Author: Chris Andoe

Metro Trans Umbrella Group (MTUG) has pulled out of Sunday’s Pride Parade with a surprise announcement by MTUG Executive Director Sayer Johnson on St. Louis Public Radio.

“So much of the conversation has been taken over by this parade when so many in our community aren’t even getting their basic needs met” Johnson said. “Pride for us is a mark of survival, not celebration.”

The Board of Pride STL sought to honor and highlight the Trans community’s contributions for Stonewall 50, but faced intense backlash and even threats over a request that officers marching not be uniformed this year. Proposed compromises included officers wearing shirts that read “LGBTQIA+ Officer” or MTUG shirts, but were resoundingly rejected by representatives for police marchers. In the end, a press conference was held in the office of Mayor Lyda Krewson reversing the decision.

The group was to participate as grand marshal.  

For the first time, Pride St. Louis decided to put the Trans community front and center in the parade in honor of Stonewall 50. Going a major step further, they attempted to ignite a discussion about Trans issues by asking police marchers to wear civilian clothing for this year’s celebration. Another idea was for unarmed officers to march in MTUG shirts. While many like myself enjoy seeing uniformed police in the parade as a symbol of how far we’ve come, other communities have very different realities. There are many marginalized people who don’t call the police when they need help. This was an opportunity to discuss that.

It didn’t go well.

Most in opposition genuinely felt this proposal was discriminatory and disrespectful to LGBTQ officers. They kept to those general talking points, and a few even offered a kind word to Trans friends and their supporters. Many others, however, poured gasoline on the controversy with hyperbolic, defamatory and discriminatory statements about both the Pride St. Louis Board as a whole, individual members–many who were sent hateful messages, and the Trans community.

I’ve been saying for over a week that proposals are often scrapped (remember the $5 entry fee?) as details are finalized, and today the Board has reversed the request after winning a concession from STLPD to attend diversity training.

Below is MTUG’s official statement:

Liberation

This year, 50 years after the Stonewall riot, we were cautiously optimistic that we would finally be seen by our own community. Earlier this year, the board of Pride St Louis decided to center gender expansive and trans lived experiences by holding us up as grand marshals in honor of 50 years into our movement. When we agreed to take our place as grand marshals, we agreed to make our bodies vulnerable; we put our most marginalized community members at risk once again, especially our siblings of color. While hesitant, we agreed despite knowing that uniformed, armed police officers who have historically and presently criminalized our bodies would be in the parade. We have strained at best, and violent at worst, relationships with police officers. There has been no indication or effort made to gain an understanding or awareness by the police of who we are and what our community needs from our police officers. We knew that our constituency would be resistant to marching with armed officers however we wanted to work with the Pride Board and Parade team. Once the decision was made to exclude armed, uniformed police officers we finally felt seen, heard, understood and centered. Watching the backlash from white, cisgender gay and lesbian and straight community members, we realize that there is so much more work to be done. More than 50 years into this fight, we are not safe even within our own movement. So what are we going to do now? We don’t know. For right now, our leadership core is at a loss for words. We are disappointed. We are frightened. And, now quite frankly, we are much more aware of the massive targets on our backs put there by the Federal government, our state legislature, and our own community leaders.

An irony in all this is many of MTUG’s natural allies sat on their hands due to their general opposition to Pride St. Louis, ceding the field entirely to those opposed to the proposal. That of course was not helpful, but will be self-serving for the masturbatory cynics who can now say “I told you so.”

Pride is a community organization that answers to the community. They held firm longer than I could have expected, and hopefully the concession they won has some impact on the lives of people in our community. I commend their efforts.

I believe in the long run some good will come from this, mainly a better understanding of Trans issues. But for now, calls for unity will ring hollow after refusing to even listen to one another.  We all limp towards Stonewall 50 battered and bruised.

And for those who have been drunk on rage, you’re going to have a hangover from Hell.

Slumping over in his chair, Trump exclaimed, “Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I’m fucked” when Sessions told him that a Special Counsel had been appointed. (Page 290)

Trump, with the help of Attorney General William Barr, have succeeded in spinning the report thus far, and first impressions are important. However, Trump is certainly not out of the woods. For starters, the obstruction of justice section of the report references prosecution of the president after he leaves office, and Trump’s activities are currently being investigated by the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C., the Central District of California, the offices of the Attorneys General for New York, Maryland, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, the FBI, the CIA, the District Attorney of New York City, various House committees…

A few initial takeaways from the report:

• Mueller says lies by Trump associates to Congress and special counsel “materially impaired” Russia investigation.
• Everyone except Trump now agrees that “the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election in sweeping and systematic fashion.” This report vindicates the Intelligence Community.
• Mueller says Russian intelligence targeted Clinton’s personal office within five hours of Trump publicly requesting it on July 27, 2016
• Trump, Jr. just barely avoided indictment for violating campaign finance law when soliciting dirt on Clinton. Mueller determined they likely couldn’t prove willfulness and that the value of the solicited information exceeded the legal threshold beyond a reasonable doubt.
• The Trump Campaign knew about Russian interference and expected to benefit. They did not alert authorities.

Bottom line: the President tried to cheat in order to win the election and then repeatedly tried to end the investigation into his actions, which is why he exclaimed, “I’m fucked.”

I still believe his first take was correct.

No Apologies

Queen of Controversy Janessa Highland showed up to a benefit this week and was told she wouldn’t be allowed to take the stage unless she made a public apology for sharing her story about the venue’s dressing room ceiling collapsing on her head, and for airing her complaints about the crumbling back wall that allows rain to pour in and mold to grow.

“It would behoove you to reach out and apologize” another entertainer suggested.

“Over my dead body!” Highland replied.

A Failing Facade

Maintaining our LGBT community’s  tattered facade is critically important for an entertainer, lest you get blacklisted, and often critical to that task is covering for the bad behavior of others. But the veneer was ripped off this past week as controversy swirled over Pride’s proposed admission charge, unleashing a flurry of strong opinions and bold proclamations which made it seem for a moment that Highland’s bold style was suddenly in vogue, even if we all knew better.

One of Pride’s media partners took to Facebook for late night rants about conflicting drunken directives and claims of contracts being terminated, while  behind the scenes reaching out to shore up the support from former foes in the event the organization bit back (even while allowing those former foes who assured him support to be trashed by Pride’s attack dog on his own thread). Others who do little else than condemn the Facebook drama of others were suddenly in they eye of the storm, posting their own drama filled statuses about what they claimed to have seen and heard.

Now that the dust has settled, a compromise has been reached, and everyone appears to have made nice for the time being, I reached out to Highland, the villainess many in this city love to hate,  to get her thoughts. I told her I found it noteworthy that she didn’t have much to say during the uproar.

“That’s an issue I just stay out of unless it involves me personally because I just don’t care enough, but yes, every year I’ve performed for Pride for free and they’ve treated the queens like trash.” Highland began. “I’ve gotten into it with them every year.”

Highland brought up the conflict-plagued VIP tent, where she and the Queen of Pride were turned away last year.

“They said it was because the tent was closing early due to the rain, but while arguing with us they kept letting others in.”

She said entertainers then tried to get backstage to gather their drag before the rain hit, but were denied entry until the main act was no longer on the stage.

“We asked to just retrieve our items so they did not get ruined. We were barred from entering back stage until another Pride member spoke with the headliner who was surprised we were being denied access to our items.”

Rejection & Reflection

“I miss the days when drag was about advocating, entertaining and being the voice for those who may not be able or willing to speak up. I’m worn out by the politics and St Louis’ demand that everything remain politically correct. Drag was never intended to be politically correct. Drag queens throughout our LGBTQ history have been the first to stand, the first to throw bricks, the first to push the boundaries and demand acceptance for not only themselves but the community as a whole. I’m not sure what has happened. I’m not sure where we got lost, where the activism and outspokenness has disappeared to. I’ve always been loud, blunt, and headstrong. This has allowed detractors to paint me as the ultimate villainess, which I jokingly accept and even perpetuate at times. In reality it’s exhausting. Anyone who has taken the time to get to know me can tell you I may have a sharp tongue, but it comes from having a passion few others rival. I want the best for all of us, and until we all speak up issues of mistreatment will never be addressed.”

The irony is Highland,  who between her outspoken ways and deranged fans is known as high drama, has found a safe haven in the bars famous for being low drama, including Bar: PM and Bubby’s.

“I am lucky to have some very close sisters and am privileged to work at some amazing venues who have opened their doors to me and accepted me as I am, controversial moments and all. I can not express enough my gratitude to Bubby and Sissys, The Bastille, Martha’s Vineyard, Bar Pm and the other venues that invite in and allow me to be myself.”

This past week was indeed fascinating, but it’s easy to speak your mind in the safety of an angry mob. Queen of Controversy Janessa Highland speaks out when it’s neither safe nor comfortable, which is why I wanted to give her the last word on this tumultuous week.