THE OWL REPORT A COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
1st Edition
The Owl Report
A Community Newsletter
IOTA CHAPTER OF DELTA PHI UPSILON FRATERNITY, INC. – LAMBDA COMMITTEE
We Did It! A Gay Black Man Looks Back on HERO’s Passing
IN THIS ISSUE
Preview Edition
By Graham Maio The downcast weather in Houston, th Texas on May 28 2014, heavy clouds threatened to spill rain, contrasted sharply against the conclusion of the day’s events in City Hall later that th, evening. May 28 2014 will go down in history as the occasion in which the city passed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO); the bill to end workplace discrimination against minorities, women, people living with disabilities, and arguably the most discussed topic on the ordinance: the GLBT community. Passions on both sides of the issue flared, with people using arguments on the basis of religion, freedom, predators, and bullying to hammer their points home. Fortunately, equal rights emerged the victor that day. After 13 hours of statements read to the council from the public, the climactic events of the day ended with HERO being passed by Houston City Council 11-6. I decided that I needed to take part in this important milestone in Houston GLBT rights. I hope we will look back on
this day with immense pride, as I’m sure those who participated in the Stonewall Riots of 1969 do, which was the foundation for the modern GLBT Civil Rights Movement. It was around 7 a.m. when I walked up the City Hall steps, a nervous pit in my stomach that dissolved once I saw other HERO advocates wearing the supportive color of red. We mingled about and engaged in small talk before lining up to be checked by security. Once past that hurdle we made our way up to the second floor and into the chamber of City Hall. There we sat in rows of grounded chairs, facing Mayor Annise Parker, the first openly lesbian mayor of a major city, and the other members of City Council. A sea of red filled the chamber, with a few anti HERO individuals in attendance as well. I felt the suspense as the day’s events began to unfold. (continue reading on page 4)
The Good Life: LIVING with HIV By Jared D. Childress Page #6
My Brother’s Keeper: How to keep a brother that doesn’t want to be kept By Harrison Guy
Page #5
Transitioning While a Teacher in a Public School in Texas: My story of strength, allies and confronting assumptions By Mario Itzel Suarez Page #12
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In this Issue (continued): WHO IS WINNING THE RACE TO THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION?
THE BOTTOM LINE
A BLACK SGL CALL TO ARMS
By Kristopher David
By DPHIant
Page #10
Page #14
DELINKING OUR IDENTITY FROM MAINSTREAM
MOVMENT, ART AND THE ADVOCATE THEY CAN CREATE
By Brandon Mack Page #13
By Pere Sozo Page #15 ARE WE INVISIBLE? (PART I)
By Graham Maio Page #10
WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE: WORKING TO BRIDGE THE TEXAS-SIZED GAP
IOTA CHAPTER DELTAS IN ACTION!
By Ashton Woods By Amanda Williams
Page #14
Page #8
By Treveon J. Murdock, MA Page #11
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Editor’s Note By Michael C. Webb, Jr. Lambda Committee Chairman – Iota Chapter Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc. changed my life. I remember being a shy and easily intimidated little man back in the days of my early youth. One summer, I visited Houston to attend my little brother’s high school graduation and I had the pleasure of meeting a brother of Delta from the Iota Chapter. Since that special moment, I have been embraced with a type of love and support that I have never felt before within our community. Delta has been a rock in my life even before I became a member. The first person who helped me still feel loved after I found out I was HIV positive was a Delta, the group of people encouraging me not to give up when I was job searching were Deltas, and when I made Houston my home again the community members that welcomed me back with lovingly open arms were Deltas. Like so many other organizations, groups, families within our community, Delta changes lives of gay men of color. The purpose of this newsletter is to expand the impact Delta has had on so many of our lives while evolving and challenging our own definitions of “change”. From my personal experience, LGBTQIA communities of color, especially the gay Black community, are experts at empowering each other through personalized relationships. This is seen very often in gay families, through brotherhood, or other entities where we mentor each other through the daily challenges we experience as queer people. Consequently, we are now experts at creating supportive environments that allow us to overcome systematic, cultural, and societal discrimination. However, from my observation we are less aggressive with attempting to change society itself to make life more accomplishable and accepting for all of us, regardless if we have established personalized relationships with our own various cultural support groups. In fact, I would boldly argue that to some extent as LGBTQIA people of color we tend to unintentionally marginalize ourselves by not equally participating in systematic and societal change in the form of involvement in our cities’, states’ and national political systems while allowing our communities of color to perpetuate harsh stereotypes and discriminatory mentalities.
Political empowerment is a natural interest of mine ever since I was a little kid that use to jump in front of my mom’s television to watch CNN after school. However, I understand the hesitation of many of us who are not immediately attracted to becoming politically involved. Politics is often times framed in a context that is detached from what is most important in our everyday lives. Additionally, it is no secret that communities of color, especially queer communities of color, have not always been historically welcomed at decision making tables so we have formed our own methods of individual and community progress. Nevertheless, modern day developments, some good and some bad, have provided the opportunity to reconsider how we approach carrying out change. We cannot turn on the television these days without hearing about some new development as it relates to the fight for marriage equality. More and more institutions, corporations, and cities are evolving their non-discrimination policies to include equal protections for LGBTQIA persons, just to name a few examples. However, what is often times missing from these fights for gay civil rights are the voices of the LGBTQIA communities of color. Our LGBTQIA communities of color are also the very communities with exceptionally higher HIV infection rates compared to our white counterparts, along with a host of other disparities and issues that are not being addressed within the mainstream fight for LGBTQIA civil rights. Additionally, our very own communities, communities of color, are often times the primary barrier to achieving LGBTQIA civil rights. The fight for the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) is a prime example of the general LGBTQIA community mobilizing to achieve and secure equal right protections for several
disenfranchised communities. However, our Black churches, pastors and traditional leaders, fueled by homophobia/transphobia have also mobilized to defeat the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, or HERO. It is my personal argument that it is time to take leadership of our own communities, similar to our counterparts. We must include ourselves in mainstream LGBTQIA struggles to ensure our voices, and issues, are heard and addressed. We must finally stand up and challenge the pervasive homophobia within our very own communities of color.
HOUSTON EQUAL RIGHTS ORDINANCE On May 28, 2014, Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston City Council passed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance – a law for the City of Houston prohibiting discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics in city employment, city services, city contracting practices, housing, public accommodations, private employment, declaring certain conduct unlawful and providing for a penalty. www.houequality.com
The Owl Report provides our community an additional mechanism where we challenge and help each other grow into becoming even more engaged in systematic and societal change. The Owl Report also provides a voice, or many different voices, as not only our communities of color but the broader LGBTQIA community continues to address various issues as it relates to being queer. Ultimately, we are impacted by the decisions that are made every day on our behalf, maybe it is time for us to include ourselves in these conversations and bring our community to the decision making table. Your voice matters too, now together, let us begin speaking.
THE OWL REPORT A COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER (continued from page 1) City Secretary, Anna Russell placed the Call to Order at 9:02 a.m. and Councilman Oliver Pennington began with a prayer and the National Pledge of Allegiance. Various ordinances were discussed prior to the big one, HERO, which was finally put front and center in the chamber at around 11:30 a.m. I note with pride that among the doctors, educators, and health workers speaking in support of passing the law, three of our Delta
1st Edition
Phi Upsilon Brothers faced Houston’s City Council that day to advocate their support as well; National President Bro. Kendrick Clack, National Secretary Bro. Brandon Mack, and Iota Chapter Bro. Michael Webb spoke for ending discrimination. “ If it wasn’t for accepting courageous individuals in my life like those standing up behind me, telling me that being gay is okay, that being positive is okay, I would not feel empowered enough to be standing in front of you right now fighting for my right to be an equal,” Webb stated in part of his speech. It was emotional testimony such as that which filled my eyes with tears and stirred the activist within me. Yes, there were a few hateful people who spoke, but their words were muddled, in a tone I found incomprehensive against the love and pride I related to from the majority. Once the passing of HERO was announced by Mayor Parker, after 209 speakers faced the Council Members, the chamber erupted
into loud cheers and chants of “HERO”. I felt nothing but extreme enjoyment as I pitched my voice in with the rest of the people. It was an amazing way to end the day. There is still much work to be done for the GLBT community to earn our full rights. However, that grey Houston day in May was a step in the right direction. Each little chip in the discriminating wall of ignorance helps progress our community. There will be further calls for the advocates to bravely step forward and say, “This is our right,” and I plan on being there. I owe it to the Houstonians from all walks of life who made it their prerogative to make it to Houston’s City Hall that day to say, “This is our right” to end workplace discrimination. For the most up to date information on the status of HERO please visit www.houequality.com
Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance Protects You www.houequality.com The Houston Equal Rights Ordinance – often called HERO – provides a quick and inexpensive local tool to protect hard-working employees from being fired or discriminated against by a boss or manager who doesn’t do the right thing. And it lets small businesses hold all employees to the same professional standards and appearance. That’s why our mayor and city council have joined with a broad coalition of businesses, faith leaders, community organizations, teachers, medical professionals, elected leaders, and neighbors across Houston to update and modernize Houston’s nondiscrimination law.
HOW YOU’RE PROTECTED BY HERO The City of Houston seeks to provide an environment that is free of any type of discrimination based on: Sex Age Disability Race Familial Status Sexual Orientation Color Marital Status Genetic Ethnicity Military Status Information National Origin Religion Gender Identity Pregnancy
PROTECTIONS IN PUBLIC It is unlawful to discriminate based on any of the above-described characteristics in privately owned and operated public accommodations, including:
PROTECTIONS AT WORK
Restaurants
It is unlawful to discriminate against these same groups in employment * because it results in the unequal treatment of persons and a diminution of their dignity, respect, and status contrary to the public policy of the City and the Constitutional principles on which the U.S. was founded.
Bars
Entertainment Venues
Places of Public Amusement
Hotels
Motels and Public Spaces
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My Brother’s Keeper: How to Keep a Brother that Doesn’t Want to Be Kept By Harrison Guy National Vice President
Throughout my experience as a member of Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc. and the LGBTQIA community-at-large, I have heard countless conversations regarding brotherhood and unity. While some of the conversations have been positive, often times they are negative as well. We have all probably, at some point in our Delta/LGBTQIA journey found ourselves in a space where we questioned “where is the brotherhood? Where is the unity?” While I do believe that this is a valid question, I have to remind myself that brotherhood and community unity is something that we as members are responsible for. It is not up to our fraternal or community leaders. It is up to each of us as members to determine what the demonstration of brotherhood and unity looks like in D Phi U and the community at large. So if brotherhood and unity are contingent upon our personal actions, what happens that causes a lack of brotherhood to be present within our various organizations and the community? I am not sure I have the answer, but I have pondered the question often. Now, I do not count myself as an expert when it comes to brotherhood or unity, but my experience of mediating some fraternal/ community relationships while serving as a leader in various capacities has allowed me to learn a lot from my own personal mistakes, as well as the mistakes of others regarding unity and brotherhood. One of the things I’ve learned is that those brothers/people that are the hardest to love are often the ones that need it the most. As we continue to explore ways to navigate through our fraternal and communal relationships, here are a few tips on how to keep a brother that doesn’t want to be kept. D-Phining Brotherhood: I personally define brotherhood by what I’m willing to give and not by what I expect to get. When we define brotherhood by what we expect
to get, we are setting ourselves up for major disappointments. So by focusing my idea of brotherhood based on my own actions, it serves as a constant reminder that brotherhood is ultimately up to me.
approach all of our brothers in the spirit of brotherhood, but it is important for us to understand that true brotherhood will not be experienced with everyone we meet. And that’s ok!
Meet our brothers where they are: It is not realistic for us to believe that every member will enter Delta or the LGBTQIA community at a time in their life when they have the full capacity to be a great brother. Some of us found Delta and our gayness at
Prepare for disappointments: Just like all relationships, it is inevitable that we will disappoint each other. It is imperative that we not only expect disappointments to happen occasionally, but that we also prepare ourselves to handle them maturely, brotherly, and timely for best results. Try to see yourself in your brother: One of the biggest problems we face in Delta Phi Upsilon and the LGBTQIA community is reconciling what we say vs. what we do. As we declare to the world that we are proponents for equality, our actions must support the idea of true equality. The more we see ourselves in each other; it allows us to focus on our similarities instead of our differences and to connect on a greater level.
our lowest points in life and although it may have saved us in many ways, we were in no position to be a model brother at that time. By acknowledging this, and choosing to meet our brothers where they are, we can allow brotherhood to be a journey and not a destination. Have realistic expectations: Sometimes we expect our brothers to have a great relationship with us when they have never experienced a great relationship with anyone else. It is possible that we will push a brother out, to the point of no return, when we expect them to do something that they simply have yet to learn to do. Patience is key. Understand that brotherhood is uniquely personal, and not universal: There is a difference between brotherly behavior and brotherly relationships. We should
Celebrate more than you criticize: As gay men we often equip ourselves with masks and external armor as a defense mechanism. What is designed for protection, often times becomes a weapon. This makes it easier for us to jab instead of hug, and to shade instead of love. I can honestly say that there is no greater feeling than to hear your brother say something great about you. And on the flip side nothing feels more terrible than to hear your brother say something bad about you. Keeping this in mind, we should all make it a point to try to celebrate our brothers more often than we criticize them. While these tips are not the say all, be all, to great brotherly relationships. They are simply a starting point for things to consider when trying to keep a brother that doesn’t want to be kept. After all, we are all our brother’s keepers!
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The Good Life: Living with HIV By Jared D. Childress
A self-portrait circa 1999 "Do I remember the person I was? No, I don't think I do. Everything has gotten really foggy...The old me died when I found out that I was HIV+. The silence of my mom's voice I will never forget. Being strapped to a gurney and escorted off campus in an ambulance I will never forget. Realization of sex addiction and depression soon followed. That's when the secrets reached an all-time high. I need to let these secrets go so I can get back to the old me." —My journal, May 11, 2012 at 7:48PM PST Growing up as a Christian, I was taught that God is "omnificent" (all knowing) and "omnipotent" (all powerful). Understanding this, I became resentful towards God for creating me to experience discrimination because of my sexuality, shame because of a sex addiction, and stigmatization because of an acquired chronic health condition at the age of 20. "Why me?" I would ask. "What did I do to deserve this? I was always such a good kid, and I'm a good person. This was not how my life was supposed to go. I am not supposed to be this type of person." This sentiment forced me into a life of shame and secrecy. It made it nearly impossible to build relationships with family and friends; it made it impossible to establish romantic relationships. It made it impossible to focus on school. Outwardly, I tried my best to present myself as confident, competent, and happy; on the inside, I was angry. I felt anxiety in social situations, had no drive, lost faith in myself, and had little desire to live.
"I came to terms with the fact that I created this public persona—this public illusion. It held me hostage; I couldn't be a real person because I was too afraid of what my public would say. At that point, I had to do some dying & really accept the fact that this is who I am. I have to be who I am, & all of us have a right to be who we are. Whenever we submit our will to someone else's opinion, a part of us dies.” —Lauryn Hill, MTV Unplugged 2.0 Like Hill, I too had to do some dying as I had submitted myself to the will of a society that taught me who I am is wrong. Society taught me what it meant to "be a man," to be strong, and successful. Measuring myself against the will of society, I had failed. Hiding the parts of me that were not seen as desirable seemed to be my only option. The societal will that had previously affirmed my personhood had now become my enemy. Beginning to learn myself outside of the rigid expectations of society, I found that I had no idea who I was. The person I thought I was had "died." During a teambuilding activity, one of my friends described me as "strong." Being at one of my lowest points, I did not understand how anyone could see me as such. My friend saw something in me that I could not see. Although hearing that I was strong was encouraging, it was not affirming until I knew myself to be strong. In order to discover the person I am today, I had to let go of the "old me." "Self-definition has been a responsibility I've wholeheartedly taken on as mine. It's never a duty one should outsource. Of this responsibility, writer Audre Lorde said, 'If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive.' Self-definition and selfdetermination is about the many varied decisions that we make to compose and journey toward ourselves, about the audacity and strength to proclaim, create,
and evolve into who we know ourselves to be." —Janet Mock, Redefining Realness For many years, I feared that sharing my story would lead to me being labeled by others. Heavily involved in activism, I campaigned for the rights of my community as a black queer man. However, my HIV status placed me into a new minority category that I did not have a lifetime to accept. Unlike other parts of my identity, my HIV status could easily be dismissed as a result of my personal failures and "poor choices." In actuality, the real power to choose came after discovering my status: I had the choice to embrace my privacy or to share my story openly. I understand the application of labels from society to be destructive. However, I have found that there is nothing more empowering than telling my own story. I am a writer, educator, advocate, son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin—an imperfect human being and friend. I also claim my blackness, sexuality, and HIV status as fiercely as the socially acceptable parts of myself; it is these seemingly unlovable parts that have allowed me to build rich, honest relationships with different types of people. As a multidimensional person, all parts of my identity create the person I am today. Owning my story in its entirety and living in my truth is how I affirm my personhood. Continuing to live after the diagnosis, I realize that no part of me has “died;” my truth is that I have stepped into my destiny. I used to think, "I don't understand when people say that they have 'no regrets,' because I have many." Now I understand; I now have no regrets. I am honest about choices I have made, and I am proud of the person I am.
THE OWL REPORT A COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER | In an interview, journalist Clay Cane expands on these ideas stating, "That line by Zora Neal Hurston, 'I am not tragically colored, I am not tragically negro' resonates so strongly with me. It's really been a line that I use for my everyday life; meaning that when it comes to my sexual orientation, there's no tragedy in it. When you think of somebody who is LGBT, you think of a life of rejection, anguish, suffering, and all these kinds of things. I don't feel that way. My life is a good life. I will not let my life be a tragedy. That's not an option for me. So for me, I'm not 'tragically' gay. From the start, I decided that I'd just be who I am. Being open with who I am helped me. You can't sit down with somebody and try to pull out the truth out of them when you are scared about your own truth."
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artist and activist Kim Katrin Milan states, “Learning to talk about these things in ways that are loving is an important practice...It's important that we think about what disability and chronic illness look like and create spaces where those things do not have to apologized for or ‘photo-shopped out,’ but instead that they actually get to be part and parcel of the ways in which people occupy space—that we are invited to look and to be present in a loving, honoring way.”
I initially wrote this for myself. Writing this for myself allowed me to write it honestly, without judgment. Since I began writing it, The Good Life has taken me on a journey from shame to self-love. At the forefront of this piece is the undiscussed narrative of my public life. During my challenging times, I continued to live. In the midst of finding out my HIV status, I got out of bed every day and continued healthy habits such as personal grooming, healthy eating, and exercise. I continued to pursue my passions, such as social justice, community work, and supporting my peers. Against the backdrop of this essay, I am able to appreciate the work that I have done for the first time. Upon completing this piece, I realized that it was meant to be shared. Shared stories of others are the reasons that I am still here today and have language to understand my own life. My decision to share my story began a process of disclosure to those who are closest to me. Each conversation was different, not all feedback was positive. Statements such as “no one is going to be happy that you are HIV+” attempted to silence The Good Life. This piece represents healing from trauma and learning to love ourselves fully. Of this,
29 HIV infects the lives of 29 African-American men a day.
Thank you to those who have empowered me by telling their stories. Thank you to those who have knowingly and unknowingly been my support system throughout the years. Let's continue this path toward wellness by embracing change, showing ourselves love & care, and celebrating our stories.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Author's Note
FAST FACTS
This article was originally published on The Feminist Wire
About the Author
Ages 13-24 In 2010, the greatest number of new HIV infections (4,800) among men who have sex with men occurred in young Black/African-American men who have sex with men aged 13-24.
1 in 6 1 in 6 living with HIV are unaware of their status.
440,408 In 2010, there were an estimated 440,408 gay and bisexual men living with diagnosed HIV infection
10 X higher The rate of new cases of HIV among African-Americans is 10 times higher than among Whites.
Jared D. Childress is a California native who currently resides in Southern California. Jared studied Literary Journalism and Black Studies at the University of California, Irvine, and is passionate about education, community work, and wellness. Jared is a writer who tells true stories that allow us to speak across differences, build relationships, and celebrate ourselves. Want to read more? Visit Jared’s website, tweet him @JaredDChildress, follow him on Instagram, or reach him via e-mail at Childress.Jared@GMail.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION HIV can be a scary topic but the more you know the better you can empower yourself. For more information on HIV and/or testing please visit: http://hivtest.cdc.gov/stronger/ For information on how to receive HIV care, services and/or treatment please visit: http://locator.aids.gov/
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Women’s Healthcare: Working to Bridge the Texas-sized Gap By Amanda Williams The resiliency and strength of Texas women has been tested time and time again as public lawmakers endlessly debate women’s healthcare, for better or for worse. Though some may consider this merely a game of politics or moral grandstanding, the decisions made in the House and Senate chambers of our capitol building have a very real impact in Texans’ lives, especially among low-income families. In a state where 2.4 million adult women have no health insurance of any kind, the need for affordable and accessible care is, well, Texas-sized.
women’s healthcare services by allocating $100 million into a state-operated extended primary healthcare program, with 60 percent earmarked for family planning and 40 percent for other primary care such as wellness exams, cancer screening, and diabetes and heart treatments. And lastly, the 2013 funding changes resulted in $32.1 million in state funding being awarded to the Women’s Health and Family Planning Association of Texas, the agency responsible for distributing money to qualifying providers in Texas.
Currently there are nearly 1.3 million Texas women ages 20–44 who are reportedly in need of preventive and wellness care. While this number has continuously grown over the years, the state’s capacity to care for these women has generally decreased. Over the past decade, women’s healthcare has been at the forefront of some of the most extreme battles over state appropriations. Beyond countless abortion restrictions, we’ve seen a slew of cuts to family-planning funding—the most extreme being in 2011 when the Texas Legislature cut the familyplanning budget by two-thirds, forcing over 70 clinics to close their doors in some of the most underserved parts of the state. During the last legislative session in 2013, there was a notable attempt to repair that damage. Legislators allocated $71.3 million into a newly reformed Texas Women’s Health Program (TWHP). That program had been intentionally restructured in 2011 to exclude providers like Planned Parenthood, who are affiliated with abortion services, despite the fact that they are also a leading provider of familyplanning services and that this would cost the state a $9-to-$1 match from the federal government. Lawmakers arrived at a bipartisan compromise to restore
Because these funds are now going primarily to non-family-planning-specific sites, like community-based clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), many advocates have expressed concern over whether or not these providers are adequately equipped to address the family-planning needs of all Texans. Although this remains to be seen, one thing is certain: in spite of drastic funding and program administration changes, the funding allocated for these programs still addresses only one-third of the need in Texas. At Legacy Community Health Services, we do our best to bridge the gap between the healthcare needs of all Texans and what they can afford, because we believe healthcare is a human right. We currently
have 11 locations throughout the Houston, Beaumont, and Baytown area. As an FQHC, we were able to avoid funding cuts and have actually experienced an increase in funding for reproductive healthcare and family-planning services over the years. However, we have had to make adjustments to accommodate the influx of clients we serve as a designated FQHC facility. In 2012 we served 19,405 self-identified women; in 2013 that number jumped to 31,424. Last year we performed 7,254 Pap smears, 133,777 well-woman exams, and administered 13,833 STI tests. We also provide family-planning services, including contraception, and educate our clients on the importance of protected sex and preventive care. Lizette Tienda, community relations manager at the Legacy Southwest Clinic, says they have had to extend operating hours and even stay open for an additional day each week in order to meet their clients’ needs. Some providers can now see up to 125 clients in one day. “We’re seeing more and more clients requesting our services, but we’re also trying to adapt to our patient’s busy schedules and economic situations,” Tienda says. “The majority of the women we see are low-income mothers who have trouble getting a ride to the clinic or can’t take off from work during the day.” Tienda says that besides transportation, another common barrier among their clients is lack of health insurance coverage due to immigration status. “Many of our clients are undocumented and aren’t eligible for state or federal programs unless they’re pregnant,” she says. “For some, the stigma of being undocumented [is often] the reason our clients didn’t come to us sooner.” To ensure that we provide services to those in need, Legacy offers sliding-scale
THE OWL REPORT A COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER | fees for those without insurance or for those who are ineligible. Tienda says the majority of the clients at Legacy Southwest are indeed paying on a sliding scale. “Something else we’re seeing is a high number of teen pregnancies,” Tienda explains. “Our Community Health Workers are conducting outreach in local high schools to reduce those rates, but we also want to make sure that pregnant teens are aware of our services and know that we’re there for them.”
care they need. Until the Texas Legislature acts responsibly on healthcare in this state, more and more needs will go unmet. Last summer, during a special legislative session, the filibuster of Senate Bill 5, an anti-abortion omnibus bill, attracted national attention. Led by Senator Wendy Davis, thousands of reproductive-rights activists took the capitol by storm and sparked a statewide movement unlike any this state has ever seen. Though activists
Legacy Southwest Clinic began offering free pregnancy tests for their clients in 2010, and Tienda says they can administer over 400 in one month. According to the Guttmacher Institute, Texas had the third-highest teen pregnancy rate in the country in 2010, and the highest prevalence of repeat teen births. With the recent trends in Texas family-planning funding and the extreme bias for abstinence-only education in Texas public schools, this comes as no surprise. Kathy Hinze, nurse practitioner and senior director of obstetrics and gynecology at Legacy, agrees with Tienda that the lack of insurance and low incomes are important barriers to mothers seeking care. “Many of our clients who don’t have funds, insurance, or aren’t enrolled in any kind of assistance program think that they have to have everything in place before they can get care,” Hinze says. “This can be problematic, especially because women who don’t get the care they need while pregnant are more likely to deliver a low birth-weight baby, or there’s a higher risk of complications. We try to help them, no matter what.” Legacy’s OB/GYN department is not only dedicated to initiating early prenatal care as soon as possible, but to providing the best prenatal and postnatal patient education through a plethora of programs and classes for mothers and mothers-tobe. They even provide monthly baby showers with local partners to help alleviate the cost of baby supplies. Despite all of the needs that Legacy has been able to successfully address, we know that there are many Texans not getting the
celebrated a brief victory with the defeat of SB 5, the Republican-dominated Legislature successfully passed the bill in its newest form, House Bill 2, during a second special session. Because of its highly restrictive ambulatory surgical and admitting privileges requirements, all but six abortion providers are scheduled to close when the law is fully enacted next month. Many of those providers had been offering family-planning services. Other “women’s health champions,” as they are called—representatives Jessica Farrar, Senfronia Thompson, and Donna Howard—are aiming to continue the momentum of the “People’s Filibuster” by holding a statewide listening tour this month. Scott Daigle, Rep. Donna Howard’s chief of staff, states, “There are many citizens who have strong feelings, who are still energized, and who were unable to come to Austin to voice their concerns and testify during the consideration of the bill. We want to make sure we give them an opportunity to be heard.” Advocates are also hoping that the tour will act as a reminder of the importance of voting in the November elections and taking action at the state level. “Grassroots activists can move the [pro-women’s
9 health] agenda forward by educating people about the harmful effects of women’s health policies enacted in the last several sessions, and show them that elections have consequences on state policy,” Rep. Farrar says. “They can work to get more people engaged on these issues to ensure higher voter turnout.” As Legacy continues to see more and more patients every year, the impact of state and federal healthcare policies has become much clearer. Now is the time to take advantage of opportunities for making our voices heard. Whether it’s at the listening tour this month, at the polls in November, or in Austin during the next session, our legislators need to be hearing from us. When we act together, we have the power to ensure that all Texans have access to affordable, quality healthcare—no matter what their sex, gender, ethnicity, immigration status, income, or zip code happens to be. And frankly, that is a sure way to save Texans’ lives. What: Women’s Health listening tour in When: August Where: The Montrose Center
Champions Houston 12
More info: visit the Women’s Health Champions of the Texas House Facebook page at facebook.com/#!/TXWomenFight. Amanda Williams is the public affairs field specialist at Legacy Community Health Services and is on the board of directors for the Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity. She has a master’s degree in social work with a political specialization. You can find her on Twitter @fullfrontalfem. This article was originally published in OutSmart Magazine
FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on the various services Legacy offers to all in the Houston area please visit: www.legacycommunityhealth.org
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Who is Winning the Race to the Governor’s Mansion? By Kristopher David The Weather has been very hot here in Texas, but the heat coming from the Governor’s Race is being felt NATION WIDE!!! According to a University of Texas / Texas Tribune poll conducted this summer Republican gubernatorial candidate Gregg Abbott leads by 12 percentage points against his main opponent Democrat Wendy Davis. The poll stays consistent with one conducted earlier in the year that had Abbott 11 points ahead of his opposition. With that in mind Gregg Abbott is maintaining a 14 point lead among male Texan voters, while Wendy Davis falls behind by 10 points among female Texan voters. Jim Henson, Director of the Texas Politics Project at UT was quoted, “Abbott remains strong and this, in a lot of ways, confirms the strategy that we’ve seen from his camp: Leave well enough alone [and] The Davis campaign seems to not be able to reverse the trend. ”Can we conclude from this that Jim Henson maybe showing a slight hint of his support for Gregg Abbott?? - (Ramsey, Ross. "UT/TT Poll: Abbott
Holds 11-Point Lead Over Davis, by Ross Ramsey." The Texas Tribune. The Texas Tribune/ UT AUSTIN, 24 Feb. 2014. Web. 21 July 2014.) However, don’t be misled! Candidate Wendy Davis is also making waves! Who would’ve thought this teen mother would become a Harvard Alumni and an exceptional candidate in the Texas Governor Election, though Democrat Wendy Davis is not in the lead she is still keeping the fire under the pot! Davis has publicly expressed her support for Marriage Equality and Equal Opportunity in the work place. The Davis Campaign has gained the support from many members of the LGBTQIA community in Texas. Let us not forget the other Respective Candidates!!! Kathie Glass (Libertarian) and Brandon Parmer from the Green Party who have 3 and 1 percent of the voters surveyed votes respectively. Other choices in the poll were “someone else” with another 3 percent of the votes and 17 percent of those surveyed did
not have an opinion. The Republican Party has won every State Election since 1994; however the demographics of Texas have started to change. The Hispanic Population continues to rise in Texas, moreover studies have shown that Hispanic Voters tend to primarily vote for democrats. Can we conclude from this that maybe this lead by the Republican Party is proof of the lack of participation from minority voters during election time? Could this be a sign that Texas will remain a Red State? With time dwindling down and the efforts from liberal organizations such Battle Ground Texas and other grassroots groups there is no telling who might come out on top! We will keep our ear to the ground and continue to empower our community in making a well informed decision this November!
Movement, Art, and the Advocate they can Create By Graham Maio
To be a part of politics, or the desire to be a political advocate does not just mean running for Congress or the Senate. The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus defines politics as, “the art or science of government, of guiding or influencing governmental policy.” That influence can be expressed through literature, theater, and dance. Visual images can move us in such a way with their bold and colorful expressions, that the images will stay with us long after being viewed and inspire us to make a difference in the world. The Urban Souls Dance Company of Houston, led by Artistic Director and Delta Phi Upsilon’s National Vice President Harrison Guy created such a masterpiece with their powerful piece, “Blood on the Leaves” which tackled many of the issues facing the Black Community. The stage opened to a single noose swung from the rafters as a male dancer writhed in torturous agony beneath the foreboding rope. We, the audience, were led through a journey which included lynching, Black gay
love, sisters and their hair, and in what I felt to be the most poignant number, the murder of Trayvon Martin. Each number allowed us to feel the profound struggles our Black Community has faced over the years, and the challenges that still impact us to this day. The soulful melodies of Nina Simone helped provide the mood for each number. The powerful images presented before me put me at the edge of my seat, wanting to leap headlong into the pile of bloody leaves; to stomp, kick, and rip to shreds the many injustices we still face as a people. I sat there in awe, once the show ended, thinking to myself, what did “Blood on the Leaves” leave me with? For a long time I have questioned my commitment to advocating for my Black Community. I am not a politician, nor a civil rights leader in the realm of Dr. Martin Luther King or Bayard Rustin. I am a gay Black artist, and I can create work as stunning as that of the Urban Souls Dance Company to move other people into fighting for whatever cause they feel deserves fair justice. I challenge anyone to not be moved in some type of way when viewing artistic monuments which call the people to action.
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Iota Chapter Deltas in Action! By Treveon J. Murdock, MA Chapter President Welcome to the first installment of Iota Deltas in Action presented to you on behalf of the Infamous Iota Chapter of Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Incorporated! The aim of this particular section within the Owl Report Newsletter is to align with the overall mission of the newsletter itself by “increasing the political power of Texas' Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Allies (LGBTQIA) community by establishing the community as an educated, strong, mobilized, and most importantly registered voting constituency.” The readers will be kept abreast of what the Iota Chapter of Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc. has been involved in throughout the respective quarter in which the newsletter is being published and potentially any future plans for the upcoming quarter so that readers have the opportunity to participate, if available to do so. The Men of the Iota Chapter participated in a plethora of activities leading up to the recent passage of Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance, also simply referred to as HERO. These engagements range from advocacy workshops, which often involved partnering with local political advocacy experts, to Houston City Council hearings, which involved spending countless hours ensuring that the Houston City Council Members knew that this ordinance was supported; the members of the Iota Chapter showed up in numbers to not only show our support for the passage of this inclusive nondiscriminatory ordinance but to also show that Houston’s men of color are also politically active. The Iota Chapter members also hosted a voter registration drive with the ultimate goal of getting as many Houstonians as possible registered to vote prior to the 2014 November Gubernatorial Election. This event took place during Houston’s 2014 Splash. Houston Splash is an official Black Pride event on the schedule of US national and international pride events sanctioned by the Center for Black Equity that usually run from April to November. It draws many people of color in the Houston area together, which is why the men of the Iota Chapter determined this would be a great opportunity to capitalize on. With the assistance of deputized voter registrars the Iota Chapter was able to add to the pool of the already registered voters of color.
Here are some events that the Iota Chapter will be involved in within the next coming weeks: (1) Deputy Voter Registration Training, which is sponsored by Legacy Community Health Services. This event is slated for 6:00PM7:00PM on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 1415 California Street Houston, Texas 77006 (Legacy Community Health Service-Montrose). The purpose of this event is to deputize and/or train individuals who would like to encourage other residents of Harris County to partake in their civic duty of voting; (2) Our Rights, Our Community: HERO Town Hall sponsored by the Iota Chapter of Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc. slated for 6:30PM-9:00PM on Thursday, September 4, 2014 on the campus of Texas Southern University (The Mickey Leland Building). The purpose of this event is raise awareness around the need to recognize the diversity of disenfranchised populations protected by the controversial Houston Equal Rights Ordinance. We would love to see you at the two aforementioned events! For more information regarding the Iota Chapter of Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Incorporated please visit our website at www.iotadphiu.org and/or contact us via email at info@iotadphiu.org.
EDUCATION
College-minded Recently, Houston Community College (HCC) was under fire by anti-gay advocates attempting to force the local community college from participating in Houston’s Gay Pride Parade. Iota Chapter Deltas showed up in full support of the embattled academic institution, living up to the reputation of being community ambassadors of the LGBTQIA community of color.
POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT
HEALTH AWARENESS
Voter Registration
Volunteerism “Service without expectation,” is more than a motto for Iota Chapter Deltas. Pictured above are a few of our brothers volunteering with Bee Busy, Inc by encouraging Houstonians to get tested while giving away safer-sex packets.
Iota Chapter Deltas are continuously attending trainings to be able to register our community to vote. Above are some of our brothers, in partnership with members of the League of Women Voters of Houston, and the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, registering Houston Splash 2014 attendees to vote during Splash’s day party. If you would like for us to register community members to vote at one of your events please e-mail lambda@iotadphiu.org with a request.
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In this section of the Owl Report we give members of our community an opportunity to express their opinions. It’s no holds barred here and the topics are up to the author. For this initial section members of our community were approached to write about a particular topic or just asked to contribute in general. The contributors to the report aren’t limited to the greater Houston area, nor are they all African-American. Any member of the LGBTQIA, SGL, community is encouraged to contribute. Readers are encouraged to respond to what they read here or express themselves on a topic they feel passionately about. If you feel inspired after reading this section to write an opinion piece of your own, email lambda@iotadphiu.org for details.
Transitioning While a Teacher in a Public School in Texas: My Story of Strength, Allies and Confronting Assumptions By Mario Itzel Suarez
I am a 30 year old Mexican American female-to-male transman, born and raised in Eagle Pass, a small town on the TexasMexico border. Though I work in Austin, I live in the outskirts in one of the many conservative towns that surround the liberal utopia that is Austin. I was the first in my family to go to college and graduate and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with that opportunity that was given to me; use it to teach and help open the way for others. I became a high school math teacher. Coming out as trans not only to my family, but to my co-workers and principal were definitely the scariest moments in my life. After 2 years of teaching as Miss Suarez, I decided it was time to be my true self and came out to my principal as Mr. Suarez. To my dismay, my principal at the time blatantly told me it would be in my best interest if I transferred to a different school and “started fresh”, as he did not want to deal with the calls from angry parents requesting to have their kids taken out of my class that he presumed would be coming. He told me he did not want to have to explain how "what I had was not going to be
contagious” and that I was not going to push "my agenda" on my students. I wasn't really surprised by his response. However, that didn't make it any less difficult. I had been at the school for 2 years already. My fellow teachers and coworkers knew me as a caring, honest, and good teacher. They decided to put pressure on the principal so that I wouldn't have to transfer. I was overwhelmed to learn that many of the established teachers in the school talked to our local teachers’ union and individually to the principal, causing him to let the issue go. I felt a huge amount of relief and gratitude. The end of the year came and went, as did summer. I found out the principal had decided to find a position as a district administrator, so in came a new principal. I gathered whatever guts I had once again and went on to speak to my new principal. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was very receptive and supportive. “Go ahead and do your thing, and if you have any problems with kids, send them my way and I’ll deal with it,” he said. th
Everything else is history. I am currently going on my 8 year teaching at this same school, four of those under this new, more accepting principal. My high school is a Title 1 school, with majority Latino and Black low socioeconomic minority students, with a growing population of refugees coming from Central America and Thailand. The majority of
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the teachers, staff and administration, and students know that I was once Miss Suarez, but respect me as the male that I am. Students have come and gone, many of them even little sisters and brothers of past students, who have heard from a friend or relative that I was once “La Miss” and am now “El Mister.” I know that some might not accept who I am, but I am very thankful that my community is very respectful and professional, and open to learning more about trans people. They know I am no different than any of them. I love my students, just like the other teachers. I love teaching, just like them. I love my subject, just like them. I want to see my students succeed, just like them. I just happen to have been born in the wrong body, and that is okay. It is difficult to be a trans man of color in the public education system in Texas. Although I am open to answering many questions, sometimes it is daunting to face a new person who might not know about my gender
identity, or might have not been exposed to the issue. It's amazing to have allies, but I know that I am lucky to have them and that many other trans people struggle in towns small and big to find co-workers, family members and a community who will stand up for our human right to work and live our lives without facing discrimination. I hope that my story and struggles I have been through might inspire you to be that light for yourself and others in your community. This is the way I have found to share my blessings. Mario Itzel Suarez has struggled and continues to work for the rights of all people, including trans people of color in the state of Texas and beyond to be who they are, love who they love, have access to healthcare, education and other basic human needs. It is not easy, but he hopes that by sharing his story others will feel strong enough to keep going.
A Black Same Gender Loving Call to Arms By Brandon Mack National Treasurer / Secretary
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 than 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 closed 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 a part 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 organizes regular Civil Rights Strategy Sessions that mobilizes the SGL community of color. For more information on the next session feel free to e-mail lambda@iotadphiu.org.
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The Bottom Line By DPHIant Your right to vote is a privilege. This is a critical election for our state. For the first time in over a decade Texas will have a new governor. Yes those in power have done a good job at discouraging their opposition from getting to the polls. They even have a candidate running that identifies with a marginalized community when it is convenient. Society had our community thinking that having a black president would be the end of our problems- racism, poverty, social constructs working against anyone trying to earn an honest living but 6 years and two election cycles later that’s proven to be untrue. We haven’t made it- in fact we’ve been duped- distracted. Having a national president working towards change without support from other elected officials is as efficient as an asshole on your elbow. Local elections are the most important elections. Period. Texas legislators create and vote on bills that directly affect our communities. It’s critical for us to elect someone honest, able to see the need for equity when there is none and most importantly ready to create change
in this state. The Texas Legislative Study th Group released their 6 Annual Report, Texas on the Brink, last year that ranked Texas among all 50 other states and D.C. when it came to an assortment of social justice issues and Texas was always at the bottom of the rankings or near the bottom. What this says to me is that following tradition, going with the flow and perpetuating the status quo is not working for the largest populated state in the country. We should be working towards what’s the best for Texas families instead of trying to dictate how we define Texas Families. We should be supporting ordinances such as the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance that institutionalizes antidiscrimination (look it up). We should be looking to expand Medicaid, which would enhance the health care system in Texas for a larger number of people- not doing so has already cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars. Opting in to Medicaid expansion should have been a no-brainer since the money for Texas goes to another state had
we not done so. You’re welcome New York. Wendy Davis is the only choice for governor for anyone who isn’t white, straight, rich, male and able bodied—bottom line. Gregg Abbott has no one’s interests at heart but his own and his special groups. Get registered to vote. Vote early and if you don’t do anything else while you’re at the polls- vote for Wendy Davis. Your children will thank you. Turning Texas blue doesn’t stop at the governor’s mansion; it’s our first step. We will need to stay engaged in the issues at hand and let elected officials know who truly holds the power. We put you in office and we can sure as heck take you out. Self-advocacy, mobilization of our community, and motivation to go out and vote are my goals. Are you with me?
Are WE Invisible? (Part I) By Ashton Woods One day in 2008 I walked into a club in the Montrose area only to receive the “why are you here?” stares. Not giving it a second mind, I proceeded to the bar to get a drink after a long day at work. To make a long story short, I waited a total of twenty minutes to be served by one of the six bartenders who did everything they could to keep from serving me. One could venture to say that I was crazy for even waiting so long for a drink; but I wanted to see for myself how bad relations were between black SGLTB and the white GLBT community. Some consider my experience fictional, quite rare, and laughable which leads to the usual shrug of the shoulders.
The reality of prejudice within the gay community is constantly swept under a rug and has been given a status of a mythical unicorn. While that is true, there is another reality that we fail to address. A reality in which there are gays and lesbians are transphobic, display effemiphobia and even display intra-racism. How can we possibly address white vs black prejudices? When these fractures within our community go unaddressed? As a good friend put it, “come be a part of our community, welcome! (GLBT), be yourself, but you must be masculine, not too skinny, no fems and no uglies.” When my friend made this
statement, he was really saying he hates that these demands to fit into these boxes exist. This is one of the main reasons that we are invisible to each other within the gay community. Ask yourself how many transmen and women do you have friendships with? How many of you have lesbian friends? How many of you have plus sized friends? I could go on and on with questions, however I would like to get to my point. My point is that we must be all inclusive and remove all of the barriers and stop pretending that our counter parts are invisible! When we achieve true cohesion and community, only then can we address prejudices from the “mainstream” gays and the straight black community.
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Delinking our Identity from Mainstream By Pere Sozo I had a very stimulating discussion at my first MoC meeting in June. Two themes stood out in our discussion which involved a decolonial queerness and de-linking from the mainstream structures of social power, specifically from the mainstream gay power complex. I think that one path to help us arrive at a decolonial queerness, and to help us delink from the mainstream gay industries (like Human Rights Campaign), we need to rethink identity, privilege, and community to address some of the dangers in our work if we are to build healing and autonomous communities. As such, I feel one danger is the rituals of punitive accountability that happen within social justice factions such that we police language, even thoughts. I agree with the intent of acknowledging the ways our privileged identities influence our everyday actions, discourse, and imaginations, and that we need to work toward unlearning these conquest practices. However, at what point does “check your privilege” ironically reproduce interpersonal surveillance in our own circles? At what point is our policingespecially as a public ritual of “more-awarethan-thou”, ironically making us into the labels we get dismissed as? Feminazi, Justice Inquisition, etc. At what point are we reproducing hierarchies, inverting them in our attempt to break out of them? One consequence of policing, as well intentioned as it may be, is that it makes speaking up difficult. It creates a disciplinary space where one mistake will get you a visit from the Social Justice Inquisition, especially in public. “I’m gonna check you on your privilege”. That kind of discourse smells to me of Western disciplining and ideas of punitive justice. There is a piece on Black Girl Dangerous that addresses this vindictive aspect in better detail than me titled “Calling In”. Nevertheless, we need to rethink accountability in a way that mutually helps us re-sensitize our privileged identities, and to incorporate BOTH forgiveness AND recommitment.
Moreover, can we refigure privilege not so much as something to ritualistically repent for, but as a privileged assemblage* that this society deems human- truly worthy of entitlements and full respect? That is, thinking about privilege/identities as an assemblage- one intersecting part of our socially constructed selves, opens possibilities of using such identities
subversively and it also helps us to better analyze how these privileged assemblages help and hurt those around us. With that said, how do we use these identities responsibly? How do I, as a cis-man use the power that is symbolically recognized by power systems to do my part in chopping tentacles of misogyny (trans and cis) and to ultimately arrive at the heart(s) of such systems? Where would my work as a documented queer cis-man of color place me strategically? Would I be working in the shadows of cis and trans women in their struggles? Be there as needed and do my work “backstage,” so to speak? In other words, we need to evaluate and expand our repertoire of tactics to build communities. Calling out has its uses, but we need more tools. We need to root ourselves in our personal stories and be in conversation with the bureaucratic: the State, the political economy, the class systems, the university, and the structures that enable us to have all these different privileges, and through which right wing conservatives compete to control and use against us.This tool expansion also means understanding reciprocity and mutuality; you do what I
cannot do, I do what you cannot do. Otherwise as it stands and from what I have experienced, I fear that punitive accountability becomes policing and a reproduction of Western predatory ego that is destructive to many of us in our various struggles. Finally, it might help us to think of ego not so much as “I think, therefore I am” but more like “ I am where I speak” (see Walter Mignolo). To acknowledge that our intersecting standpoint in the structures of colonial, capitalist, racist, and patriarchal power influences how we think, speak, and act. Also, how can we form points of coalition building across intersecting assemblagesidentities to change institutional structures? Or delink from them by creating our own structures? These paths may help us combine the sensibilities of the en in the Eye(s) of Sauron of Western power.
VIRBAGE: CISGENDER Cisgender, cisman, ciswoman- individuals who have a match between the gender they were assigned at birth, their bodies, and their personal identity" as a complement to transgender.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The author suggests writings by Jasbir Puar on assemblages, and Andrea Smith's “The Problem with privilege” *MoC is an empowerment group for men of color that meets monthly (the last Friday of the Month) in Austin, Texas.
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Definitions: Political Jargon and Other Terms Jargon: the language used for a particular activity or by a particular group of people. Bipartisan: An effort that brings together both political parties, Democrats and Republicans, in mutual agreement. Partisan: Something that only works toward the goals of one political party, and often works against the goals of the other. Feminazi: A militant Feminist who is viewed as going overboard on women's causes. Right-to-lifer: A person who is anti-abortion. Pro-Choice: A person who is in favor of a woman's right to choose abortion or not. Grown in office: A political term used for someone who won office based on one set of principles, but over time adopted an opposite set of principles. RINO: This term is short for "Republican in Name Only," and is used to criticize Republicans who often side with Democrats. Blue dog: A Democrat who is likely to side with Republicans on certain issues. Greenwashing: When companies attempt to make themselves look environmentally friendly (usually when they're not especially environmentally friendly). Red state: A state that votes primarily for Republicans or conservatives. Blue state: A state that votes primarily for Democrats or liberals. Left-Wing: a politician or citizen who is more liberal than the average person. Typically, this is someone who is for socialized medicine, for gay rights, and pro-choice, among many other issues. Queer: An umbrella term used in some circles of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex, and Ally or LGBTQIA community. You may also run into instances of the acronym’s letter being placed in a different order or some people not agreeing on what each letter, most often Q, I, or A, stands for. Queer is not considered a derogatory term when used by members of the community in an empowering way. Cisgender: denoting or relating to a person whose self-identity conforms with the gender that corresponds to their biological sex. Used by members and allies of the transgender community to complement the term transgender. Gender identity: a person's private sense, and subjective experience, of their own gender. This is generally described as one's private sense of being a man or a woman, consisting primarily of the acceptance of membership into the gender binary: male or female. Gender binary: also referred to as gender binarism (sometimes shortened to just binarism), is the classification of sex and gender into two distinct, opposite and disconnected forms of masculine and feminine. It is one general type of a gender system. Gender expression: the ways in which we each manifest masculinity or femininity. It is usually an extension of our “gender identity,� our innate sense of being male or female.
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THE OWL REPORT STAFF Michael C. Webb, Jr. Editor-in-Chief Lambda Committee Chair – Iota Chapter
Kelle’ Martin Co-Editor Lambda Committee Member – Iota Chapter
Graham Maio Lambda Committee Member – Iota Chapter
Brandon Mack Lambda Committee Member – Iota Chapter
Kristopher David Lambda Committee Co-Chair – Iota Chapter
THE OWL REPORT REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Harrison Guy #inspireknOWLedge: Words of Thought & Inspiration National Vice President
Treveon J. Murdock, MA Iota Chapter Deltas in Action! Iota Chapter President
Jared D. Childress Health & Wellness (coming soon!) Community Member Special thanks to all guest contributors! If you would like to contribute to the next edition of the Owl Report, please e-mail lambda@iotadphiu.org Disclaimer: All opinions, ideas, and arguments expressed in the Owl Report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of the Owl Report or any of its affiliates, including Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc.