LGBT News President Obama Appoints First Transgender Woman of Color to White House Post

In prior to "this is just a symbolic gesture."

What this means, importantly, is that the President is aware that transgender people of color face violence at extreme rates and wants to raise the profile of that conversation.

 

I thought Obama was good. I really thought he was. And now he had to go and be super freaking awesome.

Thanks, Obama.

 

I may dislike President Obama's foreign policy sometimes, but he's a good Prez and a good dude; great move.

 

Nice, hopefully we get more LGBT people in more powerful positions and this wonderful woman isn't just a "token" political piece.

 

Well, it's very obviously a token move. But I think we have an opportunity to view it as more than that. I've been very harsh on Obama in the past: I don't think he's the left-wing president we needed and promised to be. However, I think Obama's been a rather shrewd political actor, and his pulse on the spirit of the public is more accurate than mine. I'm blinded somewhat by my anger and resentment of the public.

But we need to ask ourselves what Obama could possibly do that's non-tokenizing but still relevant to the situation. If we're talking about trans women of color--who get murdered at an astronomical rate--does this really admit of a top-down state-imposed solution?

No, solving violence starts in our communities.