NEWS ITEM - One Dollar for transsexuals law suit win.....July 7, 2002

A jury on June 27 found that three transsexuals who sued Toys R Us were harassed by workers while shopping at a Brooklyn store but don't deserve $900,000 in damages. Plaintiff attorney Tom Shanahan called the verdict in federal court--in which the jury agreed that the Toys R Us employees violated city civil rights codes--"a moral victory for the transsexual community." But one of Shanahan's clients, Donna McGrath, said she was disappointed with jurors' decision to award each plaintiff only $1.

McGrath, Tanya Jinks and Tara Lopez had each sought $300,000 in damages in what Shanahan described as a landmark lawsuit combining issues of sexual identity, civil rights and corporate responsibility. The plaintiffs claimed that during two shopping excursions at a Toys R Us store in December 2000, employees called them names and menaced them with baseball bats. They accused the company of ignoring its own anti-discrimination policies by not disciplining any workers. At trial, Toys R Us attorney Nicholas Goodman accused the plaintiffs of distorting the facts. He insisted there were no threats of violence.

NEWS ITEM - Gang Grab Fake Breasts........July 5, 2002

United Kingdom --- A GANG of thieves broke into a factory and stole 117 fake breasts. The raiders chose a variety of sizes from 28A to 44C, each worth £8. Officers are baffled by the raid on Amoeba Ltd in Hampshire. One said: "Quite frankly the mind boggles." But managing director David Butler said the foam breasts could have been stolen to order for the transvestite market.

NEWS ITEM - Mexican immigrant who claims she was raped sues U.S.

A Mexican immigrant who maintains she was sexually assaulted twice by an immigration guard is suing the U.S. government, saying its employees were negligent by failing to heed her complaints. Christina Madrazo seeks damages in excess of $1 million and accuses supervisors at the Krome Detention Center in southwest Miami-Dade County of negligence for "carelessly and wrongfully" failing to keep former guard Lemar Smith away from her, according to the suit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court. Madrazo, a transsexual who was housed in a glass-walled isolation room off a 40-bed women's dormitory at Krome for 18 days in May 2000, said she complained to a supervisor and several Immigration and Naturalization Service employees that Smith assaulted her. A few days later Smith raped her again, she alleged. "She complained to a supervisor, she complained to her own consul from her country, she complained to a doctor, employees and nothing was done," attorney Robert Sheldon said. "She was left alone with the same guy. He raped her again nine days later." Smith was originally charged with rape but pleaded guilty to in May to two misdemeanor counts of sexual contact with a detainee in his custody. He was sentenced last July to eight months in prison and lost his job at Krome.

Madrazo, originally from Veracruz, Mexico, has requested asylum in the United States, claiming she was persecuted in her homeland because she is a transsexual. She was transferred from Krome to a psychiatric hospital, where she stayed for two months, Sheldon said. Madrazo now lives in Miami Beach, works at a clothing store and attends community college while she awaits a decision on her political asylum request, Sheldon said. "She's had depression, she's had sleeping problems, she's been through hell," Sheldon said. Sheldon said the government offered to Madrazo $15,000 to settle last month. "If it wasn't rape, they shouldn't be offering anything, and if it was rape, it's really not a reasonable offer for someone who was raped twice," Sheldon said. "It's almost an insult."

INS spokesman Rodney Germain said Wednesday the agency had not received a copy of the lawsuit and declined to comment on the specifics of Madrazo's case. At least nine detainees complained they were victims of sexual abuse at Krome. Some women detainees said they were promised freedom and other favors in exchange for sex. Investigators also uncovered evidence of bribe-taking and theft. Smith is the only employee to have been brought up on charges. A contract officer was fired after allegations were brought against him, Germain said.

NEWS ITEM - Methodist transgender minister resigns......July 2, 2002

A United Methodist minister who took a leave of absence to undergo a sex-change operation has resigned from the denomination rather than press for her reinstatement to ministry. The Rev. Rebecca A. Steen, previously the Rev. Richard A. Zamostny, submitted her resignation in the opening minutes Friday of a church hearing on whether to reinstate her. Zamostny, who had been a pastor in Thurmont and Rockville, took a voluntary leave of absence in October 1999 to undergo the sex-change operation. Despite opposition by conservative Methodists, the Book of Discipline, which governs the church, has no provision prohibiting transgender clergy. Steen asked to return to active ministry, but her appointment was held up after a fellow minister filed a confidential complaint against her. In a statement, Bishop Felton Edwin May said the complaint, which remains confidential, "did not concern Rev. Steen's gender reassignment, but issues of pastoral effectiveness prior to her voluntary leave of absence." Church officials had gathered Friday to consider the complaint against Steen when she submitted her resignation. May and other Baltimore-Washington Conference officials have called on the denomination to address the issue of transgender clergy at the next General Conference in 2004.

NEWS ITEM - 3 New York Transsexuals sue Toy 'R' Us... June 28 2002

A jury yesterday found that three transsexuals who sued Toys "R'' Us were harassed by workers while shopping at a Brooklyn store but don't deserve $900,000 in damages. Plaintiff attorney Tom Shanahan called the verdict in federal court -- in which the jury agreed that the Toys "R'' Us employees violated city civil rights codes -- "a moral victory for the transsexual community.''But one of Shanahan's clients, Donna McGrath, said she was disappointed with jurors' decision to award each plaintiff only $1. "They don't understand us,'' McGrath said. "They can't walk in our shoes.''Attorneys for Toys "R'' Us, the country's second-largest seller of toys, had no immediate comment. McGrath, Tanya Jinks and Tara Lopez had each sought $300,000 in damages in what Shanahan described as a landmark lawsuit combining issues of sexual identity, civil rights and corporate responsibility. The plaintiffs alleged that during two shopping excursions at a Toys "R'' Us store in December 2000, employees called them names and menaced them with baseball bats because of their lifestyle. They accused the company of ignoring its own anti-discrimination policies by not disciplining any workers.

NEWS ITEM - Transvestite convicted of murder......June 27, 2002

A transvestite who stabbed his friend to death when he discovered he had bedded his wife was last week jailed for life. Malcolm French, 52, knifed Christopher Loftus, 32 in the neck as they tussled at French's in Leafy Way, Croydon. French's marriage to wife Deborah ended when he confessed he had secretly dressed in women's clothes for 40 years. French, lately of Camberley, was badly injured during the incident. He had denied murder, claiming he acted in self-defence. But on Wednesday, June 19, a jury convicted him of murder after almost eight hours' deliberation. Jailing him for life, Judge David Stokes, QC, said: "You murdered him out of jealousy. "Before you did so, you said, If I can't have her, no one else can". French had been married to mother-of-two Deborah for more than eight years, but relationship problems began in 1999. Mr Loftus supported Mrs French as she tried to deal with the split but the relationship developed and in early September 2001 Mr Loftus took French's place in the home. French at first appeared to accept his wife's new relationship, but later began a campaign of abusive phonecalls. On September 11, he called at the house saying he needed to pick up some cable for work. But when Mrs French let him in, the defendant pounced on Mr Loftus. Prosecuting, Wendy Joseph QC said: "The defendant saw Mr Loftus, rushed into the living room, and got on top of him, straddling him on the sofa." During the attack, French shouted: "I am going down for this anyway, I might as well make it a good job." Horrified Mrs French ran for help. Giving evidence French told the court how he found Loftus at the marital home with a smug grin on his face'. He said he stabbed Mr Loftus only after being stabbed several times in the chest and stomach. French told the court: "It was him or me, as simple as that. He was going to finish me off. I was terrified." He then took the knife and slit his own throat, the jury heard. "I was just overwhelmed. I had killed my friend. I just wanted to die."

NEWS ITEM - Compensation for Post-op TS in UK.....June 27, 2002

A post-operative transsexual has received £22,000 in a settlement after she was discriminated against in her job as a production-line worker. Clare Steen claimed she was directed towards the men's changing rooms and was given work in an all-male team at Structural Polymer Systems in Newport, Isle of Wight. Ms Steen was also upset by "blokey comments" being made about her transsexuality and claimed her team leader spoke to her in an abusive manner which she believed he would not use with other women. Two months after complaining to the managing director, Paul Rudling, and the head of human resources, Ms Steen lost her job. Mr Rudling said in a statement: "I am outraged at the outcome and loss that we have suffered, through I believe no fault on our part. "I intend, however, to ask our Member of Parliament to examine the activities of the Equal Opportunities Commission. Personally I am appalled at their behaviour in this instance." Ms Steen began working for the company in November 2000. Her initial appraisal in May 2001 said she fitted in well and displayed the right attitude. She was dismissed on the grounds of unsuitability for the job. The company cited unfounded allegations against other employees and an unwillingness to play a full part in the team as reasons for dismissal. The £22,000 compensation was agreed before any tribunal hearing and included loss of earnings and £10,000 for injury to feelings.

NEWS ITEM - Working group on transsexual people to reconvene..........27 June 2002

The government is to give further consideration to issues affecting transsexual people. Officials from across government will discuss matters affecting transexual people such as birth certificates, inheritance provision, family law and pension rights. Ministers have decided that reconvening the interdepartmental group of officials is the best way to achieve comprehensive consideration of the wide range of policy issues. The report of the original Working Group was presented to Parliament in July 2000. It identified three possible options: to retain the status quo and leave the law unchanged; to issue birth certificates showing a transsexual person's new name and, possibly, sex, and to grant full legal recognition of the acquired gender. Ministers have now agreed to reconvene the Working Group, to look further into the implications of the possible changes in policy identified in the report, and will report to Ministers later this year.

NEWS ITEM - Transgendered woman thrown out of a US amusement park....June 26 2002

Sandusky--Mother Rachael, a transgendered Clevelander born Harry Prather, was ejected from Cedar Point for dressing as a woman on June 16, less than two weeks after she filed suit against the amusement park for kicking her out during last year's unofficial Gay Day celebration.

The suit was filed with the Erie County Court of Common Pleas the first week in June. Rachel had gone to the amusement park near Sandusky for Gay Day, held on Father's Day every year to take advantage of the lower number of visitors to the park. She was dressed, as is her norm, in women's clothing. "Two security officers approached her and told her to report to the security office," said Rachel's attorney, Larry Zukerman. "They interrogated her, and once they determined that she was a cross-dresser, the told her to leave." "They wouldn't let her go back and tell her friends she was being expelled," Zukerman continued. She was refunded the cost of admission and driven out of the park in a marked security vehicle. Cedar Point representatives argue that there is a "no costumes" policy in effect at the park and that Rachel violated that policy by wearing clothing they deem appropriate for the opposite sex. "We need to be able to identify our guests should something happen, and we can't allow one sex to be dressing up as another sex and entering restrooms where they're not supposed to be," park spokesperson Janice Witherow told the Toledo Blade. "My client is appalled that, in this day and age, a person is not allowed to be himself or herself," Zukerman stressed. According to the attorney, Rachel's ensemble was not flamboyant, nor was his client's behavior outrageous. Zukerman asserts that his client was thrown out simply for dressing in her standard mode, a dress, gloves, sunglasses and a purse. In addition to roughly $400,000 in damages for psychological and emotional injury and trauma, Prather and Zukerman would like to see the park change their policies to reflect an openness towards transgendered people. Zukerman has yet to hear from either the amusement park or the Erie County Court of Common Pleas. He did not know whether the park refunded his client's admission cost this year. Whether or not the money was returned, however, is beside the point, according to Zukerman. "He is a brave man who has decided to go forward and fight for his freedoms," Zukerman said. "As Harry said, 'It's time that this stops. It's time that we can be who we are.' "

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