2/21/21

Trans woman Jessica Watkins, Oath Keeper Wants a Get Out of Jail Card

Transgender woman Jessica Watkins
Jessica Watkins insurrectionist oathkeeper

Transgender woman Jessica Watkins, a former Army ranger and Oath keeper charged with conspiring to storm the US Capitol, has asked to be released from jail pending trial, alleging that she has been “treated harshly” and is at “particular risk in custody” because she is transgender, according to BuzzFeed News. 

She also argues she is no threat to the public and only went to the Capitol because “She believed that the President of the United States was calling upon her.”

Rot in hell 
Jessica Watkins. Better yet, I hope you get sentenced to life at Fort Leavenworth.

I may be just be a leg, but I am smart enough and patriotic enough to never have dreamed to do what you did. In other words, I was a soldier.

As a former Ranger you recruited, trained civilians and coordinated an attempted military style coup, 

I used to train civilians for military duty as a 
 Infantry Staff Sergeant in the Army National Guard. 

The difference is that I performed my duties to protect my country. 

You led an insurrection to overthrow my country.

Your invasion of the Capitol Building of the United States on the day that the presidential election was to be certified was the most traitorous un-American act imaginable.

“Jessica Watkins this is the FBI with a warrant. Come to the back door with your hands up and empty,” an FBI officer is heard saying over a bullhorn in the video.



Kelli Anne Busey Proud Trans Woman US ARMY US Army National Guard SSG/Retired

Utah Anti-Trans Health Care Bill is Defeated: One down 47 to go

Sue Robbins(R), with the Transgender advisory Council at Equality Utah and Dr. Jennifer Plumb(L) had something to celebrate Friday with the defeat of one anti-trans bill.

The Utah House sent HB 92 a bill to deny trans youth legal healthcare, back to the Rules Committee, stopping it for this legislative session.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox has said he will veto the other bill which would deny transgender girls the opportunity to play on girls intramural sports teams.



  


However important this victory is these attacks on trans youth are perennial happening in nearly every state with a Republican majority.  What's more the bills are near carbon copies of legislature introduced in 20 other legislatures this year 
Doctor Jennifer Plumb, Attending Physician at University of Utah Health shared this on Sue Robbins' Facebook page

"Thank you to so many who stood up to protect health care for transgender youth. Thank you to the House HHS committee who did not allow this legislation to advance. And thank you to the brave, beautiful, brilliant big-hearted folks who make standing up with strength and support possible. To the transgender kiddos out there, know there is an actual fortress of folks surrounding you, valuing you, celebrating you and fighting for you. You are fiercely loved 🏳️‍⚧️
 

Equality Utah praised the failure of H.B. 92 on Friday, but Robbins believes transgender legislation, including the trans-female sports ban, will continue to be brought up.

“I think we will see this again because we have national organizations that are feeding these bills to the states and they’re not going to be deterred until they lose in the courts,” she said.

Robbins says several bills regarding transgender rights are being shopped around to state legislatures from groups including the Alliance Defending Freedom a designated LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)

Bills in at least 20 states are targeting the transgender community in what LGBTQ advocates say is an organized assault by conservative groups.

On Thursday, NBC reports, the North Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban transgender student athletes from joining teams that match their gender identity. The measure, which passed 65 to 26, also calls for withholding state funds from sporting events that allow athletes to play as anything other than their sex assigned at birth. The bill now heads to the state Senate.

The same day the North Dakota House passed its bill, the Mississippi state Senate passed its own athletic ban, which now goes to the state House for consideration. Georgia, Kansas, Utah and Tennessee advanced similar legislation last week, as well.

In 2020, legislators sponsored 20 bills to restrict transgender students’ participation in sports, according to the ACLU. At least as many have been introduced this year.

Bills driven by ‘centralized groups’

To date, the only trans sports bill to become law is Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Barbara Ehardt. Signed by Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, last March, it mandates that "biological sex" be the sole determining factor for inclusion on athletic teams at public schools and universities.

Ehardt worked with the Alliance Defending Freedom in crafting the measure, The Idaho Press reported. Founded in 1994 by Christian conservatives, the Arizona-based group has provided legal counsel for a variety of efforts to curtail LGBTQ rights, from defending gay-marriage bans to ensuring the right of businesses to refuse LGBTQ customers. Perhaps most notably, the ADF defended Jack Phillips, the owner of a Colorado bakery, Masterpiece Cakeshop, in his 2018 Supreme Court case over his refusal to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple.

Kate Oakley, state legislative director and attorney for the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ advocacy group, told NBC News that a bill under review in Montana restricting transgender sports participation was also written by the ADF.

The ADF did not confirm that it wrote the Idaho bill or provided template wording for legislation to any state, but Matt Sharp, an attorney for the organization, told NBC News in an email, “As is typical practice for legal organizations, Alliance Defending Freedom is often asked by legislators to review possible legislation and offer advice.”

In February 2016, Sharp claimed “lawmakers in at least five states” had used the ADF’s model legislation to draft so-called bathroom bills, The Washington Post reported. Sharp also said the Alliance mailed template bills to “thousands” of school districts.

The ADF did not confirm that it wrote the Idaho bill or provided template wording for legislation to any state, but Matt Sharp, an attorney for the organization, told NBC News in an email, “As is typical practice for legal organizations, Alliance Defending Freedom is often asked by legislators to review possible legislation and offer advice.”

In February 2016, Sharp claimed “lawmakers in at least five states” had used the ADF’s model legislation to draft so-called bathroom bills, The Washington Post reported. Sharp also said the Alliance mailed template bills to “thousands” of school districts.

The ADF did not confirm that it wrote the Idaho bill or provided template wording for legislation to any state, but Matt Sharp, an attorney for the organization, told NBC News in an email, “As is typical practice for legal organizations, Alliance Defending Freedom is often asked by legislators to review possible legislation and offer advice.”

In February 2016, Sharp claimed “lawmakers in at least five states” had used the ADF’s model legislation to draft so-called bathroom bills, The Washington Post reported. Sharp also said the Alliance mailed template bills to “thousands” of school districts.

LGBTQ Nation takes a deep dive into the copycat legislation

“These bills are intended to look constituent-led, but we know it’s driven from these centralized groups,” Chase Strangio of the ACLU told NBC News

“Alliance Defending Freedom has on several occasions said that, should a state be sued for one of these pieces of anti-trans legislation, that they would be happy to take care of the litigation,” HRC’s Cathryn Oakley told The American Independent.

The work of these national organizations could explain why Republicans in so many states are trying to get these bills passed this year, even while openly admitting that they have no idea whether their legislation would address any complaints in their states.

For example, Mississippi Sen. Angela Hill (R) sponsored a bill that would ban transgender girls from competing in sports. During the debate on the bill, Republicans couldn’t even name a transgender student-athlete in the state and none of them even asked if there were any. Hill herself was only willing to say that “numerous coaches across the state” told her that “they are beginning to have some concerns of having to deal with this.”  

Chace appeared on the LGBTQ Nation podcast this week to discuss the anti-transgender legislation.

Heritage Foundation, Alliance Defending Freedom, Eagle Forum, Twenty States 47 Boilerplate anti-trans bills: Check to see your if your state is pushing hate legislation at the National Center Transgender Equality.

2/20/21

Gloucester School Board asks Supreme Court to Violate Gavin Grimm's civil Rights

Gavin Grimm
Gavin Grimm 

 The Gloucester County School Board is  asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review its transgender bathroom ban after rulings by lower courts that the policy is unconstitutional and had discriminated against former student Gavin Grimm, chron reports.

In 2015 Gavin Grimm began the 10th grade at his new school district in Gloucester he used the boys bathroom as any boy would.  Then for no reason the Virginia School Board reversed itself and banned Gavin from the Boys bathroom.





Then in Sept. 2015 a district judge ruled against Grimm deny him his civil rights and sided with the School District. On April 2016 the The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals admonished the District Judge, sending the case back to him to which he then ruled in favor of Gavin Grimm. On October of 2016 The Supreme Court announced that it would rule on Grimms case but instead ordered a stay sending the case back to the 4th District Court appeals. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals on September 2020 denied a petition by the Gloucester School Board for a full Appeals Court Hearing.

Related: June 2020 the Supreme Court Rules Civil Rights Act of 1964 Protects Transgender and Gay people


The Gloucester County School Board hasn't learned anything after years of court rulings protecting the civil rights of former transgender student Gavin Grimm.

The American Civil Liberties Union today responded to the Gloucester County School Board’s request to the Supreme Court to again take up Gavin Grimm’s case.

"The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit have both ruled that the school board violated Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause by prohibiting Gavin from using the same restrooms as other boys and forcing him to use separate restrooms — simply because he is transgender." 

The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear Gavin’s case at an earlier stage of the litigation in 2017, but the case was sent back to the lower courts after the Trump administration withdrew the government’s support for Gavin’s claims. Since that time, three federal appeals courts have ruled that discriminatory restroom policies like the one in Gavin’s high school violate Title IX and the Constitution, and another two appeals courts have rejected claims that policies like the one Gavin seeks here — which would allow transgender students to use the restrooms — infringe on anyone else’s privacy. 

As the Fourth Circuit noted in its decision ruling in favor of Gavin, the Gloucester School Board has continued to discriminate against Gavin, “while schools across Virginia and across the country were successfully implementing trans-inclusive bathroom policies, again, without incident.” It added, “It is time to move forward.”

Statement from Gavin Grimm:

“I graduated four years ago — it is upsetting and disappointing that Gloucester County continues to deny who I am. Trans students in Gloucester County schools today should have the respect and dignity that I was denied. Whether it’s using the right restroom or having transcripts that reflect who we are, we all deserve to go to a school that’s free of harassment and discrimination.”










Related:

 Supreme Court Affirms Trans student Rights to Public Accommodations On Monday Dec. 7, 2020 the US Supreme Court declined to hear a case in which a lower court from Oregon had ruled in favor of transgender student rights.

2/19/21

TransLatina woman Chyna Carrillo Murdered in Pennsylvania




Twenty-five-year-old Transgender woman Chyna Carrillo was beaten to death Thursday in western Pa

Officers Black and Long, Public information officers for the Butler State police barracks identified victim as a transgender woman in their first reports. 

Following that they tweeted a statement deadnaming her despite knowing that she is transgender.

Multiple messages left for Officer Black have not been returned.
We spoke with Dana Rasmussen, treasurer and board member for TransFamily of NWPS, a support group created to serve the transgender community of Northwestern PA.

Dana was horrified that her murder happened so close and equally upset that the state police knew that the victim was transgender yet choose to deadname her.

Knowing that the victim was originally from the Springfield Arkansas area Dana contacted Lisa Stewart President of the Local Transgender Equality Network. Stewart confirmed with 
Rasmussen that her name was Chyna Carrillo and that she was a transgender woman. 

Her aunt Mayra Carrillo asked if we could include her 21st birthday picture.
Her loving aunt asked that we tell everyone that "She was so full of love and light."

Chyna Carrillo identifies on Facebook bio as a "Proud Preop TransLatina! Outspoken, Unapologetic, Lethal Mind and Killer Looks

And gorgeous. Chyna Carrillo Instagram pictures clearly show a proud TransLatina woman.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Dana 
Rasmussen for her dedication and proficient detective work. Thank you Dana. We can now #SayHerName 

R.I.P. 
Chyna Carrillo.













Original Post From This Morning Continues Below

Police shot and killed a man who murdered a 24-year-old Hispanic transgender woman in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania on Thursday. The transgender woman was taken to St. Elizabeth hospital in Youngstown where she died state police confirmed.

Neither the transgender victims or officers name have been released at this time according to News 4.

 According to police they responded to a call at a home on South New Castle Street where they found the suspect beating a woman with a blunt instrument. Police said when officers told the suspect to stop the attack, the suspect refused. Officers then opened fire, killing the suspect.

Police said the victim, a transgender woman, died from her injuries at the hospital. This incident caused the New Wilmington Area School District to temporarily lockdown at the request of police.

Neighbors called this incident an “unfortunate situation.” Update: State Police know that the victim is transgender but Stae police have only given us her dead name.
R.I.P. Chyna Carrillo

TGEU looking for transgender graphic designers to bid for gig work for 2021

TGEU  is searching for individual graphic designers or design teams to layout the publications as listed below.

Publications must be delivered as an accessible file for the website and a ready-to-print version. Each publication should include promotion visuals to be used on social media (e.g. here and here). All materials developed must be in accordance with TGEU Style Guide and must meet accessibility standards. Please include the delivery of the source files in the bid.

Due to funding restrictions, for items 3 to 11, we can only consider bids from individuals or teams based in the European Union.

We encourage applications from trans, gender-diverse and intersex people, Black, indigenous and Latinx people and people of colour, D/deaf and disabled people, people with a migrant background, and sex workers.

Read more about this gig job here https://tgeu.org/call-for-designers-2021/

Bids under this call must be submitted to contracts@tgeu.org by 28 February 2021, 12:00 CET.

Assailant killed by police who refused to stop beating a transgender woman

Police shot and killed a man who murdered a 24-year-old hispanic transgender woman in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania on Thursday. The transgender woman was taken to St. Elizabeth hospital in Youngstown where she died state police confirmed.

Neither the transgender victims or officers name have been released at this time according to News 4.

 According to police they responded to a call at a home on South New Castle Street where they found the suspect beating a woman with a blunt instrument. Police said when officers told the suspect to stop the attack, the suspect refused. Officers then opened fire, killing the suspect.

Police said the victim, a transgender woman, died from her injuries at the hospital. This incident caused the New Wilmington Area School District to temporarily lockdown at the request of police.

Neighbors called this incident an “unfortunate situation.” Update: State Police know that the victim is transgender but Stae police have only given us her dead name.

2/18/21

Ted Cruz Vacations in Cancun as Texans Freeze and Pandemic Rages

Cruz to Mexico

Texas Senator Ted Cruz flew to Cancun Mexico as we suffered in freezing weather without electricity for a spur of the moment 'family vacation'.

In the tweets below you can see Ted Cruz board a flight for Mexico, with his wife and daughter for company.

Sources say that Ted Cruz had booked a return flight for Saturday but changed his itinerary for a flight back yesterday, Wednesday,  2/17/2021.

Ted Cruz went on vacation as the GOP created statewide power outages left millions without heat in 5 degree temperatures as  Covid-19 ravaged our citizenry. On top of that, many in the state, like me still don't have drinking water.


In desperation I accepted an invitation to stay with a friend in Dallas despite being warned she may have been exposed to someone with Covid-19. It was a difficult long trip but I was thankful.

However when we got there the conditions were terrible so I sat on the floor near their door crying and searching for for someone, anyone who would save my kitty and I from freezing.

Meanwhile Ted Cruz.....

I finally found our haven last night at a UU church...so I didn't get back in time to help with this..


This while the inoculated Ted Cruz enjoyed his privileged life in comfort with his inoculated family while his duty was here, with the people he swore to serve. I am enraged beyond words and so are many of his other constituents. 

Heidi Cruz behind Ted Cruz and his daughter with the cop near in Houston on the way for a four day vacation while I freeze in my unheated apartment. A stringer in Cancun got these shots of Ted Cruz taking an early flight back to Houston. Notice please how deserted the terminal is. ALSO, WHY THE TEXAS COVID MASK TED?  According to the grid operators the wind power generation units operated better than expected producing peak enegery despite not being winterized as manufacturers recommended. The reason Texas suffered when others states didn't is a result of greed and one party rule.

Texas has detached it self from the national power grid making this failure an inevitability.

meanwhile Ted Cruz gets a police escort..