Students call for new transgender policy

by Alli Hoff and Emily Cahn
Hatchet Staff Writers

2/5/09


The Student Association joined an LGBTQ student organization last week in demanding explicit protection for transgender students in the University Code of Conduct.

Members of the Allied in Pride student organization have been fighting to alter the University's anti-discrimination policy to include transgender students - and won a major victory on Jan. 27 when the SA voted unanimously to support the change.

The vote came after junior Devin Alston-Smith testified during an SA public comment session that he was harassed by the sisters of Zeta Phi Beta sorority, of which he was a member, and later forced to withdraw from the multicultural sorority for dressing and identifying himself as male - though he was born female.

"All of a sudden, it was just a huge problem - the way I dress, how I identified," Alston-Smith later said in an interview.

Zeta Phi Beta President Vanessa White challenged Alston-Smith's assertion, saying that he was suspended from active participation in the chapter because he failed to provide their graduate chapter with his transcript, adding that she was unaware harassment had been an issue. . . .Read More

Even Transsexuals Need To Pee Somewhere

By Cathy Matusow in Spaced City

Feb. 5 2009


If you're a transsexual and you gotta pee, there are at least 21 locations in Houston where you won't run into any problems - at least according to safe2pee.org, a website that lists 1,848 transsexual-friendly bathrooms in 476 cities.

Hair Balls tried to get in touch with the person who started the site, but we haven't heard back. But in the FAQ section, ze writes:

"So the story goes something like this: Back in Fall 06 there was a really bored queer. Ze had a lot of extra days off, and roaming corners of san francisco by bicycle, was in need of safe (gender neutral) places to pee. Ze remembered reading about PISSR years before, but was not able to find the site anymore, and could not contact the great people behind it.... and so the idea occurred to create a fun, new dynamic gender neutral bathroom resource! The project grew as the community added hundreds of bathrooms and others joined, wanting to work to add more features and improve the site."

The Houston section lists some places you'd expect - JR's, the Mining Company, Baba Yega - and some other places that just seem random, like the Popeyes on Harrisburg and a couple of Jack in the Boxes. . . .Read More

Isle of Man politician compared to Nazis over trans comments

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • February 11, 2009

A member of the Isle of Man's parliament has been accused of using language more akin to the Nazis during a debate about the rights of transexuals.

John Houghton, a House of Keys member for Douglas North, spoke out against a gender recognition bill that will bring Isle of Man legislation into line with the UK.

"It defies common decency," he said.

"I can't support it, I won't support it. It takes human rights too far."

Fellow MHK Peter Karran (Onchan) told iomotoday.com.im:

"It's what the Nazis used to say about the Jews.

"I thought we had got away from this Island being seen as a fascist, reactionary backwater." . . .Read More

Spanish Defence Ministry to allow transsexuals to enter the armed forces

By h.b. - Feb 11, 2009

The change in medical legislation is being planned following the second rejection of a 28 year old transsexual from Jaén who was not recruited because of his lack of a penis. . . .Read More