• ELIXHER
• On September 13, 2013

How Society Shames Men Dating Trans Women & How This Affects Our Lives

After the resignation of legendary hip hop DJ Mister Cee over his now confirmed advances towards trans* women, author and trans advocate Janet Mock reflects: “We, as a society, have not created a space for men to openly express their desire to be with trans women. Instead, we shame men who have this desire, from the boyfriends, cheaters and “chasers” to the “trade,” clients, and pornography admirers. We tell men to keep their attraction to trans women secret, to limit it to the internet, frame it as a passing fetish or transaction. In effect, we’re telling trans women that they are only deserving of secret interactions with men, further demeaning and stigmatizing trans women.”

More on Janet’s blog.

DJ Mister Cee’s Prostitution Scandal

DJ Mister Cee resigned from radio station Hot 97 after a video was posted of him allegedly soliciting sex from a cross-dressing video-blogger. Will his resignation derail or advance acceptance of the LGBTQ community in hip hop culture?

Janelle Monae Discusses Gay Rumors, Lesbian-Tinged Lyrics In ‘Electric Lady’

The lyrics on Janelle Monae’s new album, “Electric Lady,” have caused some to speculate whether the singer is hinting that she is gay. However, the artist quashed the gossip in a recent interview, while still offering major support to her gay fans.

Back in April, Monae told Billboard that her new album would be “more revealing” and “more personal.” When the album dropped Tuesday, some songs proved particularly poignant.

In “Q.U.E.E.N.” featuring Erykah Badeu, she sings, “Am I a freak because I love watching Mary?” and “Hey sister am I good enough for your heaven?” In “Givin Em What They Love,” she refers to a woman following her to a lobby for some “undercover love.”

More on Huffington Post.

Octavia Butler’s Message to the Grassroots

Adrienne Maree Brown was accustomed to bringing folks together. As a co-founder of the League of Young Voters and the Ruckus Society, Brown had led direct actions in San Francisco, organized protests in New York City, and delivered petitions to some of the country’s most powerful lawmakers. But it’s not until she got to Detroit that she embraced who she really was: a sci-fi nerd.

So with an organizer’s acumen and a deep love for science fiction, Brown began to co-host workshops on Octavia Butler at the Allied Media Conference, an annual gathering of technology and media activists in Detroit. The late writer’s work often centers on black women who must navigate the politics of apocalypse. What began as a love fest soon morphed into a strategy session as activists bonded around the idea that before they could build a better world, they first had to imagine it.

Continue reading on Colorlines.