Sylvia Guerrero honored by foundation
NEWARK


Sylvia Guerrero, the mother of a transgender Newark youth who was killed after others at a Newark party discovered the 17-year-old was biologically male, is the recipient of a Special Courage Award presented by the Colin Higgins Foundation.

In awarding Guerrero a $5,000 grant, the foundation cited her work as "a mentor to transgender youth" and her "travels around the country to educate communities about transgender issues and advocate change."

Guerrero also will receive a scholarship to attend the 17th annual National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change Conference.

"Sylvia has endured unthinkable tragedy, yet still finds the strength to make a difference in the lives of others through her advocacy work," said Catalina Ruiz-Healy, manager of the foundation, established by screenwriter, director and producer Colin Higgins in 1986 to further his humanitarian goals


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Gay officer awarded $2.8 million in harrassment suit


A jury has awarded $2.8 million to a former Essex County sheriff's officer who said other officers sexually harassed her because she is a lesbian.


The Union County jury returned the verdict Monday for Karen Caggiano, 43, of Bridgewater, after a three-week trial. Caggiano testified that she had to use the same bathroom and locker room as male officers in the late 1990s, and that pictures of naked women were posted on lockers. She endured lewdness, including one sheriff's officer who repeatedly exposed himself in front of her, her lawyers said.



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School Scraps Cross-Dressing Day


Note to boys in the tiny Spurger, Texas, school district: Put away those high heels and pleated skirts. Instead, wear black boots and Army camouflage to school Wednesday.

A parent's concerns prompted the district 150 miles northeast of Houston to scrap its annual "TWIRP Day" - when boys dress like girls and girls dress like boys- in favor of "Camo Day."

TWIRP stands for "The Woman Is Requested to Pay," and for years Spurger schools hosted the day during Homecoming Week to give boys and girls a chance to reverse social roles and let older girls invite boys on dates, open doors and pay for sodas.

Plano-based Liberty Legal Institute issued a news release Tuesday reporting that it "came to the aid of a concerned parent requesting an excused absence for her children on official cross-dressing day in her children's elementary school."