Leaving On A Jet Plane To: SFO

If my flight left on time, I should be as you're reading this airborne and headed toward San Francisco and a TDOR event taking place on Thursday thanks to United.

This time I had to go to the big airport as we refer to IAH down here because the org sponsoring the trip had United vouchers for me to travel on, and United has a hub at IAH.

And yes, I love it any time I get to see my former coworkers that are still working at IAH and counting the days to retirement in some cases.

But traveling on United also means it's necessary for me to get there an hour to two hours earlier than I normally would for a flight because I still know half the airport.  I'm stopping every five to ten minutes running into Houston based flight attendants, coworkers, and even the shoe shine guys on my way to my departure gates in either Terminal C or Terminal E.

It's also a deja vu experience because I transitioned in that building.  While the south side of Terminal C is basically the same as when I was working there, the renovations they have done since I left in 2001 have also made it look vastly different from the Terminal C I used to know.

The bars and shops in there now remind me of a shopping mall.   Even the food courts and what they offer are light years different from when I was working there.    When I was working there, we had more locally based chains contracted to be in our airport terminals.

The new Terminal C north side gates are close enough now to Terminal B that you can walk to them from the north side C gates.

That's especially true when I have a flight out of the north side of Terminal C, which is not even close to the one I used to work in.  The massive Terminal E, which connects to the south side of Terminal C and Terminal D (AKA the International Arrivals Building) on its north side, didn't even exist when I was there,

But back to discussing my trip.   Destination this time is San Francisco, and this will be the first time I've been back since 2016, when I attended the GLAAD Gala San Francisco, picked up an award and made a little speech at it.

Thus time I along with Toni Newman will be speaking at a Commonwealth Club of California, Gilead Sciences and SFPride sponsored TDOR event taking place on November 14.

looking forward to spending some time in the Bay Area, and hope i get to see some of my trans fam living here while I'm in San Francisco.

Harris County Commissioners Court Issues TDOR Resolution

Blue elections have positive consequences, and one of those happy consequences was after over a decade of GOP control, we finally flipped the Harris County Commissioners Court, our county's governing body to blue with the elections of Lina Hidalgo as our first Latina county judge and Adrian Garcia in the heavily Latinx Precinct 2.

Earlier at today's Commissioners Court meeting, Commissioner Adrian Garcia offered and got passed a resolution noting that this was the 20th anniversary year of the Transgender Day of Remembrance.

It was signed by the Democratic members of Commissioners Court in Commissioners Garcia and Rodney Ellis and County Judge Lina Hidalgo.  As you probably guessed, the signatures that were noticeably absent from the resolution were those of Republican commissioners R. Jack Cagle and Steve Radack. 

Radack is unfortunately my commissioner (for now), and has been on Commissioners Court since 1980.   He is thankfully up for reelection next year.   Cagle barely survived a challenge from Penny Morales Shaw for his seat in 2018.

Looking forward to firing Radack's disco era azz

Thanks to Judge Hidalgo, and Commissioners Garcia and Ellis for recognizing trans Harris County residents and the importance of TDOR to us.

No White Supremacists On My City Council

Our Houston municipal elections back on November 5 led to the mayoral race and several city council  races going into runoffs.

One of those races going into a runoff is the At Large 4 city council race in which Anthony Dolcefino,  son of former ABC 13 investigative reporter Wayne Dolecefino, is in against Dr Letitia Plummer.

This is the seat that CM Amanda Edwards held and was expected to win reelection to before she surprisingly decided to jump into the 2020 US Senate race.

I wasn't a fan of young Dolecefino in large part because of what his father pulled back in 1991.

Wayne Dolcefino aired that libelous hit piece on Sylvester Turner mere days before that 1991 mayoral runoff that cost him the chance to become Houston's first Black mayor and cost Dolecefino his ABC13 reporting gig. 

He's been hatin' on ABC 13 and Mayor Turner ever since, and is a frequent conservafool fixture on FOX 26.

It seems that young Anthony has a troubling history of palling around with White supremacists that goes back to his days at UT.   I also find it interesting that the Houston Firefighters endorsed Dolcefino.

We don't need someone like that on our Houston City Council, and I urge you to vote for Dr Letitia Plummer next month when early voting starts to make sure that happens.

Nikki Araguz Loyd Celebration Of Life Service Dates

For those of you who haven't heard the news yet, Nikki Araguz Loyd passed away on November 6 at he suburban Houston home.  William Loyd and the family have announced when the services will happen.

On Wednesday November 13, the public viewing for Nikki Araguz Loyd will be held at Rosewood Funeral Home in Atascocita, TX from 5- 8 PM CST. 

The funeral home is located at 17404 W Lake Houston Pkwy in Atascocita.
The Celebration of Life Ceremony will take place on Thursday November 14 at the Humble Civic Center from 1-4 PM CST.   The Humble Civic Center is located at 8233 Will Clayton Pkwy in Humble, TX, 77338
Since Nikki always loved a good party, after the services there will be a fabulous Nikki style BYOB🍾 PARTY🍾 at Nectar.   There will be an open mic available to speak and allow you to share your best Nikki memories.

Nectar is located at 7560 FM 1960, in Humble, TX 77346

If you are thinking about flying into Houston for the viewing and service, IAH is the closest airport to that side of town where the events will take place, and there are plenty of hotels in the Humble-IAH area .

If you can attend,  please do so and say goodbye to a revered and iconic member of our community.

2019 TransGriot NFL Picks - Week 10

I went from having my best week of the season to in Week 9, sweating out the Cowboys-Giants Monday night game to break even at 7-7 after all the upsets.

Then again, Mike also went 7-7, so the net result is I still have a lead going into the first NFL games of November.   

We're getting into the part of the season where each game matters for playoff seeding and positioning for the teams in the hunt for the playoffs.   it also matters in me and Mr watts season long chase for an NFL prognostication title

The Texans business trip to London was a successful one.  They not only achieved the season sweep of the Jags, we received an early Christmas present from the Pittsburgh Steelers after they knocked off the Indianapolis Colts to put the Texans back on top of the AFC South.

The games also matter to the teams down in the NFL dumps slouching toward the number one pick in the 2020 NFL draft like the Bengals.  Miami upset the Jets for their first win of the season, and hope they can get another one against the Colts.

And yes, Patriot haters everywhere rejoiced when the Ravens beat the Cheatriots Patriots 37-20 and knocked them from the ranks of the unbeaten.   That leaves the 49ers as the only unbeaten team left in the NFL.

Time to get to this week's picks.   Only 13 games to pick because six teams, the Texans, Jaguars, Patriots, Broncos, Eagles and the Washington NFL franchise are on their bye week, so less margin for error this week.  .

Teams I choose to win will be in bold red print with the home team in CAPS.  Mike's Week 10 picks will be  here at this link.

Week 9 Results                               2019 NFL Season Record 
TransGriot   7-7                              TransGriot  86-48-1
Mike            7-7                               Mike          81-53-1

Thursday Night Game
Chargers over RAIDERS

Sunday Early Games
Ravens over BENGALS
Bills over BROWNS
Lions over BEARS
Giants over JETS
Chiefs over TITANS
BUCCANEERS over Cardinals
SAINTS over Falcons

Sunday Afternoon Games
COLTS over Dolphins
Rams over STEELERS
PACKERS over Panthers

Sunday Night Game 
COWBOYS over Vikings

Monday Night Game 
49ERS over Seahawks

Many H-Town Races Going To Runoffs

No thanks to a last minute jacked up ruling from the Republican Texas Secretary of State Ruth R Hughs, the election results in Harris County and our Houston municipal election were delayed until well after midnight.

Mayor Sylvester Turner was comfortably ahead for most of the night, but unfortunately will be in a runoff against Trumper Tony 'I Don't Need To Be Mayor' Buzbee.

Mayor Turner released a statement early this morning once the runoff was assured.

"To those who voted for me, thank you. To those who did not, I will work hard to earn your votes 

"The good news about this runoff is that Houstonians have a very simple and very clear choice for mayor: An experienced leader who has been delivering for Houston for more than 30 years? Or a Donald Trump imitator who has no experience, no ideas and will say anything, do anything or spend anything to get elected? 

"I trust Houstonians to make the right decision for our city.

Controller Chris Brown won reelection to a second term, beating Orlando Sanchez.

In the City Council races, incumbent councilmembers Dave Martin (District E), Greg Travis (District G), Robert Gallegos (District I) and Martha Castex Tatum (District K) .

Castex Tatum won election for a full four year term of her own after succeeding the late councilmember Larry Green in May 2018 and finishing the remaining time on his term..

In an interesting development, all five of the at large council seats are going to runoffs.

At Large 1 incumbent Mike Knox will face Raj Salhotra. 
At Large 2 incumbent David Robinson will face off against HERO hating pastor Willie Davis. 
At Large 3 incumbent Michael Kubosh, who voted against HERO, will be challenged by Janaeya Carmouche. 
At Large 4 Anthony Dolcefino will square off against Dr Letitia Plummer for the seat being vacated by CM Amanda Edwards, who is running for the US Senate. 
At Large 5, Sallie Alcorn will battle Eric Dick for the seat being vacated by Jack Christie .

These Houston City Council district races are going to runoffs.

District A, Amy Peck will take on George Zoes in the battle to replace term limited councilmember Brenda Stardig. 
District B will feature a runoff contest between Tarsha Jackson and Cynthia Bailey 
District C will feature the expected runoff between Abbie Kaman and Shelley Kennedy
District D in a shocker, will have Carolyn Evans-Shabazz taking on Brad 'Scarface' Jordan from the rap group the Geto Boys to determine who replaces Dwight Boykins, who decided to run for mayor..
District F, Tiffany Thomas will face Van Huynh to replace incumbent Steve Le, who decided not to run for reelection. 
District H  incumbent Karla Cisneros will face Isabel Longoria, 
District J Sandra Rodriguez will face Edward Pollard

In the HCCS races, in District I Monica Flores Richart fell just short of winning the seat outright, and will face longtime homophobe and transphobe Dave Wilson.

In HCCS District II- Rhonda Skillern Jones will face Kathy Lynch-Gunter 

In the HISD races, incumbents Sergio Lira (Position 3) and Board president Diana Davila (Position 8) were ousted by their challengers Dani Hernandez and Judith Cruz   

Position 2 will be decided in a runoff between Kathy Bluefield Daniels and John Curtis Gibbs.
Position 4 will be decided in a runoff between Patricia Allen and Matt Barnes.   Patrica is the daughter of TX state Rep Alma Allen and sister of SBOE member Lawrence Allen 

But will it be enough to preempt a threatened state takeover of HISD?

In HD 148, the battle to replace retiring state rep Jessica Farrar will be between Democrat Anna Eastman and Republican Luis La Rotta

Down in Fort Bend County, in a closely watched special election race in HD 28,  Eliz Markowitz and perennial candidate Gary Gates will face off to determine who will replace the retired John Zerwas.

It is one of the nine seats Texas Democrats must flip in order to seize control of the Texas house for the first time since 2002   Markowitz was the lone Democrat running against five republicans for this seat.  and led for much of the night .

We'll see if she can capture the seat in a Fort Bend County that is turning purple.

Dave Wilson Runs For HCC Board, But Can't Spell

You longtime TransGriot readers have read my rants about Dave Wilson, who is a longtime transphobe and homophobe who has been responsible for helping spike two attempts at Houston passing inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances in 1985 and 2015.

When he's not busy trying to get transphobic BS inserted into the Houston City Charter, Wilson has been keeping himself busy doing his hatemongering as a member of the Houston Community College board. 

Saying in that misspelled flyer that he has 'uncompromising integrity' is a crock, being that he passed himself off as Black to narrowly win the HCC District II seat by 24 votes and knock off a 24 year African American incumbent board trustee in the process. 

He has been censured and reprimanded by his fellow board members for his antics.  When Rhonda Skillern Jones stepped up to challenge him for his HCC District II seat, he resigned, then filed to run in the HCC District I seat race against attorney Monica Flores Richart.

Needless to say I want his azz (and so does everyone at HCC) gone, and it's a major reason why I not only endorsed Monica Flores Richart in this race, I hope she is successful in taking his reprehensible behind out.    I love watching trans oppressors like Wilson get beaten at the ballot box.

I also found it interesting that a candidate trying to get back on the board of a community college, pays so little attention to his campaign material that he let a spelling error slide by.

What is it about transphobes and their propensity for spelling errors? .

But here's hoping that we're calling Monica Flores Richart 'trustee-elect' at the end of the night

TransGriot Update:  Monica Flores Richart is in a runoff against that hatemonger
 .

2019 H-Town Election Day!

It has been four years since we last had a municipal election, and that 2015 Houston municipal one was a painful and conflicting emotion inducing one for many of us in the Houston TBLGQ community.

While we were pleased to see Sylvester Turner survive and advance to a December runoff against Bill King to determine who would succeed term limited Mayor Annise Parker, what we weren't happy about was our HERO nondiscrimination ordinance being recalled after a shady and transphobic GOP fueled campaign and human rights malpractice by the Houston Unites coalition defending the ordinance.

The proposition that did pass in 2015 was one that changed the terms for the mayor, city council and controller to ta maximum of two four year terms instead of the previous maximum of three two year terms.

We're finally here and it's Election Day in H-town!  We have many candidates running for City Council and several challenging Mayor Turner's reelection bid, and one blast from the GOP past in Orlando Sanchez.    He's back, and this time he's challenging Controller Chris Brown.

A Republican has not sat in the Houston mayor's chair at The Horseshoe in over 40 years and the Harris County GOP is big mad about it.  The blue tsunami last year that swept them out of power in the county courthouse, county government and Harris County Commissioners Court only added to their pissivity and desperation to get any kind of representation in the soon to be third largest city and third largest county in the nation.

Polls are open from 7 AM to 7 PM CST, and in a new twist, if you're a Harris County resident, you can vote at any of 750 polling locations inside the county.

Blue Elections have positive consequences.

If you're still wondering who to vote for, here are my 2019 TransGriot municipal endorsements to help you make up your mind. 

But if you didn't take the time to take advantage of early voting, please take the opportunity to do so today, because voting is 100% more effective than complaining on the Internet that these politicians aren't doing anything. .

20th Anniversary of TDOR Approaching

When November 20 hits, as many of you longtime readers are aware of, it will be the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).   It is the day San Francisco based trans advocate Gwen Smith created in 1999 to memorialize the people we have lost to anti trans violence and remember the murder of Rita Hester, who had been killed in the Boston area just a year prior to the event.

The first TDOR events were held in Boston and San Francisco in 1999, and quickly became an international event observed by trans people around the globe.

As my national visibility as an advocate heightened, I started getting requests to speak at TDOR event outside of Louisville, where i lived from 2001-2010, and Houston. 

My first was being the keynote speaker for the inaugural TDOR event at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS) in Louisville. KY in 2002, and the very next year ended up at the LPTS delivering the 2003 TDOR keynote address. 

On the 10th anniversary of TDOR in 2009, I spoke at a TDOR event in Long Island, New York, and for the 20th, will probably be here in Houston speaking at another after being in Milwaukee for theirs last year and Tucson's in 2016.

We are now approaching the 20th anniversary of that original TDOR event, and it's sad to say that Rita Hester's killer still hasn't been brought to justice.   We are also looking at TDOR memorial lists that are overwhelmingly made up of trans women of color, and in the US, overwhelmingly Black trans women under age 30.

Internationally, they are disproportionately made up of trans women from Latin America and Brazil.

TDOR itself has in some places morphed to become part of a Trans Awareness Week that includes panels and other events before the TDOR itself.   In San Francisco, it is now part of Trans Awareness Month, and San Francisco City Hall was lit up in the trans pride flag color in recognition of it.

So who will we be honoring on November 20?   This is the list of names of people we have lost in 2019 so far, and I pray it doesn't get any longer between now and December 31.

It's also been a particularly rough year in Texas, where we've lost four people, two in Dallas, and two Houston, to anti-trans murders

***

Dana Martin, 31, Montgomery, AL
Ashanti Carmon, 27, Fairmount Heights, MD
Jazzaline Ware,  34, Memphis, TN
Muhlaysia Booker, 22, Dallas, TX
Michelle Washington, 40, Philadelphia, PA
Claire Legato, 21, Cleveland, OH
Paris Cameron, 20, Detroit, MI
Chynal Lindsey, 26, Dallas, TX
Chanel Scurlock, 23, Lumberton, NC
Zoe Spears, 23, Fairmount Heights, MD
Brooklyn Lindsey, 32, Kansas City, MO
Denali Berries Stuckey,  29, North Charleston, SC
Marquis Kiki Fantroy, 21, Miami, FL
Pebbles LaDime Doe, 24, Allendale, SC
Jordan Cofer, 22, Dayton, OH
Tracy Single Williams, 22, Houston TX
Bailey Reeves, 17, Baltimore, MD
Bee Love Slater,  23, Clewiston, FL
Ja'Leyah Jamar Berryman,  30, Kansas City, MO
Elisha Stanley, 46, Pittsburgh, PA
Itali Marlowe, 29, Houston, TX
Brianna BB Hill,  30, Kansas City, MO 

Stats Breakdown  

Female- 21  

Male-  1

Age 

0-19 -   1  

20-29 - 14 

30-39 - 5 

40-49 - 2 

50-59 - 0

Race-Ethnicity

White- 1 

Black- 21 

Latinx-0

Asian-Pacific Islander-0 

Rest in power to all the people we lost in 2019.   While some o the people who took you lives are in jail awaiting trial, there are others to which, like in Rita Hester's case, a person of interest or suspect hasn't been apprehended yet. 

We won't rest in this community until this happens, and those wastes of DNA are punished and rotting for their rest of their miserable lives in jail cells. 

Another thing we won't rest until we accomplish this task is to create a world that is safe enough for trans people to inhabit.  We would like as a community for the TDOR become unnecessary to plan or for us to have to gather every November 20 to observe this memorial event in which we must mourn and remember our dead.

But sadly, we as a society aren't there yet.

Sen Harris Iowa Dem Liberty and Justice Event Speech

“To win, we are going to need a nominee on that stage, with Donald Trump, who has the ability to go toe to toe with Donald Trump –and Iowa, you are looking at her,” she said. “I have spent my career as a prosecutor. I’ve only had one client in my entire life, and that has been the people. Unlike other people, unlike others, I have never represented a corporation. I have never represented a special interest.”-Sen Kamala Harris 

Since it's now glaringly obvious the media won't cover Sen. Kamala Harris' campaign and are doing everything possible to erase, demonize and marginalize her so other mediocre white males can win the Democratic nomination, ,I'm going to do my part between now and the start of the primaries to post news about the Harris campaign because I'm tired of the BS.

Sen. Harris has redeployed campaign resources from New Hampshire and is going all in for the Iowa  Democratic Party caucuses that happen in 90 days on February 3.

While the media was trying to pump up Pete Buttigieg and a post heart attack dropping like a rock Bernie Sanders,  Sen Harris was making a rousing speech at the Iowa Democratic Party's Liberty and Justice Event on Friday night in Des Moines. 

Didn't hear about it?   Well, here's the speech. 

 

Fall Back 2019

Well people, as of 2 AM right now we are now back to observing standard time in the US for the next few months.  So enjoy getting that extra hour of sleep back you lost back in March.

If you haven't done so already, it's time (pun intended) to set those clocks back one hour because if you don't, you'll be an hour early for everything you do today.

And oh yeah, just to make you aware of it, Daylight Savings Time returns in the US on March 8, 2020.

Today Starts Blade Runner Month

  If you are a fan of the 1982 sci-fi movie Blade Runner, you know that the opening scene of the movie sets it in Los Angeles in November 2019.

As of today, that movie is no longer one that in the future since we have now hit November 1, 2019.

It is interesting to seethe hits and misses on a lot of this they projected in the movie.   Pan Am Airlines is long gone, we don't have any off world colonies yet or flying cars.

Neither do we have Nexus 6 replicants walking around, but robotics scientists around the globe are trying to get there.. 

I own the DVD of that movie and the sequel, so at some point this weekend I'll probably five up the DVD player and some popcorn and watch i.t

2019 TransGriot NFL Picks- Week 9

The Texans are playing in London for the first time ever in franchise hisory, but our opponent is a familiar one in our AFC South divisional rivals the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jalen Ramsey is no longer patrolling the Jags secondary after being traded to the LA Rams.  But we're also missing a defensive stud in future Hall of Famer JJ Watt, who is out for the rest of the season due to a torn pectoral muscle.

We still have Deshaun Watson at QB.   If only the offensive line would jell and start protecting him.   That's still going to be an interesting game for you peeps across The Pond to watch.

I had a great Week 8, going 13-2 for my best week of the season so far.   Unfortunately Mike matched me on his picks after the Bears boneheaded stunt and missed game winning field goal cost me a win.

I'd already picked up a game when the Tennessee Traitors beat the Buccaneers.

Let's get to the Week 9 picks.   Four teams, the Falcons, Bengals, Rams and Saints are on their bye week, so only 14 games to pick.   Mike's picks will be at this link, and mine as usual will be in bold red print with the HOME team in caps.

Week 8 Results                                     2019 NFL Season Record
TransGriot  13-2                                   TransGriot  79-41-1
Mike           13-2                                    Mike          74-46-1

Thursday Night Game
49ers over CARDINALS

London Game
Texans over JAGUARS

Sunday Early Games
EAGLES over Bears
Colts over STEELERS
Jets over DOLPHINS
Vikings over CHIEFS
PANTHERS over Titans
BILLS over Washington

Sunday Afternoon Games
SEAHAWKS over Buccaneers
Lions over RAIDERS
Packers over CHARGERS
Browns over BRONCOS

Sunday Night Game
Patriots over RAVENS

Monday Night Game
Cowboys over GIANTS

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich Returns November 3

Popeye's introduced a new chicken sandwich back on August 12,  and people stood in line for it at its restaurants around the US.  Peeps bought it in such numbers that the chain sold out of them before the end of the month and created a social media firestorm in the process.. 

I was upset that I didn't get to try one before they sold out in large part because the lines were too long at the Popeye's locations near me.

I join America in celebrating the news that the Popeye's chicken sandwich is coming back on November 3 as a permanent addition to the Popeye's menu.

That's going to make Bigot Fil A big mad, since they are hostile to TBLGQ rights and with their profits gleefully fund many of those TBLGQ hate organizations. 

Those of us on the liberal progressive side of the political spectrum are also beyond tired of  FOX Noise and conservafool politicians trolling us with bigot chicken sandwiches and Chick Fil A food. 

Popeye's is seen by us as a viable and tasty TBLGQ bigotry free alternative to Chick Fil A's problematic product.   Even better, the Popeye's sandwich will be available on Sundays.

That point was made in the video Popeye's released heralding the return of its chicken sandwich.

So am I and everyone else who didn't get a chance to sample it the first time around.

Miss France Universe Open To Trans Contestants

The Miss Universe Pageant system has been open to trans contestants since 2013, but only one trans person, Spain's Angela Ponce, has won her national pageant and made it to the Miss Universe pageant stage.

Since Canada's Jenna Talackova attempt to make it to Miss Universe, other trans women from around the world have entered their national Miss Universe qualifying pageants in Belgium, Mongolia, Puerto Rico, Norway and most recently Chile but failed to capture crowns. 

There are some notable Miss Universe pageant nation holdouts such as Venezuela, Mexico and surprisingly Thailand and the Philippines.   Those two nations obstinate refusal to do so is even more puzzling considering they are home to major trans beauty pageants.

Another one of those surprising to me holdout nations was France.  The Miss France pageant is a popular television event that draws 7.4 million viewers every December.  It also has a long history of iconic trans women who called France home during the 50's and 60's

Jacqueline-Charlotte 'Coccinelle' Dufresnoy and Marie-Pier Ysser performed in Paris' legendary Madame Arthur and Le Carousel transgender cabarets along with Britain's April Ashley and later Caroline Cossey.

Dufresnoy not only turned down a lucrative offer to join Bob Hope's touring troupe, she blazed human rights trails  for French trans people until her death in 2006.

The national director of the French pageant, Sylvie Tellier, recently conducted an interview with the local  Le Parisien newspaper.   She confirmed that contestants between 18-25 will no longer have to be AFAB (assigned female at birth) people, and the rules have been changed to reflect this change.

Teller was a former Miss France herself who won the crown in 2002.   She has been director since 2007, but believes France is not ready for a trans woman to wear the Miss France crown.   She also thinks a trans woman would have little chance of winning the crown.

Au contraire Madame Tellier.   Never underestimate what a trans woman can or cannot do.  I hope that somewhere in France right now is the trans woman who will make that history and make you eat crow in the process.