20th Anniversary of Love and Basketball

One of my fave romantic movies was released 20 years ago today in the Gina Prince Bythewood directed film Love and Basketball that starred Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan.

I was at my local movieplex the weekend it debuted to watch the story of Quincy McCall and Monica Wright begin when her family moved from the ATL to Los Angeles in 1981 to become the next door neighbors of the McCall family. 

After a contentious early start, it was clear that Quincy and Monica had a love of basketball as the basis of their friendship.   Over time, they developed a relationship as the movie follows them from that first day they met on Quincy's backyard basketball court through high school, college and young adulthood as masculine and feminine basketball prodigies. 

It also highlighted the differences in how they were treated by society, and the lack of respect women basketball players got then (and still don't get).   



Monica not only had to fight to get her opportunities on the court, she also had to fight off challengers who stepped up to try to wrest Quincy away from her in high school, college and later young adulthood.

I'll let y'all see how it ended for those of you who may have never seen Love and Basketball, but it's one of my fave movies that I rewatch from time to time.

And Gina, if you're reading this, I'd love to see a sequel to it. 

Change Will Not Happen Under A Fascist Republican Dictatorship

I've been amused and alarmed to hear the #NeverBiden rhetoric coming from Bitter Berners who seemed to have willfully forgotten the 2016 election.

These are NOT normal times. We have a malignant political tumor that needs to be excised from the WH.

That is the only thing that matters in November. Everything else is BS. Trump gotta go.  His Republican enablers at all levels of government gotta go as well. 

You have far too many MAGATS that are okay with fascist crap happening as long as it is only aimed at the non-white people and other peeps they despise.

There are also far too many Republican politicians who will look the other way as long as they can stay in power and keep getting their six figure taxpayer funded checks

So I don't from this moment forward want to hear another syllable uttered about how Biden is not your preferred choice for president. Neither am I as a Black trans woman in the mood to hear that tired left wing political purity BS or the false 'Biden is worse than Trump' talking points because you mad Bernie lost again.
  .

Been there heard that shyt in 2016 when you far lefties hated on Hillary.   She was the last person standing between Trump and the White house, and you peeps let your hatred of her override your common sense enough to allow Trump to slide into the Oval Office.

I heard this same rhetoric from the far left in 2000 when Al Gore was 'not progressive enough' for the fauxgressive purity police.  Both times in 2000 and 2016, we had opportunities that if Gore or Clinton had won, to flip the federal judiciary and the SCOTUS in a progressive direction.

Biden is the last person standing out of the Democratic primary field. He is the only thing standing between a Trump second term and catastrophe.

I also don't want to hear another caca laden word from far left white fauxgressives about how this country and its political system needs to burn down so 'The Revolution' can happen.

Your revolution won't mean shyt if you have a fascist/ totalitarian government in place that bans gatherings, criminalizes protest, suppresses your votes, has police armed with military equipment ready to gleefully use it, demonizes media and monitors your social media to ensure you won't be able to organize or speak out against it.

A fascist/totalitarian government that will arrest, torture, and jail you indefinitely in a concentration camp for daring to organize against it if they don't decide to outright execute you.

Can you hear me now? Good.

This is what is at stake this November

Maybe down the road when this American political crisis is settled, only then can you think about pushing for the type of systemic change you want.

But it can't and will not happen under a fascist Republican dictatorship

Two Trans Texans Running For The Texas Lege!

When we get to cast ballots in the general election this November, Texas Democrats are only nine tantalizing flipped seats away from gaining control of the Texas House for the first time since 2002 .

That would be huge as we go into a 2021 legislative session that will have redistricting on the agenda.

One of the things that would also be huge is if that new class of 2021 legislators had trans Texans as part of it. 

While we have actually had trans Texans serve in public office, we unfortunately have never had a trans Texan be elected to any public office in the Lone Star State. 

Phyllis Frye has been serving since 2010 as a Houston municipal judge,  and was appointed to the position by then Mayor Annise Parker 

Jess Herbst served as mayor of New Hope, TX for two years,   She was serving on city council as the mayor pro tem and took over after the mayor's May 2016 death. She unfortunately lost her bid to win a full term of her own in 2018.

In 2018 Finn Jones advanced out of an uncontested Democratic primary to take on one of the Texas trans community's biggest haters in incumbent District 94 Rep Tony Tinderholt.(R).  Jones made history as the first out Texas trans person to make it to a legislative general election race, and the first out trans masculine Texans to win a party primary . 

Unfortunately, even in a great election year for Texas Democrats, we couldn't get that electoral breakthrough we needed.  Tinderholt was one of the few North Texas House Republicans to survive the Blue Tsunami and win reelection 

So while we trans Texans are still looking for someone to make that Lone Star State history and get elected, history was made on March 3 when two trans feminine Texans won their Democratic primary races to make it to the November 2020 ballot.

In the Panhandle, Addison Perry Franks secured her spot in the District 83 general election by beating James Barrick  by a 54%-46% margin in the Democratic Primary. 

Perry-Franks will take on incumbent Rep Dustin Barrows (R) in the fall and attempt to flip the Lubbock area seat blue. . .

Meanwhile in Central Texas'  House District 17, Madeline Eden was advancing to the general election against incumbent Rep. Jon Cyrier (R), who was also unopposed in the GOP primary.   Cyrier has held this Austin metro area seat since 2015.

Eden is the current chair of the Bastrop County Stonewall Democrats and a former Democratic Party precinct chair.  She has also been endorsed by the Victory Fund.

So here;'s hoping that Eden flips that Centex seat.

And we could have a third trans person running for the Texas Lege if perennial candidate Jenifer Rene Pool wins the Texas House District 138 Democratic runoff for this Houston area seat against Akilah Bacy.

This was the seat that former Rep Dwayne Bohac (R) won by a razor thin 47 votes over Adam Milasincic in 2018, and Bohac retired when the 2019 session concluded.   This seat is seen as a prime pickup opportunity for Texas Democrats, and its a must get.

The winner in that May 22 runoff will take on Republican candidate Lacey Hull in the general.

So will 2020 finally be the year that Texas trans people get a trans person elected to The Lege?
We'll find out in November

Shut Up Fool Awards-STILL Dealing With The 'Rona Edition

The month of March is mercifully over, and we have now flipped a calendar page to April and another uncertain month of dealing with the COVID-19 virus.

And yes, even in the midst of a pandemic fools are everywhere, and it's my job to call them out.

Honorable mention number one is Jerry Falwell Jr for reopening Liberty University and thinking that COVID-19 was just going to miraculously pass by his campus. 

Naw player, it didn't.

Honorable mention number two goes to every Republican politician who laughed and poo-pooed it when Democratic leaders took action in their areas, and are now belatedly realizing Rona ain't playing with y'all.

Honorable mention number three  is Cubic Zirconia and Polyester er Diamond and Silk. 

They decided to coon it up for Trump in those horrid wigs and peddle the lie that the 'Deep State' is responsible for creating the coronavirus specifically to hurt Trump's reelection chances.

And you sellouts wanna know why y'all sitting on the cookout sidelines with Stacey Dash, Candace Owens, Paris Dennard  and Uncle Thomas

Honorable mention number four is Idaho governor Brad Little (R) who signed two anti-trans bills into law the day before TDOV.   The Idaho legislature didn't have time to deal with COVID-19, but they made time to oppress trans people.

I repeat, the most dangerous transphobe is the one that has legislative power.  Since Republicans are the peeps pushing these unjust laws, time for trans folks to bumrush the polls and vote our GOP oppressors out of office. .

Oh yeah. Idaho.  See y'all in court.

This week's Shut Up Fool Winner brigs me back to the Lone Star State and my southeast Texas part of it to call out US House candidate Kathaleen Wall.She's decided she's tired of being the money behind many area  Republican candidates and is trying to snag the GOP nomination for the 22nd Congressional District down in Fort Bend County.

Wall decided to deploy some anti-Asian bigotry in her fight against Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls.  She ran a commercial for her runoff against Nehls that stated 'China poisoned our people.'   The ad also called China 'a criminal enterprise masquerading as a sovereign nation.'

Kathaleen really needs to stop talking about the Trump misadministration like that.

Not the first time this cycle she has run some problematic commercials, but this one is getting her azz called out.  Fort Bend County has a large Asian population, and Sri Preston Kulkarni, the Democratic nominee, has already called out Wall's racism.

"Irresponsible, race-baiting comments like these from Kathaleen Wall are unacceptable and dangerous to TX-22’s large Asian American and Pacific Islander population, who are intimately aware of the FBI warning about the recent surge of hate crimes against their community," 
But she doesn't care, as long as she gets enough bigot votes to propel her past Troy Nehls and into the general election.

Kathaleen Wall, shut up fool!

Stay The F**k At Home

If you were wondering how long it would take before we heard from Samuel L Jackson during this COVID-19 crisis, wonder no more.

Jackson is on the J-O-B with his latest poem for these times entitled Stay The Fuck At Home.

Some of you peeps need to hear it, especially you evilgelicals.

TransGriot April Fool's Day Posts

One of the traditions I have on TransGriot is to do a satirical or prank post on April Fool's Day.

Because we have had an ongoing April Fool's joke desecrating the Oval Office since January 2017, I hadn't been doing April Fool's Day spoof posts since then..   

Until this year..

Now what I will do is link to some of my April Fool's Day TransGriot Greatest Hits from my archive and let you enjoy those.

TransGriot To Debate Cathy Brennan At Smith College

RuPaul Hospitalized After Being D'R'O'P. Squaded 

I'm Sellin' Out 

I'm Joining HRC 

Drop Squad Strikes Again- Jimi Izreal Targeted

I'm Joining The NCTE Board 

Dan Savage To Transition

I'm Joining The TS Separatist Ranks 

Moni's Going On CNN

Moving To Washington DC 

Candace Owens DROP Squaded

The mysterious D.R.O.P Squad struck again, with their latest high profile target being Candace Owens.

The D.R.O. P. Squad is a shadowy group that kidnaps and deprograms African Americans who have betrayed their community. 

The D.R.O.P. in DROP Squad refers to 'Deprogramming and Restoration Of Pride'. As of this writing no communique has come from D.R.O.P. Squad leaders explaining why Owens was targeted, but anyone who watches FOX Noise has a pretty good idea. 

Owens was found outside of her home with her makeup and hair perfectly done and endlessly repeating the late Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman poem.

She was also when found holding paperwork to change her voting registration to the Democratic Party.

Owens was taken to a local psychiatric hospital for observation after being tested for the COVID-19 virus.

Police are looking for any clues that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the D.R.O.P. Squad, but as of this time have no leads in this case.

Meanwhile security for SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas and HUD Secretary Ben Carson has been elevated in the wake of this latest appearance of the D.R.O.P. Squad.


And TransGriot readers, check today's date......

DNC Statement on Transgender Day of Visibility

DNC Chair Tom Perez, DNC LGBTQ Caucus Chair Earl Fowlkes, and DNC Member Dr. Marisa Richmond released the following joint statement on International Transgender Day of Visibility:

****

“Today, we celebrate and honor transgender and non-binary people and the contributions they have made and continue to make to our country and the world – from Stonewall to the halls of public service. We celebrate artists and entrepreneurs, scientists and athletes, authors and activists. We admire all members of the transgender and non-binary community for their bravery and strength. And we remember all those who have lost their lives to tragic acts of transphobic violence.

“While we celebrate the lives of so many transgender leaders and heroes, we also recognize the significant legal, financial, and social barriers transgender and gender non-conforming people face on a daily basis and recommit to fighting all forms of discrimination through the statehouse, courthouse, White House, Capitol, school board, and town hall. Sadly, we don’t have to look far for examples of such injustice. Just yesterday, Republican Idaho Governor Brad Little signed two anti-transgender laws.

“Democrats stand with trans people in their push for full equity. We will not allow Trump and the Republican Party to drag us backward to a world that is less tolerant, less inclusive, and less just. House Democrats unanimously passed the Equality Act last year, and we look forward to a Democratic president signing it into law next year and undoing Trump’s historic record of anti-trans actions. While we still have a long road ahead to achieve full equality, we will never stop fighting.”

TDOV 2020-The Trend Line Is Positive

This particular TDOV was already guaranteed because of the COVID-19 crisis to be an unusual one.

We have William Barr, the current US Attorney General, using debunked junk science to argue that transgender girls and women are NOT women in a federal lawsuit filed to deny transgender women the right to compete in women's sports.

On the eve of TDOV we lost longtime trans advocate Lorena Borjas in New York to the virus that morning.  Later in the day, Idaho governor Brad Little (R) decided to embrace his trans oppressor gene and  signed two unjust anti-trans bills into law.

Rest in power and peace Lorena.   You will be missed by the Latinx trans community and all who loved you.

And yes, it goes without saying we've already had five murders and counting of trans folks from Puerto Rico to OKC to NYC.

So yes, while TDOV 2020 is getting off to a crappy start, we still have to remember why this March 31 day was founded by Rachel Crandall back in 2009.

TDOV is to not only recognize our existence to society, it is to also celebrate our success. And over the past year we've had a lot to celebrate. 

The FX show POSE is not only getting excellent ratings with its trans cast, there are also trans folks like Janet Mock making history behind the camera writing, directing and producing the show.

VA Del Danica Roem (D) got reelected to her Virginia House seat for another two year term, and in the process became the first out trans person REELECTED to her political seat. 

Hopefully the same thing will happen for CO state Rep Brianna Titone (D) later this year.

Sarah McBride is also running for office in DE, hoping to become the first out trans person ever elected to a state senate seat.

Our fourth out trans judge was just elected to office in Illinois in Judge Jill Rose Quinn.

In Minnesota, Council members Andrea Jenkins and Phillipe Cunningham are still on the job and serving together on the Minneapolis City Council.

I'm also proud of my Houston homegirl Jessica Zyrie, who continues to rip NY Fashion Week runways and make history on the Project Runway show.

And I can't forget my Houston homies Diamond Stylz, Mia Mix and Zee, who continue to drop knowledge on one of my fave podcasts in Marsha's Plate.

That's before I talk about you peeps who are MVT's (Most Valuable Transpeeps) for just having the courage to step out of your doors, walk down the street and commit the revolutionary act of unapologetically living your daily lives.

And time for a well deserved shout out aimed at my trans younglings.  Whether you're in elementary, middle school, high school or college, you continue to make me proud just by being your fabulous selves.

We have some talented, smart, beautiful, handsome and amazing people in our trans community.

As I like to constantly remind y'all, your family expands, not contracts after your transition, and it crosses international borders on top of that.

We are everywhere and in every profession.  We are your sons, daughters, siblings, uncles, aunts and neighbors.  All we want is the opportunity to contribute our talents to society without being harassed or jacked with.  We are not going to be erased from society, and if you trans oppressors try it, we will fight you tooth and nail ever millimeter of the way.

One of the other positive developments on this TDOV 2020 that needs to be discussed is increasing support from cisgender peeps who unapologetically embrace us.

Some of them are high profile Hollywood stars like Selenis Leyva, who supports the community and her trans sister Marizol. 

Others are athletes like Dwyane Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union, who have made it clear they support their child Zaya's transition, and pushed back against the vitriol coming from ignorant Black community transphobes about it.

And yes, there are cis politicians out there at all levels of government who unlike Republicans, are willing to stand up and defend our humanity and human rights instead of gleefully attacking them.

Trans amorous men are starting to come out of the shadows and openly declare they love trans women, you can chill with the attempts to shame them about it, and there's nothing you haters can do or say that will deter them from pursuing the women they love. .

So that's where we stand as this TDOV 2020 happens during the middle of a pandemic.   While we've had some setbacks, the overall trend line is one of positive growth and recognition that trans people exist, and we aren't going away.

Happy TDOV 2020 everybody!

Idaho Governor Signs Trans Oppressive Bills Into Law

The Republican controlled Idaho Legislature hasn't addressed the COVID-19 crisis, but had time to shepherd two bills through their legislature aimed at oppressing trans people.

On the eve of the Transgender Day of Visibility,  Idaho's Gov Brad Little (R) signed two unjust bills designed to oppress trans people in that state.

And consistent with the pattern in other parts of the country when it comes to the anti-trans bills, they used Republican women legislators as the front people to do their transphobic dirty work.

House Bill 500, sponsored by Rep Barbara Ehardt (R) forbids transgender girls from competing in sports against cisgender girls, and applies to all teams at the high school, public college and university level.

It also contains a provision in which if  a high school or college female competitor is suspected of being trans, the school is allowed to conduct a physical genital exam on that person in addition to doing blood and chromosomal testing.

Even the International Olympic Committee (IOC) doesn't go there now after doing something similar since the 1964 Tokyo Games.   The sex tests the IOC administered until 2000 were often inconclusive in addition to being invasive and  dehumanizing.

Then again, since when did the Republican Party at any level of government ever miss an opportunity to gleefully legislate oppressive laws against women, be they cis or transgender?

The other bill Little signed into law. House Bill 509, prevents trans people from changing the gender marker listed on their birth certificates. 

That one is probably headed to court, because in 2018 Idaho lost a court case in which they were ordered to allow Idaho trans people to change the gender marker on their birth certificates.

The Idaho ACLU was quick to condemn Little's actions.

"The ACLU of Idaho condemns Gov Brad Little's decision to sign discriminatory, unconstitutional, and deeply hurtful anti-transgender bills into law. 

"Leaders from the business, faith, medical, education and athletics communities will not forget this decision or what it says about the governor's priorities during a global pandemic," said the ACLU in a statement. "The ACLU will see the governor in court. We encourage all Idahoans to email, call, and tweet Gov. Little to express outrage and disappointment at wasting precious taxpayer resources on blatantly anti-transgender bills at a time when we should be coming together for the health and wellbeing of our people." 

The ACLU encourages Idahoans to email the governor at governor@gov.idaho.gov and call him at 208-334-2100 and tweet him @GovernorLittle to express their disappointment. 

All trans people want to do is be able to compete in sports, and using BS excuses dating back to the Jim Crow sports segregation days repurposed to discriminate against trans feminine athletes will not be tolerated by our community. 

We'll see you in court on both of these unjust bills.

Book Review- 'My Sister'

One of the things I love to do is grab a good book and take the time to read it.   But because of my busy schedule I haven't to my chagrin been doing much of that lately.

The COVID-19 social distancing and sheltering in place has given me an opportunity to sit down and wade through that pile of trans themed books on my to read list.

Just in time for Transgender Day Of Visibility (TDOV) on March 31 is the release of the book by Selenis and Marizol Leyva entitled  My Sister- How One Sibling's Transition Changed Us Both.  

I finally received my copy yesterday and read the book in five hours.   Yes peeps I can actually read that fast.  It's a trait I inherited from my mom.

Also didn't hurt that there's not much to watch on TV these days.

The 248 page book is broken up into three sections, in which Part One focuses on Selenis' and Marizol's life before transition.  Part Two, as she transitioned, and Part Three life as Marizol's true self, told in alternating .chapters by Selenis and Marizol.

There are times when their life journeys were similar as a cis and a trans woman, and times where there were challenges unique to both.

In Selenis' case, she had to deal with the internalized issues of not being seen as pretty because of her Afro-Latinx heritage by extended family members and society.  The challenges of fitting in as a high school student at the famed La Guardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

Her struggle to make her acting career work before she blew up with her award winning role as Gloria Mendoza on Orange Is The New Black.  Dealing with marriage and motherhood and at times depression.

Selenis is now on the Disney Plus show Diary Of A Future President, playing the single attorney mom of two kids, one who grows up to become the POTUS. 

As Selenis was dealing with all of this challenging stuff going on in her own life,, she was also concerned about the baby sister she loved in Marizol.  Being annoyed at times when her clothes and shoe closet got raided by Marizol who was exploring her femininity

And grieving the loss of her baby brother while getting adjusted to Marizol being in her world

Selenis is also an ally to our trans and SGL community.



Marizol' had some challenges similar to her elder sister in terms of trying to fit in, but others that were all too familiar to those of us who are transgender.   The frustration of being in a body that wasn't congruent to the person on the inside.  The bullying not only at school but outside of it by society
.

Learning that there was a term that described that disconnect.   Finding other trans people and hanging out in New York's TBLGQ plus community.

And there was the ugly side of it.  Marizol talks about being in an abusive relationship.  Dealing with the fallout from being molested as a child by her birth father.  Overcoming depression, alcohol and drug abuse.  Navigating the challenges that come with a social and physical transition.

She talks about her time living at the Ali Forney Center,  and eventually getting comfortable in her own skin while being supported and loved by Selenis .

She also talks about the challenges of being trans and Latinx

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and getting some insight on both Selenis' and Marizol's lives.
I'm looking forward to eventually meeting them and one day getting this book autographed.

.

Shut Up Fool Awards- Dealing With The 'Rona Edition

Like many of you I'm chilling in my crib now experiencing the third day of Houston's 'Stay Home Work Safe' shelter in place order.   It's basically my life, so for now I'm good.

Amd since it's Friday, let me get to this week's fools.

Honorable mention number one is Lügenpräsident, AKA Donald Trump.   Just pick a lie he's told this week.   FYI:  Lügenpräsident means in German, 'lying president'.
Honorable meeting number two is FOX Noise for enabling his lying azz.

Honorable mention number three is Jerry Falwell Jr, who still seems to think (do evilgelicals every think?) that COVID-19 is a joke.

Honorable mention number four is Texas Lt Governor Dan Patrick.    Potty Dan went on FOX Noise and basically stated that your elderly relatives should be willing to die to save our economy.

Naw Potty Dan.  How about you and ever other Republican lead by example.

This week's Shut Up Fool winner is the late Landon Spradlin.

He was the evilgelical COVID 19 denier who claimed the virus was a hoax, and put out a misleading meme on March 13 claiming the media was 'using COVID 19 to hurt Trump'.

Gee, where have I heard that propaganda line before?

He fell ill while returning from a trip to NOLA on March 17, and during his time there initially tested negative for COVID-19 in New Orleans.   He was ill with bronchitis and pneumonia, and Spradlin's pneumonia got worse during the drive back home to Virginia.

During a stop in Concord, NC, he wasn't breathing as his wife Jean struggled to pull him out of the car.  In the NC hospital he tested positive for COVID-19, and also had double pneumonia.

He died on Wednesday from the virus he claimed was a hoax.  Spradlin's wife Jean is still hospitalized

As my Birthday Twin Deirdre Square said on my Facebook page, "Ignorance will get you killed. Believing a liar’s lies will get you killed."
And to piggyback off what she said, not taking COVID 19 seriously will also get you killed.

Don't be a fool.  Listen to what the experts are telling you.   Stay safe.