[International]
Stop trans pathologization: International response
Lynn Conway points to some of the great work being done under the Stop Trans Pathologization 2012 aegis:
The start of the protest march against legal change of sex and control of one’s own transgender body being held hostage to unneeded and unwanted psychiatry.
As a result of the publicity around this march and the Congreso that immediately preceded it, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) presented at the Congress of Deputies (of Catalonia) a motion for debate in the Equality Commission which calls for policy changes no longer regarded transsexualism as a disease. The initiative calls for, namely to amend the law to eliminate gender identity requirements for diagnosis of “gender dysphoria” and medical treatment for two years to access the correct registration of sex.

[España]
ATC valora que discriminación laboral hacia transexuales puede crecer con agencias colocación privadas
ATC libertad valora que la discriminación laboral hacia las personas transexuales puede crecer con la creación de las agencias de colocación privadas.

[España]
Zoido rechaza el gasto de la cabalgata gay y se une a Colega
El portavoz del Grupo Popular en el Ayuntamiento, Juan Ignacio Zoido, mostró ayer su apoyo a la asociación provincial de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales y transexuales Colega. Zoido se reunió con el presidente, Jhonatan Girón, y se comprometió a ayudarlos a cumplir sus objetivos así como a colaborar con ellos en los programas destinados a la integración e igualdad.
Colega acusa al PSOE de marginar y utilizar al colectivo gay y pide un cambio de gobierno
Gays de primera y de segunda: Colega sufre el ataque de la izquierda

[España]
La Asamblea aprobará una declaración de condena a países que discriminan gays
El pleno de la Asamblea aprobará previsiblemente el próximo jueves una declaración institucional de condena a los países que no respetan a las personas y discriminan a los homosexuales, con motivo de la celebración el 28 de junio del Día del Orgullo Gay.

[España]
Asociación NOS se manifiesta en Granada para pedir la discriminación positiva para transexuales
El colectivo que integra a lesbianas, gays, transexuales y bisexuales ha solicitado ayudas para que las personas que se reasignan de sexo "accedan a los servicios sanitarios" sin ser discriminadas, así como para entrar en el mercado laboral.

[España]
Ben Amics de Baleares revindica mejoras para transexuales y una Unidad de Genero en las islas
Ben Amics, la asociación de lesbianas, gays, transexuales y bisexuales (LGTB) de Baleares, reivindica este año con ocasión de los actos del Orgullo Gay de esta próxima semana mejoras sanitarias, sociales y laborales para las mujeres y hombres transexuales.

[España]
Jerome Savary cree ha llegado momento hablar de transexualidad en LISISTRATA, y denuncia desprecio a trans
La "Lisístrata" que estrenará Mérida este verano es un espectáculo "divertente" y "almodovariano", protagonizado por mujeres transexuales junto a "la amazona" Paco León, porque su director, Jèrôme Savary, foto, cree que ha llegado el momento de hablar de "un asunto" que provoca "tanto desprecio".

[UK]
Las autoridades municipales fuerzan que las celebraciones del Orgullo LGTB de Londres abandonen el histórico Soho
Los intentos (justificados o no) de alejar la celebración del Orgullo LGTB de los barrios de tradición gay situados en el centro de las ciudades no son exclusivos de Madrid. Las autoridades del distrito de Westminster han forzado que las actividades oficiales del Orgullo de Londres se trasladen desde el Soho, el histórico “barrio gay” de la capital inglesa, a otras zonas de la ciudad. Argumentan que, debido a las obras que en este momento tienen lugar en el barrio, la concentración de multitudes puede resultar peligrosa…

[UK]
Sex-change woman wins pension fight
A married man who became a woman has won her battle to receive a pension from the age of 60.
Christopher Timbrell, born in 1941 , changed her name to Christine in 2000 after surgery to alter her gender.
In 2002 she applied to the Inland Revenue National Insurance Contributions Office for her state pension, which she asked to be backdated to her 60th birthday a year earlier but her new gender status was not recognised in law because she has not divorced her wife, Joy.

[UK]
Great Drag Race to take place to support Bristol gay pride festival
This summer, Bristol is to host a Great Drag Race as a means of generating cash for the city’s gay pride festival.
The money raised during the event on Saturday June 26th will go towards the city's first gay pride festival in August, the Bristol Evening Post reports.

[Ireland]
Transsexual wins right to be recognised as a woman
Ireland's transgender community can now come out into the open to fight for their rights, campaigners said last night after the Government accepted defeat in a landmark legal battle.
Transsexual Lydia Foy spoke of her hope that young transgender people would benefit after she won her 13-year legal quest to be officially recognised as a woman.
Lydia Foy began legal fight for recognition in 1997
Irish Law Moving To Recognize Transgender Identity
Gender Recognition Case Update
Transgender laws to be introduced
Government to recognise transgender persons
Transgender laws to be introduced
Irish trans woman wins battle to be recognised as female
State drops transgender challenge
Government withdraws transgender appeal
(Foto: Collins Photo Agency - Dr Lydia Foy)

[Germany]
Half a million celebrate Gay Pride in Berlin
An estimated half a million people partied in the streets of Berlin on Saturday for the annual Gay Pride festival, organisers said.

[Czech Republic]
Potential violence expected at Czech Pride
The Czech city of Brno will host the country's third gay pride festival this coming Saturday. However, organisers say that threats of organised violence have already appeared on some nationalist websites.

[Croacia]
Zagreb celebra la 9ª edición de su Orgullo LGTB
Alrededor de 500 personas según fuentes policiales se manifestaron este sábado por los derechos LGTB en la capital croata. Los en torno a 300 policias que velaron por la seguridad no pudieron evitar ataques violentos por parte de la ultraderecha.

[Russia]
Marchers to defy St Petersburg Pride ban
The organisers of St Petersburg's first gay pride march, which was due to take place this Saturday, have been told by city officials that they are forbidden to go ahead with the event.

[Zimbabwe]
State bars homosexual worker from travelling to US
The state on Thursday barred a Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) staffer from travelling to the United States (US) after invoking a section of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (CPEA) to suspend an order granted by Harare Magistrate Don Ndirowei.

[Zimbabwe]
MDC-M has no policy on gays— Mutambara
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-M) led by deputy prime minister Arthur Mutambara on Friday says it has no policy on gays in Zimbabwe and that it was up to the people to decide whether homosexuality should be included in the constitution.

[Uganda]
‘Homosexuals also have their rights’
Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth attended the International Criminal Court Review Conference in Kampala. On the sidelines of the conference, he spoke to Benon Herbert Oluka about Uganda’s human rights situation, which his organisation has documented in several annual reports:-

[Pakistan]
Silence on the transgender issue
A recent report by Gallup Pakistan on the attitudes of Pakistanis uncovered that 55% of the population believes transgendered persons should have a special quota in educational institutes and offices, while at the same time, 60% would not like to be friends with them.
The Express Tribune ran a similar online poll as a follow-up to the report with the question:
“Would you be friends with a transgender person?”
The result at the closing of the poll was an even 50 per cent in favour of befriending a transgender person, and 50 per cent against. Keeping in mind the Tribune’s audience, it is still interesting to note that the Gallup survey was not far off target.
60% Pakistanis do not want to befriend eunuchs

[Nepal]
Third gender struggle and pride
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) in Nepal have struggled much to get their basic fundamental rights. After their continuous effort for almost a decade they have been able to succeed in achieving their rights. The first openly gay member of Constituent Assembly of Nepal Sunil Babu Pant narrated this struggle of Nepali LGBT in a talk programme organised at the US Embassy, Maharajgunj on June 18.

[India]
Celebrating diversity in life
“We are all real people and not hypocrites,” says S Kalki, the founder of Sahodari Foundation who recently organised a photo exhibition at Alliance Française. Sahodari is a movement, a family and a team of young transsexual people. They put on display various activities of their organisation and articulate that diversity is the one thing they have in common and they celebrate it.

[India]
Love, sex change and dhokha in Srinagar
They met and fell in love. One was a 40-year-old tourist from Germany, the other a 25-year-old man from Srinagar’s posh Nishat neighbourhood. They spent time together and the tourist underwent a sex-change operation to become a woman. There was a promise to be together for life.

[India]
Khwaja has taught us the art of blessing others'
Every year, they come to the dargah of Garib Nawaz to spread the message of humanism. They pay thanks to the great sufi and offer chaddar. They are transgenders or hijras (in local parlance) who every year gather in Ajmer during Urs. On Saturday, they offered chaddar in the dargah, thanking the sufi saint for his blessings.

[China]
Gay, lesbian community's pride of place
Drag queens dotted the sidewalks of Solana on Saturday as members of the gay and straight community descended on Langtung Thai Bar to celebrate their "Jing Pride".
Organized by volunteers from Beijing's gay community, Jing Pride is one of the first gay pride charity events to take place in Beijing, said Maggie Lo, one of the event's three organizers.

[USA]
Clinton pledges to defend gay rights at home and abroad
President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged to end violence and discrimination against gays and lesbians at home and abroad Tuesday, as the Obama administration moves to extend further benefits to gays working in the federal government.

[USA]
Mike Penner/Christine Daniels Story Returns
Mike Penner cut his teeth at the Anaheim Bulletin before jumping over to the Orange County edition of the Los Angeles Times as a sportswriter, garnering more fame as a sports columnist for the mothership in LA, even more fame as transsexual sports columnist Christine Daniels for a year--and more fame still when he took his own life.

[USA] [Blog/Commentary]
10th Anniversary of Amanda Milan Murder
Today marks the tenth anniversary of the viciously brutal killing of transwoman Amanda Milan at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York on June 20, 2000.
It's been ten years since that night that then 20 year old Dwayne McCuller used a knife borrowed from then 26 year old Eugene Celestine to slash the throat and jugular vein of Amanda Milan.

[CA, USA]
First Film to Feature An All Transgender Cast Premieres at Outfest 2010 7/11
"Bella Mado", a short film by Director Janice Danielle, is the first film to feature all transgender actors (men, woman & children) portraying non-transgender characters.

[CA, USA]
Did This Trans Airport Traffic Controller Really Try to Show Co-Workers Her Boobs?
Toni Witten, a transgender airport traffic controller who's held the job for nine years and came out in November, insists the complaints filed against her by colleagues, which forced her into administrative leave, are false.
Transgender airport employee speaks out

[CA, USA]
The First Transgender Trial Judge in the United States?
Our judges determine how to interpret the law, ultimately determining what's legal and illegal. It's important for a judge to be unbiased and to separate their personal feelings from their interpretations of the law. While some feel this is justification for having primarily white male judges, there is no real reason why judges shouldn't span a wide group of people, representing the diverse population in the United States.

[CA, USA]
Transgender Job Program Saved
San Francisco's Transgender Economic Empowerment Initiative has been saved by Mayor Gavin Newsom after being threatened by budget cuts.

[IL, USA]
Transgender Person Murdered on the South Side, Sun Times Publishes Offensive Report
A transgender person was shot to death near Hamilton Park this weekend, but you wouldn't know that from headlines.
That's because the Sun Times called her a "man," referred to her as "he," and used her birth name, which I won't use here. The article, titled "Man found slain near South Side church," describes the victim as a man "dressed in women's clothing."
Man found slain near South Side church

[SC, USA]
Hundreds march for gay rights in Spartanburg
Spartanburg Mayor Junie White presented Upstate Pride President Joey Geier with a proclamation declaring Saturday as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Day in Spartanburg.
The presentation occurred at about 3 p.m. at the train depot on Magnolia Street, the start and end point of Upstate Pride's second annual march of people supporting gay and lesbian rights. The grounds of the depot were also the venue for a festival that is scheduled to last until 7 p.m. today.
Gay rights supporters show strength on LGBT Pride Day
Hundreds March In Gay Pride Parade Amid Protest

[TN, USA]
Pride celebration draws gay rights supporters
An estimated 20,000 people gathered Saturday at the Nashville Pride Festival at Riverfront Park to promote education and tolerance of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

[TX, USA]
DART unanimously approves transgender protections, but wording of policy still at issue
DART’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday night saying it intends to prohibit discrimination against employees based on gender identity and gender expression.
Showdown At Akard Station
DART board set to adopt gender-identity policy

[Mexico]
Nuevo asesinato homofóbico en Hidalgo
Fernanda desapareció el pasado miércoles 16 de junio. Luego de una desesperada búsqueda por parte de sus compañeras de la asociación civil “Transgénero Hidalgo”, su cuerpo se encontró el domingo en Actopan. Estaba amarrada, amordazada y con dos balazos en la cabeza. Era una activista entusiasta y vicepresidenta de la asociación presidida por Karen Quintero.

[Mexico]
Hallan cadáver de homosexual
Excerto: Ya no logró ver el cadáver, pero presentía que el cuerpo era de Juan Santillán Pérez, a quien se le conocía como “Angie”, de 22 años de edad. Él tenía su domicilio en avenida Panorámica y Acequia del Cerro, en la colonia Guanajuato de Ramos Arizpe, y se comentó que acostumbraba acudir a los bares del sector.

[Mexico]
Pride dominates Mexican border city for 48 hours
The border city of Tijuana, Mexico, saw its fifteenth gay Pride parade on 19 June and - for the first time - was accompanied by a festival, which ran for two days on three intersecting streets in the center of downtown.
Marchan gays y lesbis en Mérida
Marchan miles de integrantes de la comunidad lésbico-gay en Jalisco
15th Tijuana GLBT Pride March & 1st Festival en inagenes
Marcha gay pide retomar iniciativas en Tlaxcala
Un arcoiris de lluvia a lluvia en Guadalajara
El paso del arco iris por Guadalajara

[Mexico]
Buscadoras del peligro: 'Muxes'
Viajamos a Juchitán, México, con las Auténticas Intrépidas Buscadoras del Peligro. Su ciudad se ha convertido en símbolo de tolerancia frente al machismo y la homofobia, gracias a los ‘muxes’, hombres homosexuales que exhiben sin complejos su diferencia y a menudo se travisten.

[Honduras]
Movimientos de diversidad sexual en resistencia llaman a transformar desigualdad y exclusión
-Comunidad LGTB sufre el mayor número de muertes por el golpe de Estado, con más de 20 asesinados
-Saña y odio priva en los asesinatos contra las personas LGTB
-Primera víctima mortal de la represión era transexual

[Venezuela]
Gordos y gays se reivindican en el paraíso de las misses
Desfilan con tacones, trajes de baño y extravagantes vestidos de noche. Posan ante de las cámaras, lanzando sugestivas miradas al público. Son modelos, con nada que envidiar a las exuberantes chicas de Miss Venezuela. Estamos en la variante GLBT Plus: un concurso para gordos y gays bellos, que intenta romper tabúes en la machista sociedad venezolana.
(Foto: Jaime López - Las concursantes durante un desfile.)