[UK]
Protest Transphobia
The Royal College of Psychiatrist's Gay and Lesbian Special Interest Group are holding a day-conference on the 20th May called "Transgender: Time to Change". Many of the speakers are known transphobes, with only one trans psychiatrist invited to speak.

[UK]
British Government Wants Trans Community's Help on Trans Action Plan
With the British Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government set to publish its "Transgender Action Plan" later this year, ministers are asking members of the trans community for their input to help shape the document.
Trans equality and the transgender action plan
Government website asks: Should Equality Act be scrapped?

[UK]
Transgender group furious at BBC for ‘offensive’ Russell Howard sketch
BBC Three comedy Russell Howard’s Good News is under fire from transgender campaigners who say a recent sketch ridicules a “vulnerable minority”.
[Commentary] Superficial, unconvincing, insulting and unacceptable

[UK] [Commentary]
Trans Media Watch condemns BBC failure to take responsibility for transphobic broadcast
Trans Media Watch, the organisation that campaigns for transgender people to be treated in the media with accuracy, dignity and respect, has condemned the BBC's response to complaints about a recent episode of Russell Howard's Good News. The episode contained a sketch based on the real life decision by a Thai airline to provide employment to kathoey (transsexual) women. It featured two highly sexualised trans characters who at one point revealed their male genitals to customers. It also showed a passenger being physically sick in response to the sight of these characters.

[Croatia]
Man who attacked transvestite in Koprivnica arrested
Croatian police have arrested a man responsible for beating the 34-year-old transvestite Adnan Buljubasic in Koprivnica.
The 25-year-old from Starigrad identified only by his initials T.G. is said to have first verbally insulted and then attacked Buljubasic, a transvestite from Denmark with roots in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

[Israel]
Dana International eyeing second Eurovision win
Dana International has admitted that she let her manager persuade her to go on Eurovision 2011.
The transsexual singer represented Israel in 1998 and stormed to glory with her track ‘Diva’. This was the third time that her nation had won the contest, following up successes in 1978 and 1979.

[Pakistan]
Pakistan's transgender tribe of tax collectors
Miss your tax deadline in the United States this weekend, and you might get a nasty letter at your door. In Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, you might get Riffee and the gang. They are "transgender" tax collectors -- whose weapons include flamboyancy, surprise -- and a little lipstick.

[India]
Thirunangai column thrills transgenders
It was history in the making. For the first time, members of the transgender community voted with due recognition of their third gender status in the poll on Wednesday.
Many, however, felt that their classification in the voter ID card as ‘male/female’ was discriminatory.
'Transgenders' make texting tough for officials

[India] [Film]
Seema Biswas goes transsexual
A fter portraying Phoolan Devi in Shekhar Kapur's Bandit Queen, Seema Biswas becomes the first Indian actress to play a transsexual in Indian cinema.
Treading the path of queens

[India]
Jubilant ‘others’ all set for Transgenders Day
It is a memorable week for the transgenders in the state, who are all geared up to celebrate Transgenders Day on Friday that has been recognised by the government for the first time.
An identity at last but the stigma stays, say transgenders

[New Zealand]
Male, Female, Other? Intersex Research On Conference Agenda
Gender is determined while still in the womb, but for those who are born with both male and female anatomical characteristics, gender is often determined by a doctor or parent.

[USA]
Merkley introduces bill to protect gays from workplace discrimination
Reviving a campaign of more than three decades, Sen. Jeff Merkley will offer legislation today outlawing workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
A Bipartisan Attempt at ENDA
[Commentary] A pass forward for ENDA

[USA]
Group alleges abuse because of sexual orientation
For 22 hours a day, Alejandro Cortez-Reyna, who is transgender, was confined to a 5-by-9-foot cell in Immigration custody. Eventually the time out of the cell was reduced to about 45 minutes.
Complaint: LGBT immigrants abused, neglected at detention centers run by Homeland Security

[USA]
Ad with boy's pink toenails rankles some
A J. Crew advertisement depicting a 5-year-old boy with hot pink toenail polish has some conservatives seeing red.
New J.Crew Ad Sparks Debate On Gender Identity Confusion
J. Crew Ad With Boy's Pink Toenails Creates Stir
Is it wrong to paint your son’s nails bright pink?
[Commentary] Jenice Armstrong: Handling gender issues
[Commentary] A New Low for Fox News: Wearing Pink Makes Boys Transgendered
[Commentary] Pink Toenails
[Commentary] Sign TWO Petition in Support of J. Crew Pink Toenails Ad
In Praise of Pink Polish
Stewart: It's "Toemageddon"
Adam Lambert Sounds Off On Critics Calling J. Crew Layout Transgender Promotion

[CA, USA]
Rally set after trans woman beaten in SF
Two San Francisco men face several charges, including a hate crime accusation, in the beating of a transgender woman in the city’s Mission neighborhood.
A rally is set for 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, April 15 at the 16th and Mission BART station to call attention to such incidents. The beating occurred near the BART station on April 1 just after 10 p.m.
Transgender Woman Beaten In SF

[ID, USA]
Carlson: Guilty, guilty, guilty
A jury in Third District Court in Payette County took only about an hour to deliberate and return guilty verdicts on two felony counts and one misdemeanor count on a Payette woman after an incident that happened in July.
Catherine Carlson Found Guilty On All Charges
Carlson Guilty on All Counts
Woman who set fire to trailer, ran naked down road found guilty
ID woman convicted of hoax bomb, arson charges

[MA, USA]
MTPC: Action Alert About Trans Equal Rights Bill
First, a reminder: there is no lobby day this week.
As many of you are aware, MTPC and our Transgender Equal Rights Coalition Partners have had to reschedule the Transgender Equal Rights Lobby Day. Now, I must report to you that we are postponing again until receive a hearing date for the Transgender Equal Rights Bill from the Judiciary Committee.

[MD, USA]
Delayed, Not Defeated
After Maryland Senate kills gender identity bill for 2011, advocates start making plans for 2012
Maryland Senate quashes ‘transgender’ equality bill
Maryland Senate kills trans rights bill

[ME, USA]
Mainers Voice Transgender Rights Support
In Maine, a bill to restrict transgender people’s right to use the restroom of their choice drew emotional testimony Tuesday.
[Commentary] The Bathroom Issue Gets a Bill in Maine
[Commentary] JFB testimony to the Maine Judiciary Committee: “The ‘Wacky’ Professor”
Bill seeks clarity on Maine restroom use

[ME, USA]
Maine Panel: Trans Renter Discriminated Against
A transgender woman who says discrimination kept her from renting an apartment won support from a human rights panel Monday.

[MI, USA]
Anti-discrimination town hall meeting in Port Huron
On Wednesday, April 20, you can join former State Senator Buzz Thomas, Executive Director of Equality Michigan Denise Brogan-Kator and Legislative Director of the Michigan ACLU Shelli Weisberg for a free event that will focus on the social, economic and legal impact of discrimination faced by gay and transgender people and their families.

[MO, USA]
Trans Survey Launches at St Louis LGBT Health and Resource Fair
On April 16, TransHaven will be launching their “Trans-Missouri Needs Assessment Survey” at the LGBT Community Health and Resource Fair. While we had planned an earlier launch date, our self-critique of the Survey took a bit longer than expected and then saw this event quite apropos to launch it. We expect trans-identified people to be able to take it online, and we will have paper copies available at the Fair, on Saturday

[NV, USA]
Employment Protections Advance in Nevada
This week, the Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor of the Nevada State Legislature voted in favor of AB211, legislation that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression in employment. On a voice vote, the bill passed with all Democrats and two Republicans voting in favor. Assemblymen Kelly Kite (R-Douglas and Washoe County) and Ed Goedhart (R- Amargosa Valley) voted with all Democrats on the committee in favor of equality for all Nevadans.

[OR, USA]
Jury finds defendant David Wayne French guilty of murdering North Portland roommate
A Multnomah County jury moments ago found a transgender defendant guilty 12-0 of murdering her North Portland roommate by bashing his head with a pickax.
Jury Returns Guilty Verdict In Pickax Killing
David Wayne French found guilty of killing roommate
Oregon jury convicts roommate of murder in pickax murder trial

[OR, USA]
Out In The Open
Trans student fears for safety after outing in Clark College paper

[PA, USA]
Montco court: Transgender woman admits to stabbing boyfriend to death
A transgender woman appeared somber as she admitted to stabbing her boyfriend to death during an argument inside her Norristown home.
Asia Santana, 40, whose legal name is Tyrone Crawley, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court on Wednesday to charges of third-degree murder and possessing an instrument of crime in connection with the Aug. 13, 2010, stabbing death of 28-year-old Eric Nevith inside a Moore Street residence.
Transgender Philly-area woman pleads guilty to murder in August stabbing death of boyfriend
Transgender Norristown woman admits killing boyfriend

[PA, USA]
Planned Parenthood Offers Transgender Hours
Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania is planning to keep an eye on transgender health by offering extended hours at its clinic in downtown Pittsburgh.

[TX, USA] [Commentary]
Dallas County Commissioner Undecided About Adding Trans Workers To Non Discrimination Policy
were focused on Maryland, up Interstate 45 from me the Democratic majority on the Dallas County Commissioners Court was busy adding sexual orientation to their non discrimination policy that covers 7000 county workers.

[USA] [Commentary]
Anti-Trans SB 723 Needs To Be Stopped
In the Lone Star State we have an anti-trans bill that needs to die called SB 723. It seeks to frack with trans marriage rights and is scheduled to hit the Texas Senate floor on Monday.
Don't forget we have Nikki Araguz's pending marriage case with the next hearing happening on May 13, so yeah, this is an unjust bill that needs to die ASAFP.
SB 723 Going to a Senate Vote on Monday

[UT, USA]
Driver’s License Division incident causes brouhaha, TEA directors resign
A transgender woman said she was stared and laughed at by employees of the Utah Driver’s License Division and she was asked to remove her makeup while trying to renew her driver’s license last month. After reviewing surveillance tapes, the directors of Transgender Education Advocates of Utah issued a press release saying the DLD generally followed procedure. Some members of the gay and transgender community took objection to their statements and started a Facebook group calling for their resignation. The directors, Christopher and Teinamarrie Scuderi, resigned and apologized for comments they made that may have been viewed as non-supportive in a press release.
The transgender woman involved in the incident, Regina Audette, said she was asked to remove her makeup by a DLD supervisor before taking the photo for her license.
(Photo: Regina Audette)

[Belize/Trinidad and Tobago]
Belize Transgender Claims Mistreatment In Trini
Recently, we've seen a lot of regional news about friction between Jamaica and Barbados.
It's because Jamaican females claim they are being sexually harassed and accused of illicit activity by Barbadian Immigration authorities.
It's become a big deal, because as CARICOM member states, Jamaicans should move freely into Barbados or any other CARICOM country.