In the News (with pictures & videos)

[Betty]

“I was shocked, I was sick to my stomach.  I don’t want my child to be diagnosed with something. But we didn’t know what to do. We wanted to do right by her. We just cared that she was happy,” explained Jeanette Jennings.

Jeanette and her husband made the decision when their son was five-years-old to let him live privately and publicly as a girl named Jazz.

“I’m wearing pink, I have a big bow in my hair. I have longer hair and I don’t know I just seem happier,” Jazz explained to CBS4 Anchor Irika Sargent.

Researchers at UCLA’s School of Law estimated 700,000 Americans identify as transgender.

The numbers of young “trans” children are not as clear.

[Betty]

Doctors who specialize in transgender issues at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles tell CBS News more trans people are coming out at an earlier age.

Jazz and her family agree it’s not without major challenges.

“We have a birth certificate that says she’s male, but according to law, we cannot change that until she has surgery,” said Jeanette Jennings.

At times, Jazz has been banned from using girl’s bathrooms or playing on the girl’s soccer team.

“I was devastated,” said Jazz. “It made me feel like an outcast.”

Jazz’s parents fought the US Soccer Federation for two years until they allowed her to play on the girl’s team.  That also led to changes for all trans players in the organization.

She still gets bullied by other children at school.

“Kids are mean. There’s no doubt about it,” Jeanette added.

Jazz’s escape is her room filled with mermaids and her backyard pool where she becomes one.

Jeneatte says she’s met many transgender children who are fascinated with mermaids because from the waist down, they don’t have to worry about whether they have male or female parts.

“They’ve been my favorite creatures for as long as I can remember,” said Jazz.

This confidence is now translated onto the pages of a book.

The teenager is sharing her life with the world by releasing a children’s book about her evolution from boy to girl.

“We feel this message is universal,” said co-author Jessica Herthel. “It’s about speaking your truth and not being ashamed about what makes you different.”

Jazz considers herself an activist, appearing at universities and national conferences, and with each year she lives as a girl, she plans on speaking louder.

“You just have to be proud of who you are and have confidence because you are beautiful no matter what,” Jazz said.

[Betty]

Transgender girl becomes homecoming princess

Scarlett Lenh was officially crowned the 2014 homecoming princess for Sand Creek High School during Friday night's football game.

Scarlett, however, is biologically male. She was born Andy Lenh and this school year started identifying as a female transgender.

"It was really exciting. It felt really good. I couldn't stop smiling," Scarlett said after she found out at an afternoon assembly that the majority of the junior class had voted for her over three other candidates.

Two of the other girls who were nominated by their peers were "extremely supportive," Scarlett said, and the other "was really upset."

Scarlett, 16, has dressed in girls' clothing for the past few weeks and also uses the girls' bathroom at Sand Creek, which is on North Carefree Circle in Falcon School District 49.

Both issues are concerning to some adults and students.

"It's craziness," said Jana Neathery, whose granddaughter attends Sand Creek.

"Originally, it was a joke that he was going to be nominated for homecoming princess, but he got a lot of nominations," she said, referring to Scarlett, "and now there are a lot of upset girls because a spot was taken from them.

"I'm very sympathetic that he's transgender, but he should be on the boys' side, not the girls'."

Scarlett said that being in the running for homecoming princess was no joke to her.

"One of my friends mentioned it, and I didn't think anything of it because I didn't think I'd be nominated. But, now, it really matters to me," she said. "This is something I've wanted to do since my freshman year. I want people to be themselves and not feel uncomfortable in their own body and mind."

But Scarlett's behavior does make some uncomfortable.

"I think it's wrong because he's actually a guy, he's not a girl, and he hasn't been doing this his entire life - he's only been recently doing it," said Jarrod Clarke, a junior at Sand Creek.

"We know him pretty well," another Sand Creek student who asked not to be identified said of Scarlett. "He's only cross-dressing, putting on girls' clothes."

Sand Creek student Michael Carl said he has been a friend of Scarlett's since the seventh grade.

"He has always been there for me and is truly a good person," Michael said. "I support him because it takes a lot of courage and a lot of character to do what he is doing."

Scarlett said she has gotten positive and negative comments after recently coming out as transgender, from "Do your thing," "Be yourself" and "We have your back" to "This isn't right" and "It shouldn't be like this."

D-49 spokesman Matt Meister said he could not comment on the issue due to student privacy laws but in a statement said, "The leaders at Sand Creek High School and in District 49 respect the decision of the Scorpion student body in electing their homecoming court."

The statement went on to say, "Our board policy sets the standard that we do not exclude any person from participating in any program or activity on the basis of gender identity and gender expression."

Neathery also is mad that Scarlett uses the girls' bathroom.

"It's ridiculous - he's interested in girls, and they're allowing him to use the girl's bathroom," she said of Scarlett.

When asked by The Gazette if she is attracted to girls, Scarlett said, "For the last year and a half, I haven't been attracted to anything."

Neathery said that when she complained to the principal, he told her if a girl feels uncomfortable in the bathroom when Scarlett is in there, the girl should leave.

"I suggested he go to a nongender-specific restroom, whether it be in the office or the teachers' lounge," Neathery said. "I said, 'So my granddaughter can put on jeans and say I feel like a boy today' and go into the boys' restroom?' "

In June 2013, at another local school, a transgender first-grader who also was born a boy but identifies as a girl won the right to use the girls' restroom at Eagleside Elementary in Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8.

Coy Mathis' parents took the case to the Colorado Civil Rights Division, claiming the district's refusal to allow Coy to use the girls' bathroom violated Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Act. The division ruled in favor of the girl, saying keeping the ban in place "creates an environment that is objectively and subjectively hostile, intimidating or offensive."

Still, it's strange to have a student who has a male body in the girls' restroom, some students say.

"We thought he was doing it as a joke. He's a guy and doing this for whatever reason. But he's still a guy," Jarrod said.

Scarlett said her high school counselor told her he would speak with administrators to "figure out a solution."

"For a while, I tried to avoid using the bathroom as much as I could at school. But when I do, I have used the women's restroom," Scarlett said. "I didn't make a big deal about it."

Scarlett said she has known since she was 7 or 8 years old that she felt like a girl and not a boy.

"It was always in the back of my mind. In middle school I tried to block it out. This year, I got serious about expressing it," she said. "I see it as a great thing. I hope it helps people understand if they want to be something and work hard at it, it can happen."

Scarlett told her family this week.

"It was really hard," Scarlett said. "My mom didn't like it, but she wants to support me for what I do in life."

[Betty]

Comedian Eddie Izzard was subjected to homophobic abuse after refusing to give a stranger a ride in his 1958 VW Beetle.

Jamie Penny, 24, allegedly threatened to 'do' his house after Izzard said he would not give him and a friend a ride.

A month later, Penny saw the stand-up comic again and branded him a 'f***ing p***ter'.

Penny, who lives in Pimlico, is charged with two counts of using threatening and abusive words or behaviour. He is yet to indicate a plea.

In court, Amee Emby, prosecuting, told how Penny's friend had spotted Izzard on April 3, and demanded: 'You should take me for a ride in your car.'

Tempers are said to have flared when the comic shot back: 'I would never take you for a ride in this car.'

Then on May 4, Penny allegedly launched into a homophobic tirade after bumping into Izzard again.

'This time Mr Penny was on his own and saw the same complainant in Gillingham Street at around lunchtime,' said Miss Emby.

In court, Penny demanded time to get an 'autistic aware' solicitor because he has been diagnosed with ADHD and autism.

He told magistrates: 'If I enter a not guilty plea you're going to find me guilty, it's your job, I want it dropped.

'I want this case dropped, I need a solicitor to get it dropped.'

When the bench rose to consider whether to adjourn the case, Penny referred to Miss Emby by shouting: 'Evil f***ing woman she's going to hell, scumbag prosecution, what kind of f***ing job is that anyway?'

His mother, who sat with him throughout the hearing, observed: 'If the policeman had the flu they would adjourn it, that's British justice for you.'

When a security guard was called to sit by Penny, he moaned: 'Don't kiss your teeth at me mate, there's no need for that. In his culture - not my culture - that's an insult.'

Chair of the bench Stevie Dee adjourned the case until 16 August and ordered Penny not to go to the area of Pimlico where the encounters took place, or contact Izzard while on conditional bail.

Update:

A man accused of hurling homophobic abuse at comedian Eddie Izzard claims he was beaten up by two gay men in a revenge attack in Soho, a court has heard.

He and his mother have now turned down the services of three solicitors, claiming they are yet to find one who is ‘autism-acknowledgeable’.

Penny said: "Wait wait wait wait. I’m not going to plead today. I have been abused by two gay men in Soho, assaulted.

"Assaulted because I have been in the paper, lies told about me. I didn’t say nothing to Eddie Izzard, he’s a f*cking liar. I’m not entering a plea, sorry mate."

Judge Coleman replied: "I’m not your mate."

Penny turned his attention to the press in court and fumed: "Who’s this man in the public gallery? I want him to get arrested.

"You have got people writing stuff about me in the paper."

Penny’s mother was told to leave after sidling up to a reporter in the public gallery and saying: ‘You smug little b*stard.’

Her son continued: "As I have said, my dad died this week, I have had too many problems, I have been assaulted twice because of the lies that have been put in the paper."

Penny said: ‘That’s why it’s all a big f***ing conspiracy you’ve got people here writing stuff about me because people all f***ing dress as women."

[Betty]

A transvestite who was spotted wearing a traditional burka is facing jail or flogging after sporting the garment while walking around a shopping centre in Saudi Arabia.

He was filmed on camera walking through the shopping mall in Taef, in the west of the country wearing an ababya, which all women are required to wear in public.

However, one shopper at the mall was puzzled by the man's appearance and followed him around the building.

According to Gulf News, he then discovered it was a man wearing the clothing and reported him to the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, who were inside the complex.

His identity was checked and after they discovered he was in fact a man, he was caught on camera being marched out of the mall and arrested. 

Crossdressing is banned in Saudi Arabia and many other Middle Eastern Gulf countries.

Some men in these countries do wear the long veil in order to disguise themselves as women to beg for money.

They believe that people are more likely to be more sympathetic towards women and they will make more cash.

One Saudi man begged for five months before he was found to actually be a woman in disguise.

He told police he earned ÂŁ35 per day and even more on Fridays when devout Muslims head to mosques.

[Betty]

1950s Transvestite Hideaway photos inspire a new play.

“I never stopped to think what a heterosexual transvestite was,” said Tony award-winning writer and actor Harvey Fierstein in a discussion about his new play, Casa Valentina, and the powerful real-life photos that inspired it.

Based on the story of Casa Susanna... a little-known refuge for transvestites in the 1950s and early 1960s in the Catskills, New York, the play, Casa Valentina tells a tale of people searching out their true selves against a backdrop of both fellowship and intolerance.

The Casa Susanne photos were discovered about a decade ago at a Manhattan flea market by an antiques dealer, and later published in the book, Casa Susanna. Today, the photographs are all that remain of Susanna, once called the Chevalier d’Eon, after an 18th-century crossdresser and spy.

The photos document the secret lives of men dressing as women and who are, perhaps in flight from their traditional male roles. In the old photos, we see them playing bridge, scrabble, having cocktails, & in modern parlance, vamping for the camera.

“I believe these are ‘witness’ pictures,” Swope writes in the book’s introduction, “a way of validating an identity, a part–time life that was perhaps more real than their lives away from Casa Susanna.”

“What I love about these photographs is the joy in their faces,” says Fierstein, an artist who has wrought gold from the joys (and drama) of cross-dressing in works like Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles, Kinky Boots, and now Casa Valentina. (He changed the name of the place and all the characters for reasons of privacy.) Here, however, he immersed himself in the world of transvestites. To write the play, he says, “I had to get into the mind of a 1962 transvestite.”

His research led him to the writings of the house matriarch, Susanna Valenti, also known as Tito, who ran the resort and wrote essays for Tranvestia, a magazine published from 1960-1980 and aimed at cross-dressing men. Tranvestia also first published many of the photographs republished years later in Casa Susanna.

At one point a character in his play says, “Women have fashion, bubble baths, daytime dramas, bridge clubs and weddings. What do men get? Work, war, and oil changes. It’s the curse of the Y chromosome and it’s punishable by dearth.”

These ideas were far more radical in the 1950s, when gender roles were so narrowly defined, than they are today, in our marginally more “enlightened” era.

“It’s all the pleasures and none of the pain of being a woman, because it’s a fantasy,” Fierstein notes. “It has nothing to do with being a real woman, except that some of these men went on to become women.”

In the end, in Casa Valentina and the photos made at Casa Susanna, gender is a quality that’s so undefined and personal for everyone, gay or straight. When speaking about pursuing ones own happiness and his own sexuality Fierstein says, “Why would you deny yourself anything possible!”

Here are some of those original Casa Susanna photos, not to be confused with photos circulating around of the play that tell a FICTION story about the place. The place really existed, but the play is an interpretation of what the writer saw in a few old magazines, & the writer is not trans in any way. It's sort of like an American writing a story about life in a town in China based on what he read in a few magazines from China & looking at the pictures in it.

Many of the photos I had to try to fix the color, clean up or sharpen as best I could. Most of them didn't look anywhere this good originally.

The youngest of those in the photos may still be alive, but would now be grandparents or great grandparents.

Anybody recognize their grandpa?

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