Transsexual not allowed to compete for Miss Shenzhen title


Li Guohua, a transsexual from Anhua County, Hunan Province, was refused entrance to the Miss Shenzhen competition by the organizing committee, which cited age and certain restrictions as reasons, according to the Southern Metropolitan News on August 25.

Li, realized his dream of turning into a woman at the age of 30 in August.

TAccording to regulations, women over 26 who don't hold a high school diploma are not qualified to participate in the Miss Shenzhen competition.

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Cabinet assents to same-sex marriage Bill


The South African Cabinet has given the nod to the Civil Unions Bill -- which effectively allows recognition of same-sex marriages and grants gay couples similar rights to heterosexual couples.

At a media conference at Parliament on Thursday, government spokesperson Themba Maseko said the Bill takes into account the Constitutional Court judgement that found that the common-law definition of marriage in the Marriage Act of 1961 was unconstitutional, "insofar as it failed to give the same status, benefits and responsibilities to same-sex unions that marriage accorded to heterosexual couples".


Parliament was given until the end of the year to pass this legislation in terms of the court judgement. Maseko indicated that the Bill -- which will complement the existing Marriage Act -- will also provide for the recognition of domestic partnerships between adults "whether same or different sex who had not concluded a marriage or civil partnership".