Swimming`s world governing body FINA on Sunday voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women`s competitions and create a working group to establish an "open" category for them in some events as part of its new policy. The decision was made during FINA`s extraordinary general congress on the sidelines of the world championships in Budapest after members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising leading medical, legal and sports figures.

The new policy will require transgender competitors to have completed their transition by the age of 12 in order to be able to compete in women`s competitions. The policy was passed with a roughly 71% majority after it was put to the members of 152 national federations with voting rights who had gathered for the congress at the Puskas Arena.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pride-month-lgbtq-couples-in-sports-who-inspire-us-to-come-out-of-the-closet-489114">Pride Month: LGBTQ couples in sports who inspire us to come out of the closet</a>

Transgender rights has become a major talking point as sports seek to balance inclusivity while ensuring there is no unfair advantage. The debate intensified after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women`s 500-yard freestyle earlier this year.

It followed New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard becoming the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year.

Swimming`s world governing body FINA on Sunday voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women`s competitions and create a working group to establish an "open" category for them in some events as part of its new policy.

Swimming`s world governing body FINA on Sunday voted to restrict the participation of transgender athletes in elite women`s competitions and create a working group to establish an "open" category for them in some events as part of its new policy. The decision was made during FINA`s extraordinary general congress on the sidelines of the world championships in Budapest after members heard a report from a transgender task force comprising leading medical, legal and sports figures. The new policy will require transgender competitors to have completed their transition by the age of 12 in order to be able to compete in women`s competitions. The policy was passed with a roughly 71% majority after it was put to the members of 152 national federations with voting rights who had gathered for the congress at the Puskas Arena. ALSO READ | Pride Month: LGBTQ couples in sports who inspire us to come out of the closet Transgender rights has become a major talking point as sports seek to balance inclusivity while ensuring there is no unfair advantage. The debate intensified after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history after winning the women`s 500-yard freestyle earlier this year. It followed New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard becoming the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo last year.

FINA votes to restrict participation of transgender athletes in elite women's competition, shares new policy

The Barbie is probably the most famous doll in the world and Transgender actress and activist Laverne Cox became the latest celebrity to be honoured by the company. The actress, who became famous for her role in the Netflix series ‘Orange is the New Black’, was honoured by her own Barbie doll which will be going on sale ahead of her 50th birthday. While Barbie has faced a lot of criticism for its lack of representation, Mattel has been trying hard to make the collection more inclusive. It is part of the new Tribute Collection which was launched last year for honouring major personalities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/texas-school-shooting-husband-of-killed-teacher-dies-of-heart-attack-482505">Texas school shooting: Husband of killed teacher dies of heart attack</a>

The first doll to be part of the collection was actress Lucille Ball and the company also made a doll in the likeliness of the Queen of England. Over the years, Barbie has also added a lot of other female role models in their collection with fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad getting the first hijab-wearing Barbie.

Cox, who has won multiple Emmy Awards in her career, has been an advocate for transgender rights and issues. She worked closely with the company to create her Barbie doll and when asked about the product, she expressed her wish for the doll to appeal to children of all gender identities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/geetanjali-shrees-hindi-novel-tomb-of-sand-becomes-first-book-in-any-indian-language-to-win-booker-prize-482488">'Tomb of Sand' becomes first book in any Indian language to win Booker Prize</a>

"It's incredibly meaningful for me to have my Barbie doll for so many reasons," she said according to a report on the BBC. "I hope that kids of all gender identities can look at this Barbie and dream."

"The space of play, playing with dolls, the space of creating worlds with dolls is that space of dreaming," she added. "And now kids get to dream with a Laverne Cox Barbie, the first transgender Barbie - that is a beautiful space of dreaming and possibility."

WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The Barbie is probably the most famous doll in the world and Transgender actress and activist Laverne Cox became the latest celebrity to be honoured by the company.

The Barbie is probably the most famous doll in the world and Transgender actress and activist Laverne Cox became the latest celebrity to be honoured by the company. The actress, who became famous for her role in the Netflix series ‘Orange is the New Black’, was honoured by her own Barbie doll which will be going on sale ahead of her 50th birthday. While Barbie has faced a lot of criticism for its lack of representation, Mattel has been trying hard to make the collection more inclusive. It is part of the new Tribute Collection which was launched last year for honouring major personalities. Also read | Texas school shooting: Husband of killed teacher dies of heart attack The first doll to be part of the collection was actress Lucille Ball and the company also made a doll in the likeliness of the Queen of England. Over the years, Barbie has also added a lot of other female role models in their collection with fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad getting the first hijab-wearing Barbie. Cox, who has won multiple Emmy Awards in her career, has been an advocate for transgender rights and issues. She worked closely with the company to create her Barbie doll and when asked about the product, she expressed her wish for the doll to appeal to children of all gender identities. Also read | 'Tomb of Sand' becomes first book in any Indian language to win Booker Prize "It's incredibly meaningful for me to have my Barbie doll for so many reasons," she said according to a report on the BBC. "I hope that kids of all gender identities can look at this Barbie and dream." "The space of play, playing with dolls, the space of creating worlds with dolls is that space of dreaming," she added. "And now kids get to dream with a Laverne Cox Barbie, the first transgender Barbie - that is a beautiful space of dreaming and possibility." WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

Transgender actor and activist Laverne Cox honoured with her own Barbie doll

On Thursday, Arizona, Oklahoma and Kentucky passed bills banning transgender youths from participating in girls' sports, continuing a flurry of state legislation on a hotly debated election-year issue.

Arizona lawmakers also passed legislation prohibiting physicians from performing gender-affirming surgery on minors in addition to the "Save Women's Sports Act" sponsored by Republicans.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-medical-care-for-transgender-youth-became-child-abuse-in-texas-461283">How medical care for transgender youth became 'child abuse' in Texas</a>

These bills are on their way to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who is also a Republican. The Arizona legislature also passed a third bill, which would ban abortions after 15 weeks of gestation.

As a result, the votes largely went along party lines.

"Why would we be legislating bullying against children who want to...participate in sports?" Democratic&nbsp;Representative Kelli Butler asked in an emotional speech on Thursday. "That's not the country that I know and that I am proud to be a part of."

Oklahoma's legislature also passed a bill on Thursday with the same name: the "Save Women's Sports Act".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/state-of-womens-sports-is-fragile-world-athletics-president-after-lia-thomas-win-at-ncaa-swimming-finals-464530">State of women's sports is 'fragile': World Athletics president after Lia Thomas’ win at NCAA swimming finals</a>

Kentucky lawmakers passed SB 83, which would bar transgender girls from playing girls' sports beginning in sixth grade up to college. Kentucky Democrat Governor Andy Beshear will now review the bill.&nbsp;

Democratic lawmakers have generally supported the rights of LGBTQ+ people and opposed restrictions on transgender students' participation in sports teams. Beshear's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

These bans are argued to be necessary to prevent transgender athletes from gaining an unfair advantage.&nbsp;

Some opponents of the bans, such as advocates for transgender people and organisations like the Women's Sports Foundation, say that such measures are discriminatory and that transgender students should be allowed to participate in school sports.

Watch |&nbsp;New Zealand picks first transgender athlete for Olympics

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/new-zealand-picks-first-transgender-athlete-for-olympics-392958/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A number of states have already enacted laws banning transgender girls from participating in girls' sports, including Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Iowa.

Last week, Utah's Governor and Indiana's Governor vetoed similar bills. This signalled Republican leaders' reluctance to align with the party as a whole, which views the issue as a means of attracting voters ahead of next year's congressional elections.

Earlier this week, Republican lawmakers in both states said they intended to override the governor's vetoes.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Thursday, Arizona, Oklahoma and Kentucky passed bills banning transgender youths from participating in girls' sports, continuing a flurry of state legislation on a hotly debated election-year issue.

On Thursday, Arizona, Oklahoma and Kentucky passed bills banning transgender youths from participating in girls' sports, continuing a flurry of state legislation on a hotly debated election-year issue. Arizona lawmakers also passed legislation prohibiting physicians from performing gender-affirming surgery on minors in addition to the "Save Women's Sports Act" sponsored by Republicans. Also read | How medical care for transgender youth became 'child abuse' in Texas These bills are on their way to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who is also a Republican. The Arizona legislature also passed a third bill, which would ban abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. As a result, the votes largely went along party lines. "Why would we be legislating bullying against children who want to...participate in sports?" Democratic Representative Kelli Butler asked in an emotional speech on Thursday. "That's not the country that I know and that I am proud to be a part of." Oklahoma's legislature also passed a bill on Thursday with the same name: the "Save Women's Sports Act". Also read | State of women's sports is 'fragile': World Athletics president after Lia Thomas’ win at NCAA swimming finals Kentucky lawmakers passed SB 83, which would bar transgender girls from playing girls' sports beginning in sixth grade up to college. Kentucky Democrat Governor Andy Beshear will now review the bill. Democratic lawmakers have generally supported the rights of LGBTQ+ people and opposed restrictions on transgender students' participation in sports teams. Beshear's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. These bans are argued to be necessary to prevent transgender athletes from gaining an unfair advantage. Some opponents of the bans, such as advocates for transgender people and organisations like the Women's Sports Foundation, say that such measures are discriminatory and that transgender students should be allowed to participate in school sports. Watch | New Zealand picks first transgender athlete for Olympics A number of states have already enacted laws banning transgender girls from participating in girls' sports, including Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Iowa. Last week, Utah's Governor and Indiana's Governor vetoed similar bills. This signalled Republican leaders' reluctance to align with the party as a whole, which views the issue as a means of attracting voters ahead of next year's congressional elections. Earlier this week, Republican lawmakers in both states said they intended to override the governor's vetoes. (With inputs from agencies)

3 US states pass 'Save Women's Sports Act', banning transgender youth from participating in girls' sports

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the state of women`s sports is "very fragile" and sports federations need to get it right when writing rules for transgender female athletes. Coe`s comments come after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history by winning the women`s 500-yard freestyle in Atlanta last week.

"The integrity of women`s sport — if we don`t get this right — and, actually, the future of women`s sport, is very fragile," Coe was quoted as saying in a British paper The Times on Monday. "These are sensitive issues, they are societal issues — they go way, way beyond sport. I don`t have the luxury to get into endless discussions or the school of moral philosophy."

Thomas competed on the men`s team for three years before transitioning and moving to the women`s team and setting multiple program records. Last month, USA Swimming unveiled a new policy to allow transgender athletes to swim in elite events by setting out criteria that aim to mitigate any unfair advantages. 
The rules include testing to ensure testosterone is below a certain level - five nanomoles per liter continuously for at least 36 months - in transgender athletes who wish to compete against cisgender female swimmers.

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World Athletics requires transgender athletes to have low testosterone levels for at least 12 months before competition, a time period Coe thinks is too short. "We are asking for a greater length of (time) before competition because the residual impact of transitioning like that is more profound," Coe said. "There is no question that testosterone is the key determinant in performance."

Transgender rights have long been a controversial and politically divisive issue in the United States from sports to serving in the military, and even what bathrooms people are allowed to use. Coe said he understands the sensitive nature of the issue and said he wants to focus on&nbsp;science.

"It`s really difficult to keep the emotion out of this and subjectivity, so we do have to really stick as closely as we can to the science — and that`s what we've always tried to do when it`s been uncomfortable," he said. 
"You can't be oblivious to public sentiment ... but science is important. If I wasn't satisfied with the science that we have and the experts that we have used and the in-house teams that have been working on this for a long time ... if I wasn't comfortable about that, this would be a very different landscape.&nbsp;

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the state of women`s sports is "very fragile" and sports federations need to get it right when writing rules for transgender female athletes.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the state of women`s sports is "very fragile" and sports federations need to get it right when writing rules for transgender female athletes. Coe`s comments come after University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender NCAA champion in Division I history by winning the women`s 500-yard freestyle in Atlanta last week. "The integrity of women`s sport — if we don`t get this right — and, actually, the future of women`s sport, is very fragile," Coe was quoted as saying in a British paper The Times on Monday. "These are sensitive issues, they are societal issues — they go way, way beyond sport. I don`t have the luxury to get into endless discussions or the school of moral philosophy." Thomas competed on the men`s team for three years before transitioning and moving to the women`s team and setting multiple program records. Last month, USA Swimming unveiled a new policy to allow transgender athletes to swim in elite events by setting out criteria that aim to mitigate any unfair advantages. The rules include testing to ensure testosterone is below a certain level - five nanomoles per liter continuously for at least 36 months - in transgender athletes who wish to compete against cisgender female swimmers. ALSO READ | Winter sports in India: Huge number of female participants from across country World Athletics requires transgender athletes to have low testosterone levels for at least 12 months before competition, a time period Coe thinks is too short. "We are asking for a greater length of (time) before competition because the residual impact of transitioning like that is more profound," Coe said. "There is no question that testosterone is the key determinant in performance." Transgender rights have long been a controversial and politically divisive issue in the United States from sports to serving in the military, and even what bathrooms people are allowed to use. Coe said he understands the sensitive nature of the issue and said he wants to focus on science. "It`s really difficult to keep the emotion out of this and subjectivity, so we do have to really stick as closely as we can to the science — and that`s what we've always tried to do when it`s been uncomfortable," he said. "You can't be oblivious to public sentiment ... but science is important. If I wasn't satisfied with the science that we have and the experts that we have used and the in-house teams that have been working on this for a long time ... if I wasn't comfortable about that, this would be a very different landscape.

State of women's sports is 'fragile': World Athletics president after Lia Thomas’ win at NCAA swimming finals

A state court in Texas on Wednesday temporarily halted the child abuse investigation of a family providing medical treatment for its transgender 16-year-old, but allowed other investigations to continue under a contentious policy initiated last week by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Soon after, President Joe Biden issued his first comments on the Texas policy, calling it “a cynical and dangerous campaign targeting transgender children and their parents.” He said he had directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to take steps “to keep transgender children in Texas and their families safe — putting the state of Texas on notice that their discriminatory actions put children’s lives at risk.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-texas-transgender-minors-and-their-parents-face-probes-harassment-at-the-hands-of-republican-governor-458016">In Texas, transgender minors and their parents face probes, harassment at the hands of republican governor</a>

The intervention by the court in Austin, the state capital, came in response to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Legal on behalf of the parents of a transgender child who were being investigated for abuse by the Department of Family and Protective Services.

That inquiry immediately followed a directive by Abbott to conduct child abuse investigations when medically accepted treatments — including hormones or puberty-suppressing drugs, which doctors describe as gender-affirming care — are prescribed to transgender adolescents.

But the ruling Wednesday, a temporary restraining order by Judge Amy Clark Meachum, fell short of what the groups had asked the court to do: stop such child abuse investigations altogether. They argued that the governor’s directive and the investigations by the agency broadly violated the Texas Constitution and the constitutional rights of transgender youth, as well as of their parents, and were improperly issued under state law.

The court is set to consider those arguments March 11 and will decide whether to block the governor’s directive statewide, which would stop all related investigations or prosecutions.

Abbott’s directive followed an opinion by the state attorney general, Ken Paxton, that certain medical treatments for transgender children could be considered child abuse. The moves have had an immediate and chilling effect on the families of transgender youth in Texas, forcing some to consider halting recommended courses of medical treatment or even to leave the state. Investigations into other families have already begun, lawyers said.

The court’s ruling applied only to the family that brought the suit — identified as John and Jane Doe, the parents, and Mary Doe, their daughter — and a licensed psychologist in Houston, Dr. Megan Mooney, who is required to report suspected child abuse under Texas law. Mooney has a practice that includes transgender patients.

The court found that the family would “suffer irreparable injury” unless the state was immediately restrained from enforcing the governor’s directive. Jane Doe, an employee of the family protective agency, was placed on administrative leave after Abbott’s order. Investigators have already interviewed the family at home and sought medical records related to Mary.

The family members, Meachum wrote, “face the imminent and ongoing deprivation of their constitutional rights, the potential loss of necessary medical care, and the stigma attached to being the subject of an unfounded child abuse investigation.” She blocked the state from taking any adverse employment action against Jane Doe.

And in the case of Mooney, the judge wrote that, if she followed the governor’s directive, she would have been forced to choose between criminal prosecution for not reporting abuse, or potential civil liability for not treating patients “in accordance with professional standards and loss of licensure for failing to follow her professional ethics.”

Though the ruling was limited, lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that the message had been clear: The state’s investigation had “put the Doe family at incredible harm,” said Karen Loewy, senior counsel for Lambda Legal. “It would be pretty unconscionable for the agency to continue investigations when that’s the assessment,” she added.

Loewy said she thought the state was unlikely to appeal the temporary restraining order given its limited scope. “It would be extraordinary, and incredibly punitive for the state to appeal when at the moment the only relief is to the parties,” she said Wednesday evening.

Soon after, the state, represented by the attorney general’s office, appealed the ruling.

A spokesperson for the governor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But in a call with reporters earlier Wednesday, the top strategist for Abbott’s reelection campaign, David Carney, said that being against medical treatment for transgender children, and treating it as child abuse, was a “winning issue” for the governor. Abbott is running for a third term in November.

“That is a 75 to 80% winner,” Carney said. “This is why the Democrats across the country are out of touch.”

A state court in Texas on Wednesday temporarily halted the child abuse investigation of a family providing medical treatment for its transgender 16-year-old, but allowed other investigations to continue under a contentious policy initiated last week by Gov.

A state court in Texas on Wednesday temporarily halted the child abuse investigation of a family providing medical treatment for its transgender 16-year-old, but allowed other investigations to continue under a contentious policy initiated last week by Gov. Greg Abbott. Soon after, President Joe Biden issued his first comments on the Texas policy, calling it “a cynical and dangerous campaign targeting transgender children and their parents.” He said he had directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to take steps “to keep transgender children in Texas and their families safe — putting the state of Texas on notice that their discriminatory actions put children’s lives at risk.” Also read | In Texas, transgender minors and their parents face probes, harassment at the hands of republican governor The intervention by the court in Austin, the state capital, came in response to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Legal on behalf of the parents of a transgender child who were being investigated for abuse by the Department of Family and Protective Services. That inquiry immediately followed a directive by Abbott to conduct child abuse investigations when medically accepted treatments — including hormones or puberty-suppressing drugs, which doctors describe as gender-affirming care — are prescribed to transgender adolescents. But the ruling Wednesday, a temporary restraining order by Judge Amy Clark Meachum, fell short of what the groups had asked the court to do: stop such child abuse investigations altogether. They argued that the governor’s directive and the investigations by the agency broadly violated the Texas Constitution and the constitutional rights of transgender youth, as well as of their parents, and were improperly issued under state law. The court is set to consider those arguments March 11 and will decide whether to block the governor’s directive statewide, which would stop all related investigations or prosecutions. Abbott’s directive followed an opinion by the state attorney general, Ken Paxton, that certain medical treatments for transgender children could be considered child abuse. The moves have had an immediate and chilling effect on the families of transgender youth in Texas, forcing some to consider halting recommended courses of medical treatment or even to leave the state. Investigations into other families have already begun, lawyers said. The court’s ruling applied only to the family that brought the suit — identified as John and Jane Doe, the parents, and Mary Doe, their daughter — and a licensed psychologist in Houston, Dr. Megan Mooney, who is required to report suspected child abuse under Texas law. Mooney has a practice that includes transgender patients. The court found that the family would “suffer irreparable injury” unless the state was immediately restrained from enforcing the governor’s directive. Jane Doe, an employee of the family protective agency, was placed on administrative leave after Abbott’s order. Investigators have already interviewed the family at home and sought medical records related to Mary. The family members, Meachum wrote, “face the imminent and ongoing deprivation of their constitutional rights, the potential loss of necessary medical care, and the stigma attached to being the subject of an unfounded child abuse investigation.” She blocked the state from taking any adverse employment action against Jane Doe. And in the case of Mooney, the judge wrote that, if she followed the governor’s directive, she would have been forced to choose between criminal prosecution for not reporting abuse, or potential civil liability for not treating patients “in accordance with professional standards and loss of licensure for failing to follow her professional ethics.” Though the ruling was limited, lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that the message had been clear: The state’s investigation had “put the Doe family at incredible harm,” said Karen Loewy, senior counsel for Lambda Legal. “It would be pretty unconscionable for the agency to continue investigations when that’s the assessment,” she added. Loewy said she thought the state was unlikely to appeal the temporary restraining order given its limited scope. “It would be extraordinary, and incredibly punitive for the state to appeal when at the moment the only relief is to the parties,” she said Wednesday evening. Soon after, the state, represented by the attorney general’s office, appealed the ruling. A spokesperson for the governor did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But in a call with reporters earlier Wednesday, the top strategist for Abbott’s reelection campaign, David Carney, said that being against medical treatment for transgender children, and treating it as child abuse, was a “winning issue” for the governor. Abbott is running for a third term in November. “That is a 75 to 80% winner,” Carney said. “This is why the Democrats across the country are out of touch.”

Texas court halts investigation of parents over care for transgender youth

Texas conservative Governor Greg Abbott is investigating parents of transgender kids under a controversial new order, according to a complaint filed Tuesday.

Governor Greg Abbott has called gender transition procedures for such minors "child abuse." &nbsp;

"Sex change procedures" constitute child abuse under existing Texas law according to Abbott's letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), published in the middle of an election campaign.

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Gender reassignment surgeries, he says, can result in sterilization and mastectomies. He also mentions puberty blockers, which slow the body's changes during adolescence.

The Republican governor wrote&nbsp;that the Department of Family and Protective Services has a duty to "investigate the parents of a child who is subjected to these abusive gender-transitioning procedures".

According to the court document, the mother of a transgender teen was suspended by her employer -- a Texas family services agency -- and visited by a Child Protective Services investigator who wanted to know whether her 16-year-old daughter was "currently transitioning from male to female."

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The family, supported by the influential US civil rights organization ACLU, sought to block Abbott's investigation and in general to invalidate his directive from February 22.

In their petition against the initial investigation, the unidentified plaintiffs claim that their family has suffered anxiety and fear and that their daughter has been "traumatised" by the prospect she could lose "access to the medical treatment that has enabled her to thrive."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: US senators want FDA to allow gay people to donate blood

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-senators-want-fda-to-allow-gay-people-to-donate-blood-446306/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In addition to the family, a licensed psychologist with many LGBT and transgender clients joined the complaint, expressly worried about being forced to report those clients to authorities by the Abbott directive.

Transgender minors' care, as well as their participation in sports competitions and use of public restrooms according to their gender identity, is a hotly debated issue in the United States, where many conservative states have taken steps to adopt restrictive regulations.

(With inputs from agencies)

Texas conservative Governor Greg Abbott is investigating parents of transgender kids under a controversial new order, according to a complaint filed Tuesday. Governor Greg Abbott has called gender transition procedures for such minors "child abuse.

Texas conservative Governor Greg Abbott is investigating parents of transgender kids under a controversial new order, according to a complaint filed Tuesday. Governor Greg Abbott has called gender transition procedures for such minors "child abuse." "Sex change procedures" constitute child abuse under existing Texas law according to Abbott's letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), published in the middle of an election campaign. Also read | Texas attorney general calls gender-affirming surgeries ‘child abuse’, sparks outrage Gender reassignment surgeries, he says, can result in sterilization and mastectomies. He also mentions puberty blockers, which slow the body's changes during adolescence. The Republican governor wrote that the Department of Family and Protective Services has a duty to "investigate the parents of a child who is subjected to these abusive gender-transitioning procedures". According to the court document, the mother of a transgender teen was suspended by her employer -- a Texas family services agency -- and visited by a Child Protective Services investigator who wanted to know whether her 16-year-old daughter was "currently transitioning from male to female." Also read | After Canadian Freedom Convoy, US 'People's Convoy' protests pandemic restrictions The family, supported by the influential US civil rights organization ACLU, sought to block Abbott's investigation and in general to invalidate his directive from February 22. In their petition against the initial investigation, the unidentified plaintiffs claim that their family has suffered anxiety and fear and that their daughter has been "traumatised" by the prospect she could lose "access to the medical treatment that has enabled her to thrive." Watch | Gravitas: US senators want FDA to allow gay people to donate blood In addition to the family, a licensed psychologist with many LGBT and transgender clients joined the complaint, expressly worried about being forced to report those clients to authorities by the Abbott directive. Transgender minors' care, as well as their participation in sports competitions and use of public restrooms according to their gender identity, is a hotly debated issue in the United States, where many conservative states have taken steps to adopt restrictive regulations. (With inputs from agencies)

In Texas, transgender minors and their parents face probes, harassment at the hands of republican governor

A school&nbsp;in the US&nbsp;seems to have told its teachers to not inform the parents of children, who come out as transgender and non-binary, about it, said a report.&nbsp;

Walsh Middle School, which is a part of Round Rock Independent School District, gave an instruction to its teachers about how to deal with such students. &nbsp;

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The school, which is located in a suburb of Austin, in the state of Texas, told them not to "contact their parents and out them to their families." &nbsp;

The school district has said that this training material for the teachers of this institution was not approved by it and cannot be used in the area, reported The Daily Caller. &nbsp;

The district was also "reviewing this incident and ensuring protocols are in place that such presentations are reviewed and approved in advance." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/robert-f-kennedy-assassin-sirhan-sirhan-denied-parole-by-california-governor-444876" hreflang="en">Robert F Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan denied parole by California governor</a>

In the material, the teachers have also been guided on how to interact with transgender and non-binary students. It also included about how to correct oneself after misgendering someone. &nbsp;

Not just this, it also told them to correct students, who misgendered a transgender or non-binary individual. They were also asked to avoid using gendered language in general. &nbsp;

After learning about the incident, several parents have sued school officials. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A school in the US seems to have told its teachers to not inform the parents of children, who come out as transgender and non-binary, about it, said a report. Walsh Middle School, which is a part of Round Rock Independent School District, gave an instruction to its teachers about how to deal with such students.

A school in the US seems to have told its teachers to not inform the parents of children, who come out as transgender and non-binary, about it, said a report. Walsh Middle School, which is a part of Round Rock Independent School District, gave an instruction to its teachers about how to deal with such students. Also Read: Time for security? FedEx looks to get missile-defence system for cargo planes The school, which is located in a suburb of Austin, in the state of Texas, told them not to "contact their parents and out them to their families." The school district has said that this training material for the teachers of this institution was not approved by it and cannot be used in the area, reported The Daily Caller. The district was also "reviewing this incident and ensuring protocols are in place that such presentations are reviewed and approved in advance." Also Read: Robert F Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan denied parole by California governor In the material, the teachers have also been guided on how to interact with transgender and non-binary students. It also included about how to correct oneself after misgendering someone. Not just this, it also told them to correct students, who misgendered a transgender or non-binary individual. They were also asked to avoid using gendered language in general. After learning about the incident, several parents have sued school officials. (With inputs from agencies)

US school tells teachers to hide student's transgender or non-binary identity from parents, says report   

Academy award-winning actor Eddie Redmayne is addressing the backlash that he received for playing a transgender character in 2015's 'The Danish Girl'.&nbsp; 
 
In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, the actor said he wouldn't take up the role if he was offered it now. Redmayne's comments came after he was criticised for the film, which was a biopic on Lili Elbe, one of the first people to undergo gender confirmation surgery. 
 
"I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake," Redmayne said of the role that earned him an Oscar nomination.&nbsp; 
 
The actor had revealed that he had prepared for the role by meeting with transgender women of all ages. 
 
While many felt that only Redmayne could have done the part and the project would have not happened otherwise, the criticism came as part of the ongoing debate on whether cisgender actors should play transgender roles.&nbsp;

"The bigger discussion about the frustrations around casting is because many people don't have a chair at the table," he added. "There must be a levelling, otherwise we are going to carry on having these debates."

Redmayne's costar Alicia Vikander, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Elbe's wife Gerda Wegener, too addressed the controversy in a recent interview.&nbsp; 
 
"I totally understand the criticism that has been out there, because we need to make change and we need to make sure that trans men and women actually get a foot in and get work," Vikander said. She also added that she felt Redmayne did "a wonderful job" in his portrayal.

Academy award-winning actor Eddie Redmayne is addressing the backlash that he received for playing a transgender character in 2015's 'The Danish Girl'. In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, the actor said he wouldn't take up the role if he was offered it now.

Academy award-winning actor Eddie Redmayne is addressing the backlash that he received for playing a transgender character in 2015's 'The Danish Girl'. In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, the actor said he wouldn't take up the role if he was offered it now. Redmayne's comments came after he was criticised for the film, which was a biopic on Lili Elbe, one of the first people to undergo gender confirmation surgery. "I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake," Redmayne said of the role that earned him an Oscar nomination. The actor had revealed that he had prepared for the role by meeting with transgender women of all ages. While many felt that only Redmayne could have done the part and the project would have not happened otherwise, the criticism came as part of the ongoing debate on whether cisgender actors should play transgender roles. "The bigger discussion about the frustrations around casting is because many people don't have a chair at the table," he added. "There must be a levelling, otherwise we are going to carry on having these debates." Redmayne's costar Alicia Vikander, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Elbe's wife Gerda Wegener, too addressed the controversy in a recent interview. "I totally understand the criticism that has been out there, because we need to make change and we need to make sure that trans men and women actually get a foot in and get work," Vikander said. She also added that she felt Redmayne did "a wonderful job" in his portrayal.

Eddie Redmayne on his role in 'The Danish Girl': I think it was a mistake

On the occasion of Transgender Day of Remembrance, US President Joe Biden released a statement mourning the loss of 46 transgender Americans lost their lives in 2021 because of violence. "Today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we mourn those we lost in the deadliest year on record for transgender Americans, as well as the countless other transgender people—disproportionately Black and brown transgender women and girls—who face brutal violence, discrimination, and harassment," read the statement.&nbsp;

The President highlighted how LGBTQI+ Americans, transgender people, live in fear constantly despite strengthening civil rights.

In order to ensure that the government protects the civil rights of transgender Americans, Biden charged his team with coordinating across the federal government to address the "epidemic of violence and advance equality for transgender people."

He further called on state leaders and lawmakers to battle the disturbing proliferation of discriminatory state legislation which targets transgender people, especially transgender children.&nbsp;

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"As I have said before, these bills are nothing more than bullying disguised as legislation, they are un-American, and they endanger the safety and well-being of our children. I also continue to urge the Senate to swiftly pass the Equality Act so that all people are able to live free from fear and discrimination," the statement read. &nbsp;He deemed transgender people as the "bravest Americans."

Meanwhile, a recent study found out that transgender people are four times more likely to experience violent crimes than cisgender people. This was concluded after researchers analysed pooled data from the 2017 and 2018 National crime victimisation survey.&nbsp;

On the occasion of Transgender Day of Remembrance, US President Joe Biden released a statement mourning the loss of 46 transgender Americans lost their lives in 2021 because of violence.

On the occasion of Transgender Day of Remembrance, US President Joe Biden released a statement mourning the loss of 46 transgender Americans lost their lives in 2021 because of violence. "Today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we mourn those we lost in the deadliest year on record for transgender Americans, as well as the countless other transgender people—disproportionately Black and brown transgender women and girls—who face brutal violence, discrimination, and harassment," read the statement. The President highlighted how LGBTQI+ Americans, transgender people, live in fear constantly despite strengthening civil rights. In order to ensure that the government protects the civil rights of transgender Americans, Biden charged his team with coordinating across the federal government to address the "epidemic of violence and advance equality for transgender people." He further called on state leaders and lawmakers to battle the disturbing proliferation of discriminatory state legislation which targets transgender people, especially transgender children. Also read | Won't tolerate Taiwan's independence, says China "As I have said before, these bills are nothing more than bullying disguised as legislation, they are un-American, and they endanger the safety and well-being of our children. I also continue to urge the Senate to swiftly pass the Equality Act so that all people are able to live free from fear and discrimination," the statement read. He deemed transgender people as the "bravest Americans." Meanwhile, a recent study found out that transgender people are four times more likely to experience violent crimes than cisgender people. This was concluded after researchers analysed pooled data from the 2017 and 2018 National crime victimisation survey.

Transgender day of remembrance: Biden honours 46 transgender Americans killed due to violence in US

In a landmark move, the US government on Wednesday issued the first passport with the&nbsp;“X” gender designation for people who do not identify themselves as either male or female.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said: "I want to reiterate, on the occasion of this passport issuance, the Department of State's commitment to promoting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people - including LGBTQI+ persons."

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Price said the US is moving towards "adding an X gender marker for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons applying for a US passport."

The announcement was earlier made by US secretary of state Antony Blinken in June.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lgbtq-students-targeted-face-crackdown-in-china-416777">Also Read:&nbsp;LGBTQ students targeted, face crackdown in China</a>

US special diplomatic envoy for LGBTQ rights, Jessica Stern, called it a historic move while asserting that people are able to live with greater dignity when identity documents reflect their true identity.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/attacks-on-lgbtq-community-across-uk-spark-fear-409311">Also Read:&nbsp;Attacks on LGBTQ+ community across UK spark fear</a>

The US State Department however did not reveal the identity of the new passport holder.&nbsp;The State Department has allowed Americans to select their gender without submitting medical certificates.

(With inputs from Agencies)

In a landmark move, the US government on Wednesday issued the first passport with the “X” gender designation for people who do not identify themselves as either male or female.

In a landmark move, the US government on Wednesday issued the first passport with the “X” gender designation for people who do not identify themselves as either male or female. State Department spokesman Ned Price said: "I want to reiterate, on the occasion of this passport issuance, the Department of State's commitment to promoting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all people - including LGBTQI+ persons." Also Read: Germany reserves parking spots for LGBT community and migrants Price said the US is moving towards "adding an X gender marker for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons applying for a US passport." The announcement was earlier made by US secretary of state Antony Blinken in June. Also Read: LGBTQ students targeted, face crackdown in China US special diplomatic envoy for LGBTQ rights, Jessica Stern, called it a historic move while asserting that people are able to live with greater dignity when identity documents reflect their true identity. Also Read: Attacks on LGBTQ+ community across UK spark fear The US State Department however did not reveal the identity of the new passport holder. The State Department has allowed Americans to select their gender without submitting medical certificates. (With inputs from Agencies)

US issues first gender 'X' passport

A prominent Malaysian transgender entrepreneur accused of insulting Islam in the Muslim majority country said Wednesday she was "safe, happy and free" in Australia.

Nur Sajat, a millionaire who runs a cosmetics business, said officials promised to help her settle in the country.

"Australia chose me&nbsp;due to my case. So I did not apply (for asylum) to any other country," she told AFP in a video interview from an undisclosed location.

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"I was intimidated and abused (in Malaysia). The Australian government realised this," she said.

Sajat's case has highlighted concerns about the worsening climate for LGBT people in Muslim-majority Malaysia, where officials are increasingly cracking down against the community and seeking to toughen related laws.

She was charged earlier this year after attending a 2018 religious event dressed in women's clothes, and faces up to three years in jail or a fine if convicted.

She is also facing separate charges of obstructing and threatening a public servant, which she denies.

The entrepreneur said Australian officials have kept in constant communication with her, but did not reveal how she travelled to the country from Thailand early this month.

Canberra's department of home affairs said it does not comment on individual cases because of privacy concerns.

The 36-year-old said she fled to Thailand earlier this year because she "was abused and treated inhumanely" by religious officials in Malaysia.

She was arrested by Thai authorities in September over an invalid passport and later released on bail.

"The decision to run away was my last decision for me, because I did not feel happiness. (I was) not free," she said.

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"There is freedom and gender equality in Australia," Sajat added.

While she did not reveal the conditions of her stay -- or her exact location in Sydney -- she did confirm she was in coronavirus quarantine.

Sajat said she would continue working in Australia, with a focus on gold and cosmetics.

"I want to rebuild my business empire here," she said.

Sajat also said she will not return to Malaysia because "people like me are abused and intimidated" there.

Thilaga Sulathireh, co-founder of Malaysian transgender activist group Justice for Sisters, told AFP that Sajat's was not an isolated case.

"Many LGBTIQ people have migrated and uprooted their lives because of the increasingly repressive environment in Malaysia," she said.

The country is home to some 32 million people, with ethnic Malay Muslims making up more than half of the population.

It also has a dual legal system, with Islamic criminal and family laws running alongside civil laws.

A prominent Malaysian transgender entrepreneur accused of insulting Islam in the Muslim majority country said Wednesday she was "safe, happy and free" in Australia.

A prominent Malaysian transgender entrepreneur accused of insulting Islam in the Muslim majority country said Wednesday she was "safe, happy and free" in Australia. Nur Sajat, a millionaire who runs a cosmetics business, said officials promised to help her settle in the country. "Australia chose me due to my case. So I did not apply (for asylum) to any other country," she told AFP in a video interview from an undisclosed location. Also read | Trump’s claim of executive privilege in the Jan. 6. inquiry, explained "I was intimidated and abused (in Malaysia). The Australian government realised this," she said. Sajat's case has highlighted concerns about the worsening climate for LGBT people in Muslim-majority Malaysia, where officials are increasingly cracking down against the community and seeking to toughen related laws. She was charged earlier this year after attending a 2018 religious event dressed in women's clothes, and faces up to three years in jail or a fine if convicted. She is also facing separate charges of obstructing and threatening a public servant, which she denies. The entrepreneur said Australian officials have kept in constant communication with her, but did not reveal how she travelled to the country from Thailand early this month. Canberra's department of home affairs said it does not comment on individual cases because of privacy concerns. The 36-year-old said she fled to Thailand earlier this year because she "was abused and treated inhumanely" by religious officials in Malaysia. She was arrested by Thai authorities in September over an invalid passport and later released on bail. "The decision to run away was my last decision for me, because I did not feel happiness. (I was) not free," she said. Also read | Israel approves West Bank residency for 4,000 undocumented Palestinians "There is freedom and gender equality in Australia," Sajat added. While she did not reveal the conditions of her stay -- or her exact location in Sydney -- she did confirm she was in coronavirus quarantine. Sajat said she would continue working in Australia, with a focus on gold and cosmetics. "I want to rebuild my business empire here," she said. Sajat also said she will not return to Malaysia because "people like me are abused and intimidated" there. Thilaga Sulathireh, co-founder of Malaysian transgender activist group Justice for Sisters, told AFP that Sajat's was not an isolated case. "Many LGBTIQ people have migrated and uprooted their lives because of the increasingly repressive environment in Malaysia," she said. The country is home to some 32 million people, with ethnic Malay Muslims making up more than half of the population. It also has a dual legal system, with Islamic criminal and family laws running alongside civil laws.

Malaysian trans woman says 'safe and free' in Australia

Let's face it. If the popular sitcom 'Friends' was made in present times, it would have offended many for its lack of diversity as well as it's politically incorrect on the trans community. While the show garnered a lot of praise for its comedy in the 1990s, everything was not so pleasant behind the scenes. 
&nbsp; 
Actress Kathleen Turner, who played the role of Chandler's transgender father opened up about how the show not only was transphobic with the constant jokes on her character, but she claimed that she was treated poorly off-camera as well. 
 
An interview with Vulture in 2016 is doing the rounds of the internet in which Turner revealed how she did not feel welcomed by the cast of the show.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-friends-reunion-matthew-perry-his-decades-long-addiction--comeback-387700">Read:&nbsp;'Friends' reunion: Matthew Perry, his decades-long addiction &amp; comeback</a> 
 
“I’ll be quite honest, I didn’t feel very welcomed by the cast. I remember I was wearing this difficult sequined gown — and my high heels were absolutely killing me,” she shared.

“I found it odd that none of the actors thought to offer me a seat. Finally, it was one of the older crew members that said, ‘Get Miss Turner a chair.’ The Friends actors were such a clique — but I don’t think my experience with them was unique,” she continued.

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“I think it was simply that they were such a tight little group that nobody from the outside mattered,” she added.

“Maybe if I’d had months to work with them, I’d be in a better position to evaluate their skill. But I could only judge based on the period I worked on the show, which wasn’t long. I do respect the camaraderie they had. You can see camaraderie on the screen,” she said.&nbsp; 
 
Turner played Amanda Bing, Chandler's transgender father who appeared in season 7 of the hit sitcom.&nbsp; 
 
Starring Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and Courteney Cox- 'Friends' ran from 1994- 2004 and is considered one of the most iconic shows of all time.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/did-you-know-the-original-story-was-about-4-friends-25-lesser-known-facts-about-our-beloved-show-friends-250545">Did you know the original story was about 4 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S'? 25 lesser-known facts about our beloved show</a>

Let's face it. If the popular sitcom 'Friends' was made in present times, it would have offended many for its lack of diversity as well as it's politically incorrect on the trans community.

Let's face it. If the popular sitcom 'Friends' was made in present times, it would have offended many for its lack of diversity as well as it's politically incorrect on the trans community. While the show garnered a lot of praise for its comedy in the 1990s, everything was not so pleasant behind the scenes. Actress Kathleen Turner, who played the role of Chandler's transgender father opened up about how the show not only was transphobic with the constant jokes on her character, but she claimed that she was treated poorly off-camera as well. An interview with Vulture in 2016 is doing the rounds of the internet in which Turner revealed how she did not feel welcomed by the cast of the show. Read: 'Friends' reunion: Matthew Perry, his decades-long addiction & comeback “I’ll be quite honest, I didn’t feel very welcomed by the cast. I remember I was wearing this difficult sequined gown — and my high heels were absolutely killing me,” she shared. “I found it odd that none of the actors thought to offer me a seat. Finally, it was one of the older crew members that said, ‘Get Miss Turner a chair.’ The Friends actors were such a clique — but I don’t think my experience with them was unique,” she continued. Also read: 'Friends' reunion review: The one where everyone gets nostalgic and emotional “I think it was simply that they were such a tight little group that nobody from the outside mattered,” she added. “Maybe if I’d had months to work with them, I’d be in a better position to evaluate their skill. But I could only judge based on the period I worked on the show, which wasn’t long. I do respect the camaraderie they had. You can see camaraderie on the screen,” she said. Turner played Amanda Bing, Chandler's transgender father who appeared in season 7 of the hit sitcom. Starring Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and Courteney Cox- 'Friends' ran from 1994- 2004 and is considered one of the most iconic shows of all time. Lady Gaga to BTS: 'Friends' reunion was a starry affair Did you know the original story was about 4 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S'? 25 lesser-known facts about our beloved show

Kathleen Turner, who played Chandler's trans dad in 'Friends', calls the six actors a 'clique'

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has installed its first openly transgender bishop.&nbsp;

This has been done in a service held in San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral on Saturday.

The Rev Megan Rohrer will lead one of the church’s 65 synods, overseeing nearly 200 congregations in northern California and northern Nevada.

According to the reports by the Associated Press, Rohrer told worshippers, “My call is ... to be up to the same messy, loving things I was up to before."&nbsp;

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“But mostly, if you’ll let me, and I think you will, my hope is to love you and beyond that, to love what you love.”

Rohrer was elected in May to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod after its current bishop announced his retirement.

Rohrer said in a statement, "I step into this role because a diverse community of Lutherans in northern California and Nevada prayerfully and thoughtfully voted to do a historic thing."

“My installation will celebrate all that is possible when we trust God to shepherd us forward.”

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has installed its first openly transgender bishop. This has been done in a service held in San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral on Saturday.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has installed its first openly transgender bishop. This has been done in a service held in San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral on Saturday. The Rev Megan Rohrer will lead one of the church’s 65 synods, overseeing nearly 200 congregations in northern California and northern Nevada. According to the reports by the Associated Press, Rohrer told worshippers, “My call is ... to be up to the same messy, loving things I was up to before." Also read | 'Hard to explain to anybody': Biden defends US pullout from Afghanistan on 9/11 anniversary “But mostly, if you’ll let me, and I think you will, my hope is to love you and beyond that, to love what you love.” Rohrer was elected in May to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod after its current bishop announced his retirement. Rohrer said in a statement, "I step into this role because a diverse community of Lutherans in northern California and Nevada prayerfully and thoughtfully voted to do a historic thing." “My installation will celebrate all that is possible when we trust God to shepherd us forward.”

US Evangelical Lutheran Church installs first openly transgender bishop

From gender-equality to the participation of trans-athletes: A list of epic firsts at Tokyo Olympics

The first transgender contestant in South Africa's national beauty pageant, 24-year-old Lehlogonolo Machaba hopes she will inspire greater acceptance of the LGBTQI community.

Machaba, a fashion model, is competing for the Miss South Africa title, which opened to transgender contestants in 2019.

"Being the first is a bit overwhelming and I'm also anxious that people do know now that I'm a trans woman," Machaba said.

South Africa is the only African country where same-sex marriage is legal and which enshrines LGBTQI rights in its constitution. People can change their identity in the national birth register.

However, violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex people in South Africa has escalated, with more than 10 people killed in attacks this year, and social stigma and discrimination remains strong.

Machaba said she expected to be stigmatised for putting a spotlight on issues transgender people face, but that the killing of a close friend in a hate crime had given her strength to fight.

"I'm here to fight for my community, not necessarily in a physical manner, but through words," she said.

"It would mean a lot for me as a trans woman to win Miss South Africa but also I believe it would mean a lot for the queer community in South Africa. It would show that South Africa is breaking boundaries," she said.

The first transgender contestant in South Africa's national beauty pageant, 24-year-old Lehlogonolo Machaba hopes she will inspire greater acceptance of the LGBTQI community.

The first transgender contestant in South Africa's national beauty pageant, 24-year-old Lehlogonolo Machaba hopes she will inspire greater acceptance of the LGBTQI community. Machaba, a fashion model, is competing for the Miss South Africa title, which opened to transgender contestants in 2019. "Being the first is a bit overwhelming and I'm also anxious that people do know now that I'm a trans woman," Machaba said. South Africa is the only African country where same-sex marriage is legal and which enshrines LGBTQI rights in its constitution. People can change their identity in the national birth register. However, violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex people in South Africa has escalated, with more than 10 people killed in attacks this year, and social stigma and discrimination remains strong. Machaba said she expected to be stigmatised for putting a spotlight on issues transgender people face, but that the killing of a close friend in a hate crime had given her strength to fight. "I'm here to fight for my community, not necessarily in a physical manner, but through words," she said. "It would mean a lot for me as a trans woman to win Miss South Africa but also I believe it would mean a lot for the queer community in South Africa. It would show that South Africa is breaking boundaries," she said.

‘Fighting for my community’: Meet miss South Africa's first transgender contestant 

Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard takes center stage at the Tokyo Games on Monday and Ethiopia-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan faces a daunting day on the athletics track in her ambitious pursuit of an Olympic treble.

On day four of the athletics in the sweltering Japanese capital, the 28-year-old Hassan will run in heat in the 1500m in the morning, before again taking to the track in the evening session for the final of the 5,000m.&nbsp;

The two-time world champion will also go in the 10,000m later in the Games, which are now into their final week and hotting up in every sense&nbsp;temperatures in Tokyo over the coming week are forecast to range from maximums of 30 to 34 Celsius (up to 94F).

There will also be the women's 100m hurdles final and men's long-jump final Monday, while there are three gold medals up for grabs in gymnastics&nbsp;in men's rings, women's floor exercise, and men's vault.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics-belarus-athlete-safe-and-secure-in-tokyo-as-poland-czech-offer-visas-402334" hreflang="en">Olympics: Belarus athlete 'safe and secure' in Tokyo as Poland, Czech offer visas</a>

Golds are also going begging in badminton, wrestling, shooting, sailing, and event jumping.

Track cycling meanwhile gets underway at these pandemic-delayed Games, with the women's team sprint title the first gold at Izu Velodrome.

But it is weightlifting that will be in the spotlight because of New Zealand's Hubbard.

The 43-year-old, who was born male and competed as a man before transitioning to become a woman, makes her Olympic debut -- the IOC says she is the first openly transgender woman to compete at a Games, hailing it as a landmark moment for the Olympic movement.

However, her historic presence in the women's +87kg category on the elite stage raises complex issues of bioethics, human rights, science, fairness and identity in sport.

"Laurel Hubbard is a woman, is competing under the rules of her federation and we have to pay tribute to her courage and tenacity in competing and qualifying for the Games," IOC medical chief Richard Budgett told reporters in Tokyo.

Supporters say her appearance is a victory for inclusion and trans rights.

Critics argue she has an unfair advantage over female rivals due to physical attributes locked into her body during her decades as a male.

Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard takes center stage at the Tokyo Games on Monday and Ethiopia-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan faces a daunting day on the athletics track in her ambitious pursuit of an Olympic treble.

Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard takes center stage at the Tokyo Games on Monday and Ethiopia-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan faces a daunting day on the athletics track in her ambitious pursuit of an Olympic treble. On day four of the athletics in the sweltering Japanese capital, the 28-year-old Hassan will run in heat in the 1500m in the morning, before again taking to the track in the evening session for the final of the 5,000m. The two-time world champion will also go in the 10,000m later in the Games, which are now into their final week and hotting up in every sense temperatures in Tokyo over the coming week are forecast to range from maximums of 30 to 34 Celsius (up to 94F). There will also be the women's 100m hurdles final and men's long-jump final Monday, while there are three gold medals up for grabs in gymnastics in men's rings, women's floor exercise, and men's vault. ALSO READ: Olympics: Belarus athlete 'safe and secure' in Tokyo as Poland, Czech offer visas Golds are also going begging in badminton, wrestling, shooting, sailing, and event jumping. Track cycling meanwhile gets underway at these pandemic-delayed Games, with the women's team sprint title the first gold at Izu Velodrome. But it is weightlifting that will be in the spotlight because of New Zealand's Hubbard. The 43-year-old, who was born male and competed as a man before transitioning to become a woman, makes her Olympic debut -- the IOC says she is the first openly transgender woman to compete at a Games, hailing it as a landmark moment for the Olympic movement. However, her historic presence in the women's +87kg category on the elite stage raises complex issues of bioethics, human rights, science, fairness and identity in sport. "Laurel Hubbard is a woman, is competing under the rules of her federation and we have to pay tribute to her courage and tenacity in competing and qualifying for the Games," IOC medical chief Richard Budgett told reporters in Tokyo. Supporters say her appearance is a victory for inclusion and trans rights. Critics argue she has an unfair advantage over female rivals due to physical attributes locked into her body during her decades as a male.

Tokyo 2020: Transgender weightlifter in Olympic debut as Games hot up

43-year-old weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will create history by becoming the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics Games after New Zealand picked her for participating in the women’s team at Tokyo 2021.

New Zealand picks first transgender athlete for Olympics

Elliot Page shared a shirtless photo of himself by the pool on Monday. The Canadian actor can be seen in red swim trunks and shows off his perfectly toned abs in the photo. "Trans bb's first swim trunks," Page captioned the image and added the hashtags #transjoy #transisbeautiful.

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This is the first time that Page has shared a shirtless photo since having a top surgery that he underwent earlier this year. Top surgery for transgender men is a procedure to remove the breast tissues (subcutaneous mastectomy). 
 
The actor, born Ellen Page,&nbsp;came out as a transgender man in December 2020.

In March, he gave his first interview since going public, telling TIME magazine that he grew up feeling "like a boy" from an early age but had "to look a certain way" in terms of his acting career, starting at age 10. 
 
While speaking&nbsp;to Oprah Winfrey recently, Page explained why he had been forthcoming about sharing information about his health to TIME.&nbsp; 
 
"I wanted to talk about it for a couple of reasons," Page told Winfrey.

"I wanted to share with people just how much it has changed my life. And I want people to know that not only has it been life changing for me, I do believe it is life saving and it's the case for so many people... and because there is such an attack on trans health care right now, when already there is such a lack of access or trans people who don't even want to go to the doctor."

Elliot Page shared a shirtless photo of himself by the pool on Monday. The Canadian actor can be seen in red swim trunks and shows off his perfectly toned abs in the photo.

Elliot Page shared a shirtless photo of himself by the pool on Monday. The Canadian actor can be seen in red swim trunks and shows off his perfectly toned abs in the photo. "Trans bb's first swim trunks," Page captioned the image and added the hashtags #transjoy #transisbeautiful. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @elliotpage × This is the first time that Page has shared a shirtless photo since having a top surgery that he underwent earlier this year. Top surgery for transgender men is a procedure to remove the breast tissues (subcutaneous mastectomy). The actor, born Ellen Page, came out as a transgender man in December 2020. In March, he gave his first interview since going public, telling TIME magazine that he grew up feeling "like a boy" from an early age but had "to look a certain way" in terms of his acting career, starting at age 10. While speaking to Oprah Winfrey recently, Page explained why he had been forthcoming about sharing information about his health to TIME. "I wanted to talk about it for a couple of reasons," Page told Winfrey. "I wanted to share with people just how much it has changed my life. And I want people to know that not only has it been life changing for me, I do believe it is life saving and it's the case for so many people... and because there is such an attack on trans health care right now, when already there is such a lack of access or trans people who don't even want to go to the doctor."

Elliot Page shares a shirtless photo by the pool for the first time since coming out as trans man

New Zealand weightlifter&nbsp;Laurel&nbsp;Hubbard&nbsp;is poised to become the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games, in a move that will reignite the often vitriolic debate over the ethics of trans sport.

The 43-year-old, who was born male but transitioned to female in her 30s, is on the verge of reaching the Tokyo Olympics under coronavirus-enforced new qualifying rules.

Hubbard, who also competed as a male, became eligible to lift as a woman after showing testosterone levels below the threshold required by the International Olympic Committee.

She is aiming to make New Zealand's Tokyo Olympics squad to contest the women's +87kg category, an event in which she is currently ranked 16th in the world.

Hubbard&nbsp;is already in the history books after becoming the first transgender Commonwealth Games athlete at the Gold Coast in 2018 when she had to withdraw after suffering an elbow injury that almost ended her career.

While the New Zealand team is yet to be named, officials said&nbsp;Hubbard&nbsp;was likely to meet new qualification criteria that have been simplified by the International Weightlifting Federation because of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19 pandemic</a>.

"The NZOC can confirm that revised international federation (IF) qualification systems are very likely to see a number of New Zealand weightlifters, including Commonwealth Games transgender athlete&nbsp;Laurel&nbsp;Hubbard, allocated an IF quota spot for Tokyo 2020," the New Zealand Olympic Committee said.

The NZOC has strongly backed&nbsp;Hubbard's right to compete in the past and said all athletes selected for Tokyo would receive its support.

"The New Zealand team has a strong culture of manaaki (caring), inclusion and respect for all," it said. &nbsp;

'I am who I am'&nbsp;

Not all in the sporting world have been so welcoming and&nbsp;Hubbard's appearance at the Games is sure to generate intense interest and spotlight the thorny issue of transgender athletes.

She has become an unwitting lightning rod for discussion on the issue, with some arguing she has an unfair advantage over female-born athletes and others saying she meets the criteria laid down by the IOC.

In a vastly complex debate, both sides claim to have science on their side.

Current IOC rules state a trans woman can compete provided her testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per litre, a criteria&nbsp;Hubbard&nbsp;meets.

In 2018, Oceania Weightlifting Federation general secretary Paul Coffa defended&nbsp;Hubbard's participation in the Commonwealth Games. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"She's done everything according to the IOC rules and she's proven that she's a woman... so give her a chance and let her continue," he said.

But the Australian Weightlifting Federation unsuccessfully tried to have her barred from the event, arguing the physique and power she developed as a male before transitioning gave her a physical advantage&nbsp;regardless of testosterone levels.

"In our respectful view, the current criteria and its application has the potential to devalue women's weightlifting and discourage female-born athletes from pursuing the sport at an elite level in the future," it said.

While there are genuine issues to be debated, discussion about transgender sport is a hot-button topic that frequently descends into acrimony and name-calling, particularly online.

British television presenter Piers Morgan targeted&nbsp;Hubbard&nbsp;last year when her Olympic berth began looking a realistic prospect after strong comeback performances following the elbow injury.

"This is insane. Women's rights to basic fairness &amp; equality are getting destroyed at the altar of political correctness," Morgan tweeted.

Hubbard&nbsp;rarely gives interviews but told Radio New Zealand in 2017 that she just wanted to compete in the sport she loves and "blocked out" criticism.

"If I try and take that weight on board it just makes the lifts harder... I am who I am," she said.

"I don't want to change the world. I just want to be me and do what I do."

&nbsp;

New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is poised to become the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games, in a move that will reignite the often vitriolic debate over the ethics of trans sport.

New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is poised to become the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games, in a move that will reignite the often vitriolic debate over the ethics of trans sport. The 43-year-old, who was born male but transitioned to female in her 30s, is on the verge of reaching the Tokyo Olympics under coronavirus-enforced new qualifying rules. Hubbard, who also competed as a male, became eligible to lift as a woman after showing testosterone levels below the threshold required by the International Olympic Committee. She is aiming to make New Zealand's Tokyo Olympics squad to contest the women's +87kg category, an event in which she is currently ranked 16th in the world. Hubbard is already in the history books after becoming the first transgender Commonwealth Games athlete at the Gold Coast in 2018 when she had to withdraw after suffering an elbow injury that almost ended her career. While the New Zealand team is yet to be named, officials said Hubbard was likely to meet new qualification criteria that have been simplified by the International Weightlifting Federation because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The NZOC can confirm that revised international federation (IF) qualification systems are very likely to see a number of New Zealand weightlifters, including Commonwealth Games transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard, allocated an IF quota spot for Tokyo 2020," the New Zealand Olympic Committee said. The NZOC has strongly backed Hubbard's right to compete in the past and said all athletes selected for Tokyo would receive its support. "The New Zealand team has a strong culture of manaaki (caring), inclusion and respect for all," it said. 'I am who I am' Not all in the sporting world have been so welcoming and Hubbard's appearance at the Games is sure to generate intense interest and spotlight the thorny issue of transgender athletes. She has become an unwitting lightning rod for discussion on the issue, with some arguing she has an unfair advantage over female-born athletes and others saying she meets the criteria laid down by the IOC. In a vastly complex debate, both sides claim to have science on their side. Current IOC rules state a trans woman can compete provided her testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per litre, a criteria Hubbard meets. In 2018, Oceania Weightlifting Federation general secretary Paul Coffa defended Hubbard's participation in the Commonwealth Games. "She's done everything according to the IOC rules and she's proven that she's a woman... so give her a chance and let her continue," he said. But the Australian Weightlifting Federation unsuccessfully tried to have her barred from the event, arguing the physique and power she developed as a male before transitioning gave her a physical advantage regardless of testosterone levels. "In our respectful view, the current criteria and its application has the potential to devalue women's weightlifting and discourage female-born athletes from pursuing the sport at an elite level in the future," it said. While there are genuine issues to be debated, discussion about transgender sport is a hot-button topic that frequently descends into acrimony and name-calling, particularly online. British television presenter Piers Morgan targeted Hubbard last year when her Olympic berth began looking a realistic prospect after strong comeback performances following the elbow injury. "This is insane. Women's rights to basic fairness & equality are getting destroyed at the altar of political correctness," Morgan tweeted. Hubbard rarely gives interviews but told Radio New Zealand in 2017 that she just wanted to compete in the sport she loves and "blocked out" criticism. "If I try and take that weight on board it just makes the lifts harder... I am who I am," she said. "I don't want to change the world. I just want to be me and do what I do."

New Zealand weightlifter set to be first transgender Olympian

The Pentagon has issued new rules that offer transgender people wider access to medical care and assistance with gender transition, sweeping away Trump-era policies that largely banned them from serving in the military.

The new department regulations allow transgender people who meet military standards to enlist and serve openly in their self-identified gender.

The changes come after a two-month Pentagon review aimed at developing guidelines for the new policy, which was announced by President Joe Biden just days after he took office in January.

These people will now be able to get medically necessary transition-related care authorised by law, chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday.

The new rules also prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. The Wednesday move coincided with International Transgender Day of Visibility and they will take effect in 30 days. This will give the military services the time they need to update their policies and provide guidance to commanders.

Until a few years ago, service members could be discharged from the military for being transgender, but that changed during the Obama administration. In 2016, the Pentagon announced that transgender people already serving in the military would be allowed to serve openly, and that by July 2017 they would be allowed to enlist.

After Donald Trump took office, however, his administration delayed the enlistment date and called for additional study. A few weeks later, Trump caught military leaders by surprise, tweeting that the government wouldn't accept or allow transgender people to serve "in any capacity" in the military.

(with inputs)

The Pentagon has issued new rules that offer transgender people wider access to medical care and assistance with gender transition, sweeping away Trump-era policies that largely banned them from serving in the military.

The Pentagon has issued new rules that offer transgender people wider access to medical care and assistance with gender transition, sweeping away Trump-era policies that largely banned them from serving in the military. The new department regulations allow transgender people who meet military standards to enlist and serve openly in their self-identified gender. The changes come after a two-month Pentagon review aimed at developing guidelines for the new policy, which was announced by President Joe Biden just days after he took office in January. These people will now be able to get medically necessary transition-related care authorised by law, chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday. The new rules also prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. The Wednesday move coincided with International Transgender Day of Visibility and they will take effect in 30 days. This will give the military services the time they need to update their policies and provide guidance to commanders. Until a few years ago, service members could be discharged from the military for being transgender, but that changed during the Obama administration. In 2016, the Pentagon announced that transgender people already serving in the military would be allowed to serve openly, and that by July 2017 they would be allowed to enlist. After Donald Trump took office, however, his administration delayed the enlistment date and called for additional study. A few weeks later, Trump caught military leaders by surprise, tweeting that the government wouldn't accept or allow transgender people to serve "in any capacity" in the military. (with inputs)

Pentagon releases new transgender policies

The Arkansas Senate in the United States recently approved measures to ban gender confirming treatments for minors in the state.&nbsp;The Senate, with a Republican majority voted 28-7 in support of the legislation on Monday, then forwarding the bill to the governor in the face of mounting criticism.

If enacted, the bill would be the first of its kind to prevent gender confirming treatments in the United States. Doctors would be prohibited from providing gender confirming hormone treatment including surgery to minors. They would also be barred from referring the patients to other doctors.

"This bill sets out to protect children in an area where they very much need protection," Republican Senator Alan Clark, a sponsor of the bill said before the voting began.

But critics including social workers, paediatricians, and even the parents of transgender youth claim that the measure will have the opposite effect of what Clark claims. The community is already highly susceptible to depression and suicide.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-state-of-arkansas-bans-nearly-all-abortions-in-sweeping-measure-369274" hreflang="en">US state of Arkansas bans nearly all abortions in sweeping measure</a>

Now, the measure will go to Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, who has not yet revealed whether he supports the bill. He now has four days to sign or veto the legislation before it becomes law without his signature.

Many states including Arkansas have taken out legislation targeting transgender people in the recent past. States of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee recently enacted measures to prevent transgender girls and women from competing in school sports teams that are in sync with their gender identity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/in-a-first-transgender-woman-rachel-levine-confirmed-to-us-health-post-372960" hreflang="en">In a first, transgender woman Rachel Levine confirmed to US health post&nbsp;</a> 
 
In fact, just on Friday, Hutchinson signed a law allowing doctors to deny treatment to someone based on religious or moral grounds. Critics see this is a way for doctors to turn LGBTQIA+ patients away.

The Arkansas Senate in the United States recently approved measures to ban gender confirming treatments for minors in the state. The Senate, with a Republican majority voted 28-7 in support of the legislation on Monday, then forwarding the bill to the governor in the face of mounting criticism.

The Arkansas Senate in the United States recently approved measures to ban gender confirming treatments for minors in the state. The Senate, with a Republican majority voted 28-7 in support of the legislation on Monday, then forwarding the bill to the governor in the face of mounting criticism. If enacted, the bill would be the first of its kind to prevent gender confirming treatments in the United States. Doctors would be prohibited from providing gender confirming hormone treatment including surgery to minors. They would also be barred from referring the patients to other doctors. "This bill sets out to protect children in an area where they very much need protection," Republican Senator Alan Clark, a sponsor of the bill said before the voting began. But critics including social workers, paediatricians, and even the parents of transgender youth claim that the measure will have the opposite effect of what Clark claims. The community is already highly susceptible to depression and suicide. Also read: US state of Arkansas bans nearly all abortions in sweeping measure Now, the measure will go to Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, who has not yet revealed whether he supports the bill. He now has four days to sign or veto the legislation before it becomes law without his signature. Many states including Arkansas have taken out legislation targeting transgender people in the recent past. States of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee recently enacted measures to prevent transgender girls and women from competing in school sports teams that are in sync with their gender identity. Also read: In a first, transgender woman Rachel Levine confirmed to US health post In fact, just on Friday, Hutchinson signed a law allowing doctors to deny treatment to someone based on religious or moral grounds. Critics see this is a way for doctors to turn LGBTQIA+ patients away.

US state of Arkansas approves bill denying treatment to transgender minors

Pakistan’s first transgender-only madrasa (Islamic religious school) is breaking barriers. Set up by Rani Khan, the school gives Quran lessons and marks an important milestone for the LGBTQIA+ community in the country.

Transgender people face a lot of hardships in South Asia. In Pakistan, there is no official restriction on people belonging to the community attending school or offering prayers at mosques.

"Most families do not accept transgender people. They throw them out of their homes. Transgender people turn to wrongdoing," Rani Khan, 34, who spent her life savings on setting up the madrasa told Reuters.

Khan was disowned by her family at the age of 13, which forced her to beg on the streets. She joined a transgender group at the age of 17, following which she performed at weddings and other functions, but quit it later to focus on the madrasa.

<h6><img alt="A group of transgender women learn the Koran at Pakistan's first transgender only madrasa or a religious school, in Islamabad, Pakistan February 25, 2021. Picture taken February 25, 2021" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d8e1c94-bcb6-4321-80a0-9ae37638a6a5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/oof%20%282%29.jpg" /> 
A group of transgender women learn the Koran at&nbsp;Pakistan's first transgender only madrasa or a religious school, in Islamabad,&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;February 25, 2021. Picture taken February 25, 2021 | Reuters</h6>

She claims that a deceased transgender friend had inspired her to take up the cause of the community. First, Khan took up religious studies at home, after which she opened the two-room school in October 2020.

"I'm teaching the Quran to please God, to make my life here and in the hereafter," Khan told Reuters. The government has not aided the institution, but some officials have vowed to help the community find jobs.

Besides religious studies, Khan is teaching students to sew and embroider to raise funds for the school.

In 2018, Pakistan’s parliament recognised the third gender, effectively giving the trans community right to vote and to state their gender on official documents. Even then, trans folks in the country remain ostracised and are often forced into begging, prostitution, and dancing to make ends meet.

Pakistan’s first transgender-only madrasa (Islamic religious school) is breaking barriers. Set up by Rani Khan, the school gives Quran lessons and marks an important milestone for the LGBTQIA+ community in the country.

Pakistan’s first transgender-only madrasa (Islamic religious school) is breaking barriers. Set up by Rani Khan, the school gives Quran lessons and marks an important milestone for the LGBTQIA+ community in the country. Transgender people face a lot of hardships in South Asia. In Pakistan, there is no official restriction on people belonging to the community attending school or offering prayers at mosques. "Most families do not accept transgender people. They throw them out of their homes. Transgender people turn to wrongdoing," Rani Khan, 34, who spent her life savings on setting up the madrasa told Reuters. Khan was disowned by her family at the age of 13, which forced her to beg on the streets. She joined a transgender group at the age of 17, following which she performed at weddings and other functions, but quit it later to focus on the madrasa. A group of transgender women learn the Koran at Pakistan's first transgender only madrasa or a religious school, in Islamabad, Pakistan February 25, 2021. Picture taken February 25, 2021 | Reuters She claims that a deceased transgender friend had inspired her to take up the cause of the community. First, Khan took up religious studies at home, after which she opened the two-room school in October 2020. "I'm teaching the Quran to please God, to make my life here and in the hereafter," Khan told Reuters. The government has not aided the institution, but some officials have vowed to help the community find jobs. Besides religious studies, Khan is teaching students to sew and embroider to raise funds for the school. In 2018, Pakistan’s parliament recognised the third gender, effectively giving the trans community right to vote and to state their gender on official documents. Even then, trans folks in the country remain ostracised and are often forced into begging, prostitution, and dancing to make ends meet.

Pakistan's first transgender-only madrasa hopes to pave path for acceptance

A transgender woman has opened Pakistan's first Islamic school for the LGBTQ+ community. In a country with close to 300,000 transgender people, Rani Madrasa offers a ray of hope as they are often subject to abuse and insult.

Your Story: Pakistan's first transgender Madrasa for LGBTQ community

Tashnuva Anan Shishir, a rights activist who previously worked with NGOs supporting transgender people and migrants became Bangladesh's first transgender news anchor. She read her first daily news bulletin for a private television channel on International Women’s Day.

Tashnuva Anan Shishir becomes Bangladesh's first transgender news anchor

Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page is speaking up for the first time since publicly coming out as a transgender in December 2020.

In a recent interview to TIME,&nbsp;Page said that he wants to use his "privilege" and "platform" to help others in the transgender community.This was his first&nbsp;interview since publicly coming out as trans in December.

The 34-year-old actor recalled his early days and how felt "like a boy"&nbsp;from an early age. Page said he had to&nbsp;"to look a certain way" in terms of his acting career, starting at age 10.

When he came out as transgender three months ago, "What I was anticipating was a lot of support and love and a massive amount of hatred and transphobia," Page told Time during their emotional interview.

Page said, "That`s essentially what happened." He added later that he wants to be open and honest about who he is to let others know they`re not alone, saying, "Extremely influential people are spreading these myths and damaging rhetoric -- every day you`re seeing our existence debated."

"Transgender people are so very real," Page further said.As for his own "privilege," Page told the magazine that it "has allowed me to have resources to get through and to be where I am today. And of course I want to use that privilege and platform to help in the ways I can," he added.

The `Juno` actor also discussed his childhood, including asking his mother if he "could be (a boy)&nbsp;someday" and being forced off of a boys` competitive soccer team.

Speaking about the anti-trans legislation surrounding sports teams today, Page said, "I would have been in that position as a kid. It`s horrific."

Since Page, who uses he/him and they/them pronouns, came out as transgender, he has been offered a slew of opportunities in terms of acting, directing, and producing -- many related to trans stories, and some "dude roles."

Having played Vanya Hargreeves on `The Umbrella Academy` since it premiered in 2019, Page said the role appealed to him because he "related to how much Vanya was closed off."

When he returned to set to begin filming the Netflix superhero series` third season, co-workers were extremely supportive, although some have used the wrong pronouns accidentally. "It`s going to be an adjustment," said the Oscar nominee. Going forward in his career in general, "I`m really excited to act, now that I`m fully who I am, in this body," Page said. "No matter the challenges and difficult moments of this, nothing amounts to getting to feel how I feel now," the actor added.

Page has starred in films like `Juno`, `X-Men: The Last Stand` and `Inception`. On the personal front, the Oscar-nominated star had filed for divorce from wife and choreographer Emma Portner in New York in January.

The former couple also confirmed their split in a statement to the publication. Announcing their split, the pair had said in a joint statement, "After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce following our separation last summer. We have the utmost respect for each other and remain close friends."

The divorce news comes three years after Page and Portner announced that they had tied the knot in a private ceremony in January 2018. The couple had started dating in 2017.

Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page is speaking up for the first time since publicly coming out as a transgender in December 2020. In a recent interview to TIME, Page said that he wants to use his "privilege" and "platform" to help others in the transgender community.

Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page is speaking up for the first time since publicly coming out as a transgender in December 2020. In a recent interview to TIME, Page said that he wants to use his "privilege" and "platform" to help others in the transgender community.This was his first interview since publicly coming out as trans in December. The 34-year-old actor recalled his early days and how felt "like a boy" from an early age. Page said he had to "to look a certain way" in terms of his acting career, starting at age 10. When he came out as transgender three months ago, "What I was anticipating was a lot of support and love and a massive amount of hatred and transphobia," Page told Time during their emotional interview. Page said, "That`s essentially what happened." He added later that he wants to be open and honest about who he is to let others know they`re not alone, saying, "Extremely influential people are spreading these myths and damaging rhetoric -- every day you`re seeing our existence debated." "Transgender people are so very real," Page further said.As for his own "privilege," Page told the magazine that it "has allowed me to have resources to get through and to be where I am today. And of course I want to use that privilege and platform to help in the ways I can," he added. The `Juno` actor also discussed his childhood, including asking his mother if he "could be (a boy) someday" and being forced off of a boys` competitive soccer team. Speaking about the anti-trans legislation surrounding sports teams today, Page said, "I would have been in that position as a kid. It`s horrific." Since Page, who uses he/him and they/them pronouns, came out as transgender, he has been offered a slew of opportunities in terms of acting, directing, and producing -- many related to trans stories, and some "dude roles." Having played Vanya Hargreeves on `The Umbrella Academy` since it premiered in 2019, Page said the role appealed to him because he "related to how much Vanya was closed off." When he returned to set to begin filming the Netflix superhero series` third season, co-workers were extremely supportive, although some have used the wrong pronouns accidentally. "It`s going to be an adjustment," said the Oscar nominee. Going forward in his career in general, "I`m really excited to act, now that I`m fully who I am, in this body," Page said. "No matter the challenges and difficult moments of this, nothing amounts to getting to feel how I feel now," the actor added. Page has starred in films like `Juno`, `X-Men: The Last Stand` and `Inception`. On the personal front, the Oscar-nominated star had filed for divorce from wife and choreographer Emma Portner in New York in January. The former couple also confirmed their split in a statement to the publication. Announcing their split, the pair had said in a joint statement, "After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce following our separation last summer. We have the utmost respect for each other and remain close friends." The divorce news comes three years after Page and Portner announced that they had tied the knot in a private ceremony in January 2018. The couple had started dating in 2017.

Elliot Page recalled asking his mom as child if he 'could be a boy someday'

US President Joe Biden has signed an order that lifts the Pentagon's ban on transgender people serving in the military. It had been put in place by the Trump administration.

This move by Biden administration fulfils a campaign promise and will be cheered by LGBTQ advocates.

In 2016, then-President Barack Obama allowed transgender people to join the military and to receive medical treatment to transition to the gender with which they identity. 
 
Trump banned recruitment of transgender people but allowed those already in the military to continue serving.

“Today, I repealed the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military. It’s simple: America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride,” Biden tweeted.

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Today, I repealed the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military. It’s simple: America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride.
— President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1353757273114472449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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When Trump announced the ban in 2017 on Twitter, he said the military needed to focus on "decisive and overwhelming victory" without being burdened by the "tremendous medical costs and disruption" of having transgender personnel.

A November 2020 report by the LGBT-rights think tank the Palm Center co-written by former military Surgeons General said the transgender ban had hurt military readiness.

During his confirmation hearing, Biden's pick to lead the Pentagon, Retired Army General Lloyd Austin, said he supported overturning the ban.

The US Supreme Court ruled that the Trump transgender policy of 2019 could stand while it faces separate lawsuits in lower courts.

About 1.3 million active personnel serve in the US military, Department of Defense data shows. There are no official figures on the number of trans members but the Rand Corp, a US policy research institute, estimated in 2016 about 2,450 active service members were transgender.

'Counting down to this day'

While advocates applaud Biden's move, the fact that any president can decide whether transgender people can serve in the military is problematic, they say. Any American who is fit and able should have the right to serve, they argue.

"We must make sure that future presidents do not backslide on our values of equality and inclusion, and I intend to add a provision to this year's defense policy bill to secure a permanent policy of nondiscrimination for our armed forces," said Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Chair of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee.

Nic Talbott, a transgender man, was forced to drop out of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) due to Trump's ban. On Monday, he said Biden's move had given him and other transgender people an opportunity to once again join the military.

"This is such a huge relief, such a huge weight off my shoulders," Talbott said.

"I know there are thousands of other people out there just like me who have been counting down to this day, waiting to be able to start our careers and start our lives."

Once the order is implemented, Talbott said he plans to enter another ROTC.

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden has signed an order that lifts the Pentagon's ban on transgender people serving in the military. It had been put in place by the Trump administration.

US President Joe Biden has signed an order that lifts the Pentagon's ban on transgender people serving in the military. It had been put in place by the Trump administration. This move by Biden administration fulfils a campaign promise and will be cheered by LGBTQ advocates. In 2016, then-President Barack Obama allowed transgender people to join the military and to receive medical treatment to transition to the gender with which they identity. Trump banned recruitment of transgender people but allowed those already in the military to continue serving. “Today, I repealed the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military. It’s simple: America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride,” Biden tweeted. Today, I repealed the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military. It’s simple: America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride. — President Biden (@POTUS) January 25, 2021 × When Trump announced the ban in 2017 on Twitter, he said the military needed to focus on "decisive and overwhelming victory" without being burdened by the "tremendous medical costs and disruption" of having transgender personnel. A November 2020 report by the LGBT-rights think tank the Palm Center co-written by former military Surgeons General said the transgender ban had hurt military readiness. During his confirmation hearing, Biden's pick to lead the Pentagon, Retired Army General Lloyd Austin, said he supported overturning the ban. The US Supreme Court ruled that the Trump transgender policy of 2019 could stand while it faces separate lawsuits in lower courts. About 1.3 million active personnel serve in the US military, Department of Defense data shows. There are no official figures on the number of trans members but the Rand Corp, a US policy research institute, estimated in 2016 about 2,450 active service members were transgender. 'Counting down to this day' While advocates applaud Biden's move, the fact that any president can decide whether transgender people can serve in the military is problematic, they say. Any American who is fit and able should have the right to serve, they argue. "We must make sure that future presidents do not backslide on our values of equality and inclusion, and I intend to add a provision to this year's defense policy bill to secure a permanent policy of nondiscrimination for our armed forces," said Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Chair of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee. Nic Talbott, a transgender man, was forced to drop out of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) due to Trump's ban. On Monday, he said Biden's move had given him and other transgender people an opportunity to once again join the military. "This is such a huge relief, such a huge weight off my shoulders," Talbott said. "I know there are thousands of other people out there just like me who have been counting down to this day, waiting to be able to start our careers and start our lives." Once the order is implemented, Talbott said he plans to enter another ROTC. (With inputs from agencies)

Joe Biden reverses Donald Trump's ban on transgender people in military

Pakistan's Christian transgender people, often mocked, abused and bullied, say they have found peace and solace in a church of their own. Shunned by other churches, they can raise their voices high here. The church, called the First Church For Eunuchs, is the only one for transgender Christians in Pakistan.

First Church of Eunuchs; transgender Christians unite at new Karachi church - only one in Pakistan

In August 1968, Lynn Conway, a promising computer engineer at IBM in Sunnyvale, California, was called into the office of Gene Myron Amdahl, then the company’s director of advanced computing systems.

Amdahl had been supportive when he learned that she was “undertaking a gender transition,” Conway wrote in an account, but the company’s chief executive, Thomas Watson Jr., was less tolerant.

That summer day, Amdahl had grim news.

“I was fired,” Conway wrote.

Fifty-two years later, Conway was called back to speak with IBM supervisors. This time, the setting was a virtual meeting witnessed by other company employees.

They watched last month as Diane Gherson, IBM’s senior vice president of human resources, told Conway that while the company now offered help and support to “transitioning employees,” no amount of progress could make up for the treatment she had received decades ago.

Conway, 82, was then given a lifetime achievement award for her “pioneering work” in computers, a company spokesperson said.

“It was so unexpected,” Conway said in an interview, adding that she recalled blinking back tears. “It was stunning.”

For gay and transgender scientists and friends of Conway, the apology, while late, was a validation of the work she and others in the community had contributed to the fields of science and technology. The apology, which was reported by Forbes, was made four months after the Supreme Court ruled that a person could not be fired for being gay or transgender.

Rochelle Diamond, a scientist at the California Institute of Technology who is friends with Conway, said she learned of the apology Nov. 20, the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was stabbed to death in 1998.

“This is important for us,” said Diamond, who is also the retired chair of the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals. “It’s another reason why we need to remember and remember all of the people that have died because they were trans and to encourage trans people to be themselves.”

Christine Burns, who is friends with Conway, said she never showed bitterness about the way she was fired but that the apology must have felt healing.

“Nothing beats an unequivocal apology for vindication and closure,” said Burns, a retired British IT specialist who edited “Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows.”

Conway was hired at IBM in 1964, just after she graduated from Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

“It was a golden era in computer research, a time when fundamental breakthroughs were being made across a wide front,” she wrote.

Conway was on the verge of such a breakthrough — working on the architecture team of a project centered on creating a computer that would work at top speed — when she began undergoing medical treatments. In early 1968, she told a supervisor that she was “undertaking a gender transition to resolve a terrible existential situation” she had faced since childhood, she wrote.

Her direct supervisors wanted her to stay at the company and came up with a plan: She would take a leave from IBM, complete her transition and return as a new employee with a new identity, Conway said.

But company executives were alarmed, she said. Conway said she later learned that IBM executives feared “scandalous publicity” if her story got out.

The company’s medical director said employees who learned she was transgender “might suffer major emotional problems,” Conway wrote.

After she was fired, Conway underwent gender confirmation surgery and began rebuilding her career.

She worked at Memorex in 1971, and in 1973, she was recruited by Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, where she developed computer chip design methods that would eventually be used by tech companies worldwide.

In 1985, she became a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Michigan. She joined a weekly canoeing group, where she met her future husband, Charlie, an engineer.

Conway did not publicly reveal that she was transgender until 1999, when she said she learned computer scientists were researching the project she had been a part of at IBM.

It was only a matter of time, she concluded, that someone would figure out what had happened.

In 2000, she created a website. Her goal, she wrote on the site, was to “illuminate and normalize the issues of gender identity and the processes of gender transition.”

“I also wanted to tell, in my own words, the story of my gender transition from male to female,” Conway wrote.

The website, rich with detail about her experiences as a computer engineer and a transgender woman, became a critical source of information for other people in the transgender and larger gay community, Diamond said.

She said of Conway’s website, “Here I am. I’m an accomplished trans woman. Let’s talk about things. How can we help each other?”

In 2005, the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals named Conway engineer of the year for her work in computers and for her public outreach efforts.

Conway said she was never angry at the people who fired her.

“To go back and slam and blame and defame people, there is a problem with that because it tends to divide people and create an angst that’s unresolvable,” she said. “However, you do need evidence that there has been serious learning and appreciation and horror over what happened from today’s gestalt.”

Transgender employees at IBM who witnessed the apology said they felt “part of something phenomenal,” said Ella Slade, who is IBM’s LGBT+ and global leader and whose pronouns are they and them.

“Lynn made a comment at one point about her joining this IBM event was like returning home, and it’s hard not to get choked up hearing that,” they said.

In August 1968, Lynn Conway, a promising computer engineer at IBM in Sunnyvale, California, was called into the office of Gene Myron Amdahl, then the company’s director of advanced computing systems.

In August 1968, Lynn Conway, a promising computer engineer at IBM in Sunnyvale, California, was called into the office of Gene Myron Amdahl, then the company’s director of advanced computing systems. Amdahl had been supportive when he learned that she was “undertaking a gender transition,” Conway wrote in an account, but the company’s chief executive, Thomas Watson Jr., was less tolerant. That summer day, Amdahl had grim news. “I was fired,” Conway wrote. Fifty-two years later, Conway was called back to speak with IBM supervisors. This time, the setting was a virtual meeting witnessed by other company employees. They watched last month as Diane Gherson, IBM’s senior vice president of human resources, told Conway that while the company now offered help and support to “transitioning employees,” no amount of progress could make up for the treatment she had received decades ago. Conway, 82, was then given a lifetime achievement award for her “pioneering work” in computers, a company spokesperson said. “It was so unexpected,” Conway said in an interview, adding that she recalled blinking back tears. “It was stunning.” For gay and transgender scientists and friends of Conway, the apology, while late, was a validation of the work she and others in the community had contributed to the fields of science and technology. The apology, which was reported by Forbes, was made four months after the Supreme Court ruled that a person could not be fired for being gay or transgender. Rochelle Diamond, a scientist at the California Institute of Technology who is friends with Conway, said she learned of the apology Nov. 20, the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was stabbed to death in 1998. “This is important for us,” said Diamond, who is also the retired chair of the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals. “It’s another reason why we need to remember and remember all of the people that have died because they were trans and to encourage trans people to be themselves.” Christine Burns, who is friends with Conway, said she never showed bitterness about the way she was fired but that the apology must have felt healing. “Nothing beats an unequivocal apology for vindication and closure,” said Burns, a retired British IT specialist who edited “Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows.” Conway was hired at IBM in 1964, just after she graduated from Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. “It was a golden era in computer research, a time when fundamental breakthroughs were being made across a wide front,” she wrote. Conway was on the verge of such a breakthrough — working on the architecture team of a project centered on creating a computer that would work at top speed — when she began undergoing medical treatments. In early 1968, she told a supervisor that she was “undertaking a gender transition to resolve a terrible existential situation” she had faced since childhood, she wrote. Her direct supervisors wanted her to stay at the company and came up with a plan: She would take a leave from IBM, complete her transition and return as a new employee with a new identity, Conway said. But company executives were alarmed, she said. Conway said she later learned that IBM executives feared “scandalous publicity” if her story got out. The company’s medical director said employees who learned she was transgender “might suffer major emotional problems,” Conway wrote. After she was fired, Conway underwent gender confirmation surgery and began rebuilding her career. She worked at Memorex in 1971, and in 1973, she was recruited by Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, where she developed computer chip design methods that would eventually be used by tech companies worldwide. In 1985, she became a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Michigan. She joined a weekly canoeing group, where she met her future husband, Charlie, an engineer. Conway did not publicly reveal that she was transgender until 1999, when she said she learned computer scientists were researching the project she had been a part of at IBM. It was only a matter of time, she concluded, that someone would figure out what had happened. In 2000, she created a website. Her goal, she wrote on the site, was to “illuminate and normalize the issues of gender identity and the processes of gender transition.” “I also wanted to tell, in my own words, the story of my gender transition from male to female,” Conway wrote. The website, rich with detail about her experiences as a computer engineer and a transgender woman, became a critical source of information for other people in the transgender and larger gay community, Diamond said. She said of Conway’s website, “Here I am. I’m an accomplished trans woman. Let’s talk about things. How can we help each other?” In 2005, the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals named Conway engineer of the year for her work in computers and for her public outreach efforts. Conway said she was never angry at the people who fired her. “To go back and slam and blame and defame people, there is a problem with that because it tends to divide people and create an angst that’s unresolvable,” she said. “However, you do need evidence that there has been serious learning and appreciation and horror over what happened from today’s gestalt.” Transgender employees at IBM who witnessed the apology said they felt “part of something phenomenal,” said Ella Slade, who is IBM’s LGBT+ and global leader and whose pronouns are they and them. “Lynn made a comment at one point about her joining this IBM event was like returning home, and it’s hard not to get choked up hearing that,” they said.

52 years later, IBM apologizes for firing transgender woman

Transgender people will soon be able to inherit property from their families, Bangladesh's law minister said Sunday, the latest effort to give the minority group more rights in the conservative Muslim-majority nation.

While the country of 168 million people is officially secular, property legislation still follows religious laws, with transgender people mostly barred from inheriting estates when parents die.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told a cabinet meeting this week that new inheritance laws for the group, known as hijra -- an umbrella term referring to someone who is born male but does not refer to themselves as a man or woman -- were being drafted.

"We're trying to frame a legislation in accordance with the Islamic sharia law and our constitution which will ensure the property rights for a transgender family member," Law Minister Anisul Huq told AFP.

The bill has yet to be proposed in parliament but is expected to comfortably pass the legislative body.

Bangladesh has allowed transgender people, who number around 1.5 million, to identify as a separate gender since 2013.&nbsp;

Last year they were allowed to register to vote as a third gender. Earlier this month, the South Asian country opened its first Islamic school for transgender Muslims.

But the LGBTQI community still faces widespread discrimination, with a colonial-era law in place that punishes gay sex by prison terms, though enforcement is rare.

Rights activists welcomed the move but were sceptical about whether the law would be enforceable with many families still rejecting their transgender offspring.

"As an activist, I am happy the issue is getting focus. But it's not just a matter of legislation, rather it requires a change in the entire society," said Ananya Banik, 40, who heads transgender rights group SadaKalo.

Banik said she came out as transgender when she was 16.&nbsp;

"I had to leave my family because of the pressure they received from other families when I was growing up. And I'm not alone, there are hundreds of thousands of members in our community who had to leave their families behind," Banik, who prefers to be called she, added.

She said many transgenders leave their homes at a young age, often driven away from family members, and could face violence if they return to claim their inheritances.

Rights groups also fear a backlash from religious hardliners.

In 2015 Islamist extremists hacked to death a leading gay activist and editor of an LGBTQI magazine, while other prominent homosexuals have since fled the country. 
&nbsp;

Transgender people will soon be able to inherit property from their families, Bangladesh's law minister said Sunday, the latest effort to give the minority group more rights in the conservative Muslim-majority nation.

Transgender people will soon be able to inherit property from their families, Bangladesh's law minister said Sunday, the latest effort to give the minority group more rights in the conservative Muslim-majority nation. While the country of 168 million people is officially secular, property legislation still follows religious laws, with transgender people mostly barred from inheriting estates when parents die. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told a cabinet meeting this week that new inheritance laws for the group, known as hijra -- an umbrella term referring to someone who is born male but does not refer to themselves as a man or woman -- were being drafted. "We're trying to frame a legislation in accordance with the Islamic sharia law and our constitution which will ensure the property rights for a transgender family member," Law Minister Anisul Huq told AFP. The bill has yet to be proposed in parliament but is expected to comfortably pass the legislative body. Bangladesh has allowed transgender people, who number around 1.5 million, to identify as a separate gender since 2013. Last year they were allowed to register to vote as a third gender. Earlier this month, the South Asian country opened its first Islamic school for transgender Muslims. But the LGBTQI community still faces widespread discrimination, with a colonial-era law in place that punishes gay sex by prison terms, though enforcement is rare. Rights activists welcomed the move but were sceptical about whether the law would be enforceable with many families still rejecting their transgender offspring. "As an activist, I am happy the issue is getting focus. But it's not just a matter of legislation, rather it requires a change in the entire society," said Ananya Banik, 40, who heads transgender rights group SadaKalo. Banik said she came out as transgender when she was 16. "I had to leave my family because of the pressure they received from other families when I was growing up. And I'm not alone, there are hundreds of thousands of members in our community who had to leave their families behind," Banik, who prefers to be called she, added. She said many transgenders leave their homes at a young age, often driven away from family members, and could face violence if they return to claim their inheritances. Rights groups also fear a backlash from religious hardliners. In 2015 Islamist extremists hacked to death a leading gay activist and editor of an LGBTQI magazine, while other prominent homosexuals have since fled the country.

Transgender people to gain inheritance rights in Bangladesh

Just when you thought that Akshay Kumar could be given the trophy for making the most socially relevant, issue-based, message-driven films in Bollywood- he delivers 'Laxmii'. A film that falters at every step and misrepresents the transgender community.&nbsp;

Akshay Kumar's latest has been directed by Raghava Lawrence who is also attributed for the film's screenplay and story. A remake of 2011 Tamil film 'Kanchana', the film aims to raise awareness about the third gender and attempts to highlight the importance of inclusivity. On paper, the idea may have appeared great- a film on trans community, with dollops of horror and comedy thrown in and with Akshay Kumar leading the film- what could go wrong with the film, the makers must have thought. Yet, all these factors and a few more- spirals 'Laxmii' into a bottomless pit.&nbsp;

Kumar plays a liberal Muslim man called Asif, who runs an organisation that debunks myths around ghosts and evil spirits. He believes that there are no ghosts and if he ever happens to see one, he would wear bangles. Alarming statement from a man, who goes around educating people about the evils of superstition, who tries to find logic in everything and who himself has married a Hindu girl called Rashmi (Kiara Advani). Yet, he thinks it's okay to wear bangles as a sign of defeat. Unbelievable that its 2020 and Bollywood is still churning out such stupid stereotypes with absolute nonchalance in a movie that has a progressive theme!

Asif and Rashmi eloped three years ago and decide its time to face Rashmi's family who has so far disapproved their alliance. During their visit, Asif starts behaving erratically, and that leads to the family to speculate whether he has been possessed by an evil spirit.&nbsp;

In the garb of being woke, relevant and funny at the same time- the film becomes a 2 hrs 20-minute cringe-fest where the jokes are not funny, the horror is too predictable and a theme that tries to appease too many people at the same time without making any impact whatsoever. The plot not just tries to talk of the third gender but it also slyly makes its leading man a Muslim to appease the actor's wider fan base. Lawrence makes everything too obvious. There is nothing left for the audience to interpret. A Muslim man talks of transgender god Ardhnarishwar with as much ease as a Hindu family calls a Pir baba to get rid of an evil spirit from their home. In Lawrence's world- all communities live harmoniously.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xw0gE8QA1W0" width="560"></iframe>

While watching the film, I had so many questions. Why were there songs arbitrarily placed in the film? Before the 'Burj Khalifa' song, Kumar tells Advani 'Come, let me take you into my dreams' and the next moment the two are dancing to a bizarre song in atrocious outfits. Every actor is overacting, every song is out of place, some characters disappear in the middle of the narrative without any explanation and there are scenes written in the screenplay that make no sense at all.&nbsp;

Sharad Kelkar and Akshay Kumar, both play eunuchs in the film. While the actors are quite convincing in their parts- they get the walk and the talk right- one can't help but wonder that why would the makers not cast an actual transgender actor for the main role. Sure a film bankrolled on Kumar's name works more- but couldn't they have cast a transgender person in place of Kelkar? Wouldn't that make the theme of the movie more effective?

Ultimately, 'Laxmii' is a shoddy film with a badly written screenplay that grossly misrepresents the trans community- makes a mockery of the idea of inclusivity and tries to appease people with a superficial storyline.&nbsp;

Akshay Kumar's 'Laxmii' won't make you laugh, it won't spook you either. It will just leave you angry, frustrated and full of questions.&nbsp;

The film is now streaming on Disney+Hotstar.

Just when you thought that Akshay Kumar could be given the trophy for making the most socially relevant, issue-based, message-driven films in Bollywood- he delivers 'Laxmii'.

Just when you thought that Akshay Kumar could be given the trophy for making the most socially relevant, issue-based, message-driven films in Bollywood- he delivers 'Laxmii'. A film that falters at every step and misrepresents the transgender community. Akshay Kumar's latest has been directed by Raghava Lawrence who is also attributed for the film's screenplay and story. A remake of 2011 Tamil film 'Kanchana', the film aims to raise awareness about the third gender and attempts to highlight the importance of inclusivity. On paper, the idea may have appeared great- a film on trans community, with dollops of horror and comedy thrown in and with Akshay Kumar leading the film- what could go wrong with the film, the makers must have thought. Yet, all these factors and a few more- spirals 'Laxmii' into a bottomless pit. Kumar plays a liberal Muslim man called Asif, who runs an organisation that debunks myths around ghosts and evil spirits. He believes that there are no ghosts and if he ever happens to see one, he would wear bangles. Alarming statement from a man, who goes around educating people about the evils of superstition, who tries to find logic in everything and who himself has married a Hindu girl called Rashmi (Kiara Advani). Yet, he thinks it's okay to wear bangles as a sign of defeat. Unbelievable that its 2020 and Bollywood is still churning out such stupid stereotypes with absolute nonchalance in a movie that has a progressive theme! Asif and Rashmi eloped three years ago and decide its time to face Rashmi's family who has so far disapproved their alliance. During their visit, Asif starts behaving erratically, and that leads to the family to speculate whether he has been possessed by an evil spirit. In the garb of being woke, relevant and funny at the same time- the film becomes a 2 hrs 20-minute cringe-fest where the jokes are not funny, the horror is too predictable and a theme that tries to appease too many people at the same time without making any impact whatsoever. The plot not just tries to talk of the third gender but it also slyly makes its leading man a Muslim to appease the actor's wider fan base. Lawrence makes everything too obvious. There is nothing left for the audience to interpret. A Muslim man talks of transgender god Ardhnarishwar with as much ease as a Hindu family calls a Pir baba to get rid of an evil spirit from their home. In Lawrence's world- all communities live harmoniously. While watching the film, I had so many questions. Why were there songs arbitrarily placed in the film? Before the 'Burj Khalifa' song, Kumar tells Advani 'Come, let me take you into my dreams' and the next moment the two are dancing to a bizarre song in atrocious outfits. Every actor is overacting, every song is out of place, some characters disappear in the middle of the narrative without any explanation and there are scenes written in the screenplay that make no sense at all. Sharad Kelkar and Akshay Kumar, both play eunuchs in the film. While the actors are quite convincing in their parts- they get the walk and the talk right- one can't help but wonder that why would the makers not cast an actual transgender actor for the main role. Sure a film bankrolled on Kumar's name works more- but couldn't they have cast a transgender person in place of Kelkar? Wouldn't that make the theme of the movie more effective? Ultimately, 'Laxmii' is a shoddy film with a badly written screenplay that grossly misrepresents the trans community- makes a mockery of the idea of inclusivity and tries to appease people with a superficial storyline. Akshay Kumar's 'Laxmii' won't make you laugh, it won't spook you either. It will just leave you angry, frustrated and full of questions. The film is now streaming on Disney+Hotstar.

'Laxmii' review: No Akshay Kumar, that's not how you represent the trans community 

Assam has become the first Indian state to add "transgender" as an identity category for people seeking civil service jobs, allowing 42 trans candidates to apply to sit an entry exam, an official and a campaigner said on Friday.

The application form for the exam, which recruits for state roles such as administrative officials, magistrates, and police officers, now lets applicants tick male, female or transgender, a move welcomed by local trans rights advocates.

"Forty-two (applicants) is not a small number... It is a historic decision. Assam has become the first state in India to have included us," said Swati Bidhan Baruah of the Assam Transgender Welfare Board, which sought the change.

Calling the decision a "big victory", she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation her group had also urged Assam's state government to reserve a quota of civil service jobs for trans candidates.

"We are confident our demand will be met soon," she said.

Pallab Bhattacharya, chairman of the Assam Public Service Commission, which conducts the test, said about 76,000 candidates had applied to sit this year's examination, which will be held in December.

In April, India's federal government instructed all ministries and departments to modify forms for recruitment tests to include "transgender" as a separate category to conform with a trans rights law passed last year.

The law set out to improve the lives of about two million trans-Indians, who face discrimination in the largely conservative nation and mostly survive through begging, performing at weddings, or selling sex.

Still, campaigners have expressed concern about the limits on self-determining their gender, with the law stating they must obtain an identity certificate from a district magistrate to be declared transgender.

They also have to give proof of having undergone sex reassignment surgery if they then want to be listed as male or female.

India's Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that trans people had equal rights but they are still often rejected by their families and denied jobs, education and healthcare.

Assam, which lies in northeast India, has a trans population of about 11,500, according to the last census of 2011.

One trans woman who filled out the state application form said sitting the entry examination could change her life, adding that she hoped to join the local police force.

"It's a matter of pride and self respect to have a category where we can boldly mention ourselves as transgender," the 24-year-old said, asking not to give her name.

"I want to change the system and do away with discrimination faced by the transgender community."

Assam has become the first Indian state to add "transgender" as an identity category for people seeking civil service jobs, allowing 42 trans candidates to apply to sit an entry exam, an official and a campaigner said on Friday.

Assam has become the first Indian state to add "transgender" as an identity category for people seeking civil service jobs, allowing 42 trans candidates to apply to sit an entry exam, an official and a campaigner said on Friday. The application form for the exam, which recruits for state roles such as administrative officials, magistrates, and police officers, now lets applicants tick male, female or transgender, a move welcomed by local trans rights advocates. "Forty-two (applicants) is not a small number... It is a historic decision. Assam has become the first state in India to have included us," said Swati Bidhan Baruah of the Assam Transgender Welfare Board, which sought the change. Calling the decision a "big victory", she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation her group had also urged Assam's state government to reserve a quota of civil service jobs for trans candidates. "We are confident our demand will be met soon," she said. Pallab Bhattacharya, chairman of the Assam Public Service Commission, which conducts the test, said about 76,000 candidates had applied to sit this year's examination, which will be held in December. In April, India's federal government instructed all ministries and departments to modify forms for recruitment tests to include "transgender" as a separate category to conform with a trans rights law passed last year. The law set out to improve the lives of about two million trans-Indians, who face discrimination in the largely conservative nation and mostly survive through begging, performing at weddings, or selling sex. Still, campaigners have expressed concern about the limits on self-determining their gender, with the law stating they must obtain an identity certificate from a district magistrate to be declared transgender. They also have to give proof of having undergone sex reassignment surgery if they then want to be listed as male or female. India's Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that trans people had equal rights but they are still often rejected by their families and denied jobs, education and healthcare. Assam, which lies in northeast India, has a trans population of about 11,500, according to the last census of 2011. One trans woman who filled out the state application form said sitting the entry examination could change her life, adding that she hoped to join the local police force. "It's a matter of pride and self respect to have a category where we can boldly mention ourselves as transgender," the 24-year-old said, asking not to give her name. "I want to change the system and do away with discrimination faced by the transgender community."

'Matter of pride': Indian state lets transgender to register for civil services exam

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