Atlanta night club Don Pollo denies entrance to transgender woman saying 'because we can'

On Friday November 8th at about 3:30am Alissah Brooks was illegally denied public accommodations access by employees of Don Pollo's who refused her entrance because of her gender identity. Don Pollo's facebook page makes no mention of the establishment being a members only nightclub.

A male employee appears and asks, “What’s the problem?” One of Brooks’ friends explained, “The problem was she’s a transgender and [the bouncer] denied her entry.” Without skipping a beat the employee asks, “What’s wrong with that?



Here's what's wrong with that...it's against city code as of July 19th 2013 to deny public accommodations on the basis of gender identity. Marco Polo owners and staff really need to become better informed and hopefully less bigoted.

http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=10376

Too small to read manager Luis Munoz? You can click the link or read it here....especially for you...



Sec. 94-68. Unlawful discrimination.

(a)
Except as is exempted in subsection (b) of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person, whether acting for himself/herself or another, being the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent or employee of a public accommodation, to engage in or cause another to engage in any of the following prohibited acts, or to allow a subordinate employee of the public accommodation to engage in any of the following prohibited acts, in any public accommodation in the legal limits of the City of Atlanta:
(1)
Denial, refusal, rejection, or granting or any privilege, service, goods, merchandise, advantage, facility, membership, commodity or accommodation because of an individual's, or the perception of an individual's, race, color, creed, religion, sex, domestic relationship status, parental status, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, age, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide by a blind, deaf or otherwise physically disabled person.

Serbian X Factor Judge Жељко Јоксимовић votes alone against transgender contestant Fifi calling her a "Tranny"

Serbian X Factor judge Željko Joksimović pronounced " [ʒěːʎko jôksimoʋitɕ"] acknowledged he liked Fifi's performance but couldn't vote for a 'tranny'.

Ok, so what happened? Buzz Feed's lazaralazara interpreted the video of her appearance embedded below:

After Fifi’s introduction, judge Kristina Kovač checked with her in which gender she wants to be addressed to and Fifi said – „female“. This is when Željko Joksimović interrupted the conversation with the first transphobic and discriminatory remark:
„Wait wait, sorry, I don’t understand something here. Fifi, in your application it says Filip. How can we then address to you as a female?!“
„Well, I was born as a male and I identify as a female, I am transgender“
„You are a tranny (?). Crazy.“ said Joksimović.

What followed doesn't need much translation. It's obvious by FiFi's eyes narrowing she is being degraded even more by Joksimović who demands that 'both of him' sing another song.

Fifi brings the house down with a rendition from her heart of 'words don't bring me down'. delivering a love smack down to Željko Joksimović.

Bravo Fifi!





Serbia has laws against hate speech based on a persons sexual orientation.

Trans Serbia's Press release regarding discriminatory speech pop singer Zeljko Joksimovic judge X Factor Adria

Gayten LGBT Center to promote LGBT rights and Labrys, lesbian human rights , strongly condemns last night's behavior one of the judges on the show X Factor Adria, which is broadcast on the television channel Pink. reality show in a competition which aired 5 November, the pop singer Zeljko Joksimovic showed a basic lack of respect for competitors who identifies as transgender . Joksimovic is in direct communication with Philip Janevski - Fifi (22) , showed disrespect first, then disbelief and disgust and eventually discredit her as a competitor on the basis of her gender identity, rather than on her singing abilities (Joksimovic at one point and says: "This is not like me ... and well sing"). Zeljko Joksimovic as a public figure has the responsibility for what is pronounced in a public space. Equally important, he shows a basic ignorance of the law on gender expression, and we believe that it violates the Law Against Discrimination , according to a person on the basis of her personal property, not on the basis of her vocal ability. Thus, Zeljko Joksimovic contribute even more difficult position trans people in Serbia who are exposed to daily violence and discrimination at multiple levels. By April 2013th has recorded 78 cases of murders of trans people in the world, according to the report Trans Murder Monitoring , organization Transgender Europe (upon TGEU), published to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia and the vicious murder of Darko Vujanovic in June this year rapid and effective response of the Commissioner for Equality and reaction RBA, and a public apology pop singer Zeljko Joksimovic and TV Pink. Belgrade, 6 November 2013th

X Factor Serbia producers didn't think Жељко Јоксимовић's comments were hate speech. Quite the opposite it seems that they will turn a blind eye to transphobic hate speech on their show if it builds a audience.  X Factor producers statement:

Contestant Philip Janevski Fifi is auditioning for Singing Shows program "X Factor" a second round of competition thanks to his voice and stage performance. The jury "X Factor": Zeljko Joksimovic, Kristina Kovac, Emina Jahović and Kiki Lesendrić are entitled to their own opinion about the registered competitors.

Produced by "X Factor" believes that no member of the jury has not used the hate speech in a fit athlete Philip Janevski, and on the further marketing of the aforementioned athletes will decide the audience.

Andrey L. Bridges guilty on two counts for the murder of transgender woman Cemia Dove Acoff

The jury took 10 days to convict Bridges on two counts of murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse. After Bridges learned of Cemia Dove Acoff transgender status he stripped and tortured her to death, tied her to a concrete block and threw her into a pond.

Bridges will be sentenced to life on the 13th of November. He will be eligible for parole in 15 years.

Sadly Dove, a law abiding citizen was revictimized in death simply for her transsexuality.

John Caniglia acted criminal in his "reporting"

The worst offender was the Plain Dealer which originally reported on Dove's murder as that of a oddly dressed man and with a few small exceptions  intentionaly ignored the AP Style guide

The plain Dealer's John Caniglia horrific transphobic reporting criminalizing her life angered Doves family and outraged not only the LGBT community but all people of conscious including the Columbia Journalism Review who slammed him for his articles.

The Cleveland Challenger responded:

Since stories about men who decide to live as women are “sensational” according to Cleveland news standards, the Betty Boop t-shirt and three bras that Dove’s body was clothed in when it was found gets mentioned in the story reporters wrote and broadcast about her.  They also make it a point to call her a “man” to tease readers and television viewers to keep reading and watching.  Cleveland.com told its readers that Dove was “oddly dressed.”

For good measure and an extra kick to the ratings, reporters used the word “transvestite” to describe Dove as something she wasn’t.  The goal is an old school media tactic designed to make her sound like a sexual deviant.  According to the Wikipedia definition of “transvestite,”  the word is a“clinical term that carry potentially negative connotations or implications of mental illness.”

“Police confirm Acoff was a member of the transgender/transvestite community,” WOIO TV19 posted on its website.

Cemia Dove Acoff

Other media outlets rushed in to sensationalize her death hoping to similarly capitalize on her murder by digging up every part and parcel of her existence.

The dangerous drugs she was convicted of possessing are the same ones I and most trans people take every day. The only difference is that she obtained hers legally albeit without a prescription which costs me nearly $1000 a year including doctor visits.

You can get those same drugs online if you can't afford the Physicians and bloodwork. If you can please have a Endocrinologist monitor your health but if you can't I offer these self medicating resources.

Her arrest for using pepper spray was in defense of a eight year old girl who was being badgered by an adult man according to a relative.

Having lived my first 9 years of my life in Cuyahoga county I have to wonder how much the prevailing misogynistic transphobic and homophobic media played in the following 25 years I spent in agony denying my true gender.

It's my hope that social media like planetransgender will help to dispel the untruths and transphobia displayed by media like the Plain Dealer easing the pain for trans people to come.

R.I.P. Cemia Dove Acoff

Richard Thomas.Oakland Teen charged as a adult for setting Transgender student's skirt on fire

OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - A 16-year-old California boy accused of setting fire to a transgender teen's skirt as the victim slept on a public bus in the city of Oakland earlier this week was charged as an adult on Thursday with committing a hate crime.

Richard Thomas was charged with aggravated mayhem, felony assault and a hate-crime "enhancement" after telling a police officer he committed Monday's attack "because he was homophobic," according to the criminal complaint.

The 18-year-old victim, Luke Fleischman, who was born male but identifies himself as gender neutral and goes by the name of Sasha, remained hospitalized in San Francisco with severe burns on Thursday and was listed in stable condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The teen will require several surgeries to recover, according to a website posted by family members to raise money for the victim's medical treatment.

"The intentional and callous nature of the crime is shocking and will not be tolerated in our community," Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said in a statement.



Relatives defended Thomas saying he was just joking and not a hateful person.

Meanwhile, police would like to interview passengers on the bus who left before police arrived, particularly two men who helped extinguish the burning clothing. Lead investigator Anwawn Jones can be contacted at 510-238-3326.

"We are asking the good Samaritans to contact the Oakland Police Department, and we also want to recognize their heroic efforts," said Oakland Police spokeswoman Officer Johnna Watson.

Transgender model Ines Rau rocks with the hot Tyson Beckford

Hot and smart Persian expat Ines Rau is turning the world of cisnormality on its ear!

So Colorlines just has to know, who is this Ines Rau? Hip Hollywood wanted to know so bad they capitalized their query like a explanation point asking who is this "TRANSGENDER MODEL" who would dare pose with a cisgender hunk like Tyson Beckford.

Rau having traveled our road less taken offers this advice to our sisters and brothers considering gender alignment surgeries:

Having a sex change is not the answer to insecurities or other issues, a lot of transgender do not understand that it has to be done with reflection: because of a real deep desire to be a woman from a younger age. It’s fabulous the level of happiness- it’s just absolutely impossible to describe. I’m the happiest girl in the world, just being what I wanted to be. You have to love yourself enough to go for it without the fear of being judged or rejected. That’s my advice for them.

Seems the pictures are so steamy that Istagram and Facebook banned them!

Damn My babies FB and instagram keep Censured this Story lol with Tyson so im not posting anything about it... http://t.co/d6PTHFlhpJ
— Inès-Loan Rau (@Ines_Rau) October 31, 2013

Models.com has a great interview with Ines Rau and yes some more pictures of this gorgeous woman.

JONTE' / "MIXxXED" MUSTACHE MONDAYS+JONTE=CATEGORY CLOSED: http://t.co/vEjUYCoPPV via @youtube Start My HIP/HOP and Voguing Class with Jonte
— Inès-Loan Rau (@Ines_Rau) October 31, 2013

Her photo shoot can be seem in full at oobmag

Eighth Grade Kansas student Skyler Davis suspended for carrying a Vera Bradley bag

"It expresses myself and I think everyone else can wear it, so I wear it as well," Skyler told KCTV'5s Dave Jordan.

He was summoned to Assistant Principal Don Hillard's office after he wouldn't take it off.

"I went to the office and I refused to take it off, and they suspended me," the teen explained.

School personnel then called his mother, Leslie Willis, to come get her son.

"I was a little furious, and I called the school [and spoke to Hillard] to reverify the story, and yeah, he refused to take off his Vera Bradley bag, nothing more to it," Willis said.

Vera Bradley.com

She said she reviewed the student handbook but did not see a mention to bags or purses. She questions the suspension and the timing.

"Skyler has been going to school since August with that same Vera Bradley bag on, hasn't taken it off. What is the problem?" she asked.

Click here to watch opens in new window

In response to Blome's comments Thursday, Willis told KCTV5 that the bag rule should be a formal part of the student handbook so that there is no confusion.

She said she supports her son and his choices. She said if he wants to carry a Vera Bradley purse or any other type of bag that he should be able to do so without being punished.

In an email, she said that her son went back to school at 1:30 p.m. Thursday with the bag in tow.

"He was pulled into an office, behind closed doors to tell him that he was never suspended for refusing to take off his purse, he got suspended for foul language," she wrote. "That's not the story that Mr. Hillard told me yesterday. Skyler is only 13 years old. He's just a child. And if this isn't bullying, I don't know what is."