Surgery not required to change passport gender
Transgender travelers no longer will need surgery in order to change their stated genders on U.S. passports. A transgender person will just need to show a physician’s certification that the applicant has “undergone appropriate clinical treatment for gender transition’’ to declare a new gender on a passport, according to the State Department.
Gates: Veto possible of military gay ban bill
President Barack Obama could end up vetoing legislation that would lift the ban on gays serving openly in the military. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters that Obama probably still would veto an upcoming spending bill that includes a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”—if the bill also contains money for defense projects Obama believes are wasteful.
Puerto Rico panel to investigate hate crimes
A special committee to investigate hate crimes has been created in Puerto Rico. Pedro Julio Serrano, spokesman for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said 25 slayings of gay and transgender people in the past eight years may have been motivated by bias. “It’s sort of an epidemic,’’ Serrano said. “It’s too much to be ignored.’’
