Transexual's divorce stalls when she refuses to be he
Original suit sought annulment, citing laws on same-sex marriages
By HARVEY RICE
Houston Chronicle

A transsexual's attempt to get a regular divorce stalled Wednesday after she refused to be certified as a man, leaving a Harris County judge presiding over a divorce trial between two women.

The refusal by Linda Gail Carter, who legally changed her sex from male to female in May 1998, came during the first day of her trial for divorce from Constance D. Gonzalez.

Carter's refusal to certify that she is a man undercut an attempt by her attorney, Elsie Martin-Simon, to try the case as a regular divorce before State Family Court Judge Lisa Millard.

Millard has imposed a gag order on the participants because of publicity surrounding the case.


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Araujo murder trial in jury's hands
Closing arguments completed in trial of three men accused of killing transgender teen
By Ivan Delventhal, STAFF WRITER


HAYWARD -- An eight-man, four-woman jury impaneled more than seven weeks ago is expected to begin deliberations today in the trial of three men charged in the slaying of a transgender teenager in Newark.

Defense attorneys wrapped up their closing arguments Wednesday, a day after the prosecutor delivered his argument.

Deputy District Attorney Chris Lamiero will have an opportunity to deliver a final summation this morning, after which Judge Harry Sheppard will instruct jurors on the law applicable to the case. The jury then will begin deliberations. If no verdict is reached today, jurors will resume deliberations Monday.

Michael Thorman, attorney for defendant Michael Magidson, argued Wednesday that his client, who had had sex with the transgender 17-year-old while believing the teen to be anatomically female, had been swept up in a heat of passion that stripped him of his reason on the day of the slaying.


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Funding Lost for Gay-themed Anti-smoking Campaign


(Midvale-AP) -- A gay-themed anti-smoking campaign is losing its funding.

The Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Utah says they were informed yesterday they've lost a 100-thousand dollar renewable grant from the state Department of Health, but were not notified why.

The center says they believe the move is related to the t-shirts used in the campaign that say "Queers Kick Ash".

Several students at Hillcrest High School were suspended for wearing the shirts to school last month. School officials say the shirts violated the school dress code which prohibits negative or double meanings that promote sex or drugs.


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Changes to anti-bias approved
By Eric Flowers
The Bulletin

City councilors Wednesday night endorsed a new version of the equal rights ordinance that would make it illegal to discriminate against gays, lesbians and bisexuals in Bend.

In relation to the anti-discrimination ordinance, councilors reviewed minor changes that were recommended by a recently appointed citizen-review panel and conducted a first reading of the proposed ordinance. The law would make it a crime to discriminate against anyone in Bend based on a person's sexual orientation and would protect gays from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations, such as seats at restaurants.

The controversial law was proposed in the wake of an assault on a gay man at a local night club, and as an effort to fight all forms of discrimination against gay men and women in Bend.

City councilors will consider whether to formally adopt the ordinance at their next meeting, June 16 at the Tower Theatre.


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French PM speaks out on same-sex weddings
Ben Townley, Gay.com UK

French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has condemned one mayor's intention to marry a gay couple, claiming the ceremony would be an "illegal event".

Noel Mamere, the Mayor of Bordeaux suburb Begles and a member of the country's Green Party, had said he was happy to marry lesbian and gay couples, since there was nothing in French law to stop the weddings taking place.

The first ceremony is planned to take place this weekend, although opponents throughout the country's parliament and legal system have slammed the decision.

Raffarin has now gone one step further, telling the National Assembly the marriages will not be recognised under French law.


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Court denies custody for lesbian mother
Ben Townley, Gay.com UK

The Supreme Court in Chile has repealed a decision to grant a lesbian mother full custody of her children, claiming her sexuality would have a damaging impact on their lives.

Karen Atala had been awarded custody of her three children by a lower appeal court, before her former husband appealed again and pushed the case to the country's highest court.

In a decision of 3 votes to 2, the judges presiding over the case granted custody to the father, maintaining that Atala's lesbian relationships disqualified her from any custody rights.

The panel of judges opposed to the custody order said the children could be emotionally and sexually stunted by the "replacement [of a father figure] by another person of the female gender. They also claimed that the children would be subjected to rejection because their family unit was "significantly different" to the norm.


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Canada delays action on gay blessings
 

Anglican Church of Canada delegates have voted to delay action for three years on whether to allow dioceses to bless gay couples.

But in a surprise move, liberal delegates asked the church to "affirm the integrity and sanctity of committed adult same sex relationships" whether or not formal blessing rituals occurred.

Action on that measure was delayed until today, but voting on the procedural motion indicated that it could pass - a result that will possibly spark a controversy.

World Anglicanism is already severely split over homosexuality, particularly the consecration of an openly gay bishop by the Episcopal Church in the United States.


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Churches to fast, pray against gay marriage


Some Indianapolis churches are sponsoring three days of fasting and prayer today, Friday and Saturday in opposition to same-sex marriage.

The event starts at 8 a.m. today at the Abundant Life International Church, 5565 N. Moller Road, and will continue until 5 p.m. Saturday. Next week, an appeals court will hear arguments in the Massachusetts same-sex marriage case.
Other Indianapolis-area churches sponsoring the event include the New Beginning Ministries International and The Hope Church Ministries.


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Band Trip To Orlando On Despite ŒGay Days'


KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) -- About 200 Kearney High School band members and parents were still planning to travel to Orlando, Fla. this week, despite the trip coinciding with a festival called ŒŒGay Days.''

The band members were expected to board buses early Thursday morning to travel to Walt Disney World for a Sunday performance.

The performance coincides with ŒŒGay Days'' an event that is expected to draw more than 100,000 gay and lesbian vacationers to the same theme park.

Some parents chose to pull their teenagers from the trip when hearing about Gay Days.