Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Why NCTE Doesn't Speak For Me Or My Black Trans Community

Th National Center For Transgender Equality has been around since 2003, and when it was founded they made the assertion to the trans community that unlike the then four year old NTAC, who was using carrot and stick tactics that included direct action, that they could get results by being the consummate Washington insiders.

Well, after 8 years, the inside I-495 tactics ain't working for NCTE and the trans community, and you'll notice that I hardly ever post anything from that organization on this blog. 

There are a few reasons why.  One is because they have been since their inception too uncomfortably cozy with HRC despite having office space with the Task Force.   

There also no love lost between its executive director Mara Keisling and many of the movers and shaker leaders in the African descended trans community, including the TransGriot   

She has alienated many of us for various reasons, and also has a reputation inside of the African American trans community of being bigoted on top of it, which probably explains why there is no POC representation on the NCTE board of directors.

That lack of POC representation on the board probably is a factor into why it has been ineffective in Washington, DC.    They have spent far too much time being backstabbing Clarence Thomasesque ventriloquist dummies for their Gay, Inc paymasters instead of being the sword and shield for the trans community and fighting for our issues.

So at this point, the Black trans community not only needs to make it clear that NCTE doesn't speak for us, we need to make handling our political destiny and gaining our rights a top priority FUBU operation.         
 

Until then, why should those of us who know the frack what's going on politically, have the talent and expertise that we aren't getting paid for help a backstabbing PR shill and her National Center For Transgender Exclusion?   

What's clear from observing NCTE and its illusion of inclusion dog and pony civil rights show is it exists to act like a tranquilizing drug to keep the trans masses from turning up the heat and calling out Gay, Inc over their less than fierce advocacy for transpeople. 

It's past time to have multiple trans organizations in this community.   The one we allegedly have keeps mess and confusion going in our community, impedes the rise of trans leaders who have the interests of our and the entire trans community first and foremost and not Gay Inc on their mind, doesn't have a coherent plan with input across the trans spectrum to make trans rights a reality, and keeps us through its ineptitude from gaining the inclusive trans civil rights coverage we should have had back in the 90's.

When we have an organization (or two or three) who are serious about working for trans issues, will speak truth to Gay, Inc power about being oppressors of trans people and will forcefully call out people and the media for disrespecting us, then you'll start to see transpeople who know what's up inside the Beltway start congregating in Washington for sustained lobbying.


But it's crystal clear that NCTE is not that organization.





1 comment:

Unknown said...

@a0Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize my membership in the African American community was revoked the moment I joined the Board of NCTE in 2008, following in the footsteps of people like Andi Marra, NCTE's first Board Chair who is Asian American.

And I thought we had several POCs at the NCTE Congressional Lobby Days in 2010, including ALL members of the Tennessee delegation, but I admit, I have not been to the eye doctor lately.

I apologize for missing the mark.

To whom do I return my Black Card?

Marisa Richmond
Current NCTE Board Member & Former African American Transgender Person