This Week in Trangenderism

Reality TV is thick with transgendered cast members and mentions this summer! Not to mention several new movies with gender-themes are out or are coming soon. Gender identity isn’t swept under the rug at the Democratic National Convention. And the fight for rights continues at the local level in Florida and Maryland. A famous TG hangout in SF is now closed. All this and much more in this edition of TWIT Notes!

Remember Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye? Their son is gay. And he’s a minister. And, he’s part of a movement calling for Christians to love thy neighbors: even if those neighbors are GLBT. The PRWeb has more. And unless the Big Easy is underwater from Hurricane Gustav , the Miami Herald says there’s a religious confab on racism and gender identity scheduled.

Protests against the HRC continued during the Democratic National Convention. The Denver Post covers the story. And inside, Barney Frank seems to be ready to flip-flop on a trans-inclusive ENDA, according to JustOut. Also on the streets of Denver, the American Spectator says a pre-op TS is a good analogy for the Democratic party.

TG-themed films are making a splash at the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Austin360 has the schedule. And Austin360 has a review of the new documentary “Trinidad“.

Another film for which to keep an eye out: “The Town That Boars Me“. The First Post says there’s a transgendered character.

And a Tamil actor tells Thaindian News he’ll be playing TG in a new movie. Get more from IndiaGlitz.

And a new documentary about transsexuals has premiered in Venice. The International Herald Tribune says what makes this one stand out is where it’s from.

Aussies have elected a woman to the Senate with a vested interest in transgendered rights. SX has an exclusive interview with Louise Pratt.

Opponents of “equal rights for all” have gathered enough signatures to force a vote on a civil rights law in Florida. Details at the Gainesville Sun.

At least the Governor of Maryland is in favor of a similar law, similarly under fire in Montgomery County. At least that’s what he tells the Washington Blade.

Closing arguments have been heard in Diane Schroer‘s suit against the Library of Congress. We’ll have an interview with her in the coming weeks. But until then, refresh yourself on her story with the Washington Post.

A program designed to help low-, and no income TGs is about to start up in Massachusetts. And the New England Blade says they could probably use a little help themselves.

The preliminary hearing for the suspect who (allegedly) killed a Colorado transgendered girl is coming up this month. The Denver Post will catch you up on the case.

A columnist at DiversityInc has come out against California’s Prop 8, which would undo the right to marry recently granted to same-sex couples. And this columnist uses gender identity as part of the logic.

The Beijing Olympics are over. And they’ve handed the torch to London for the 2012 Games. But, wait! Someone has jumped the gun, with the Tranny Olympics. Read more from Reuters.

When in the Bay Area, don’t bother going to the TrannyShack. It’s closed. SFist has a photo gallery of the farewell party. And the San Francisco Bay Times has an account of the festivities.

AdRants says Amanda Lepore has a new advertising modeling gig. Though they’re not polite about it. Amanda, RuPaul and Lady Bunny all appear in the new movie “Another Gay Sequel“. But the New York Times says “don’t bother.”

A catfight may be brewing between Tyra and Janice Dickinson over the whole TG model thing. The National Ledger has the story, with a few small facts wrong.

And that catfight may be for naught. MediaTakeOut reports on an interview with America’s Next Top Model‘s Miss J, who says there are already transgendered supermodels working the runway. Start guessing on who!

A column from Mama Catastrophe in Same Same would confirm Miss J‘s allegation. But Mama’s writing suggests she should be taken with a grain of salt. And a margarita. But she does have a video clip from the girl of the hour herself: Isis.

And then, New York Magazine comes along and spoils the guessing game. Kind of.

The TS contestant on the reality show to find a new personal assistant for Sean P Diddy Puff Daddy Combs is apparently a front runner. And the New York Post leaves you with the impression that even if she doesn’t win, she’s got a bright future.

Project Runway had a recent episode where the challenge was to design a costume for a drag queen. Newsday sums it up.

Yet more “reality” TV news: Simon Cowell told a DQ contestant she had nice legs, according to the Sun.

England’s long-running soap Coronation Street will bring back a TG character. MyPark Magazine has more.

GayWired has an interview with the radical FtM behind TransFM. And you might think this guy, who is also running Remember Our Dead, is more conservative than radical.

The Gainesville Sun has details on the divorce settlement of former city manager Susan Stanton.

In memorium: services for the late Lynne Janine Braithwaite featured an RAF flyover. Now that lady must have been something special. Find out about her at the Lakeland Echo.

And we saw a story online this week about the “second most beautiful woman in New York” this week. And she happens to be TG. But, your brilliant News Editor didn’t save the link, and doesn’t remember where she saw the article. Can anyone help?

Never fear Ronnie! Your brave Editor, Angela Gardner, single handedly Googled the girl up from the depths of the Web. Her name is Jamie Clayton and she is beautiful. The story is to be found in The Observer.

TWIT of the Week: The Fort Mill Times reports a transgendered immigrant has shot and killed his roommate.

We can’t even begin to describe the embarrassment and shame we feel over the allegations printed in the Clitheroe Advertiser.

Category: Transgender Community News