[UK]
Court hears details of alleged rape by transgender man in Neath house with sadomasochistic 'dungeon'
A jury have been told details of an alleged rape involving a transgender man in a sadomasochistic “dungeon”.
Nadine Williams, also known as Dean, is on trial at Swansea Crown Court after denying rape and two counts of sexual assault.
Dean Williams Transgender man 'raped woman in friend's sex dungeon'

[UK]
Edward Leigh MP attacks gender reassignment in condemning equal marriage ‘revolution’
Conservative MP, Edward Leigh, has come under heavy criticism for a speech he made at today’s House of Commons debate around the equal marriage bill during which he attacked the Gender Recognition Act, and criticised efforts towards equality.

[Macedonia]
Macedonia local elections whip up anti-gay hate
Anti-gay sentiments are whipped up in Macedonia ahead of local elections. EU politcians warn things must improve if the country is admitted into the Union

[Turkey]
Kaos GL Submits 2012 Hate Crime Report to European Institutions
Kaos GL prepared and announced its 2012 Hate Crime Report on the human rights violations of LGBTs in Turkey.
The reports starts with a brief summary of what 2012 looked liked for LGBT people: “In Turkey, 10 hate crimes were committed. 6 transgenders and 5 gays lost their lifes due to hate murders. 8 hate attacks were published online on kaosgl.org. We witnessed lynch attempts, torture, ill-treatments, domestic violence, harassment, rape and cyber attacks.”
Yes, Indeed, Turkey Does Discriminate at Workplace

[USA]
Transgender woman launches lingerie line for others who have made male-to-female transition after fruitless hunt for the perfect underwear
A transgender woman has designed a lingerie collection for others who have made the transition from male-to-female.
New York-based Cy Lauz launched her underwear label Chrysalis after she saw a gap in the market.
She set to work fashioning bras with full-cup inserts and seamless panties in a bid to enhance the transgender body.

[USA]
New York Times ‘Ethicist’ Tells Transitioning Reader To Weigh Others’ Happiness When Coming Out
The New York Times’ “Ethicist,” Chuck Klosterman, offered a disappointing response to a transgender reader on Friday. The reader wrote in to explain that she was beginning to transition to living as a woman, but she was struggling with how the transition might impact her wife and three children. Klosterman suggested that it was a question of happiness, and that perhaps the reader was better off not stressing her family with the news:

[GA, USA]
In Our Skin: A look at the trials and triumphs of transgender students at the University
It’s raining on a cold December morning in Athens, the kind of heavy, splattering rain that makes it almost unbearable to crawl out of bed. Justin Moore, however, seems unfazed this early in the day. With a playful grin on his face, he asks with unconcealed excitement, “Oooh, wanna see my ID?” and pulls out a thin piece of plastic. “I just got it yesterday.” After months of waiting for an official name change, these tiny, printed letters—“JUSTIN”—affirm a new beginning for him.

[MA, USA]
Boston settles with transgender woman
The city of Boston has agreed to pay a transgender woman $20,000 in exchange for her dropping a lawsuit against police officers she said humiliated her.

[MA, USA]
State seeks out sex-change doctors
There are no surgeons available in the Bay State who can give a convicted wife-killer the sex-change operation he wants taxpayers to bankroll — but at least five have been found who can be flown in, the state’s prison chief told a federal judge.
Mass. finds doctors willing to perform surgery on transgendered inmate
State correction boss says six out-of-state doctors willing to perform sex reassignment surgery on murderer Michelle Kosilek

[MD, USA]
Transgender Rights Advocates Hopeful for Equal Protection from Maryland Bill
Sens. Richard Madaleno and Jamie Raskin, both of Montgomery County, are co-sponsoring a bill that would prevent discrimination based on gender identity.

[MI, USA]
Civil Rights report concludes in favor of LGBT equal rights
Reference is made to Holland several times in the Michigan Department of Civil Rights’ report on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender inclusion.

[MN, USA]
Leslie Feinberg in Court for Cece McDonald Action
Leslie Feinberg, the activist and author of the trans coming-of-age classic Stone Butch Blues, was back in court on February 4 as a result of a June solidarity action for Cece McDonald. Cece's the black, trans woman imprisoned for defending herself against a white, straight cisgender attacker - a way-too-common story. She's currently serving a 41-month sentence in a Minnesota prison. Leslie could get up to a year behind bars depending on the outcome of the jury trial.
Feinberg is convicted but walks free

[NY, USA]
All-Gender Bathrooms: Would You Be Comfortable Using One?
More and more we've seen (and gotten used to) the male and female symbols disappearing from bathroom signs around the country. But many bathrooms that allow men, women and transgender people are single-occupant restrooms. What about gender-neutral multi-stall bathrooms? How would that make you feel?

[OR, USA]
Transsexual says threat was because of her gender identity
The incident sparks a volunteer effort to post “Hate Free Zone” posters in the neighborhood

[RI, USA]
Student health plan to cover sex reassignment
The change is part of a broader attempt to make U. policies more inclusive of transgender students

[VA, USA]
Public sounds off in support of rights panel
Charlottesville residents turned out in droves Monday calling on the City Council to back a proposed human rights commission and anti-discrimination ordinance.