This Week in Transgenderism 10/27/08

They seem to have found the TS gene! How long before we start hearing about a “cure” for transsexuality? Leo gets pelted by a wet condom at a drag show. DQ’s in NYC have a rummage sale ahead of Halloween. Advice columnists are pelted with questions about transgender relationships. Forced SRS in South Africa? A Dallas bar owner apologizes, and of course, the TWIT of the Week. All this and more in this edition of TWIT Notes!

Scientific evidence that transsexualism is genetic! Australian scientists say they’ve found the responsible gene, in a study of 112 TS’s. The Sydney Morning Herald has details of the study.

What ever happened to Chris “Leave Britney alone!” Crocker? PC World knows. And they also tracked down a bunch of other Web-lebrities, after their 15 minutes were up.

The Human Rights Campaign has released their scorecard on Congress. The Edge Boston has an overview.

She fought for, and won the change for her birth certificate. Now, a Maltese TS is fighting to get a marriage license. Proving that battling bureaucracy is an uphill struggle everywhere in the world. Read DI-VE for more.

Pushback on the Chicago GLBT high school proposal. The Chicago Tribune has come out against it.

It’s not uncommon for a screen couple to have some fireworks off the set. Is that happening with Dirty Sexy Money’s Candis Cayne, and William Baldwin? One might get that impression reading the story at Tonight.

Trans-actors are making progress, not only in the US of A, but overseas as well. “Britian’s most successful South Asian transgender model” has won a role in a new Bollywood production back in India. Thaindian News has details.

Also out of India, the arrest of 5 TS’s, led to a protest by 150 people, and another 31 arrests. Demonstrators promise they’ll be back. The Times of India has more.

The winner of Bermuda Idol wanted to perform with some local queens, but her church told her “no”. You’ll never guess what Larrita Adderly did, and what Sybil Barrington has threatened to do! Find out at the Bermuda Sun. And the Royal Gazette has more on the show, which did go on.

People in Singapore are starting to learn about TG issues, thanks to folks like Fannie, who are willing to come out. MySinchew has Fannie’s story.

The TimesOnline is gushing over the triumphant return of Antony and the Johnsons to the stage. Just how many “reigning demi-monde divas” does NYC have anyway?

Crossdressing can lead to broken relationships. Not just in the straight world, but for same-sex couples too. GayNZ has advice that can apply to both. Or neither.

And it can be tough to find that right woman, when you’re a crossdresser who also likes boys. Columnist Dan Savage addresses it in the Columbia City Paper.

While it seems that lots of drag queens are getting feminizing facial surgery and breast implants, and some are going on hormones, others are proud to be au natural drag queens. Idonia Guppanas is one of them, and she just won the Miss Queen of Queens Pageant. Read her story in the Nation News.

Peace in Dallas! Protesters are satisfied with an apology from the bar owner who banned the trans from his establishment. The Dallas Voice has details, and the fallout. Good things can come out of the bad.

Is it a rash of attacks on a Washington state campus, or just that the media is paying attention to business as usual? KXLY has more.

A nice judgement for the Liverpool truck driver who lost her job after coming out. The Telegraph has details.

Did South Africa’s army force SRS on some soldiers in an effort to “cure homosexuality“? That’s the premise of a new murder mystery. But, the author tells the Weekend Post it is all based in fact.

Here’s one we missed: Billy Bob Thorton made a movie a few years ago with a murder victim who was TS. The Daily Record says it’s called “The Badge“. Has anyone seen it?

Back overseas, in the pages of Thanhnien News, we meet Cindy, who has transitioned and is one of the few Vietnamese to go public.

Keep an ear out for the Athens Boys Choir. The Times-Standard says they’re two FtM’s who have released an album of hip-hop and readings, and are currently on tour.

And, watch for Fella-Fem’s cabaret show. The Contra Costa Times says the FtM’s put on a show that covers the “whacky… political and… saucy naughty and nice” performance pieces.

How appropo! Holly Woodlawn, of “Take a Walk on the Wild Side” fame, celebrates her birthday this week, two days before Halloween. The Village Voice has details on the party.

Drag queens were plentiful at the annual Key West Fantasy Fest. So were tongue-in-cheek politics. The Miami Herald has full coverage of people who weren’t covered up at all.

More Halloween news! Thanks to Pamela DeGrof for this heads up: a group of DQ’s in Indianapolis are raising money for HIV/AIDS victims with a bus tour of the city, and a calendar. Visit IndyPride for info.

Speaking of drag queens, Leonardo DiCaprio says he wants to settle down, get married, and raise a family. Hanging out at drag shows probably isn’t the best path to that future, Leo. Read more at Stuff.

Did anyone go to the Drag Races in West Hollywood this past Sunday? MetroMix makes it look like it was a lot of fun!

And one more Halloween-related story: NYC DQ’s clean out their closets for a good cause. The NY Daily News has details.

TWIT of the Week? Oh, you betcha! This week’s “winner” is a part-time drag queen from Down Under, who was convicted of molesting two kids. And then, walked away without jail time. The Advertiser has more.

Category: Transgender Community News