[Europe]
EU report: Europe is inconsistent on LGBT rights
There is an uneven landscape in protection of LGBT rights in Europe, the European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency said in a comprehensive report to the European Parliament.
"In some EU member states, legislation and practice is increasing the protection of LGBT people, while in others the rights of LGBT persons are being restricted or neglected," said ILGA-Europe, the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, in an analysis of the FRA report on homophobia, transphobia, and anti-LGBT discrimination.

[France]
Lea T., Transsexual Model, Talks About Her Impending Reassignment Surgery
The New York Times caught up with Givenchy's transsexual model Lea T. for its Thursday Styles article "Bold Crossings of the Gender Line." Lea told the Times:

[Malta]
Malta OKs trans marriage
Malta's Constitutional Court OK'd transgender marriages Nov. 29, reported Transgender Europe.

[Pakistan]
Transgenders: ‘United, we stand alone’
“Even when united, transgenders in the country stand alone in their fights for equal rights in society,” says Bebo, a transgender worker in the Cantonment Board, Clifton’s tax recovery department. “Even our families do not accept us they way we are.” (Photo: transgenders at protest)

[Pakistan]
Eunuchs seek job quota, seats in assemblies
Representatives of eunuchs have urged the government to fix for them a quota in public services and a seat in each legislative assembly, as they are an important segment of society. (Photo)

[India]
Government reverses its decision on transgenders
Bowing down to pressure from religious minorities, the state government has reversed its decision to bring the transgender community under the purview of the Minorities Welfare Department (MWD). About 15 days ago, the General Administration Department (GAD) had issued Government Order 565 stating that the transgender community has been brought under the MWD.

[New Zealand]
Killers Of Transsexual Jailed
Two men who killed Wellington transsexual Richard Jones were in the High Court at Wellington today given long jail terms.
Killers of transsexual given long jail terms
Pair jailed over Upper Hut trans killing
Men sentenced for killing of transsexual

[Canada]
Burnaby NDP MP Bill Siksay’s transgender rights bill C-389 heads to third reading
A private member’s bill that would protect transgender people in Canada from discrimination has cleared another hurdle.
Bill C-389, introduced last year in the House of Commons by NDP MP Bill Siksay, passed at report stage on Wednesday (December 8) with a standing vote of 143–131.
That means the legislation will likely get two hours of debate at third reading in early March, the MP for Burnaby-Douglas told the Straight today (December 9).
Keddy bucks party line on transgender vote
‘Remove Ignatieff’ say pro-family groups after Liberal leader backs radical ‘trans’ bill

[USA/UN]
UN chief, US ambassador urge greater attention to gay, gender identity rights
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon called for an end to laws around the world that criminalize homosexuality, stressing the need to pay more urgent attention to gay and gender identity rights on Friday as the world marked Human Rights Day.

[USA] [Commentary]
If It's Thursday, It Must Be Transsexuality
If it’s Thursday, it must be transsexuality. The front of the Style section has long been a display counter for Manhattan-stamped cultural shock items, and the front of Thursday’s section featured a story (with photos of course) by William Van Meter on the hipster appeal of cross-dressing: “Bold Crossings of the Gender Line.”

[USA] [Commentary]
New York Times' newest fashion trend: 'transsexuals'!
The New York Times' William Van Meter has declared 2010 "the year of the transsexual." That's an odd sentiment, given that "transsexual" is widely considered an outdated term that has fallen out of favor with many gender-nonconforming people. Whatever! Transsexuals are hot, hot, hot this year! And Van Meter has a list of totally not-actually-trans celebrities to prove this thesis.

[USA] [Commentary]
Why Doesn't GLAAD Bust Porn Studios For Marketing 'Trannies' and 'She-Males'?
Hey porn lovers! The Adult Video Network just named its nominees for Best Transsexual Performer. And though I prefer gay porn, the AVN Awards are like the porn Oscars and so I had to take a look. Most of the movie titles had words like "tranny" and "she-male" which made me wonder, Why is GLAAD not all over the trans-porn industry?

[CA, USA]
Immigration Releases Transgender Woman Under the Convention Against Torture
A Salvadorian Transgender Woman was recently released after 2.5 years in ICE custody. Thanks to an immigration lawyer at Feldman Feldman & Associates, PC the transgender woman may now live openly without facing the regular beatings she experienced in El Salvador.

[CA, USA]
Transgender woman files privacy claim against DMV
A transgender woman on Thursday filed a claim against the California Department of Motor Vehicles, saying the clerk who handled her application for a new driver's license sent her a letter at home calling her gender change a "very evil decision" that would condemn her to hell.
Transgender Woman Files Claim Against DMV After Harassing Letter
Transgender woman says DMV clerk warned of hell

[CA, USA]
Dr. Marci Bowers Joins Bay Area Aesthetic Surgery in San Mateo
Dr. Joel Beck, a renowned San Francisco plastic surgeon of Bay Area Aesthetic Surgery, is thrilled to welcome Dr. Marci Bowers, one of the world's most prestigious genital reassignment surgeons, to his practice in San Mateo, California.

[CA, USA]
Transgender Jews get a boost from advocate’s new book
As a transgender Jew by choice, it’s not surprising that Noach Dzmura is interested in fringe Judaism.
And given his prolific résumé (Dzmura was the 2006 winner of the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation’s prestigious Haas-Koshland Memorial Award), it’s also not surprising that he is the editor of the newly published anthology, “Balancing on the Mechitza: Transgender in Jewish Community.” A mechitza is the barrier that separates men and women in Orthodox synagogues.

[DC, USA]
D.C. officer accused of anti-trans assault
D.C. police last week arrested a transgender woman for spraying a chemical repellent into the face of a man who she says called her names and assaulted her before identifying himself as an off-duty District police officer.

[FL, USA]
Florida Now Ranks in Top Five States for Protecting GLBT Citizens from Discrimination
While Florida may have an amendment enshrined in its constitution that forbids gays and lesbians from even seeking civil unions, a new report from Equality Florida claims that Florida now ranks among the top five states in the nation in protecting its gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered citizens from discrimination. Despite the passage of Amendment 2 in 2008, the report highlights the number of laws protecting the rights of the GLBT community passed since 1997 in Florida on both a local and state level. We've come a long way since Anita Bryant.

[Mexico]
Exigen transexuales trabajo y reconocimiento ciudadano
En el marco de la conmemoración de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos, la organización Prodiana, enfocada a trabajar por la defensa de los derechos de personas transexuales, realizó hoy un desayuno-conferencia en el que se dieron a conocer los proyectos que se tienen previstos para 2011, entre ellos, los concernientes a la salud, el trabajo y el reconocimiento ciudadano para este grupo.

[Cuba]
Drag Queens and Volunteers Promote Safe Sex
Margot Parapar gets plenty of laughs from the audience with this joke: "Now the human body is divided into five parts: head, trunk, upper and lower limbs, and condom." Using his female stage name, Cuban drag queen, comedian and health promoter Oliver Alarcón includes HIV/AIDS prevention messages in his shows.

[Ecuador]
Primera boda gay se celebra en el Ecuador
Hugo Vera y Joey Hateley se unirán en matrimonio en una ceremonia que se realizará en la capital.

[Argentina]
Los hombres que amaban a las mujeres trans
¿Qué siente un hombre cuando descubre que se enamoró de una mujer trans? ¿Cómo se ve a sí mismo y cómo la ve a ella? Desde las preferencias en la cama hasta la relación con la familia, los cuatro entrevistados que contaron sus secretos pero no quisieron revelar públicamente su identidad van armando un mapa de los prejuicios y las pasiones en juego. A su vez, estas experiencias ponen en jaque la supuesta relación forzosa entre las prácticas, los gustos, el amor y la identidad. ¿Quién tiene el derecho de llamarse homosexual u heterosexual? ¿Cuánto más resiste el elástico que divide al mundo en dos grupos de hombres y mujeres?