[Kuwait]
Transvestites held - Arab Times, Kuwait

Police arrested two Arab transvestites while they were walking in a public park in Hawalli, reports Al-Wasat daily.

Both of them were wearing female attire and were in full make-up.

Meanwhile, three transvestites were arrested while loitering in a camping area, reports Al-Shahed daily.

Sources say securitymen have been given instructions to continue the campaign against transvestites in all areas.

[Pakistan]
Government rejects eunuchs’ demand for representation

The government has rejected the demands of eunuchs to register them as a third sex and to reserve seats in the national and provincial assemblies of the country. The All Pakistan Eunuchs Association (APEA) told Daily Times on Tuesday that this was unfair. APEA said that eunuchs were treated as male voters, although they preferred to be recognised as females. "The federal government has refused to reserve seats for eunuchs ... they [eunuchs] should contest elections like other people," said an Interior Ministry official.

Govt grants no special representation to eunuchs in assemblies

Excerpt: APEA also said that there are around 1.5 million eunuchs living in Pakistan and they are all treated as male voters while most of the eunuchs prefer to be recognised as females. The association said that it would be quite difficult for eunuchs to vote at men's election booths.

[CA,USA]
Calif. anti-bias bill causes stir over 'gender'

Warning that boys soon will be able to use girls' bathrooms and locker rooms, social conservatives and religious groups are trying to block a California law from taking effect in January that is designed to prohibit discrimination against gay and transgender people in schools.

Half a Million Signatures Sought to Bring Pro-Gay School Bill to Voters

Excerpt: Furthermore, if the student wishes to keep his sexual status from his parents, the teachers and administration must refer to the masculine pronoun (him/he) when talking to the parents and use the feminine pronoun (she/her) at school.

"This shocking policy treats parents as the enemy of the transgender student," CRFI states. "Teachers are expected to abet the student in keeping vital information from parents."

[News/Commentary] Pro-family Group Identifies Worst Offenders of Faith, Family Values

Reflecting back on 2007, a California pro-family group has identified what it considers the worse cases of hostility toward faith, family, and freedom in the state.

[PA,USA] [Blog/Commentary]
Life as a Trans Woman Ain't Easy

Excerpt: By way of (brief) introduction, I'm a trans woman in her late 40's; I started transitioning 4 years ago. I'm white, middle-class, Jewish, queer, dealing with multiple disabilities, and a survivor of long-term adulthood sexual abuse. I identify strongly and proudly as a feminist. I don't classify my feminism (second-wave, third-wave, etc, etc), but I think that I take a decent amount of my thought and ideas from radical feminism (even as I argue with some radical feminists over trans issues).

[UT,USA]
Housing dilemma

SUU has no place to put transgender student who can't prove he's a man

[USA] [Blog/Commentary]
Challenging Transsexuality?

"Without gender differentiation... There would be no need to reconstruct genitalia to match identity - interests and life-styles [would] not [be] gendered." - Judith Lorber

[NY, USA]
Police brutality — and intervention - LGBT groups hold provocative forum on violence in police ranks

To resist or not to resist?

That was the question, and the title of a forum earlier this week in which playwrights, community members and activists came together at the Audre Lorde Project in Fort Greene to discuss police violence and bystander intervention