Transgender Woman Needs Your Support In Texas

[Dylan]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

I just watched a clip that a news station uncovered from over ten years ago with the newscaster saying, "Remember, Nikki was born male!" and part two will include a discussion of how DOES Nikki look so feminine?

They are positively fascinated by the freakishness that Nikki signifies to them with the subtext being: "Wow, look at the pretty psuedo-girl! You could be *fooled* too!"

ugh.

I'd like to know HOW does Nikki's mother in law look so feminine?

There was another Houston station that ran a story allllllllllllllllll about Nikki's criminal history with her entire rapsheet (including <gasp> a ticket for driving without her license! Can you believe?!! Transpeople are so dangerous! Driving without their licenses! The Horrahhhhhhh!>

And yet...still no word about the husband's family.

I'd really like a detailed description of the mother in law's bits! And I'd also like the mother in law to PROVE she's a woman.


Dylan

[Cyclopea]

Am I the only one wondering how on a site with 150 firefighters present an 11 year captain ends up trapped in a warehouse alone with no back-up? I am interested in the investigation results as to how, exactly, this occurred.
Highly unusual.

[Soft*Silver]

wow, Cyclopea, you just pointed us to the hand that has the coin in it, instead of what they want us to focus on! No Shit! How did he end up trapped with no help around him?

[Heart]

Horrible case. And the point isn't the many complex details, history, grudges, side-taking, etc that exist in any family, the point is that in this case all of that is being played out through the prism of transphobia.

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by Dylan

I'd like to know HOW does Nikki's mother in law look so feminine?

There was another Houston station that ran a story allllllllllllllllll about Nikki's criminal history with her entire rapsheet (including <gasp> a ticket for driving without her license! Can you believe?!! Transpeople are so dangerous! Driving without their licenses! The Horrahhhhhhh!>

And yet...still no word about the husband's family.

I'd really like a detailed description of the mother in law's bits! And I'd also like the mother in law to PROVE she's a woman.


Dylan

i cried watching the video of Nikki going into the courthouse being taunted and chased.

"How does it feel to be a MAN Nikki?"

"Liar"

"She needs to leave. We don't want her here and she needs move on".

ffs that woman just lost her husband, her home, and all her money. the unabashed hate she is being subjected to gives me great pause. i can only sit here and weep.

i hope anyone who can, donates to Nikki.

[atomiczombie]

This whole thing is so disgusting it makes my stomach churn.

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by Cyclopea

Am I the only one wondering how on a site with 150 firefighters present an 11 year captain ends up trapped in a warehouse alone with no back-up? I am interested in the investigation results as to how, exactly, this occurred.
Highly unusual.

some research:

http://vincentdunn.com/dunn/newslett...FDNYHP_23.html

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Cyclopea

Am I the only one wondering how on a site with 150 firefighters present an 11 year captain ends up trapped in a warehouse alone with no back-up? I am interested in the investigation results as to how, exactly, this occurred.
Highly unusual.

I'm with you on this. Seems way off! This is so awful in its entirety, anyway.

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

I'm with you on this. Seems way off! This is so awful in its entirety, anyway.

Apparently being trapped/caught is the number one cause of death amongst firefighters.

Are you all saying that this man was murdered? I don't get it.

Not being snarky, just wanting to understand.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

Apparently being trapped/caught is the number one cause of death amongst firefighters.

Are you all saying that this man was murdered? I don't get it.

Not being snarky, just wanting to understand.

I know you are not being snarky at all. I am wondering about how transgendered people may be treated differently. I don't know a lot about fire fighting per se, so looking at the info you posted.

Thinking about things like when a gay cop is killed in the line of duty and back up failed due to just plain homophobia. I know.... being too suspicious.. perhaps.

But, yes, awful accidents do happen. And i know that sometimes, other fire fighters would be lost if they went into situations that just are not safe and that has to be rough for them when another fire fighter is trapped.

Important thing here is this woman and what she is going through.

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

I know you are not being snarky at all. I am wondering about how transgendered people may be treated differently. I don't know a lot about fire fighting per se, so looking at the info you posted.

Thinking about things like when a gay cop is killed in the line of duty and back up failed due to just plain homophobia. I know.... being too suspicious.. perhaps.

But, yes, awful accidents do happen. And i know that sometimes, other fire fighters would be lost if they went into situations that just are not safe and that has to be rough for them when another fire fighter is trapped.

Important thing here is this woman and what she is going through.

ding ohhhh. now i get it. thanks for that. the thought that he would be unprotected because he is married to a transwomen is appalling. it also substantiates her claims that he know.

[firie]

Originally Posted by Heart

Horrible case. And the point isn't the many complex details, history, grudges, side-taking, etc that exist in any family, the point is that in this case all of that is being played out through the prism of transphobia.

Thank you, this is exactly what I have been trying to say in several posts, and yet couldn't do so as on point as the way you have here.

[adorable]

Originally Posted by Cyclopea

Am I the only one wondering how on a site with 150 firefighters present an 11 year captain ends up trapped in a warehouse alone with no back-up? I am interested in the investigation results as to how, exactly, this occurred.
Highly unusual.

Actually, it happens often. Firefighting is very dangerous. I have been a volunteer firefighter/emt for several years. Fires are unpredictable. And unfortunately even if you know that one of your own is trapped inside, that doesn't mean you can attempt a rescue. Fires can actually be too hot, and command can decide not to allow anyone else in. The reason for this is because losing one is bad enough. You send two in to save that one, and the other two get into trouble, so you send two more in and then they get into trouble....
It creates a horrible domino effect.
Stories like this happen:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1
http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/...-7-boston.html
http://www.firefighternation.com/for...ource=activity


For a family to drag this poor women through the mud like this is unbelievable and wholly unforgivable. There is no shame for some people. They probably disproved from the start and just waited for an opportunity to destroy her. Once her husband died, they had the perfect chance. Even if they lose, which I hope they do, the death by character assassination will be almost impossible for her to ever recover from. Like Dylan said, her life has been put out there and deemed newsworthy. Why isn't the focus on the fucked up dysfunctional family that thinks this is somehow ok?

[firie]

Originally Posted by adorable

Actually, it happens often. Firefighting is very dangerous. I have been a volunteer firefighter/emt for several years. Fires are unpredictable. And unfortunately even if you know that one of your own is trapped inside, that doesn't mean you can attempt a rescue. Fires can actually be too hot, and command can decide not to allow anyone else in. The reason for this is because losing one is bad enough. You send two in to save that one, and the other two get into trouble, so you send two more in and then they get into trouble....
It creates a horrible domino effect.
Stories like this happen:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1
http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/...-7-boston.html
http://www.firefighternation.com/for...ource=activity


For a family to drag this poor women through the mud like this is unbelievable and wholly unforgivable. There is no shame for some people. They probably disproved from the start and just waited for an opportunity to destroy her. Once her husband died, they had the perfect chance. Even if they lose, which I hope they do, the death by character assassination will be almost impossible for her to ever recover from. Like Dylan said, her life has been put out there and deemed newsworthy. Why isn't the focus on the fucked up dysfunctional family that thinks this is somehow ok?

Yeah, and on the ex, in which the whole family was against in court over custody of the children before the husband died. Where is she in the news?

I think it's disgusting, and the more I read, the more disgusted I become, particularly with the family and the news.

I read the Chronicle article posted by Arwen below and I am really frustrated with that report. I think it was off base, and would like to point that out, and probably was one of the worst I have read thus far. It was shoddy reporting in my opinion and didn't even touch on half of what is going on here. And when you talk about about what the family is doing, and only quote Nikki, and not even argue her lawyer's points, then well, I would call that fucking biased.

I am also confused by reports that keep noting that this is just the poor parents and their plight to save the children. If Nikki wins, the kids still get 300,000$, and college tuition, if not more.

Not one of the articles discusses the fact that Nikki is technically homeless right now. Not one of them cares not one bit what she is going through. Not one of them that I have found (mainstream) points out how messed up this is, regardless of what the family wants. I can't find one fucking article that will weigh how gross that is toward her, in mainstream news (only news that is Nikki supportive is coming from TG networks, groups, etc, and, well, Nikki herself). If anyone comes across news information that is Nikki positive or even critiques the family, can someone please post it or send it to me via pm? I would really appreciate that.

Also, Melissa pointed me to the Huffington Post, where the discussion (comments below the article) are quite interesting: link

I would also like to note that so many of the articles say, "Lawyers say..." or "Lawyers think..." WTF is that? These local papers are talking to the family's lawyer. Period. And that lawyer is even getting everything about Littleton wrong! So deceptive. Such a prime example as to how our community gets screwed over by the "unbiased" news.

[Dylan]

Here's the latest video update of the case. The TG Center of Houston (absolutely amazing place, and makes me (sometimes) wish I lived in Houston, just so I could be a part of something so amazing...they actually have a trans archives and history library).

The next video will be of the entire press conference, and I'll post that when it comes out.

I'm writing various scathing letters to the news stations and newspapers in Houston for their incredibly biased and blatantly untrue coverage. I will be posting those later today (might be tomorrow; we have obligations today, but I'm going to try to squeeze it in) with addresses of where to send them if anyone else would like to send letters also (sending emails is a complete waste of time...please send letters, they make a much bigger impact).






Dylan

[BullDog]

The news coverage I have seen has been deplorable- that includes the so-called liberal Huffington Post which gets a two thumbs down from me on their blurb and posting a pic of Nikki Araguz that looks like a mug shot. I watched one of the tv interviews some male "news reporter" did with Nikki Araguz and wanted to punch him every time he opened his mouth. It was disgusting.

Clearly none of the reporters get that she has always been female. They are all focused on the sex change (and whether she's been trying to "fool" anyone) and trying to pinpoint when she became a woman when in fact she has always been one. She has obviously lived her entire adult life as a woman. Her name change was in 1996 and she was born in 1975, which means she was around 21 when she changed her name.

I just don't know if she will meet the "legal" definition of woman to make her marriage legal. If not I assume she will be denied just as same sex couples would be. I certainly think she is entitled to the death benefits and of course her own/ assets and joint assets that she and her husband shared. I am interested in seeing if the case sets any precedents for trans people and/or same sex couples. I looked up her attorney and she is definitely very experienced and sounds like the best one for the job.

Her husband's family and their lawyer are disgusting. They are smearing their daughter-in-law and also their son and the two boys. I can't imagine Thomas Araguz (or anyone) wanting to be remembered this way or to see his children be put through this, not to mention his wife.

[Stearns]

What happened at the court hearing that Nikki says she was pleased about? Anybody have an update?

[SuperFemme]

something has been itching at my brain.

i wonder? does the new federal hate crime legislation that covers transgender as a protected class play into what these people, the town and the media is doing to this woman?

[Soon]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

something has been itching at my brain.

i wonder? does the new federal hate crime legislation that covers transgender as a protected class play into what these people, the town and the media is doing to this woman?

From what I understand, this new legislation covers only violence-based crimes that are committed against people due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

So, if no physical violence has been committed, then I don't think this case (and community, media etc.) would fall under this Act.

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

From what I understand, this new legislation covers only violence-based crimes that are committed against people due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

So, if no physical violence has been committed, then I don't think this case (and community, media etc.) would fall under this Act.

That sucks.
I consider what they are doing to this woman beyond violent, but I suppose the legal definition won't agree with me. boo.