B.G.M. Observes: Transgender Day of Visibility: Houston Edition

Today is Transgender Day of Visibility.  It is an annual holiday celebrating our transgender brothers and sisters and bringing attention to the continued discrimination against the transgender community worldwide.  

In honor of this day, I would like to pay homage to some of the wonderful members of the transgender community that I am very fortunate enough to call friends.  These amazing people are doing great things in the city of Houston and their reach is worldwide.  These are some names you definitely need to know.

Monica Roberts

One of my favorite angelic troublemakers, Monica is the founder of TransGriot, an internationally renowned blog dedicated to showcasing the diaspora of transgender people, and more specifically transgender people of color.  Monica was one of the first people to publicly champion the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) and spoke numerous times in favor of the Ordinance before the Houston City Council.  A fixture and fearless activist of the transgender community, you can find Monica all around the world educating people about the transgender experience, the contributions of transgender people of color, and making sure that the voice of all the communities that she represents are being heard.  Be sure to visit:  www.transgriot.blogspot.com

Dee Dee Watters

“Whatever do you need” can often be heard from Dee Dee Watters, and if she can help, she is always willing.  For the past eight years, Dee Dee has organized a Christmas Toy Drive to benefit children who live in Third and Fifth Ward. She is the current CEO of Transgender Women of Color United for Change, a group that seeks to better the lives of Houston transgender women of color.  She is also the CEO of the First Amendment Volunteer Group.  She is an active member and leader within Progressive Open Door Christian Center.  She organized the Transgender Day of Resources and Healthy Living last year which provided numerous free services to the transgender community.  I admire her spirit, her commitment to people, and how she lets everyone know that they should just simply come as they are and live in their truth.

   Tye West

An extremely talented poet and activist, Tye West is one of the leaders of Black Transmen, Inc., the first national nonprofit organization focused on empowering African American transmen. You can find Tye speaking around the city and around the nation about the experiences of Black transmen and advocating for their equality and inclusion. Always greeting you with his infectious smile and positivity, Tye, uses the power of the pen and the power of words to inspire others to action.

Atlantis Capri

Talk about one of the Mothers of all Mothers, Atlantis Capri is the founder and Mother of the House of Capri, here in Houston. For almost 20 years, Atlantis has been giving us life when she performs in the clubs, but she also saves lives through her support and advocacy within the LGBTQ community in Houston.  She is committed to ending discrimination and stigmas against members of the transgender community and those living with HIV/AIDS. With Atlantis you are always going to get the direct, honest truth, with no sugar coating.  One of the best examples of what it truly means to be a Mother.

Dr. Colt Keo-Meier

One of the smartest people I know and my fellow Rice Owl, Dr. Colt Keo-Meier is a licensed psychologist practicing in Houston, Texas.  He specializes in working with sexual and gender minorities, their families, and individuals questioning their sexual identity and/or gender identity.  His work has been published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, the Journal of LGBT Youth, and several other publications and books.  He uses his knowledge and education to positively impact our society at the micro and macro level.

Nikki Araguz Loyd

A fabulous fighter for freedom for all is definitely a title that fits Nikki Araguz Loyd.  After her husband Captain Thomas Araguz III, died while fighting a fire, his family sued Nikki for his death benefits. They claimed that Nikki and Thomas’s marriage was not legal because Nikki is transgender.  In February 2014, the 13^th Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Nikki and recognized her marriage to Thomas.  This past February, when a group of us went down to the Harris County Clerk’s Office, the office refused to recognize the marriage between Nikki and her husband, William Loyd.  She continues to fight for the recognition of not just her marriage but for fully inclusive marriage equality! Be sure to check out her website and docu-series:  http://nikkiaraguz.com/

Lou Weaver

I first met Lou when he was one of the four co-chairs of the National LGBTQ Task Force:  Creating Change Conference here in Houston.  He is the Diversity and Community Relations Co-Chair for the Houston chapter of the Human Rights Campaign. He has been very active in educating and advocating for the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO).  Lou can be found trying to build bridges across communities to where we can see our commonalities and help each attain our common goals. 

I am inspired by all of you and I consider it an honor to know of all of you.

We must recognize and honor the contributions of our transgender brothers and sisters and contribute to their fight as well. Their discrimination is our discrimination.

Please take the time to recognize and honor the people in your life.

Yours always,

The B.G.M

B.G.M. Issues A Black SGL Call to Arms - Part Two

A Black SGL Call to Arms Part Two

I recently attended an event that discussed Black Leadership and its relationship with the Black LGBTQ community. The event was seeking to answer the question:  Are Black LGBTQ people being left behind by Black Leaders?  In my opinion, we are being left behind, but that is partly due to our own fault as a Black LGBTQ community.  We are not answering the Call to Arms to fight for ourselves.  We are not utilizing our voices to assert our humanity and existence enough to have our issues addressed. We do have many great advocates, activists, and allies who are doing the work, but we need more.  The phone is ringing but the call is going unanswered. In my opinion, this call is not being answered for three reasons: fear of rejection, fear of recognition, and fear of being labeled.

FEAR OF REJECTION

As African Americans we have a history of having our voices being rejected or not equally considered. Slaves could not speak out against their own oppression and enslavement. Early African Americans could not use the tools of the government through the ballot box and public service representation to have their voices heard.  There is a history of our voices being drowned out or not considered.  Couple that with the rejection experienced on a personal level when your family and community reject you for being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, then it is easy to see why it is hard to raise your voice. However, we have to overcome this fear of rejection and utilize the tools we do have, because the SILENCE is killing our community and us.

FEAR OF RECOGNITION

Even though there is a greater visibility of GLBTQ people in the media and our society, there is still a fear of being recognized as a GLBTQ person that prevents people from participating in advocacy and activism.  People are worried about if they are going to be seen at a particular event or speaking out in support of the GLBTQ community, they are now going to have their identity questions by their family and community.  Often, I hear from SGL/GLBTQ people that, “its nobody’s business who I sleep with, or what goes on in my bedroom.” My problem with these statements is that it reduces who we are as SGL/GLBTQ people to sex. We are full human beings with full lives.  All of those aspects of ourselves should be respected and protected. You can’t be respected or protected if people cannot see you.  Therefore, we need to get over the fear of “what is this person going to say, or what will happen if they think I’m gay,” because the SILENCE is killing our community and us.

FEAR OF BEING LABELED

This may seem that it is similar to the fear of recognition, but it is different.  The fear of being labeled comes from the fear of being labeled as an activist.  Activists are often labeled as angry or difficult because they are always advocating on behalf of their communities. Activists are often accused of turning everything into a cause. This fear of being labeled as an activist or becoming bitter and angry because of the work causes people to not participate. My response to that: GET OVER IT.  Activism can be done in a variety of ways. It can be a simple as sending an email or letter to your Council Member or Congressperson. It can be as simple as casting your vote in an election. It can be joining a protest. It can be speaking out on the news and in front of decision makers.  All of these actions are needed to get our issues addressed. Therefore, we need more people to do the big and small acts of activism. Also, if you do not like what is currently being done by those who are doing the work, STEP UP and TAKE OVER.  Many times activists remain in their roles in organizations and on the front lines because there is no one to take the baton and keep the fight going. If you have a new approach, or want to take the lead, come take it! We need all soldiers to advocate on behalf of our community, big and small, but we need to get over this fear of being labeled the “angry activist” because the SILENCE is killing our community and us.

ANSWERING THE CALL

GLBTQ rights and equality is going to be achieved. However in order to do is we need to show up and show out. We need to bring all of ourselves, our race, gender, sexual orientation, education, talents, etc. to the table. We need to be unafraid to raise our unapologetic voices. We need to demand the recognition of our full humanity and all of who we are. We need to advocate for our community through the ballot box, the meeting rooms, and halls of government. This movement needs to be radical, conservative, intersectional, multipronged, and inclusive. In order for that to happen, we need to answer the call. The phone is ringing, are you going to pick up?

B.G.M. Issues A Black SGL Call to Arms

I wrote this last year while working with others to past the Houston Equal Rights Ordiance (HERO). I still feel that the Call to Arms is needed and needs to be answered.

Black SGL men I have to ask you…Where are you in the fight for your rights?

This past week, the Houston City Council passed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (#HERO) after hearing several hours of testimony from members of the Houston GLBT community.  One of the most notable absences during those testimonies was the voice of Black SGL men. Less then 10 men testified as members of the Black SGL community. There was representation by transgendered, lesbian, and bisexual people of color, but our presence was notably absent. Thankfully, the measure passed, but it left a big question as to where are we in the fight for our own rights.

Throughout Facebook I see several groups devoted to conversations among Black SGL men to talk about our issues and to share our commonalities and differences. There are public groups and gatherings where Black SGL men talk about their issues and what they can do to address those issues. However, these conversations and dialogues often just remain online or behind close doors and rarely translate to action. Too often we become comfortable in letting others speak for us, or take up the torch for us. We separate ourselves from our sexuality by whittling down our sexual orientation to simply what is done in the bedroom and stating that it is nobody’s business what I do in the bedroom or who I sleep with. We often wattle down each other to just simple dicks and asses and don’t participate in our own rights struggle.

I’m here to say that we are FAR more than that. That we have to, need to, absolutely must, participate in the fight for our rights. While Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Medger Evers were the public faces of the Civil Rights Movement, they were not the only actors. It took a large portion of the African American race to participate in marches, sit-ins, and speak on behalf of our rights. Those small actions collectively created a movement and that created change. We are never going to create changes if we do not participate in the efforts to attain rights. Civil rights and change come to those who show up. By not showing up we are allowing others to dictate our lives and our rights. Even if we have victories like HERO, it is our duty to participate to make sure that our voices and concerns are addressed and not just left to the few who do participate. Those brave few can’t always be the workers because when they get tired, weary and unsupported who will then pick up the torch for them, and therefore for all of us. If Bayard Rustin had been tired and not been apart of the movement, we would not have had the March on Washington, and the world would have never heard Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.  Therefore, it is imperative that we take action!

I am calling my Black SGL men to pick up their arms and take action on behalf of themselves and our community. We need to take our dialogue and conversations offline and to full frontal action.

Brandon Mack also known as the B.G.M. is an activist, sociologist, and educator living in Houston, TX.  He received his undergraduate degree at Rice University. His Masters in Sociology from Texas A&M University.  His research focuses on the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality. His project on Effemiphobia in the Gay Community has been featured in a GLAAD Media award winning article and he has presented on the topic at national conferences including the LGBTQ Task Force: Creating Change Conference. He is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion.

Welcome to B.G.M. Seeks...

Welcome to my blog site.  I am very happy to launch this platform for people to come and see my point of view on a variety of issues related to politics, social issues, personal issues, and anything and everything.

Being a black, gay, man in mercer is a very interesting position to be in.  You have to reconcile issues related to race, sexual orientation, and gender in a way that many others may not have to, and it can also inform the way  in which you look at the world.  This will be the perspective that i will be coming from.

I am not speaking for ALL black people, or ALL LGBT people, or ALL men, but I am speaking from  MY perspective and MY experiences.  I welcome and encourage you to comment and challenge my perspectives because that is how we grow and come to better understand all the perspectives that exist in our world.

A little bit about me, I am in my 30s. I live in Houston, Texas. I am single. I have been out and proud for the past 11 years. I am an activist, sociologist, and educator. I am Sex Positive. I have been through a lot of experiences in my life and am happy to share my experiences if it will benefit other people. You will come to learn more and more about me through these posts.

Once again, welcome to my space, welcome to my world, welcome to no holds barred conversations, and welcome to the mind of this B.G.M.