This Week in Transgenderism 1/4/10

Voted off Big Brother

The President taps a TG for a government job. Not one, but two crossdressing mayors make the news. An inmate is kept in solitary confinement and called an “it.” More on the crossdressing cafes in Tokyo. Key West drops a drag queen. Gender bending on Big Brother. A Presidential hopeful wants to repeal his state’s version of ENDA. A tourist busted for smuggling porn, and dressing like a woman. A protest of one on a Chinese street corner. Richard Branson might have to put on a skirt and serve coffee.

All this and a TWIT of the Week in this edition of TWIT Notes!

Amanda Simpson

Wow! The President has appointed a trans-woman to a post in the Commerce Department. Not only is it historic, but if you read Amanda Simpson‘s qualifications, it makes sense. The Right Perspective has details, along with interesting perspectives in their comment box. Congratulations, Amanda!

The Governor of Minnesota wants to do away with that state’s trans-employment protection law. The Minnesota Independent has reaction to his comments in Newsweek.

Republicans say they have a big tent. But when it comes to diversity, some in the Grand Old Party think diversity means “straight.” All Gov takes a look at a Log Cabin Republican splinter group‘s efforts to contribute to the party platform.

Not so fast! Maryland’s plans to change the rules regarding that “M” or “F” on the driver’s license have been put on hold after hundreds of protest e-mails arrived at the Governor’s mansion. The Baltimore Sun has more.

Eric Brewer

The former mayor of East Cleveland was outed just before the election. Now there’s a suit about the outing. The Cleveland Leader has an update on Eric Brewer.

Activist Marisa Richmond and the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition will be doing their best to get some favorable laws passed in their state’s legislature this year. Out and About looks at what’s on the agenda.

Pride Source interviews a Michigan activist, Jena Lewis, to find out what makes her tick.

Peaches Christ (and friends)

West coast drag queen Peaches Christ has been leading midnight showings of Showgirls for a while, but has now made her own movie. Fangoria has more.

It always impresses us to find someone who pays it forward, and someone who pays it back. Vidari DeGuzman is doing both at a center for GLBT youth in the East Village. The New York Times has that interview.

A photographer putting out a book on same-sex marriage. And he’s giving some of the proceeds to the Transgender Law Center. Why? The Examiner has the answer.

Hate crimes are up in North Wales, and yes, that does include attacks on someone because of their gender identity. Police say they won’t stand for it. More on the crackdown in the Daily Post.

A protest of one.

How far would you go to get what you wanted? Are you willing to stand on a street corner proclaiming your transsexuality, if it might get you closer to surgery? How about doing that in a communist totalitarian regime? The People’s Daily Online talks with one young artist who is doing just that. Beats getting run over by a tank.

Generally, being put in solitary in prison is a form of punishment. Being locked up with no interaction, no human contact, with no-one but your own thoughts is said to be a tough fate to face. In Virginia, a TS prisoner was in solitary, not as punishment, but according to WJLA, for her own good. The Washington Examiner has more on the story.

Malaysian police are investigating the murder of a crossdresser. They say the victim was at home, and may have known the killer, because there was no sign of forced entry, and money appears to be taken. Haven’t we heard this before? Bernama has details.

Police in Dubai have arrested a “well-known” t-girl for, well, dressing. Oh, and carrying porn into the country. We’d nominate her for a TWIT award, but she may be doing it to prove a point. Just a feeling we got, after reading the story at 7 Days.

Crossdressing in Japan

You’ll remember the article last week about the crossdressing maid cafes in Tokyo. CNN cites a Japanese blogger who rates the best of the cafes. The verdict? Crossdressers are fine, as “long as they’re pretty.” (Includes a link to the blog, but unless your computer reads Japanese, it’s not much use, other than the pictures.)

Gazillionaire Richard Branson has made a bet with the owner of an Formula 1 team. Who ever loses has to dress like a stewardess. iol has details.

The Huffington Post looks back at 2009, and the biggest stories to affect the GLBT community.

Stu Rasmussen

You may be sick of year-in-review stories by now, but this one may also be worth a read: The Statesman-Journal reviews 2009 in the Oregon community that has a crossdressing mayor.

In Times Square, they drop a ball. In Key West, the balls are tucked. (Sorry.) NECN has video of the annual drag queen drop to ring in the new year.

IBM donated computers to Jewish Vocational Services in San Francisco, which will allow them to offer more classes on computer skills to groups like the transgendered. Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Another big donation in San Francisco: The Horizons Foundation has handed out dozens of grants to dozens of groups and programs. While the IBM donation of computers will help job seekers, the Bay Times says these grants are a little more wide-ranging.

Rica Paras

Last week, we told you about how rough it is to be transgendered and Filipino. This week, we learn that the first contestant voted out of the Big Brother house is trans. But ABS-CBN News says that’s not why Rica Paras was kicked out. Not completely anyway.

Meanwhile, in nearby Australia, the (maybe) crossdressing kickboxer (sometimes) boyfriend of a supermodel might show up on their Big Brother en femme, according to Digital Spy.

Another group of medical professionals have called for a change in the classification of transgenderism as a mental illness. Find out who wants the change, what the change is, and why, in Pink News.

Hashing

You’ve never heard of hashing? It’s a drinking club with a running problem, and as a blogger at Culture Map finds out, there’s ocassional crossdressing.

The Great Falls Tribune says there will be a special screening of Prodigal Sons later this month. You’ll remember that as the documentary about the high school football star who comes home after transitioning, and learns about the family history.

A bar in Washington DC has launched a monthly drag contest. Details are at Metro Weekly.

Drag in Oregon

Drag has come to Oregon, in a big way. Willamette Live takes a look at the artform, and what it’s doing for one community in the Pacific Northwest. (Does Mayor Stu know about this?)

A reviewer at Las Vegas Weekly says the performer who made drag safe and popular for Vegas has fallen on some hard times.

That big magical, musical bus known affectionately as Priscilla has arrived in Canada. Now Toronto‘s stage reviewer is giddy.

Mr. Charlie Brown

Atlanta’s reigning drag queen has celebrated 41 years in the business, and 60 years on the planet. Project Q introduces us to Mr. Charlie Brown.

TWIT of the Week:
The prosecution and defense have both rested their cases on a crossdressing New Jersey man accused of shooting and killing a hooker. The Asbury Park Press covers the trial.

Category: Transgender Community News