NEWS ITEM - Contestants in TS gameshow to sue Sky by Jason Deans (from the Guardian) on 31 October 2003

A group of male contestants who took part in a Sky One reality show in which they competed to win the affections of a woman who turned out to be a transexual are about to launch legal action to prevent the programme being broadcast.
The six contestants have instructed law firm Schillings, which specialises in media cases, to begin legal proceedings against Sky and the show's producer, independent company Brighter Pictures.

A central element of the case is said to revolve around whether contracts the six men signed giving Sky permission to broadcast the show, Find Me a Man, before filming began are legally binding.
Find Me a Man, which was filmed in Ibiza during the summer, pitted seven single men - all aged between 20 and 35 and described as "lively and outgoing"- against each other in a contest to win the affections of the woman. The men had to pick the woman they found most attractive from a lineup and all selected Miriam - who, unknown to them, was a male pre-operative transexual.

Only at the end of the show did they find out, and it is understood several of the contestants reacted badly when they found out Miriam's secret. A show insider said: They are horrified because there are shots of them snogging, cuddling and groping her. At the end of the show she sat them down and told them, ‘I’ve got something to show you’, then lifted up her skirt. One lad was so outraged he hit the producer in the face. It’s the cruellest reality show yet.

Members of the Brighter Pictures production team on the show are said to have been very upset by what happened and have offered to help the contestants in their legal action.
Cameras filmed them attempting to woo the object of their affections, including scenes of them kissing.
It is understood one of the areas of legal contention are the consent forms they signed. Sources say they were signed just before Miriam's secret was revealed, although neither Schillings or Sky were available for comment. A spokesman for the programme makers said they had made a point of never referring to Miriam as a woman when getting the men to take part. "As Miriam is a transexual, I would never refer to her as male or female. She is a gorgeous creature," he said.

Find Me A Man follows in the footsteps of US show Joe Millionaire, in which a group of women vied to win the hand of a wealthy businessman, only to find out he was a cash-strapped builder.

NEWS ITEM - Transsexuals want right to stay married......December 2003

Transsexuals are demanding the right to stay married even after they have undergone sex change operations, MSPs heard yesterday.
Under the overview of the Gender Recognition Bill, transsexuals would be given greater legal rights and recognition. However, the measures, which are due to pass through Westminster and will apply in Scotland, would mean that transsexuals would be forced to dissolve their marriages. This is because, under UK law, people of the same gender cannot be married.
Yesterday, members of the Scottish Parliament's equal opportunities committee heard evidence from members of transgender groups who have undergone gender realignment procedures.Among them were transsexuals pleading for new laws to allow them to remain married. Tim Hopkins, of the Equality Network -- a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organisation -- said that, despite overwhelming support for the bill, there were some areas of concern.
"It is a very welcome bill, but there are some problems and it is now a case of whether these problems can be ironed out," he said."One point that was made against the government's stance of forbidding same sex marriages, was that transsexuals are already married before they change sex."But it is not the same thing as two members of the same sex getting married. This legislation is forcing people to choose between their families and spouses and who they really are. "We would hope that the Scottish Parliament will take on board what the committee heard and will urge the Scottish

Executive to consider asking Westminster for permission to make adjustments to the bill in Scotland."Of the 300 transsexuals known to GPs in Scotland, there are between 15 and 20 married couples who could be forced to divorce in Scotland as a result of the new law. Andrea Brown, who became a woman but stayed married to her wife, said she saw no reason why they could not remain together. "It's quite possible to just put one line in which says that where the marriage is legal and both parties wish to continue, they should be allowed to," she said. "You're not setting a precedent where same sex couples are being allowed to enter into a marriage, it's allowing a marriage to continue. "We are talking about just a handful of people in very exceptional circumstances -- we're not opening any floodgates."
In a statement from two transsexual men, aged 23 and 18, yesterday's committee was told: "We are unhappy that the bill forces married transsexual people to end their marriages before they can get their gender fully legally recognised. "Transsexual people should not be forced to choose between their human rights and the protections marriage provides their family. We wish to see it become the law for the whole of the United Kingdom as soon as possible."

The planned reforms are a consequence of a 2002 ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, which said the UK was breaching the right to respect for privacy and family life and the right to marry. Despite concerns about the marriage part of the bill, those giving evidence yesterday gave it their support.

Yesterday, the Scottish Executive said it sympathised with the concerns of Scotland's transsexual community but that it stood by Westminster's stance on marriage.
A spokesman said: "The aim of the bill is to improve rights for transgender people but not to make special allowances (for transsexuals) that are not available to other people in Scotland."

NEWS ITEM - Grayson Perry Wins Turner Prize!!!

Grayson and Claire, both won the Turner Prize. Controversial it has always been! Art from unmade beds to cows sawn in half the Turner Prize is very cutting edge and what Britain is all about. Eccentric, interesting, sometimes just plain nuts! But for once some real art - like the stuff we think of as art seems to have succeeded - the eccentric part? Well some might say little Bo Peep going up to collect it could be a 'little eccentric'.

Grayson Perry, 43, collected the £20,000 prize, presented by Sir Peter Blake at a ceremony at Tate Britain in London. The prize money will be shared with Claire, the burliest glamour girl in town, whose ruched satin "coming out dress", exquisitely embroidered with phallic symbols, hangs on one wall of the exhibition gallery. Collecting the Prize dressed as his alter ego Claire she commented," It's about time a transvestite potter won the Turner Prize," Claire said as she picked up his award.
Grayson is expected to spend the prize money on a combination of family, motorbikes and daughter Florence's school fees. Anyone who saw this loving family on Richard and Judy the next day still dressed in full Bo Peep attire with a lovely wife and supportive daughter does demonstrate just how being transvestite can be something to be proud of.
Grayson Perry, is known for vases depicting images of sex, was considered an unlikely choice for the controversial award - because 'he' is a potter. "I think the art world had more difficulty coming to terms with me being a potter than my choice of frocks", he joked. "I'm not a standard bearer for ceramics. People say 'Is the art world accepting ceramics?'. I say no, they're accepting Grayson Perry." "I don't think the choice is a strategic choice, I think the jury felt strongly that these were the works of a very strong artist who happens to be using ceramics and drawing," said Sir Nicholas Serota, one of the judges. "I don't think this is the year of the pot! (because of this award)"

The Turner Prize - first awarded in 1984 - is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition of work in the previous 12 months. Its aim is "to promote public discussion of new developments in contemporary British art".

Little Bo Peep Grayson's Alter Ego and inspiration Claire

NEWS ITEM - Transvestite stabbed to death

A TRANSVESTITE has died in hospital after suffering multiple stab wounds in inner Sydney early today.
Detective Inspector Jenny Hayes of Kings Cross police said the man, aged between 28 and 30, suffered several stab wounds to the neck.
She said he was attacked in Rosella Lane, off Stanley Street, Darlinghurst, around 1am (AEDT).Ambulance officers attended to the man after he staggered to the corner of Crown and Stanley Streets. He was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where he died a short time later.

"He was dressed as a woman," Det Insp Hayes said. "We have found a knife but we do not believe it is connected to this crime scene.
"Police are scouring the garbage and back yards now trying to find the murder weapon." The man has yet to be identified and police are speaking to several people who may be able to assist them.
Police are appealing for any witnesses to contact Kings Cross police or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000

NEWS ITEM - Anger over transsexual marriage

A senior bishop has hit out at plans to allow transsexuals to marry in their adopted sex.
Bishop of Winchester, the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, said the move would undermine marriage as everyone understands it, between men and women.
The measure is a key part of the Gender Recognition Bill, which is likely to face a rocky ride through Parliament. But Lord Filkin, for the government, said the bill reflected Labour's commitment to "social inclusion".
Mr Scott-Joynt said "marriage according to the law of the land is the union of one man with one woman and that is proclaimed by the plaque in the wall of every Register Office". He added: "To change fundamentally that character of marriage will have incalculable effects down all the years to come. "If this bill is passed into law as it stands, the words 'woman' and 'man' will no longer mean what everyone including the law has always thought that they meant. "Whatever its protestations, the government will have introduced marriage of two people of the same sex."

The draft Gender Recognition Bill was published one year after a landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that current UK law breached transsexuals' human rights.
Earlier this year transsexual Elizabeth Bellinger and her husband Michael lost their battle to have their 22-year marriage declared legal. Elizabeth, 56, underwent a male-to-female sex change operation in 1981 and married Michael Bellinger the same year. The registrar who married the couple did not ask for any evidence of Mrs Bellinger's gender and the couple have lived since then as husband and wife.
But the British legal system as it stands does not accept the validity of the marriage and last year Mrs Bellinger's case was heard by the House of Lords, the highest court in the UK.
In April five Law Lords rejected the Lincolnshire couple's marriage, saying Parliament regards gender at birth as fixed for life.

Officials expect 300 people a year to apply for new birth certificates, once a current backlog of 5,000 is cleared.

Under the proposals a new body, the Gender Recognition Panel, will be set up to assess applications for new birth certificates.
The bill will benefit only a few thousand people, but the government says it is an important measure to restore the human rights of a vulnerable minority.
Transsexuals will have to meet medical criteria, give a sworn oath that they have lived in their new gender for at least a few years and that they intend to continue in their new gender until death.

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