Fridae

Outrage over the murder of a Filipino transsexual, allegedly at the hands of a US Marine, has obscured rather than highlighted the troubling vulnerability of sexual minorities to discriminatory violence in the Philippines, according to a recent report by The China Post.

A transgender man will challenge the Hong Kong government over its controversial Marriage (Amendment) Bill that requires transgender people to undergo a sex-change operation in order to marry or be legally recognized by their chosen gender.

A 26-year-old transgender, who took her case to court after the National Registration Department refused to update her name and gender on her identity card despite having undergone a complete sex reassignment surgery, has lost her case.

A contestant on last weekend's Thailand's Got Talent show got the judges' approval and the audience cheering; and made fans of viewers around the world.

In the first case of its kind, a 20-something transgender woman who brought a legal case against the government in the hopes of establishing her right to marry her boyfriend has lost her case.

In what has been described a "rare" case, Malaysia's New Straits Times reported that a 38-year-old Malaysian transsexual was recently given refugee status in Australia as only 12 transsexuals were given asylum in Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada between 1994 and 2008.

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.

Malaysia's PT Foundation Transsexual Programme Drop In Centre to commemorate the 11th International Transgender Day Of Remembrance on Nov 20.

Despite its reputation as a conservative society, South Korea's trans population is winning rights through the nation's courts. Matt Kelley and Mike Lee report from Seoul.

While we now have books and court decisions on "transgender rights," maybe we need a bit of guidance on terms and issues. Here is an introduction on Trans Law 101 by Prof Douglas Sanders.