The Week in Transgenderism

Pakistani Hijras

Believe it or not, things are getting better for us as a whole.  Incrementally, according to one activist/lobbyist.  A vet transitions and causes a stir down at the VFW lodge.  A loss for the Brit who wanted a boob job from the government.  Police arrest a would-be bride and her groom-in-denial.  Calpernia Addams wrestles with weightlifters.  Candace Cayne stands up for a new documentary.  And Lady Gaga wants you to talk about what’s between her legs.  The Chinese are wondering what to do about all the crossdressers coming out.  Who’s that woman that Matt Lauer reportedly shacked up with?  And a very sick puppy is one of three TWITs of the Week.

All this and a heckuva lot more in this edition of TWIT Notes!

You’ve already read about Donna Milo, the transwoman running for Congress in Florida.  As a Republican.  How is that going over among GLB allies?  Not good.  Gayapolis has criticism.

And who is opposing the gender identity-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act?  ASU News says some Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats.

Harvey Milk Rally

In Massachusetts, an observance of Harvey Milk Day was also a call of support for trans-rights.  Bay Windows has more.

Are you better off now than four years ago?  How about eight?  16?  32?  Granted, none of us were alive more than 40 years ago, if you check the ages on our profiles.  Mara Keisling tells the Los Angeles Times, we, as a group, are better than we used to be.

Better off?  Consider this: President Obama again declared June as GLBT Pride Month.  How’s that for recognition?  ABC News has more.  And a former skeptic of Pride at Q Salt Lake is urging you to attend your local festival.

Better off?  You might have a tough time convincing a certain Dallas bus driver of that.  She’s been after the DART board to enact TG protections in the workplace. While her fight has suffered a setback, it’s not over yet.  The story is in the Dallas Voice.   And Lehigh Valley News says a TG employee of a quasi-governmental agency was essentially chased out of work.

Laura Bush: VFW Member

A transgendered veteran is transitioning, and has been told what not to wear to the local VFW meetings.  The UPI and WVEC have more.

The Washington Post asks tough questions about the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, including what it would mean to TG service members.

Edge Boston says there’s been a second murder of a transwoman in Puerto Rico in as many months.

Police in California say a suspected gang member threw a brick at a TG prostitute.  She threw it back.  Valley Central says he retaliated by setting fire to a hotel.  Completely logical response.

The debate about whether a British transwoman should receive taxpayer funded breast implants has found its way to the Huffington Post.  (Argue all you want, but the Guardian says it’s a done deal.)

The national health care system in Scotland is hiring a hair-removal technician, to work on TGs.  It’s caused a bit of a stir, according to the Christian Institute.

Charged with Marriage

The Associated Press says Pakistani police, instead of hunting down Taliban members, broke up the wedding of a T-girl, and her beloved, arrested them, and many of the wedding guests.  And Sify reports the groom is denying a wedding was taking place, while the bride-to-be is cursing police.  The Guardian, meanwhile, says Pakistan needs to challenge the culture of discrimination that inspired the arrests.

The gay couple, (one of whom may be intersexed or TG), facing a trial in Malawi have been pardoned by that African country’s president.  AFP says the White House has cheered the move.

The raid of an organizational meeting in Indonesia is still a hot topic.  The Jakarta Globe says some of the TSs who were there want a crackdown on the religious fanatics who started the whole thing.

“Weiniang” Liu Zhu

Global Times says they’re noticing more and more “weiniang,” the Chinese term for the transgendered, and there’s a debate, not over what’s causing it, but if it spells the end of times or a glorious future.

The online reservation service Expedia wants your business.  They’ve launched an operation devoted to the entire GLBT spectrum.  4 Hoteliers has the story.  However, it’s doubtful you’ll find much in the way of vacation packages to Pakistan or Malawi.  And Biz Journals says if you’re in Atlanta, and want to find a GLBT-friendly business, there’s an app for that.

While the T in GLBT sometimes gets short shrift, the Windy City Times says some folks are finally realizing that members of the trans world also qualify as G, L and sometimes B.  A similar line of thought has surfaced in the pages of the South Florida Gay News.

We told you a while back about a day camp for trans-kids and their parents.  WBUR in Boston takes a closer look.

The music video is back in vogue, just months after MTV stopped showing videos. NME says one that’s sure to get some attention features Calpernia Addams and other t-girls mixing it up with bodybuilders.

Candice Cayne

Later this week, in SoCal, a fundraiser to support a new film on gender identity and domestic violence.  Candace Cayne is just one luminary scheduled to attend.  The details are in Brand X.

Meanwhile, Stabroek News says there’s a film festival featuring GLBT-themed flicks from developing nations.

OnTop says the first GLBT superhero team has received accolades.  Unfortunately for us, they’re comic book heroes.

Advice columnist Dan Savage weighs in on guys who want to sleep with T-girls, but don’t want to pay for it, financially, or socially.  It’s in the Washington City Paper.

Lady Gaga loves the fact that people are still whispering about her genitals.  The Daily Contributor has her thoughts.

Alexis Houston

A few weeks ago, a singer held a press conference to deny having an affair with NBC Today‘s Matt Lauer.  (In this day and age, doing that is tantamount to saying “yeah, we did.”)  Now, Zap 2 It says Alexis Houston is actually post-op.

TWIT of the Week:
Wicked Local gets a nod because of the confusing language in their story about a prostitution bust.

And the tale of a Brit who tried to use the five-fingered discount is recounted in Worcester News.

And the Daily Record says a crossdresser murdered a girlfriend, after she wouldn’t give him back some photos.

Category: Transgender Community News