[Brasil]
Presidente Lula comparece à abertura da 1a. Conferência Nacional GLBT e levanda a bandeira gay

Momento histórico para o movimento glbt brasileiro. Pela primeira vez um presidente da república abre uma conferência deste teor, e levanta, literalmente, a bandeira do arco-íris.

Excerto: Na seqüência foi a vez do Ministro da Saúde José Gomes Temporão que creditou ao ativismo do movimento glbt a possibilidade de associar a luta contra a epidemia da aids com a defesa dos direitos humanos. E anunciou que até o final do mês o SUS passará a fazer operações de mudança de sexo.

[Brazil]
Brazilian government to pay for sex-change surgery

The Brazilian government will begin paying for sex-change operations, local media reported Friday, citing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao.

[Spain] [Science/Medicine]
Effect of Long-Term Administration of Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy on Serum and Urinary Uric Acid in Transsexual Persons

Excerpt: Conclusions: Serum levels of uric acid and the FEUA are altered in transsexuals as a result of cross-sex hormone therapy. The results concerning the MTF group support the hypothesis that the lower levels of uric acid in women are due to estrogen-induced increases in FEUA.

[Alemanha]
Memorial a gays mortos pelo nazismo recebe críticas

Excerto: Para o estudioso [Israel Gutman, do Yad Vashem Institute, de Jerusalém], “os visitantes do memorial têm a impressão de que não houve grande diferença entre estes gays e as vítimas judias, é um escândalo!”. Ele argumenta que os gays mortos pelo nazismo foram vítimas de batalhas políticas internas do partido nazista, o que os deixaria abaixo dos judeus em uma escala de “as mais vítimas”, digamos assim.

[Turkey]
Turkey's Latest Anti-Gay Surge

Excerpt: "The police accused us of pimping for transgendered sex workers and of being a center of prostitution, " Cakmak said, "but of course they found nothing to confirm these ridiculous and false charges. Our membership list and other documents were eventually returned to us, and up until now none of our members has been bothered by the police because their names were on that list."

[Israel]
Tel Aviv celebra com festa sua 10ª Parada do Orgulho Gay

Mais de mil pessoas se reuniram nesta sexta-feira (6) em frente ao Gan Meir Park, em Tel Aviv, para celebrar a 10ª Parada do Orgulho Gay de Israel.

[Bahrain]
Zainab's legal battle drags on

A BAHRAINI woman fighting for the right to be legally recognised as a man suffered a setback yesterday when a court adjourned her case again.

Zainab Abdulhafed Rabie had been expecting a verdict from the High Civil Court after undergoing extensive sex change surgery in Thailand.

[Uganda]
LGBT Arrested at International HIV/AIDS Meeting

Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) today condemned the arrests of three Ugandan LGBT activists and called for their immediate and unconditional release. The three — Onziema Patience, (an FTM transgender, 28), Valentine Kalende (female, age 27) and Auf (male, age 26) — were arrested yesterday morning by the Uganda Police Force at the 2008 HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting currently taking place in Kampala, Uganda. Along with other LGBT and HIV and AIDS activists, they were peacefully protesting statements made by a Ugandan government official that no funds would be directed toward HIV programs targeting men who have sex with men. SMUG and IGLHRC have fears for the safety of the three activists.

[Cuba]
Cuba approves free sex-change operations

Cuba has authorized sex-change operations and will offer them free for qualifying citizens, an official said Friday. The move is the latest in a series of changes implemented by President Raul Castro since he succeeded his elder brother, Fidel, in February. Raul Castro's daughter, Mariela, heads Cuba's National Center for Sex Education, which strongly backs the new policy.

Cuba autoriza as cirurgias de mudança de sexo

Cuba aprovou as cirurgias de mudança de sexo e um programa de atenção aos transexuais, confirmou nesta sexta-feira à AFP o Centro Nacional de Educação Sexual (CENESEX), dirigido por Mariela Castro, filha do presidente cubano, Raúl Castro.

[Australia] [Commentary]
An open letter to WPATH Members From Tracie O'Keefe

Excerpt: On my 12th birthday in 1967 I was surrounded by a clutch of psychiatrists who fed me LSD to rid me of my desire to be female. It did not work but I think Timothy Leary may have thought it the right move for a whole host of other reasons.

[USA]
Gay Lit Goes Left Coast

Excerpt: Calpernia Addams - the surviving partner of Barry Winchell, a Fort Campbell Army private harassed and then murdered in 1999 for dating the transgendered performer - was also a presenter, and talked about the success of her cable TV stint and her busy schedule of engagements.

[USA]
Trans Activist Awarded for Leadership

This week as part of Los Angeles's Gay Pride celebration, trans activist Masen Davis will be honored with the Berman/Schaffer Award, recognizing his leadership skills in inspiring self-esteem and building strategic partnerships that further the LGBT movement.

[NY, USA]
New York state Assembly passes gender identity discrimination

The US state of New York's Assembly yesterday voted to include gender identity and expression in anti-discrimination protections.

The bill, known as the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), passed by 102 votes to 33.

[CA, USA]
Baldwin hails marriage ruling

Excerpt: It is unlikely any version of ENDA will land on the president's desk this year, and Baldwin thinks that the time remaining in this session of Congress can be used to "do a lot of member education" around the need for an inclusive ENDA.

Asked specifically what type of education is needed, Baldwin was clear that transgender people need to tell their personal stories and that members of Congress need to "hear the struggles transgender people face and why an inclusive bill is critical." Additionally, she said that members who did support the inclusive version last year need to hear from constituents that the support "was noted and appreciated, and that the community will support them in turn."

[CO,USA]
National news in brief / Colorado governor signs pro-gay protections into law

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) this week signed legislation into law that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, public accommodations, credit transactions, juror service and other areas.

[DC,USA]
Pride arrives next weekend

Organizers for this year's Capital Pride estimate about 40,000 visitors will descend on Washington for the annual parade and about 200,000 for the festival, which includes a few minor upgrades from last year's event.

[PA, USA]
Phone records in Morris case remain elusive

William M. Johnson is in a bind.

As head of the city's Police Advisory Commission, he must facilitate the issuance of a public report on the Nizah Morris homicide.

Morris, 47, was a transgender woman who was discovered with a fatal head wound in Center City shortly Philadelphia police gave her a courtesy ride in 2002.

[PA, USA]
News Briefing (Fatal accident inquiry continues)

The Accident Investigation Division of the Philadelphia Police Department is continuing its probe into a car crash that took the life of Erika Keels last year.

Keels, 20, a transgender woman, was struck by Roland Bottom while crossing Broad Street, just south of Thompson Street, at 5:04 a.m. March 21, 2007.