Scanner : transgender

Transgender Marriage Struck Down By the Great State of Tennessee

Brian Fairbanks — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:08:00 GMT

In November 2007, a man and a woman walked into county clerk's office in Davidson County, Tennessee. Both had driver's licenses identifying them as "opposite marriage people"-- or, in logical land terms, a man and a woman. They were quickly married and promptly forgotten about by the state...

...until this past March, when a woman named Jo T. Rittenberry was arrested in a different county for assault and fraud. The police determined that she was actually a man and notified the state's marriage board, which this month invalidated the marriage from November 2007. In their announcement to the press, the state said that it doesn't matter if Rittenberry is male or female-- she was born a male, and thus this was a same sex-marriage, which is illegal...

While we strongly disagree with the judgment by the state-- there are more both-sex babies born in this world than people know and there's no valid reason to stop a gay marriage in the first place-- it couldn't have helped that Rittenberry, well... didn't really have sexual reassignment surgery, at least not successfully:

Rittenberry was born a man but identifies as a woman and claims to have had sex reassignment surgery. Although Rittenberry's Tennessee driver's license and Kentucky birth certificate say "female," both the Montgomery County Jail and the clinic where Rittenberry claims to have had surgery insist that Rittenberry is still biologically a man. [The clinic claims no operation was performed, according to the AP.]
"The marriage is real to me," Rittenberry said in a jail interview. "I could care less about the system. I just wanted me and Jeff to be together. He wanted to marry me and I said 'yes.'" [Leaf Chronicle]

Meanwhile, there's this story out of China:

Fu Shitou met Wei Jinhua through his sister-in-law and eventually the two got married. Recently, after three years of marriage, the couple had a doozer of a fight and Wei stormed out. Wei wandered the streets of Zhechuan in China until, by a series of unfortuate misadventures, she was picked up by police and strip searched! Hmm, that’s when the police discovered Wei was a he and not a she! Oh dear, I don’t know who broke the news to Fu but he was just as surprised as the police. Fu later confessed he had never had sex with his wife. OK, surely the fact that the toilet seat was never down…???? [Friggin' Loon]

Yes, if you're not going to ever consummate the relationship, you should at least peek at her when she's in the shower to find out for sure...

Seriously, though, we don't know what to make of either of these stories... more via the Nashville Post.

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Tiffany Stalkers!

Colleen Kane — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:45:00 GMT

We cover all sorts of fetishes, obsessions, freakazoids, and preverts on Scanner, but somehow until now we had yet to cover the Tiffany stalkers. The documentary I Think We're Alone Now follows the lives of two obsessed fans, 50-year-old Asperger's sufferer Jeff and 35-year-old intersex person Kelly, and the very dark lives they lead, judging by the ultra-creepy footage in the following film trailer.

Now I'm going to have to cut this post short because I need to see this movie immediately thxbai

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This Week in Gayness: Don't Ask... Just Don't Ask

Brian Fairbanks — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:40:00 GMT

Good As You alerted us to Focus on the Family's hilariously awful anti-gay conference in Charlotte. They also put a human face on Jeff Johnston, an "ex-gay" who is obviously not human because it's not possible for anyone to change their sexual orientation.

This guy would be Keith Olbermann's worst person in the world if anyone knew who he was: a gay Minnesota Republican who is against gay rights. Paul Koering will vote against "the Marriage and Family Protection Act, a bill that would make Minnesota's marriage laws gender-neutral, allowing same-sex couples many of the rights currently denied by Minnesota statute."

The roles have been cast and the parents approved of the script. And then a high school principal decided to cancel a student production of Rent due to prostitution and homosexual" content. (There are gay characters, but no prostitution.)

To one Utah Republican, the greatest threat to America is: conspiratorial Chinese economists [no], Osama Bin Laden [no], the gays. 12% of ABC.com readers agree.

A young gay Army vet was killed by another young gay man who appears to have been upset at his own sexuality.

First of all, a guy has to go from being a gay porn star to working at Subway. Worse, he has to endure getting fired from his job at Subway when his previous career choice is discovered. Queers United takes up his case.

While most of the country is still stuck in this ridiculous debate about gay marriage, Massachusetts is trying to implement transgender equality.

And, at last, a straight veteran speaks out in favor of abolishing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and letting gays serve openly.

Homophobic Phelps Clan to Picket/Pick-On High School Students

Enterprising Teenager Amasses Collection of Solicited Nude Photos

This Week in Gayness: The Homophobic Celebrity Ad You Missed

This Week in Gayness: Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke Get Personal

Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:47:00 GMT

Allen Ginsberg actually believed (well, maybe that's too strong a word) Henry Kissinger would strip naked with him on national television in a bid to promote world peace.

The gay blogs are taking an "ex-gay" to task for appearing in anti anti-hate crime ads.

A divorced Mom in (surprise, surprise) Tennessee is not allowed to have her lesbian lover stay over. The lesbian lover has taken extreme measures to ensure the bigoted judge does not win...

Angel Chandler's partner, who has been with Ms. Chandler for nearly 10 years, was given a "paramour" restriction by the family court, despite the fact that a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation deemed Ms. Chandler's partner to be "a positive influence on her children." According to Jeanne Sager of Strollerderby, "The ACLU has stepped into the fray, filing a brief this week that urges the court to remove the paramour restriction, calling it unconstitutional for interfering with Chandler's abilities to raise her children as she sees fit."
For now, Chandler and her partner are getting around the ruling by living side-by-side in a duplex. [Jezebel]

If you consider yourself "trans" anything, it's better just to stay away from Memphis, as we've learned from this and other recent news stories.

Yay! Campbell's Soup is on the pro-gay side.

A New Jersey church is being sued for discrimination. These idiots think they are above the law or something? You can't discriminate against gay people, not even in Jersey!

If you're so upset at people for getting married and yet despise straight divorce, maybe you should get behind California's "Please Don't Divorce Us" campaign. Hey, you might learn something.

Battlestar Galactica has a gay character, it seems.

Poor Mickey Rourke is getting desperate in his bid for an Oscar. Check out the alleged text message he sent about rival Sean Penn:

“Look seans an old friend of mine and i didnt buy his performance at all—thought he did an average pretend acting like he was gay besides hes one of the most homophobic people i kno" [Defamer]

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This Week in Gayness: Call In Gay Tomorrow

Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:12:00 GMT

An Iowa court has agreed to entertain challenges to the state's discriminatory gay marriage law.

Here's more info on that transgender prostitute who was beaten to death in a Memphis jail.

An 18-year-old who is transitioning from female to male has some devastating words for high schools, their students, and their administrators.

Apparently, Washington State residents are unaware of the separation of church and state-- or the fact that "religion is superstition and myth," as an infamous stolen sign indicated.

Don't forget: a Day Without A Gay is Wednesday. Read more about that here.

An art student at Brigham Young University saw his art project, which featured gay students from the school, censored and possibly even removed.

And some hope for the future:

North Carolina law does prohibit gay marriage here, but GOP attempts to enshrine it in the state constitution have so far failed.

Carrboro has had a long history of being gay-friendly. It was one of the first communities in North Carolina to offer health benefits to the same-sex partners of municipal workers. Openly gay former Mayor Mike Nelson served five terms and is now an Orange County commissioner.

So it did not really surprise many in this state when the other day the Carrboro city council has passed a resolution supporting gay marriage and sent copies of it off to the state and federal government.

Hey, every step in the right direction is deserving of applause...

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This Week in Gayness: Gotta Love Them Bathhouses

This Week In Gayness: Rise Above The Hate

Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:43:00 GMT

If someone says they're "above hating" someone else, it means they're haters.

There's nothing like harmless satire to show people that homosexuals are just as laid-back, easygoing, and as boring as everyone else.

Mike Huckabee, eternally stupid. Now he claims that gays aren't having their civil rights violated because there hasn't been enough violence against their kind.

Did you know an unusually high percentage of gay men smoke? And we don't mean after sex...

A police officer in Memphis plead not guilty in the beating of a transgender person he was supposed to have simply locked up.

A rundown of the gay marriage struggle since 1970.

And Dr. Phil did a show about gay marriage. As you can imagine, it was a completely lackluster piece of crap.

UPDATE: This just in.. a Florida court has ruled the state's ban on gay aboption is unconsitituional.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman Tuesday declared Florida's 50-year-old ban on gay adoptions unconstitutional -- a ruling state lawyers immediately said they would challenge.

The ruling sets the stage for Frank Gill, a gay man from North Miami, to adopt two foster children he has raised since 2004.

In a 53-page ruling, Judge Lederman said, "It is clear that sexual orientation is not a predictor of a person's ability to parent." [Miami Herald]

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Oregon Town Re-Elects Mayor, This Time As A Woman

Brian Fairbanks — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:33:00 GMT

Why are all the interesting Mayors of this country presiding over small towns in Oregon? First, we have the Stripper Mayor, whose downfall we are apparently being blamed for, and now, the Transgendered Mayor.

Stu Ramussen was the Mayor of Silverton, Oregon from 1988 to 1992, having been reelected in 1990. Now, he's back... or, should we say... she's back-- between his first re-election and this latest one, Mayor Stu has become Mayor Carla:

Rasmussen, longtime manager of the local cinema, was also elected mayor in 1988 and 1990, and served four years -- but that was when he was wearing slacks and sport shirts to council meetings. The new Rasmussen -- who got breast implants a few years ago and began calling himself Carla Fong -- wears skirts, lipstick and high heels.

The thing is, Rasmussen's been a fixture in this small former lumber mill town so long, people tend not to pay much attention to what he's wearing.

This means Ramussen is now the first transgender Mayor in the history of the United States and should serve as a shining example for all. For starters, Mayor Carla is sweeping out the Old Guard:

Rasmussen walks down Silverton's Norman Rockwell-like main street in a plunging purple top revealing impressive cleavage, with a tight black miniskirt, flowing red locks and dagger-like red nails.

He is stopped every few feet by people who want to shake his hand and congratulate him on his victory, in which he took 52% of the vote against 39% for incumbent Mayor Ken Hector in the nonpartisan election.

"To be perfectly candid, the incumbent . . . and I are not bosom buddies -- that was a bad choice in terms," deadpans Rasmussen. "Ken's heart is in the right place, but it's just when his mind's made up, that's it -- facts won't change it.

That's right, Mayor Ramussen/Fong, out with the stubborn, in with the new...

Via the LA Times.

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Transgender Rambo Goes On Rampage of Racism, Arson, and Harmless Fun

Brian Fairbanks — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:50:00 GMT

It's not nice to laugh at people who have mental problems, so we won't.

We'll just tell you what this nutty Brit did to earn herself a minimum three years in prison before even be "considered for parole..."

1) Joanne Spencer, who is reportedly a "gender reassignment patient," tried to burn down her apartment building after fighting with a neighbor.

2) Spencer answered the door when the police arrived "wearing combat gear and a gas mask and told police she would not come out and was wearing the mask so she would be killed by the flames rather than fumes."

3) Firefighters had to taser her to get her to leave.

4) When she returned to her apartment to pick up some of her things, she got spooked (the story isn't very clear here) and jumped into a taxi. She made racist remarks and threatened to go "Rambo" on the taxi driver with her hunting knife if he didn't drive her away, all while swinging the knife at his head.

5) She was taken down via "stun gun" this time.

The judge acknowledged Spencer's rough life but seemed completely oblivious to the fact that this person should be in a mental institution, not a prison. He sentenced her

indefinitely for public protection, and said it would be a minimum of three years before she would be considered for parole. [Yorkshire Evening Post]

What do you think? Was this deserved or do you have a better idea?

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This Week In Gayness: Baton Twirlers Busted For "I Kissed A Girl"

Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:32:00 GMT

Only 30-something percent of California voters are supporting the proposal to ban gay marriage there, but that doesn't stop the measure's wacky supporters from saying "elites" are denying the will of "the people."

Libertarian Presidential candidate Bob Barr is such a nice, well-rounded individual, he won't let anyone use the words "gay" or "lesbian" on his website. Even in a positive manner.

We used to think Canada was the sane, folksy antidote to our crazy U.S. culture, but not after this guy burst onto the national scene there:

David Popescu is running in the 2008 elections as an independent candidate as part of Canada's federal election. Popescu is well known for his radical christian point of view, and his strong opposition to homosexuality, abortion, and stem cell research.
"A young man asked me what I think of homosexual marriages and I said I think homosexuals should be executed," he said. "My whole reason for running is the Bible and the Bible couldn't be more clear on that point." (Toronto Sun)

Bigotry reigns in... Texas. A group of high school cheerleaders were suspended for a routine that include Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl." Lawsuit, anyone? (The school, of course, declined to define its pep-rally-song standards for anyone, even after this national news story.)

A transgender politician in Georgia, accused of fraud and deception in a lawsuit for running as a woman, won that lawsuit... but lost the re-election match anyway.

The lesbian mommas case heads to the Montana Supreme Court.

And the Mad Men of Madison are finally producing television ads geared for gays and lesbians, although don't expect an episode about it on the AMC series anytime soon.

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Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:30:00 GMT

Amazingly, Google (as a corporate megapower) is stepping into the debate over gay marriage: they claim they will do everything they possibly can to insure it stays legal in California.

Almost ten years to the day of his death, the Matthew Shepard memorial has been publicly unveiled at the murder victim's former university.

A teenage boy upset that his friend was apparently spreading rumors of his gayness has confessed to the murder of said friend.

The Orlando Fox affiliate first claimed it would film at Come Out With Pride 2008, now they're acting all Fox News and turning their backs on the community...

The trans Top Model continues to raise positive interest in this so-called "alternative lifestyle."

A Lowell, Massachusetts man is guilty of beating another man for being gay.

A 27-year-old university student in Bagdhad, who was leading the LGBT movement there, was assassinated while getting a haircut:

He was one of the organisers of safe houses for gay men in Baghdad and was co-ordinator of Iraqi LGBT in the city.

Peter Tatchell of LGBT human rights group OutRage! said:

"On 25th September, I received the sad news from Iraq that the coordinator of Iraqi LGBT in Baghdad, Bashar, aged 27, a university student, was assassinated in a barber shop.

Trying to end on an upnote for a change... the South African health minister, who thought it was wise to suggest vitamins over drugs for HIV patients, has been removed from office, thanks to AIDS and/or LGBT activists.

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Scanner Highs And Lows: Michael Phelps Rules The Blog

Brian Fairbanks — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:55:00 GMT

We held onto the Olympics for dear life, we'll admit, but after this last look back at the week's highlights, it may be time to say adios...

...until next week, when more nude Olympians are sure to grace us with their leaked online photos... or maybe Republicans are caught with strippers...

HIGHS:

...since Democrats don't seem to enjoy them.

We have to hand it to John McCain for making it an historic election now, no matter who wins.

Enough about McCain, here's to a true hero: Michael Phelps, who is now spending his days giving kids swimming lessons, apparently.

Matthew McConaughey's mom is kind of a sexual hero, in a way. Really.

We're proud to have had a transgender Crush of the Week, although we're pretty sure she won't go out with us no matter how much we kiss her ass.

Eva Longoria Circa A Few Years Ago is kind of our runner-up Crush of the Week.

LOWS:

This post would've been called Last of the Nude Olympians... if they were actually Olympians.

Hopefully, Olympians won't have to stoop to making straight-to-DVD sex movies. Blurry sex tapes will do just fine, thanks.

If you were wondering why we enjoy photos of women athletes who have bodies like rocks (of Gibraltar), a reminder of a possible alternative.

So we've established Ms. Marsh is not among the sexy people... are you?

Seriously, we do wish Mulder luck in rehab, despite what you may think.

This guy is world's worst liar.

Something we can all argue about civilly: this show may or may not be terrible.

Speaking of lying, somebody lied to us when they said Toy Story was animated, damn it.

Sloppy Seconds: Hillary Clinton Nominated For President?

Brian Fairbanks — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:51:00 GMT

Would someone please make one of these for us and send it by mail to Scanner, New York, NY? Of course, you'll need to get us a nano, too...

Natalie Wood's longtime lover planned, at one point, to murder Warren Beatty. The world doesn't know how close it came to losing Bulworth.

The decision by America's Next Top Model to feature a transgender contestant has been met with praise from at least one group: GLAAD.

Rejoice, travelers: Gay sex is now A-OK with Panama!

Meghan McCain just wet her pants: the Hills spinoff is taking on D.C.

Christian Bale will not be charged with any hitting or not hitting of any family members.

And Hillary Clinton will be nominated at this month's Democratic National Convention. Symbolically, of course-- or so they promise us. Who wants odds that somebody's going to take this gimme and pull a coup?

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Buck Angel Too Much Man... Or Is It Too Much Woman... For Porn?

Brian Fairbanks — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:31:00 GMT

Forget the phony "Pregnant Man." The latest transgender success story is way better...

Buck Angel is lighting up the blogosphere with a wave of publicity, from Jezebel to the Village Voice, detailing his life as a woman who became a man but stayed a woman but decided to do some awesome pornographic movies. His website calls him the "first and only" female-to-male transsexual porn star:

As the undisputed king of transgender porn, Buck Angel thrives on his ability to deconstruct traditional notions of masculinity. He unabashedly promotes himself as a man with a pussy.
Angel's performance at the Black Party was a direct challenge to the men who have pretty much run the gay-rights movement for decades... "Men who have been fucked, fisted, shackled, flogged, and pissed upon have finally crossed a lurid and yet rarely discussed carnal threshold. They have seen, in person, a pussy."

Angel himself concedes that his unconventional plumbing causes discomfort among gay men: "I don't conform to what you tell me I should do," he says. "...Gender is not black and white. And I'm putting that out there in your face."

(Wikipedia points out that although "he is by no means the only transman to have ever worked in pornography, he is certainly one of the best-known and best-paid FTM (female-to-male) transsexual pornographic actors to date.)

Here's Buck naked:

Buck Angel's career as a man with a pussy continues apace. And he remains as defiant as ever: "There are no rules, as far as I'm concerned," Angel says. "Nobody can deny I am a man. I am not conforming to anyone who says I'm not. Nobody can tell me different." [Village Voice]

Also via Jezebel.

The Real Candidate of Change: Transgender GOP'er

This Week in Gayness: Virginia Accidentally Marries Gay Men

This Week In Gayness: My Boyfriend Won't Put Out

Brian Fairbanks — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:50:00 GMT

If your Dad is a fervent anti-homosexual zealot, best not to brag to his face about having come from the Pride parade.

What, you thought they'd let gay couples on the revamped "Newlywed Game"?

A woman who worked in the Georgia General Assembly claims to have been fired after telling her boss she was "going to live as a woman."

Guess which reality show host is joining the cast of "The L Word" for Season Six?

According to Michael Ausiello of EW.com's the Ausiello Files (Entertainment Weekly online) Elizabeth Berkley, who flirted with the L word during her Showgirls days, is joining the Showtime hit for a multi-episode arc. [Lesbiatopia]

Today is the day our do-nothing Democratic Congress will finally do something: they're planning to take a peek at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Unsurprisingly, the Lesbos of Lesbos island lost their cast against the, um, lesbos of the world. Nice waste of paper, kids.

A Turkish honor killing (aka hate crime), in which a 26-year-old gay man was the victim, shows no signs of any future bright spots: apparently, as is the case in most honor killings, the family left their son's body to rot and the boyfriend has fled the country after warnings from his consulate.

In a Dear Mona column posted today on About.com, one guy asks "Mona" why his boyfriend can say "I still love you" while abstaining from sex and watching a steady stream of porno. Is it a porn addiction or the relationship itself that's the problem? Read the response here.

Thomas Beatie, Transgender Dad, Works the Media Like a Full-Time Job

Nicole Pasulka — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:39:00 GMT

As you may have heard, Thomas Beatie, the pregnant man, gave birth to a girl on Sunday June 29th. So has this whole pregnant man story been a boon for transgender rights?

Thomas Rogers at Salon says, "eh, proabably not."

Why did Beatie become the focus of so much attention? It's partly because, unlike other pregnant men, Beatie has demonstrated a remarkable willingness to speak to the press (including dubious tabloids like the News of the World). And, according to Paisley Currah, a transgendered associate professor of political science at Brooklyn College and the author of the upcoming "The United States of Gender," "the idea that seems to draw the public is the idea of the supposed freakish body of the transgendered man." In other words, people are attracted to the story because staring at Beatie's body -- the large stomach protruding from his manly chest -- is both an unsettling and captivating experience, and Beatie, for whatever reason, doesn't seem to mind the attention.

We will ignore the fact that Beatie talked to everyone besides the author of this article and the author of this article talked to everyone besides Beatie. Going on Oprah and talking to anyone with a press pass doesn't make the world more sympathetic and understanding of your non gender normative family situation....? We could not have predicted that one. To be honest, we're suprised there hasn't been more malice and backlash from the peanut gallery.

Seems that if Beatie and his family are going to get on with life outside of the public's goofy, judgmental eye, he'll probably have to stop giving interviews on the Weather Channel.

Thomas Beatie "the Pregnant Man" On Oprah

Being a Transgender Father Is Soooo 10 Years Ago

Suburban Kids Who Support Sex Change Friend Make Us Proud

Brian Fairbanks — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Who'd a thunk Fox Frickin' News would have the story to make us feel all warm and fuzzy today? By warm and fuzzy, we don't mean the way we felt imagining Lady Richardson entirely buck naked earlier.

We're talking about a whopping dozen students in Brewster, NY, who have taken to cross-dressing at their high school. Not because they want to... they're showing solidarity for their friend...

Boys wore skirts and wigs and girls wore caps and cargo pants to Brewster High School in Putnam County.

One senior says the students wanted 17-year-old Michael Loscalzo to feel more comfortable. Loscalzo has been dressing as a girl and says he plans to get a sex-change operation. He says he's been teased and even punched once because of his appearance.

Is the country finally turning a corner? Straight teenagers standing side-by-side to support one boy's decision to become a girl? Even we wouldn't have had those kinda guts as a seventeen-year-old junior Maoist-in-training, with our love of penguins, kittens, and disgust for Dan Quayle, whom we referred to as "the poster by for Spell Check." More surprisingly, the school appears to be siding with them:

The school says Loscalzo is free to dress as a girl as long as he follows the dress code.

God bless the US Constitution.

When Straight Marriage Goes Gay

Emily Farris — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:57:00 GMT

The New York Times this weekend explored how transgendered couples are challenging the marriage laws in New Jersey.

Donald and Frances Brunner married in 1980. In 2005 Donald became Denise. Still legally married, the couple just amended the marriage license to reflect the name change.

Another biologically hetero couple married six months before the "husband" had his sex change, just so they could be protected by law.

It would seem as if the joke is on New Jersey. For now, anyway. While neither couple has faced legal problems yet, both worry about the day one is turned away at the emergency room or stripped of their rights to make important medical decisions for the other—all further evidence that antiquiated marriage laws in all states need to be updated.

Especially after a 2000 case in Texas where lawyers for Christie Lee Littleton, a Texas male-to-female transsexual suing her husband’s doctors for wrongful death, tried to explain her situation: “Taking this situation to its logical conclusion, Mrs. Littleton, while in San Antonio, Texas, is a male and has a void marriage; as she travels to Houston, Texas, and enters federal property, she is female and a widow; upon traveling to Kentucky she is female and a widow; but, upon entering Ohio, she is once again male and prohibited from marriage; entering Connecticut, she is again female and may marry; if her travel takes her north to Vermont, she is male and may marry a female; if instead she travels south to New Jersey, she may marry a male.”

Seems simple enough to us: everybody gets a civil union, which is recognized by law the way straight marriage is today. If people then want to get married in the church, just like they baptize their babies, go for it. But that's just us, we're not big God fans.

[NYT: Through Sickness, Health and Sex Change]

Being A Trans Female-to-Male Pregnant Father Is Sooooo Ten Years Ago

Katie Halper — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:01:00 GMT

It turns out that Thomas Beatie's Female to Male to pregnant dad transformation isn't as trailblazing as we thought. We all know about the gender-bender "labels are for jars" Arnold Schwarzenegger film, Junior, which addressed male pregnancy years before anyone else would touch it with a ten foot pole. But did you know that ten years ago a German PhD student, who was born female but lived as a man, also decided to carry his child? Unlike Beatie, the German didn't share his story... until now, ten years after the proud father gave birth to his daughter.

Queerty links to the Daily Express story. Who would have guessed that a trans person would find solace in the German Scouts?

Lucy Johnston, Health Editor

THE world’s first pregnant man has broken his silence in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Express.

Dylan, 40, and his 10-year-old daughter Joanna opened their home to the Sunday Express to explain how a woman turned into a man, had a baby and became a dad.

American transsexual Thomas Beatie has recently gained worldwide attention after posing for a magazine showing his pregnant belly and his bearded face.

But he is merely following a trail blazed more than a decade ago by German company executive Dylan.

It is an extraordinary story he never sought to publicise, indeed those he did confide in found it difficult to believe.

“I was studying for my PhD when I became pregnant,” Dylan said. “When I told my professor I was going to have a baby, he said he didn’t need to know the details of my girlfriend’s condition.

A week after giving birth, 10-years ago

“When I told him it was me who was pregnant, it left him speechless.

“Being pregnant was weird. I didn’t have a male role model who had done it before.

“But now my daughter is a happy 10-year-old. She has two daddies who she loves, one of whom is special and can have babies.” Dylan had wanted to be a boy ever since he was a little girl – the eldest of three sisters. He describes his family as very conservative.

Their home in Germany was ruled by the beliefs of his engineer father and teacher mother, who banned television and even newspapers to protect the children from corrupting influences.

He says he hated being forced into girls’ clothes, and would have a tantrum if he was made to wear a dress.

“I told my friends I was a boy but my parents said I was a girl. When I was 15, I started wearing my father’s clothes.”

School was lonely. Dylan said girls avoided him because he was so boyish and the boys ignored him, regarding him as a strange girl

He found his salvation in the German Scouts, where the uniform was the same for boys and girls and neither gender nor sexuality played a big role.

“Gender didn’t matter in the Scouts. School was difficult, I felt totally separate from the other children but I had friends in the Scouts.”

Though small in stature, and slight in build, by the time he was in his mid 20s, Dylan was living as a man. He had small breasts, which were easily hidden beneath clothes, and mannish body language. He explains: “People always mistook me for a teenage boy, which I quite liked.”

THE GIRL WITH TWO FATHERS: Joanna has become a happy 10-year-old

Desperate to undergo the medical procedures to become the man he felt he was, he started saving money for hormone treatment and surgery.

Yet despite progress in becoming accepted as a man, he felt a growing need to have a family.

He explained: “I come from a traditional family and I feel that part of being a real man is being a father, this was very important to me and my self-image as a man.”

He and a gay friend, who also wanted to become a father, found a doctor who performed artificial insemination.

CHILDHOOD DREAMS: The young Dylan, with his younger
sister, always wanted to be a boy

“The pregnancy was not a problem. I knew it was only going to be for a little while. There were lots of hormones in my system and they actually affirmed my feeling of being a man.

“I once saw an overweight young boy in a shop and felt sorry for him because my bulk at least was temporary. I felt very protective of the child that was growing inside me. My breasts grew bigger but my belly was there too and they kind of fitted. I wore baggy clothes and no one realised.

“People thought I was putting on weight. They were mostly treating me as a man and no one is going to start wondering whether a man might be pregnant.”

Only a few close friends were let in on the secret and one girl friend volunteered to be his birth partner. The birth was a surprise to Dylan. “I did not realise it was going to be so painful,” he said.

“I took a long, long shower and my birth partner was there to support me. It was pretty difficult and I almost had to have a caesarean, but by the time they found a doctor, the baby was there.

“I didn’t want to stay in the hospital afterwards, it would have been a nightmare with people treating me as a female. The birth was at 4am and I was home just a few hours later.

“I’ve never worn a bra, not even during pregnancy. My breasts became pretty big and I didn’t like that. Breast-feeding itself was very nice, it creates a close feeling to the child, I would recommend it – it’s very practical too.”

He decided to stop breast-feeding after three months to start testosterone treatment before full sex change surgery. And by the time Joanna was a toddler, Dylan had become her daddy – with hairy legs, a square jaw which he had to shave, no breasts and a deep masculine voice.

Joanna also sees her biological father, who lives two hours’ drive away. “Many of her friends don’t have, or rarely see their fathers, yet she has two,” said Dylan.

“I told her I am a special daddy who can have children and she accepts that. At her first school there was a project where they had to bring in photos of their family and talk about their relatives. She ‘came out’ to her whole class and no one teased her.”

To neighbours Dylan is simply a single dad doing his best by his daughter. Colleagues in the international com-pany where he is a manager do not know he was born a girl.

“I believe there are a lot of young transgender people who would like to have children. It is a wonderful thing to have a baby. You are more connected to humanity and society, no matter what your gender is or originally was.”

Names have been changed.

Previously: Thomas Beatie, "the Pregnant Man", on Oprah...Today!, Heart-Warming Transgender Conception Story of the Day

Thomas Beatie, "the Pregnant Man", on Oprah...Today!

Nicole Pasulka — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:30:00 GMT

Oh, Thomas Beatie, we named you Dad of the Day after reading your article in The Advocate about carrying a child as a transgender man because your wife wasn't able to. And now Oprah's been calling. Which makes sense, we guess, but we are feeling nervous. Though we love her book club and her "Princess for a Day" shit, we don't quite trust 'The O' to not get all weird and judgy on you.

Did she give you bucks? We hope so.

Either way, you are looking pretty good, if just a little nervous in the promo. But we can feel that, we'd be nervous if we were on Oprah because of a toothache, forget about showing up as a transgender, pregnant, father-to-be. Between now and 4pm Eastern Standard Time, we will watch the promo after the jump and wait for your TV debut.

Teen College Omnisexuals Invade the NYTimes

Bryan Christian — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Long, very interesting article from the Times this weekend on kids who are struggling with the possibility of checking one gender on their college application and another on their graduation papers.

“My body changed in freshman year of high school, and it made me depressed,” Rey said. That year, he started to wonder whether he was really meant to become a woman. His friends in high school were almost all skater boys and musicians, and he related to them as if he were one of them. He began to define himself as “omnisexual,” although he was mostly attracted to women.

[Photo by Gareth McConnell for The New York Times]

The Real Candidate of Change: Transgender GOP'er

Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Chrissy Nakonsky is running for the Minnesota Legislature as an anti-tax Republican. Nakonsky, who is married with three kids, told The Star Tribune, "Republicans swear by not raising taxes, and raising taxes would hurt families in poverty, like mine."

Her choice of political party would not be surprising, except for the fact that until recently, Chrissy was known as Jeff and worked as a local cashier. And we all know Republicans aren't known for supporting LGBT anything. Read more about Nakonsky here.

"It's always the gays spooking you."

Emily Farris — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:24:00 GMT

Transgender actor Candis Cayne, who plays Billy Baldwin's undercover lover on one of our new favorite shows, ABC's Dirty, Sexy Money, is happy to be back at work, after a ten year break:

“I couldn't go out for the drag roles because I was too womanly, and I couldn't go out for the woman roles because there's a gay guy in every single goddamn casting who'd be like, ‘She's a man!' It's always the gays spooking you. But now I think it's the year of the tranny. It's finally my year!”

She's so back, in fact, that Radar Magazine listed her as one of its new Radicals, "the year's most notable rogues, renegades and rule breakers." We're glad to have you back, Candis (not that we knew you before, but still..)!

[BuddyTV: Dirty Sexy Money has 2007's Most Memorable Transgender Character]

Barney Frank Bringing Back the "T"

Nicole Pasulka — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:59:00 GMT

Now that we've calmed down a bit we can share this update on the state of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act proposed by Congressman Barney Frank. While previously Frank had suggested excluding transgender people from the proposed bill that would protect lesbians and gays from being fired or not promoted because of sexual orientation Frank has now followed out lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin's lead and decided to reinstate the "T" and extend protection to transgender employees as well. This is good news. Now we won't be forced to arm our hamsters and storm Washington, DC. (via Queerty)

LGB - and Sometimes, Sort of, Not Really - T

Nicole Pasulka — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:40:00 GMT

Barney Frank, everyone's favorite gay gay gay US Representative, dropped transgender rights from the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. ENDA would make it illegal for an employee to be fired or not promoted because of his or her sexual orientation. Frank's reasoning is that, without offering protection to transgender employees, the bill actually has a chance of passing in Congress. Whatever the case may be, we worry Frank doesn't really give a crap about transgender rights and sees the transgender community as a "burden" to his quest of securing civil and political rights for straight-seeming gay men.

But you know who really doesn't really give a crap about transgender rights? Gay rights “activist” John Aravosis. Despite repeated assurances that he believes transgender people deserve equal rights, Aravosis can't see why "a man who wants to cut off his penis, surgically construct a vagina, and become a woman" should be allowed to infiltrate a civil rights movement he'd like limited to guys like himself. Luckily, we don't have to tell you what we think about the political strategy of compromising transgender people's rights in order to pass a conciliatory, watered down bill, we can let Susan Stryker do it for us in her sharp, clear-headed response to Aravosis' Salon piece. Seriously, homeboy got schooled.