[Europe]
PACE Speech of Petra De Sutter
On April 22, 2015, Petra De Sutter delivered a very personal and intense speech in the debate on the Trans Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Find below the verbatim transcript.

[Europe]
Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli addresses Council of Europe parliamentary assembly
Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties Dr Helena Dalli was invited to address the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Bill that was recently enacted in Malta.

[UK]
Kellie Maloney to feature in emotional gender transition documentary on Channel 5
Kellie Maloney is getting her own one-hour documentary on Channel 5.

[Japan]
Japan university scraps 20-year-old event mocking trans women and gays
Male students dress up in women’s clothing, 'act gay' and sell kisses

[Canada]
From This Day Forward: Growing up with a transgender father
Screening at Hot Docs, director Sharon Shattuck’s From This Day Forward is an insightful film about growing up with a transgender father

[Canada]
Saskatchewan flies Trans Flag as community's rights still remain uneven
Saskatchewan became the first province in Canada to fly the flag of the transgender community on March 31. Though the action is symbolic, it comes at a time where the acceptance of transgender individuals has often lagged behind those of the wider LGBTQ community.

[USA]
Fox News Guest: Being A Transgender Kid Is The Same As Pretending To Be A Dog
Earlier this month, students in grades K-3 at Mitchell Primary School in Kittery, Maine were read the book I Am Jazz, a story about a young transgender child “with a boy’s body but a girl’s brain.” The book had been promoted by the school’s guidance counselor, Dana Richerich, in a blog post back in February. She pointed out that the Maine Supreme Court’s decision last year guaranteeing transgender students recognition in schools “highlighted the need for ALL of us — staff, students, parents, community — to learn more.”
Fox News contributor insults transgender kids: “When I was a child, I thought I was a cocker spaniel”

[USA]
Laverne Cox named one of world's most beautiful women by People Magazine
But Sandra Bullock gets the cover of the annual issue dedicated to female beauties

[AL, USA]
Transgender in Alabama: Watch a video preview of our upcoming coverage
Transgender issues have come to prominence across the nation in recent months, as newfound education and awareness have butted up against ongoing hate and violence.

[AZ, USA]
UPDATE: Free Nicoll: Guatemalan Transgender Woman is Given Asylum After 6 Months in All-Male Detention Center
Nicoll Hernández-Polando was given asylum in the U.S. We heard the news a couple hours after a judge set her bond. She is en route to Tucson as we speak!

[CA, USA]
Transgender Inmate's Attorneys Oppose Delaying Surgery
Attorneys representing a transgender prison inmate on Wednesday asked a federal judge to stick with his order that California officials must immediately provide the inmate with sex reassignment surgery.

[CA, USA]
Anti-trans ballot measure introduced in CA
A California group long opposed to LGBT rights has introduced a ballot measure that would legislate which public restrooms transgender people could use.

[CA, USA]
Bill aims to protect trans foster youth
A state bill that would ensure transgender foster youth are placed in welcoming and affirming homes passed out of its first legislative committee this week.

[FL, USA]
Employment Discrimination against Transgender Residents Costs the State of Florida
The State of Florida spends more than a half million dollars each year as the result of employment discrimination against transgender residents, according to a new report co-authored by Taylor N.T. Brown, policy analyst, and Jody L. Herman, scholar of public policy at the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

[MI, USA]
GOP Senate Source: MiRFRA Will Have Hearing Tuesday April 28, No Vote Expected
Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge,, chair of the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee, has confirmed with Between The Lines that the controversial Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act (MiRFRA) -- introduced as SB 0004 by GOP Sen. Mike Shirkey of Clark Lake -- will receive a hearing before the Senate Judiciary committee on Tuesday, April 28.

[MN, USA]
MN religious right continues anti-transgender campaign, goes after Jazz Jennings
Despite stalling in the Minnesota Legislature, a Republican-backed bill targeting transgender-inclusive school policies is getting a lot of attention from Minnesota’s religious right.

[NY, USA]
Statement Regarding New York State Assembly Committee Votes on GENDA and to Protect Youth from Conversion Therapy
“Moments ago the New York State Assembly Codes Committee passed both the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and the bill to protect youth from conversion therapy. Earlier today, the Government Operations Committee passed GENDA with bipartisan support. We are encouraged to see these two life-saving bills move forward in the legislative process and are hopeful they will become law during this legislative session. These early victories are due in large part to the tremendous leadership of the respective bill sponsors, Assembly Members Dick Gottfried and Deborah Glick.

[SC, USA]
Upstate teen told to take off makeup for DMV photo settles lawsuit
Representatives from an organization that filed a lawsuit on behalf of Chase Culpepper, the Upstate teen who was forced to take off her makeup for a driver's license picture, said the lawsuit has been settled.
Transgender teen can wear makeup in South Carolina DMV photo
S.C. transgender teen can wear makeup for driver’s license photo
Victory! TLDEF Reaches Settlement in Landmark Federal Lawsuit Against South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles on Behalf of Transgender Teen Forced to Remove Makeup for Driver's License Photo
Settlement Reached in Landmark Federal Lawsuit Against South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles on Behalf of Transgender Teen Forced to Remove Makeup for Driver's License Photo

[SD, USA]
Schools to be asked if they wish to keep transgender policy
Directors for the South Dakota High School Activities Association voted unanimously Wednesday to survey schools on whether they prefer a statewide or local policy on transgender athletic participation.

[TX, USA]
Kammie's story: Being a transgender teen
Fifteen-year-old Kammie Johnson is full of fun and personality. Her heart is exactly what she hopes people see.

[Mexico]
Abierto el Congreso a analizar reconocimiento de personas transgénero: Diputado
El Congreso del Estado está abierto a escuchar y estudiar las propuestas de las asociaciones civiles de diversidad sexual, sobre el reconocimiento de personalidad a los ciudadanos que modifiquen su sexo, aseguró el legislador panista Miguel Maza Hernández. - See more at: http://pulsoslp.com.mx/2015/04/12/abierto-el-congreso-a-analizar-reconocimiento-de-personas-trasngenero-diputado/#sthash.gwrxWcDo.dpuf
Los que quieren cambiar de sexo "no han logrado armonía interior”: Iglesia
Aplauden transexuales propuestas a su favor

[Mexico]
Obtienen 2 mujeres trans potosinas reconocimiento legal de nombre e identidad de género
Dos mujeres trans potosinas fueron reconocidas legalmente con el nombre y la identidad de género con la cual se identifican en un Registro Civil de la Ciudad de México, informó la Organización no gubernamental (ONG), Colectivo por la Diversidad Sexual y Equidad de Género (CODISEEG).
Transgénero potosinas realizan cambio de identidad en el DF

[Ecuador]
Ecuador oficializa que uniones homosexuales y transexuales se registren como estado civil
Integrantes de uniones de hecho de todo tipo podrán contar en su DNI con su nueva condición.
Ecuadorian lawmakers approve civil unions bill

[Ecuador]
Silueta X pide investigación por supuesta transfobia
El Colectivo Silueta X demandó de la Policía una investigación profunda para determinar los móviles del asesinato de Jhon Jairo Barcia Camejo, conocido según la agrupación como ‘Tatty’, quien era miembro de la organización que defiende los derechos de los grupos Glbti.
La víctima de 21 años de edad, cuyo cuerpo fue desmembrado y depositado en fundas plásticas en el sector de Nueva Prosperina, más allá de la hipótesis policial, sería, para este colectivo, también un caso transfobia, es decir, de odio por su diferencia sexual.

[Colombia]
Asesinado otro miembro de la comunidad LGBTI
La comunidad LGBTI en Cesar, está preocupada con el índice de asesinatos ocurridos en los últimos años en su contra. Este fin de semana, un integrante de esa colectividad fue asesinado en el Municipio de Aguachica.
El hecho se presentó antes de la media noche del viernes, en el kilómetro 68+800 metros, frente a la estación de servicio La Universal, luego de que las autoridades fueran alertadas del asesinato de una mujer que vestía un body negro, una minifalda de jean y sandalias. La comunidad alertó sobre el homicidio de una mujer en la vereda ‘La Campana’ o ‘Cerro de Los Chivos’ como se le conoce a este parador turístico de Aguachica.

[Colombia]
Caso de discriminación en discoteca
Daniela Mejía Ortiz, la dosquebradense representante de Colombia en el reinado Miss International Queen, fue discriminada supuestamente por empleados de una discoteca ubicada en el sector de la avenida Circunvalar de Pereira, pues al parecer le negaron el acceso por su identidad sexual.