Fridae

The New Straits Times's Audrey Vijaindren asks if Malaysian society lacks compassion and kindness towards transgenders as the media reports on Fatine Young, a Malaysian transsexual who faces deportation (and possibly jail) to Malaysia for overstaying in Britain with her husband.

Transgender women from 10 Asia-Pacific countries and areas have formed the world's first Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN) to champion transgender women's health, legal and social rights.

China's first partially government-funded gay bar opened last weekend after a three-week delay caused by intense media coverage which owners fear may scare off potential patrons.

Mexico City's legislature on Monday approved gay marriage, in the first such law passed anywhere in predominantly Catholic Latin America.

Hong Kong’s Legislative Council on Wednesday passed an amendment to the domestic violence law to extend its provisions to same-sex couples.

The Philippnes Commission on Elections (Comelec) has upheld a recent decision in which it barred Ang Ladlad, a LBGT political party, from running in the national elections next year.

A LGBT organisation in Mongolia has finally succeeded in having its application to be officially recognised accepted by the government after at least ten attempts.

The BBC had to rephrase their poll title after it drew intense criticism from readers and lawmakers for inviting debate on whether gays and lesbians should face execution in Uganda.

Following news of a similar Anti-Homosexuality Bill that is being proposed in neighbouring Uganda, the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission reports that the lower house of the Rwandan Parliament will hold its final debate on a draft revision of the penal code that will, for the first time, make homosexuality a crime in Rwanda.

Uganda is likely to pass a law within months that will make homosexuality a capital offence, joining 37 other countries in the continent where American evangelical Christian groups are increasingly spreading bigotry.