in any interview I do that the trans rights work I'm getting recognized for is about the kids behind me and leaving a better world for them.

This video short illustrates that better world I and other trans advocates are working to make a reality.   This video is about a teen trans girl who has a father in the military and transitions while he is deployed. 

You'll have to watch it and see what happens when he finds out his child has transitioned while he's away. 

USA Women Are The Four Time FIFA World Champs

Looks like Dolt 45 has a decision to make after the USA women handled their soccer business and completed their run to back to back titles for the first time in program history by defeating the Netherlands 2-0.

This was Team USA's fourth FIFA world championship, and they left no doubts about the fact they are the world's best team despite a stiff challenge from the Netherlands, the reigning European champions who were playing in their first FIFA women's World Cup final. 

The Netherlands was riding the hot goalkeeping of eventual Golden Glove winner Sari van Veenendaal, who kept the USA scoreless until  Alex Morgan drew a penalty in the 61 minute that led to Megan Rapinoe's sixth goal of the tournament.   That snapped van Veennedaal's scoreless streak at 314 minutes, and seven minutes later Rose Lavelle sent a scorching shot from 18 yards out past van Veenendaal to make it 2-0 and start the party in Lyon for te American fans there and back in the USA. 

Rapinoe not only captured the Golden Boot  award for the tournament's top scorer, she also snached the Golden Ball (MVP) trophy as the tournament's best player. 

Take that Donald Trump!

The Netherlands along with England and Sweden did walk away from this tournament knowing that they have qualified for the 2020 Olympics..    Sweden also won the Third Place game 2-1 against England.

But all hail the queens of the FIFA soccer pitch.    Will they threepeat in 2023?   We'll have to wait to find out the answer to this question.

The Meaning Of July 4 For Black Trans Americans

One of my favorite Frederick Douglass speeches is one he gave on July 5, 1852, entitled The Meaning of July 4 for the Negro. That speech pointed out the glaring hypocrisy of America celebrating Independence Day while enslaving millions of African-descended people. Since the 4th is upon us, I decided to write this column in the style of Frederick Douglass’  famous speech, but apply it to what is happening with black trans Americans here in Texas and elsewhere in this country.

***

My fellow Americans.

Once again, we pause to celebrate another birthday of the nation we love. July 4 is also the day when the Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 brave men who put their lives on the line for the principles they believed in.

But there is a group of Americans for which this day that many of you celebrate seems hollow. In this dark time, our transgender siblings are not feeling the national love or pride in this nation. In fact, we feel there is nothing to celebrate on this day when we have already lost 11 people to anti-trans violence this year.

Say their names. Dana Martin, Ashanti Carmon, Jazzaline Ware, Muhlaysia Booker, Michelle Washington, Claire Legato, Paris Cameron, Chynal Lindsey, Chanel Scurlock,  Zoe Spears and Brooklyn Lindsey. Their Black trans lives have joined the ancestors far too soon because of the anti-trans hate speech and rhetoric coming from the Oval Office, evilgelical church pulpits, and the mouths of right-wing media pundits.

Black trans Americans are dismayed and angered by the silence of both our politicians we helped to elect and our legacy organizations like the NAACP concerning the genocidal levels of violence being aimed at us.

Why should a Black trans American be proud of this nation when they are demonized for being African-American and transgender? Why should we feel proud of a nation that gleefully denies us the ability to earn a decent living by making it easier to prevent us from getting a job?

Why should we be proud of a nation that seeks to deny us medical care or get housing? Why should we be proud of a nation that seeks to pass dehumanizing modern-day Jim Crow laws regulating where we poop and pee?

Why should we be proud of a nation that won’t allow us to serve in its military because a bunch of evilgelical bigots are advising the historically unqualified person currently occupying the White House to keep us from serving?

Why should we be proud of a nation that has rolled back President Obama’s positive policies and executive orders that were designed to help our community?

You claim to respect the rule of law, the Constitution, and the Bible, but ignore all of those things when it suits you to do so for conservative political advantage.

I already know what you MAGAts are going to say: If you don’t like America, leave it.

I will do no such thing. I love this country more than your Fox News-watching behinds ever will. I will not leave, because my ancestors shed four centuries’ worth of blood for us to be here in this moment, living better lives than they could have imagined for themselves. I love this country enough to fight for its soul and make it better than it was when I arrived on the planet.


I am not leaving because it would dishonor the memories of all the trans people we have lost to anti-trans violence. It is for their sakes that I must fight with every fiber of my being to create an America that recognizes the fact that the “We the People”  in our Constitution unequivocally includes Black transgender Americans.


Our nation is increasingly accepting the fact that Black trans people not only exist, but the violence being aimed at us must stop. Our people are also increasingly coming to the realization that Black trans women are women, Black trans men are men, we are an intertwined part of the Black American family, and we have much to contribute to make the Black community better.


We Black trans people exist, and are proud of all the intersections that are housed in our Black trans bodies. If some of you in Black Cis World don’t like that, get over it, because we are beyond caring what your loud and ignorant opinion is about that.


You will give us the respect that we are due. We aren’t going away, or back into the closet. We Black trans Americans are going to work to the best of our ability to make a better world for the trans kids coming behind us.



And if that work to make a better world for our trans kids creates a better world for ourselves in the process, then we will consider that as a blessing.

And when that day finally becomes a reality, that will be a July 4 worth celebrating.
This article appears in the July 2019 edition of OutSmart magazine 

Love You, Renee Martin

It's Canada Day, but this particular one is filling me with sadness.

As many of you longtime TransGriot readers know, one of the people I have much love for north of the border is my homegirl Renee Martin, the founding editor of the blog Womanist Musings.

She's also a talented writer and eloquent speaker who has had many articles published by The Guardian and at Global Comment.     

She is also a co-founder of the Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association    This was her speech at the local Women's March a few months ago.



This was her speaking to the St Catharines City Council on February 11



Renee and I have been friends for over a decade.   In addition to our long phone conversations, we have had fun tweaking each other over the US-Canada women's hockey rivalry.

When those Canada-USA clashes happened during the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Sochi, and Pyeongchang, the level of our good natured trash talking intensified. 

Renee and I have had long conversations on everything from US and Canadian politics to Blackness  to fashion.  I used to chuckle when she would refer to Alberta as 'that wretched province', Stephen Harper as 'The Sweater Vest', or my beloved Texas as 'Baja Alberta'.

Renee would also have me laughing as she'd tell me stories about her life as the only estrogen based human lifeform in a home with her husband, two sons and her beloved dog Sookie.

I hadn't had the opportunity to talk to her on the phone as much as I used to because as y'all are well aware of, my life has gotten much busier, and the last time I had a long meaningful phone call with her was back in March.

I also noticed that she hadn't been posting as much on Facebook lately, and on June 27 she let me and all who love her know why.

Renee let us know in a Facebook post that she'd been ill the last few months, and was recently diagnosed with an inoperable liver cancer.    She has been given by her doctors a short time to live, and is currently in hospice care. 

Tried to call her today, but she was having a rough day, and I'll attempt again sometime this week. 

I have had people in my life who I have lost to cancer.  There are also people I know in my life who have kicked cancer's azz.   But this time its one of my sister girls who is fighting it, and unfortunately cancer is winning.

While Renee asked us in that post to not feel bad for her, I just can't help it some days when I think about her situation.  I cried when I heard the news, and just writing this post has me wiping away tears right now.   

She has been a blessing in my life, and I'm going to miss her when she joins the ancestors.   I'm also going to be sad about the fact I never got to meet her in person.  

Love you Renee, and thanks for the decade of friendship, thought provoking conversation and laughs.

See you on the other side. 

TransGriot Update: Renee passed away July 8, just short of her 45th birthday on July 11

Houston Pride Parade Today!

Well people, today is the big day!

I was named back in April as one of the four honorary grand marshals for the Houston Pride pride taking place later tonight. 

I'm part of historic group of grand marshals for the Houston event.   Harrison Homer Guy was elected as our first ever Black male grand marshal.   Judge Shannon Baldwin, one of the 17 sisters elected to Harris County judicial benches last year, became the third Black woman elected as a grand marshal.

Houston GLBT Caucus president Mike Webb was elected as our first ever non-binary grand marshal, and Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, a longtime friend and supporter of the Houston TBLGQ community,  was elected as our ally grand marshal. 

The four honorary grand marshal spots are all Houston trans women to commemorate the fact this is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion that kicked off the TBLGQ rights movement.

The four honorary marshals have also been actively involved in the community and the trans rights struggle on multiple levels for years.

In addition to a certain blogger y'all know, the other trans Houstonians named as honorary marshals are Atlantis Narcisse, the founder of Save Our Sisters United, Black Transwomen Inc, President and entrepreneur Dee Dee Watters and OLTT executive director Ana Andrea Molina.

The parade once again will be downtown and televised, , so looking forward to waving at y'all from the front this year.

Happy Juneteenth 2019!

Happy Juneteenth, people!    Today is the day back in 1865 that Union Major General Gordon Granger read General Order Number 3 that freed all slaves in Texas.

That day has been celebrated by Texas Black people ever since, and was made an official state holiday in 1980.    Black Texans as they moved around the country took the Juneteenth traditions with them, and the day is increasingly celebrated in many states, with Pennsylvania the latest to do so. 

Here's Rep Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) to discuss Juneteenth and the effort to get long overdue reparations for African Americans.    Rep Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) has filed HR 40 to jump start the process of making that happen.

 

POSE Renewed By FX For A Third Season!

The Emmy nomination voting opened on June 10, and don't be surprised if you see some folks from POSE snatching trophies when the Emmy Awards are finally broadcast to add to the GLAAD Media Award they received. .

POSE received a double dose of good news as it starts its second season.  It's Season 2 debut episode 'Acting Up'  not only got more viewers and higher ratings than last year's opening, it was announced by FX that POSE has been already renewed for a third season

We also are blessed with two more episodes in POSE season 2 for a total of 10.   It's also #MustSeeTransTV with the five major trans characters and trans actors playing them.

What that third season will look like we'll find out later, but season 2's opening with its time jump to 1990 has already ensured it will exceed the bar it set in Season 1.

Congrats to the cast of POSE, and hope that this year's season leads to some well deserved awards for your performances 

Jessica Zyrie Featured In The 'Absolut Acceptance' Ad

Y'all know how much I love my sis Jessica Zyrie.   In addition to her ripping Fashion Week runways, we are fortunate to have her here in the Houston area doing her thing to advocate for our community.

Jessica recently shot a commercial for Absolut Vodka released just in time for Pride Month and Father's Day.  The commercial also featured her amazing dad who I got to meet on my birthday trip  last month. 

I'm going to need to hit Wayne's Wings again the next time I find myself in the Alamo City.

Anyway, here's the commercial, entitled Absolut Acceptance

 

Number 10- Rest In Power and Peace Zoe Spears

These posts are coming so fast an furiously these days it's taking me time to just get caught up writing them.

We head back to the Washington DC area, specifically the same Fairmount Heights, MD suburb where Ashanti Carmon was killed to report on the latest trans woman taken from us way too soon.

23 year old Washington DC resident Zoe Spears was found shot to death from a gunshot wound just after midnight EDT in June 13.  Spears was declared dead at the scene by first responders, and her body was found less than half a mile from where Carmon's was found.

Spears is now the tenth American trans woman we have lost to anti-trans violence.   All the known American trans deaths so far in 2019 have been African American.   She is also the seventh under age 30 to die this year.

No word yet if there is a person of interest in this case.

As of yet no word concerning a memorial service or funeral planned, and I will pass that info along when I receive it. 

Rest in power and peace, Zoe.. 

Not Feeling Your Transphobia, Black Gay Men

As if we didn't have enough transphobia coming from the federal government, the TERF's, evilgelicals,  elements of the white gay and lesbian community, and elements of the Black community, we also have Black gay men coming out of the closet with their toxic transphobia.

A few years ago I attended a drag show one steamy Saturday night in the Montrose gayborhood at a club now called Barcode.  I was bored, didn't see anyone I knew, and decided to head home and walk the few blocks back toward Westheimer Rd to the nearest bus stop and start the trip back home. 

I cut through the shared parking lot for JR's and the then open South Beach clubs in order to shorten the walk to Westheimer Rd.    While doing so I passed an interracial white and Black gay man who made the loud and wrong assumption I was a sex worker, with the Black one saying it loud enough for me to hear it.

I stopped, glared at both of them, read them for good measure and cussed them out one more time before I flipped them the finger before resuming my journey back to my bus stop.

In my 21 years of activism, I have had many Black gay men in my corner like Ashton Woods, Brandon Mack, Venton Hill-Jones, and Harrison Homer Guy just to name a few.  These men have unapologetically had my back and been major supporters in what I do activism wise.

These righteous gay Black men have also called their gay brothers out when they tried to aim transphobic shade or outright disrespect toward me and my trans sisters, and I love and appreciate them for defending our honor. 

Unfortunately, it seems that  righteous Black gay male accomplices are the exception lately and not the rule.  We have far too many of them letting their transphobic flag fly on social media, and Black trans women are beyond sick and tired of it.

Craig Brooks has gotten widespread acclaim for calmly handling a workplace racism situation in which he was called the n-word despite being majorly pissed off about it.

But Brooks couldn't be bothered to extend the same respect he demanded for himself when it came to Black  trans women.   It was discovered that his social media feed was a cesspool of transphobic hate.

And he's not the only one.   Far too often we see Black gay men making derogatory comments about trans women as the people in their feeds like and share them.

Even famous Black gay men like RuPaul have made repeated transphobic comments, and it's one of the major reasons why I refuse to support Drag Race.

I have to ask the question why some of you Black gay males engage in this behavior.  You jealous?  You mad and ashamed because you don't live unapologetically in your truth the way Black trans women do?   You trying to curry favor with the evilgelicals?   You just want to bully trans women? 

Let a trans sister know what the reason is so she can avoid your treacherous azz. 

You will get read for filth by us in the 2K19 if you're caught engaging in that nekulturny behavior because I will say it again, Black trans women are sick and tired of your crap. and being disrespected by people who are supposed to be our ride or die accomplices.

You throwing 'that's a man' shade at us from you spot in the SGL community will no longer be tolerated.  If you're mad because I called your azzes out on this problematic behavior, and are claiming you'll no longer be allies to the trans community because I did so, then sashay away because you were never trans allies to begin with.

That rainbow toxic transphobia contributes to the climate in the Black community that gets Black trans women killed.   You Black gay males who gleefully engaging in spreading that transphobia in our SGL community need to cease and desist with that.