WATCH Janet Mock give her Keynote Speech at USC's 18th annual Lavender Celebration

Here at USC, we host a special graduation ceremony for our LGBT students. We were very fortunate to have Janet Mock come here and deliver her speech.

Please watch

Transgender Woman Brandy Martell was Murdered, could be a Hate Crime -VIDEO

We lost another one. Brandy Martell was shot to death a block away from Oakland's City Hall. Her friends believe it was a hate crime.

37-year-old Brandy Martell was sitting behind the wheel of her car around 5:15 a.m. Sunday when one or two men walked up and began a conversation. A witness told ABC7 the conversation was cordial, but then a few minutes later, one of the men became angry and fired into the car right where Martell was sitting. 

 Until late last year, Martell worked as an outreach worker at the Tri-City Health Center in Fremont which serves the transgender and transsexual community. "When you don't provide a space in society for people who you think are the other or different, especially transgender women, especially transgender women of color, when you don't provide spaces for them to be in a safe environment or a safe space, whether it's socializing or services, this is what happens," Martell's friend Tiffany Woods told ABC 7

Friends gathered on Sunday to remember Brandy.

Mexican Trans Activist Agnes Torres Sulca was Murdered

Activist and leader, Agnes Torres Sulca, was brutally murdered. According to the news sites, she was burned and tortured.

She was found in a ravine.

Here's more on the story:

“We condemn this crime against a woman, an academic, a psychologist, educator, role model and activist for human rights for women in general and for sexual diversity as a whole,” the Puebla-based organization Vida Plena Puebla. “We are distraught, pained, enraged and saddened by this crime, and feel powerless over how, yet again, a brave person has succumbed to the most brutal of gender-based violence… in this case, violence against a transgender woman.” The organization demanded in their statement that Torres’s murder case be treated the same way as that of “the daughter of any governor, politician, or attorney” and that it be solved swiftly.

The organization had presented before the State Congress on the importance of legislation for sexual diversity and recognition of hate as an exacerbating factor in these cases, particularly of “feminicide” – a word coined in Mexico to refer to specifically to violence targeted at women that ends in murder, which has reached endemic proportions in the country. There have been 6 similar unsolved homicides in the state since the beginning of 2012.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Agnes. Her work will continue through the people she has touched.


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In California: Transgender Woman was Allegedly Tased in the Crotch by Imperial County Desert Rangers - WATCH

From HuffPo:

as LGBT Weekly is reporting, Brooke Fantelli, who is apparently a well-known figure in the off-road racing community, was allegedly stopped by a ranger while in the midst of a photo shoot in the Imperial County desert.


Though the 43-year-old Fantelli had been living as a woman for some time, she had been told by her physician that she needed to live two full years as a female before she could change her California identification. Only when the ranger saw Brooke’s identification card did the hostile interaction begin, according to the report.


Fantelli said the ranger went from referring to her as "ma'am," "her," and "she" to “sir,” "him," and eventually "dude." She said she was eventually told by the ranger that she was being arrested for being drunk in public after consuming beer (Fantelli claims she had two and a half beers, the officer said she had four) before finally being subjected to the excessive force.


"He actually looked me straight in the eye and says, 'You used to be a guy,' and I said, 'Yes, I did.' There was no way around it. I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to do that," Fantelli, who is heard audibly screaming in the video, told San Diego's 10News last month. She went on to note, "It was obvious. He hated me."

This is a mess. Was that necessary, officers? 

In Detroit: A Burned Body of a Transgender Teen was Found near the Highway

Sorry for the tragic news today, y'all. Earlier, cops found and identified a burnt torso found near I-94.The body belong to a transgender teen:

Henry Hilliard Jr., 19, also known as Shelley or Treasure, was last seen at 1:20 a.m. on Oct. 23 in the 900 block of Longfellow, wearing a silver dress. The 19-year-old had several piercings and tattoos, including one of cherries on the upper right arm. 

Chief Investigator Albert Samuels of the Medical Examiner's office was able to connect the cherry tattoo to the information provided by police to make a match, said spokesman Dennis Niemiec.
Police said they're investigating Hilliard's death as a homicide. 

Shelley was missing for at least 2 weeks. She was last seen by a cab driver, who spoke about what happened (this was reported a few days ago):

A cab driver that Hilliard often used for rides dropped Hilliard off at a home where three men were waiting for her, his mother, Lyniece Nelson, said today. 

But Hilliard immediately called the driver back, voicing concern about the situation, Nelson said.

The driver "started to hear her say, 'What are you doing,' then scream out loud 'No,' then her phone dropped, a few muffling noises, then the phone went dead," Nelson said. "By the time he got back around the corner, there was no one in sight." 

I hope the found out who did this to Shelley. To my Trans fam in Detroit, please be careful.

A Transgender woman gets $55, 000 from a DMV suit

Amber Yust, a transgender woman, is about to get paid, because of someone's foolishness and ignorance. Let me tell you the T.

Amber went to the DMV in San Francisco to record her sex change. Then four later, she received a letter from a clerk saying homosexual acts were "an abomination that leads to hell". Well, Amber took action and got a couple of attorneys to handle business. Now, she is getting $55,000.

Here's the breakdown:

Attorneys said Amber Yust's settlement includes $40,000 from the state and $15,000 from Thomas Demartini, who was suspended with pay by the DMV shortly after the incident and quit his job in December.

"This suit promotes the privacy rights of all Californians by ensuring that confidential information retained by our government stays confidential," said attorney Christopher Dolan, who filed the Superior Court case in December.

The department also agreed to work with the Transgender Law Center on staff training, said Kristina Wertz, legal director of the center.

Here's what was in the letter:

...the letter from Demartini that warned her of eternal damnation and referred her to the website of a fundamentalist church, the Most Holy Family Monastery. Yust said she received a DVD from the church the same day, predicting hellfire for anyone "possessed by demons" of homosexuality.

First of all, Thomas should have been FIRED with no pay and a letter stating his bigotry. That will keep him from running his mouth and spitting out mess

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In Baltimore: Teen Pleads Guilty for Attacking a Transgender woman in McDonald's

Last week, the teenager involved in the beating of Chrissy Lee Polis, transgender woman, pleaded guilty.

Baltimore Sun states:

Teonna Monae Brown, 19, pleaded guilty in Baltimore County Circuit Court to one count of first-degree assault and one hate crime count in the April attack on Chrissy Lee Polis, 22, which became a rallying point for transgender-rights advocates across the state and nationwide.

Prosecutors will seek a prison sentence for Brown of 10 years with five years suspended, said Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger. The combined maximum sentence for the crimes is 35 years.

Sad it had to go down like that

Rev. A.W. Montgomery Sr. from the Agape Missionary Baptist Church is an Asshole

This asshole preacher caused over 100 people to leave the funeral Lashai Mclean, a transgender woman who was shot and killed in D.C. because of his hateful sermon.

Washington Blade reports:

Basically, he said that God let her get killed so that people could get saved,” said D.C. gay activist and comedian Sampson McCormack, who attended the service. “And that came after somebody, I think it was a deacon, said when you live a certain lifestyle this is the consequence you have to pay.” 

McCormack and D.C. resident Arriel Horton said they knew Mclean and were among more than 300 people attending her funeral service at Purity Baptist Church near Capitol Hill.

D.C. police said Mclean, 23, was shot near the corner of 61st and Dix Streets, N.E., in a case where investigators have yet to determine a motive and to identify a suspect. Transgender activists say they are concerned that Mclean may have been targeted due to her status as a transgender woman, even though police say they have no immediate evidence to classify the incident as a hate crime.

McCormack and Horton told the Blade that a sermon delivered by Rev. A.W. Montgomery Sr., pastor of Agape Missionary Baptist Church in Suitland, Md., who presided over the funeral service, offended many of those in attendance, including many of Mclean’s transgender friends.

The two also said friends of Mclean became angry when clergy and others speaking at the service referred to Mclean as “he.” McCormack said many in the audience responded by shouting the word “she.”

What? Then when the Blade got a hold of Montgomery, this is what he said:

“My perception of some things is strictly from the perception of the Bible. Sin is sin is sin. I don’t care who you are. There’s no perfect person on this planet. Whether you’re the pope or the poorest person, all of us sin. So my remarks would never be disparaging at all. I preached the Gospel. I don’t think I was harsh.”

It was harsh, hateful and ridiculous. Fam, I urge y'all to contact Rev. A.W. Montgomery and Agape Missionary Baptist Church. That church and A.W. need to know that the sermon was unacceptable.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Agape-Missionary-Baptist-Church/187154561337091
Phone: (301) 420-4768

The Rev's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1058806035

Transgender Student wins Prom Queen

17-year-old Andii Viveros became prom queen at her school, McFatter Technical High School. But why is this special, because Andii is transgender. However, it wasn't an easy road to the crown.

Andrew said some McFatter teens pleaded with school management not to allow her to run for queen.
“Many students have started a petition to have me removed from the ballot,” Andrew wrote last week in a Facebook message. “They also are outraged and say I am making a mockery of prom, because I am going in an evening gown.”

Last year, school officials suggested Andrew not dress as a female in class and to “tone it down,” she said.

“This year we got a new principal and she’s very supportive of me,” Andrew said, even encouraging her to run for prom queen. “She said “Stay in the running. Don’t back down for anything.’”

McFatter seniors who voted Friday night also chose a prom king: Juan Macias, a 17-year-old gay male senior.
Before the big night, Andrew’s father, Oscar Viveros, bought her a gown, shoes and makeup.
“My parents support me. They always have,” said Andrew, the oldest of four siblings.

“I’ve always loved him unconditionally,” said Oscar Viveros, who still uses male pronouns when talking about Andrew. “I’ve told my other kids, they have to support him. He thinks he’s a girl in a man’s body. In school, he hears this and that, but I’ve made sure in our house he’s free to act and do whatever makes him comfortable.”

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In Virginia: A Transgender Woman Beaten outside of a 7-Eleven

This happened in the afternoon time, broad daylight!

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

It is good to hear that the cops were helpful.

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Former Police Officer gets 2 years in Prison for beating a Transgender Woman

Ex cop Bridges McRae was given two years in prison beating transgendered woman Duana Johnson. He also got in trouble for tax evasion as well.

Bridges McRae was convicted of violating the rights of Duana Johnson while the transgender woman awaited booking on charges of prostitution. McRae admitted to unjustifiably striking her numerous times at the Criminal Justice Complex.

McRae also pled guilty to tax evasion, admitting that he claimed 99 dependents on his W-4 form to keep the City of Memphis from withholding federal taxes and then intentionally not filing a tax return.

Duana was murdered after this incident. Her death remains unsolved. More on her story here

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Two teens face hate crime charges for Beating a Transgender Woman in McDonald’s

The two women who beat Chrissy Lee Polis, a transgender woman in McDonald's were indicted on hate crime charges the other day.

Here's more:

Teonna Brown, 18, was indicted Monday on assault and hate crime charges in the attack on Chrissy Lee Polis at the restaurant last month. She is also charged with assaulting a customer and a McDonald’s employee who tried to intervene. A 14-year-old girl is facing the same charges in juvenile court. The Associated Press typically does not identify juveniles charged with crimes.

Both teenagers are being held, prosecutors said no one else would be charged.
Brown was defending herself and maintains her innocence, according to attorney Timothy P. Knepp. He declined to go into further detail.

“She’s a very nice young lady who lives with her mom and is not the person the press has made her out to be,” Knepp said.

A videotape of the April 18 beating showed a woman being attacked repeatedly while an employee and customer try to stop them, and the woman apparently having a seizure.

While some thinks the jail time is justice, others think counseling and anger management will help the girls stay away from future trouble.

VIDEO: The Community rallies for Chrissy Lee Polis

Hundreds of community members and some politicians came out in support of Chrissy Lee Polis, the transgender woman who was beaten at a McDonald's last week.



More info is here

WATCH: Chrissy Lee Polis speaks out the McDonald's Assault

Chrissy is the Transgender woman who was beaten at McDonald's. She talks about the incident and more.

 

*UPDATE* In Baltimore: A Transgender Woman Beaten in McDonald’s

Vernon Hackett, the guy who filmed and uploaded this horrid video of the beating of Chrissy Lee Polis, was fired.

The other employees are also being considered for the same fate. Here are the tweets from McDonald's (I didn't know they had a Twitter account)

Vernon, I hope you know this was NOT a laughing matter. To watch you fellow man get beat down should have hurt your soul. This was not entertainment, this was someone's life.

This will be your life's lesson.

In Baltimore: A Transgender Woman Beaten in McDonald’s

I heard about this yesterday and could not believe this happened. A transgender woman was attacked in McDonald's just for using the restroom.

Smoking Gun has more of the story.

The April 18 assault, seen below, took place at a McDonald’s location on Kenwood Avenue in Rosedale, Maryland, a Baltimore suburb. According to the Baltimore County Police Department, a 14-year-old girl has been charged as a juvenile in connection with the assault, while charges are pending against an 18-year-old woman. “The incident remains under investigation and the State’s Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case,” added investigators.

Police said the assault victim "appeared to be having a seizure" when officers arrived at the McDonald's at around 8 PM. The victim suffered cuts to the mouth and face during the attack and was transported by medics to Franklin Square Hospital for treatment, according to a police report.

The police report identifies the victim as 22-year-old Chrissy Lee Polis, who appears identical to Christopher Lee Polis, whose rap sheet includes convictions for disorderly conduct, property destruction, and prostitution, according to court records. The civil rights group Equality Maryland has identified the McDonald’s victim as a transgender woman.

Polis told police that she was walking to the restaurant’s bathroom when she “got into a verbal argument with two black females” who “began punching her in the face with their fists and pulling her hair.” A female bystander told cops that when she tried to break up the fight, the suspects punched her in the face, which “caused her to become disoriented.” Police noted that the woman, who declined medical treatment, had “redness around her right eye which is consistent with someone punching her in the face.” 

The video is rough to watch

The employees should have done more to stop this. Some of them pointed and laugh, which is completely unacceptable.

I hope Chrissy gets the help she needs and those girls get serious counseling and some type of punishment.

A Transgender Woman is the new President of the Young Democrats of Oklahoma

I learned at the Stonewall Democrats Awards that Brittany Novotny was elected president of the Young Democrats of Oklahoma.

Brittany made headlines last year by going against the evil and hateful Sally Kern for Oklahoma District Assembly. She didn't win, but she did pretty good in that area.

I am glad that Brittany's hard work and dedication wasn't in vain. I'm wishing her luck and strength in leading this eager group of democratic leaders.

More on this story is here

A Transgender Woman was Shot and Dragged in Arkansas

These attacks on our Trans fam must end

Here is the tragic story on Marcel Cameo Tye

Investigators with Forrest City, Arkansas Police and the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, are searching for clues in a brutal murder.

Tuesday morning, the body of 25-year-old Marcel Cameo Tye was discovered along a stretch of Highway 334.

Sheriff Bobby May, "We're going to be, of course, waiting for the lab results, the pathology reports, but it appeared to be that he did have a head wound and also that he had been drug by a car."

May says Tye was wearing female clothing when found, "The victim was well known in this area as a "cross dresser."

Tye was a transgender female, born male but lived as a woman.

Sheriff May says a witness reported hearing two gunshots in the area.

Jennifer Bohannon considered Tye a good friend and had seen Tye just a few hours before the murder, "He had just left away from one of my other cousin's house last night around about twelve something. He said he was on his way going home"

 

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Victoria Kolakowski makes history as the the 1st Transgendered Trial Judge.

Our fam in the Transgender community are rising up on the scene! Victoria Kolakowski made history as the the 1st Transgendered Trial Judge.

A 49-year-old California patent lawyer has been elected as the nation's first openly transgender trial judge.

Alameda County elections officials say Victoria Kolakowski beat prosecutor John Creighton 51 to 48 percent – a margin of nearly 10,000 votes – in the Nov. 2 election to fill the vacancy in California's Superior Court.

Kolakowski had been leading since election night, but outstanding absentee and provisional ballots made the race too close to call until Monday.

The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund has said she is the first openly transgender trial court judge in the country.

Kolakowski spent the past three years as an administrative law judge settling energy contract and environmental compliance disputes for the California Public Utilities Commission. 

Congrats to her!

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Hot Transgendered Model lands Fashion Cover

The Brazilian transgender model, Lea T graces the cover of Lurve.

She is to die for, draped in Givenchy couture. WERK!


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