i.am.uhura

Are you fat, trans, AND a person of color? 

REJOICE! My boyfriend @tejanoychill and I have created @fattranspoc as a safe space for all fat trans PoC to see people that look like us, trans resources, helpful articles, selfies, positivity, and a space for you to come chat and find others in our small community! the blog is continually being updated, and links will be filled soon! 

Crystal Crowns, Tiaras, Hair Pins and Barrettes by Gems And Bones on Etsy

And a patient of mine asked to be referred to a different doctor for a very complex problem because the doctor I had referred them to was black. Their reasoning for the request was “I guess I’m just old fashioned.” Ummmmmkay.

There are only about 5 doctors in this specialty in my state and all of them are people of color. This particular physician that I referred to went to an Ivy League college and very prestigious residency program and fellowships and has had glowing recommendations from a few of my other patients. Any doctor who has gone through as much fellowship training as this one has is more than qualified. But to my patient, this doctor’s skin negates years of training.

The receptionist said, “Oh, Stavros isn’t foreign, he’s Greek.”

The lady went, “oh, well, that’s all right then.”

??? Greek isn’t foreign ???

Before I went into the room the receptionist “warned me” that the lady I was about to see “cussed at her.” She told me what happened.

We’ve got to make sure the blue states stay blue and try to turn some of those red states blue as well. Don’t count your state out just because it usually votes Republican. Historically, midterms have way lower turnouts than presidential election years. So lets actually show up this time and do some damage.

Ok. First of all, take a breath. No, seriously. Voting isn’t actually scary. But I think it can be intimidating, especially if you come from a family that isn’t politically active. Or if they are, but you don’t agree with them, and don’t want to be pressured into voting their way if you ask for help. It’s a new experience with lots of different rules, and it can seem overwhelming. But it’s simple, really. I’ll walk you through it.

Step 1: Google how to vote in your state. I don’t mean this as a joke. I’m making it as blanket as possible because it actually is that easy. If you don’t feel like googling, you can just go here: https://www.usa.gov/how-to-vote. They even have a section on the midterms. And a link to local election information on ballotopedia. 

Step 2: Register. If you aren’t registered, go here and register to vote. If you’re not sure if you’re registered, register again. There’s no harm in doing it multiple times. Think of it as making sure their records are up-to-date. Do it now. Don’t wait for an election, because depending on your state, you may not be able to vote if you register too close to an election.

Step 3: Pay attention. Keep track. Make sure you know when your local elections are. Make sure you know when the midterms are. Make sure you’re ready to vote in every election.

Step 4: Vote. How to do this, as with everything else, varies by state. In some states, you go and vote in person. In others, you receive a ballot in the mail and just fill it out and send it back in. So go back here and look up your state’s information when the time comes. And then actually do it. That’s the key. You have to actually cast that vote.

Step 5: Spread the word. Your vote matters. But your influence can matter more. If you’re voting for the first time and you’re nervous about that, talk to your friends. Maybe some of them have never voted either. Do it together. Read about the candidates. Discuss them. Go to some town halls. You can even go vote together. Decide for yourself what you want to do, obviously, but you can go and wait in line together. If you’re in a vote-by-mail state, you can have a beers and ballots party (with, like, rootbeer if you’re underage or not a drinker) and invite a bunch of friends over to all vote together. Everyone’s ballot should be their own, and what they put down is theirs to know alone, but you can go through the process together. 

There are two upsides to doing this with friends (or family or whoever). One, there’s comfort in numbers. If it’s your first time, having someone else to do it with will make it less scary. But there’s also motivation. If your friends or family or whoever are voting, you don’t want to be the one dropping the ball. And if you’re voting and making it a thing, they don’t want to be the ones to drop the ball.

The voter turnout in the 2016 election was 58%. Donald Trump didn’t get elected because the majority of Americans chose him. Donald Trump got elected because 42% of people didn’t bother to show up (and because slightly less than half of the 58% who did show up were like, “Yeah, lets give this unqualified, thin-skinned man-baby control of the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. That sounds like a great idea. No way that could backfire.”). 

#1 They immediately chose an Asian man.

#2 The man’s refusal to leave was because he was a DOCTOR who had to see patients IN THE MORNING

#3 Legally airline officials and police offers are not allowed to board a plane unless due to two circumstances, ONE a passenger is endangering other passengers whether through unruly behavior or possession of a weapon, or two, a passenger is causing a disruption. This passenger was not causing a disruption UNTIL HE WAS DRAGGED OFF THE PLANE

#4 Legally airline rules state that a passenger may be denied boarding a flight due to overboarding. NO WHERE in the rules states that they can do it after everyone has been boarded, AND DRAG THEM OFF THEY PLANE WHILE THEY ARE SCREAMING, HIT THEIR HEAD AND KNOCK THEM UNCONSCIOUS AND GIVE THEM MAJOR FACIAL INJURIES AND A FUCKING CONCUSSION

#5 The man returned to the plane and while being brutally attacked continued screaming “just kill me just kill me” This man would’ve rather died than be treated like that

#6 AND LAST BUT THE BIGGEST FUCKING THING OF ALL, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES LEOCHA, A MEMBOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AVIATION CONSUMER PROTECTIONS “They could’ve put their own people on a different flight. They could have sent a couple of crew members across town to the other Chicago airport. They could have put the crew on a Southwest flight. And if they had offered passengers $1,350 in cash, I bet they would have had ten people jump up and take it. And there would’ve been people who would’ve rented a car and drove down to Louisville. There were a lot of things the airline could’ve done, but they didn’t.”

I think this says a lot about americas treatment of minorities. A guarantee you if they had asked a white cishet businessman to leave and he refused they would’ve moved on They could’ve just moved on. They could’ve asked other people. Or be like “hey we’ll give you $1,350 cash if you leave AND EVERYONE WOULD BE RUSHING OUT OF THE PLANE EXCEPT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED IT LIKE A DOCTOR WHO NEEDS TO SEE HIS PATIENTS

Edit to post as new information has been released: Other people volunteered to go instead of the man while the incident was happening. They were denied.

Edit # 2: For everyone in notes saying this isn’t about race because a “computer system selected it”

#1 a young white couple offered to go instead, they were refused

#2The computer system did not chose to beat him and drag him off the plane

#3 He had a very valid and important reason why he had to stay on that plane, in the videos you can hear him politely say “I am sorry I cannot leave I am a doctor who has to see patients in the morning”

#4 There was no disruption for the police to be called there UNTIL the police were called there, with the police creating the disruption itself by dragging this man out of the plane

Because who the fuck is gonna argue with an army of polite older ladies?

I just can’t believe it would ever happen. Every gov’t is usually so kicked against LGBTQ community. And these beautiful people just SLAYED.

these surviving photographs are still CRAZY VALUABLE to this day for the rest of the volcanologist community, since actual recordings of an in-process eruption are so dang rare

on-site documentation of any major disaster is gonna be VITALLY IMPORTANT to the people who are tryna figure out how to prevent that shit

The campaign to limit who can use which public restrooms—which swears they’re not trying to discriminate against trans people even though the text of the bill is definitely just about trans people—has been a little hinky when it comes to disclosing their donors. Though they’ve been soliciting donations since January on their Facebook page, until recently, most of the money we could find through the Public Disclosure Commission was from last year. 

But it looks like they’ve finally submitted updated paperwork and hoo boy! They sure are drumming up the funds for bigotry. 

As of right now, they have a total of $62,858 (though they’ve only actually raised $17,786 in cash this year). 

One pair of funders is especially interesting: the Steege family.

Esther Steege, who lists herself as “self-employed” donated $500. Here’s a couple of screenshots from her Twitter account, if you were curious what other issues she’s passionate about.

Her husband, Timothy, also donated $500. Timothy Steege is—get this—a surgeon at Swedish. 

Real talk, not really sure I want this guy working on my spine. 

Other donors include the ludicrously wealthy Alvord family, Mike Dunn of Dunn Lumber, and a truck driver named Michael Leaf who somehow managed to contribute more than $1,700 to the campaign.

Yowza. 

Just Want Privacy is currently collecting signatures to get I-1552 on the November ballot. If passed, it would change the existing law in Washington State that allows people to use the restroom that matches their gender identity. Instead, the law would require that people use restrooms which correspond with their DNA, which would put trans and nonbinary folks at risk of abuse and harassment. 

JWP has said a lot that the initiative is designed to keep sexual predators out of bathrooms and showers—however, both the law and the funding tell a different story. 

In addition to collecting big checks from wingnut Mercer Island residents, the campaign has also gotten funding from numerous religious organizations, including parochial schools. Not a single donation has come from an organization that works directly to help women and children. 

The text of the bill itself would not actually stop sexual assault—at present, the law has not lead to any violence—and threatens Title IX funding and other federal funds which help survivors of domestic violence and assault. 

okay, so if i were to write the academy award-winning and world peace-establishing screenplay where Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson and Vin Diesel slowly fall in love, this is what it would look like:

vin and dwayne would be bitter Rival Agents for an intelligence agency. both would be up for a Big Promotion.  they would both be working together (but against each other) on something something black market mafia.  the mafia would be involved.  they would be VERY CLOSE to cracking this case.  

whoever cracks the case gets the promotion! because things like this are always very clear-cut in movies.  and whoever gets the promotion is the Better Agent, and it’s settled forever.

what they don’t expect is when they finally go in to make the Big Bust on The Family is that the Big Players will still be at large–and there will be a BABY.  

the baby will fall into agency custody, and will require surveillance in a remote safehouse.

“i need YOU TWO to pretend and be this baby’s GAY DADS to protect the baby and keep The Family off our tail while we close in on them,” says Head Intelligence Captain Lupita Nyong’o.  

dwayne and vin and baby are begrudgingly moved to a suburb of provincetown, massachusetts. cut to shot of a FOR SALE sign being pulled down, a ford fusion hybrid pulling up behind a moving van.  dwayne and vin step out.  they are both wearing muscle shirts and mirror-lensed aviators.  dwayne grabs a baby bag, throws it over his shoulder.  vin grabs the car seat out of the back, and both of them walk-slow motion up the side walk to their new 800k beach house.  

here’s what they expect: passive aggressive co-existence for a couple of weeks, where they try to be the Better Dad in a bid for the promotion they both want.  dwayne will go jogging with the baby every morning!! vin will wear her in a sling when he goes to the farmer’s market and smiles at the vendors while feeling up avocados and selecting fresh caught filets of fish!! 

here’s what they don’t expect: their next door neighbors are going to be Channing Tatum and Idris Elba and their five beautiful, interracial babies.  they are the perfect Gay Family, but “also,” dwayne says, pushing vin inside from where he’s been grilling steaks and drinking MILLER out of a CAN in broad daylight for the Real Gay Family to see and call over from their patio!!! “these guys are the REAL DEAL.  they’re gonna know something’s up!  i know we’ve had our beef, but we gotta step our game up and work together if we’re gonna make this operation work.”  

“you’re right,” vin says.  he’s nodding, looking at a ground, but then up and meeting dwayne’s gaze. “you’re RIGHT.” they’re gonna make this partnership work!!! they are going to be the BEST GAY DADS.

CUT TO: vin and dwayne staring at the king sized mattress in the master bedroom.  “i can just–” vin says, but dwayne grabs him by the shoulder and shakes it playfully.  “no man,” he says. “it’s all in or nothing.” 

CUT TO: them jogging together with baby playfully squealing from her stroller early in the morning.  

CUT TO: vin playfully feeding dwayne grapes at the farmer’s market.  “it’s all or nothing,” he repeats, raising his eyebrows (???? eyebrow folds? idk man). dwayne rolls his eyes and TAKES THE BITE.  

CUT TO: channing tatum in monogrammed shorts and pink polo and boat shoes on their front door step with one of his many perfect, precious toddlers on his shoulders, asking them to dinner.  “uh yeah,” dwayne says, cool as a cucumber. he’s not freaking out (he’s totally freaking out!!).  “we’ll bring the wine.”

“we’ll bring the wine?” vin repeats, in a hushed voice so the neighbors and baby don’t hear them fighting. “do you know anything about wine? they probably have a second house in france!  i haven’t had anything that didn’t come from a box since–since ever! what were you thinking?” “i panicked!  it seemed like the right thing to say!” 

TIRES SCREECH as the ford focus hybrid drifts into the whole foods parking lot.  

they show up out of breath, foreheads glistening, with baby in her favorite babybjorn, feet kicking from the day’s excitement of wine shopping.  vin, wheezing, passes a bottle of red and a bottle of white.

“oh, a chateau coutet barsac,” idris says with a chuckle, showing the label to channing. “remember that time–?” and oh my GOD, they have inside jokes!! 

(”we don’t have any inside jokes!!” dwayne whispers when they immediately excuse themselves halfway through a tour of the house. “that’s because you are the least funny person i know!” vin replies. “god, i hate you!!!” they both probably hiss at each other.)

the worst and best part of the night is when they’re serving the roast veg salad, and channing says with the best intentions, “so, how did you two meet?”

“uh,” vin says.

“the gym,” dwayne says. which, actually turns out to be true.  they look at each other, smile soft and genuine for once at each other, REMEMBERING. before they were BITTER RIVALS, they met at the academy gym and were GYM BUDDIES.  they used to have FUN trying to beat each other’s PR on the treadmill, they used to LOVE shit talking each other when they spotted each other bench pressing, they used to snap towels at each other’s asses in the locker room and totally not check each other out or anything!!! and then they were both accepted to the same position at work and they stopped being friendly for whatever reason.  they stop smiling, they look away from each other.  “anyway.”

“we met building houses for habitat for humanity,” idris offers, because of COURSE THEY DID.

the second worst part of the night is when channing mentions during the dessert course that two weeks from now is the annual May Day Homeowner’s Neighborhood Block Party Crab Cookoff, and maybe dwayne and vin would like to host to get to know everyone else in the neighborhood! 

vin has had like, three more glasses of wine than everyone else, and with aid of liquid confidence, shrugs his shoulders and leans back in his chair and says, “yeah, man, we’d love to.”

“’yeah, man, we’d love to?’” dwayne repeats when they’re walking home, baby asleep in her bjorn. 

“sorry, did you want me to give ourselves away? what happened to being the best? we’re trying to be believable!” 

“yeah,” dwayne says, watching vin strip off his shirt and pants and toss them over his shoulder into their spare hamper before crawling into their bed.  it’s routine.  they both have their sides of the bed.  “believable.”

the bedroom is quiet as they face away from each other at the edges of the mattress.  eventually dwayne asks, “do you remember why we stopped being friends?”

for a second he thinks maybe vin’s gone to sleep.  but he turns over.  “no,” he says.  “or yeah, maybe. as soon as i realized we would both be seeing action, it became too much of a risk.  friendship.  it was easier to lose you as a friend on my terms than lose you as a friend because you got your dumbass killed.”

they decide to be friends again.  you know, for the baby.  for work. whatever.  

they get so caught up in planning the May Day Homeowner’s Neighborhood Block Party Crab Cookoff, making inside jokes and ignoring the increasing casual physical intimacy between them that they don’t realize they are BEING WATCHED.

the mafia is HERE and they want their BABY and they want dwayne and vin DEAD.  

the M.D.H.N.B.P.C.C happens and everything is going according to plan, and they are about to have dwayne judge the bisque portion of the competition, but no one has seen dwayne anywhere!!!!

are there warehouses in provincetown??? is there a bad part of provincetown??? anyways, that’s probably where the mafia took dwayne.  vin is FREAKING OUT, how does he save dwayne??? how does he protect the baby, who they are using dwayne as ransom for??? who will judge the bisque portion of the crab cookoff???

idris puts a hand on his shoulder.  he’s been watching the entire time.  “i’ll take the baby into our panic room–” OF COURSE THEY HAVE A PANIC ROOM, “and channing will judge the bisque portion of the crab cookofff.  you go save your man.”

CUT TO: vin getting geared up to go out and kick some mafia ass, entering their walk-in closet and grabbing GUNS and a BULLET PROOF VEST and lacing up his L.L BEAN MEN’S GORETEX LEATHER BOOTS.  

vin takes out the entire warehouse-or-whatever of mafia lackeys and comes across dwayne tied up and blindfolded.

“who’s there!” dwayne demands, like he’s ready to fight despite himself.  vin takes three strong steps forward and grabs him by the back of the head and pulls him in for a kiss.  “guess who,” he replies.  dwayne smiles.

just then the Final Boss shows up as dwayne is being untied and like, something dramatic happens or whatever, but it’s okay.  they die or go to jail or something, it doesn’t really matter, because dwayne and vin are in LOVE and they’re gonna adopt the hell out of that baby.

CUT TO: a month later.  Head Intelligence Captain Lupita Nyong’o is disappointed when vin won’t accept his promotion.  

1.  There are no local Whole Foods in Provincetown, you gotta go to Hyannis (min. 1 hour away, depending on traffic on Rt. 3) for that shit– it’s all little independent $$$$$ boutique stores and shitty holes in the wall, no in between. A Whole Foods shopping montage would be awesome, but maybe have a salty character actor be the owner of the “good” wine store, which is actually the shitty package store all the year-round locals go to.  Maybe Ian MacShane, and he can tell stories of when he was a fishing captain, or a performance artist, or something.

2.  That May Day crab cookoff can’t be on Memorial Day weekend because that is the kickoff of the season of All the Gays, Ever, All Summer, and in particular, it’s Women’s Weekend, so if you DO have the crab cookoff on Memorial Day weekend, it had better be because Captain Lupita is mad at their slow progress and has brought her actual trophy wife *cough, Senator, cough* Hayley Atwell out for the weekend so that they can try to flush the Bad Mafia dudes who will SURELY stand out more amongst all the lesbians.

There will be a slow pan of Lupita Nyong’o and Hayley Atwell kicking in the doors of the recently abandoned and really Gritty™ Ferry Terminal where Dwayne is being held.  (Because Hayley Atwell is a retired Navy Seal.  That’s where she and Lupita met, fell in love, and overthrew Russia.  Also, Women’s Weekend is an opportunity for lots of other aspirational swat team lesbians to be badass in slo-mo.)

3.  You can’t get a two bedroom condo in P-town for less than 800K, so think 2.5 million and you’ll have something more realistic.  Hah.  And it better be a house the Intelligence Agency already owns, because there are NO summer vacancies from May through November.  None.