lead story - Top enlisted sailor says he’s ‘honored’ and ‘blessed’ to serve with transgender troops

Marcus Fichtl
Stars & Stripes

Chinhae Naval Base

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/The_mine_countermeasures_ship_USS_Chief_%28MCM_14%29_is_moored_to_a_pier_at_Naval_Operations_Base_Chinhae%2C_South_Korea%2C_Oct._19%2C_2014%2C_in_preparation_for_exercise_Clear_Horizon_2014_141019-N-UH865-005.jpg

please press:  www.stripes.com

Chile - Nomi Ruiz and Daniela Vega Perform The Resistance Together in Chile

Loreto Diaz
Into

Daniela Vega

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/MJK33409_Daniela_Vega_%28A_Fantastic_Woman%2C_Berlinale_2017%29_crop.jpg

please press:  intomore.com

civil rights - Health care new front for transgender rights under Trump

Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
WGBH

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Ileana_Ros-Lehtinen_official_photo.jpg

please press:  www.pbs.org

West Virginia - WEST VIRGINIA TEENS STAGE STATE’S 1ST LGBTQ PROM

Molly Born
Out Smart

Kanawha River (near Institute?)

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Kanawha_River.jpg

please press:  www.outsmartmagazine.com

lead story - How well do our schools support transgender pupils?

Kate Lally
Echo

Liverpool, UK (Chinatown district)

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/LPool-wyrdlight-802532Z.jpg

please press:  www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

Belgium - Belgium Provides Five Chechen Gays With Humanitarian Visas

Press
RadioFreeEurope

Atomium sculpture, Belgium

Credit:  https://wikitravel.org/upload/shared//7/78/Atomium.JPG

please press:  www.rferl.org

civil rights - Three Ways Betsy DeVos Has Undermined Protections for Students

Helen Parshall
HRC

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Betsy_DeVos_%22Swamped%22.jpg

please press:  www.hrc.org

North Dakota - This 12-Year-Old Transgender Boy Died By Suicide. Use The Right Pronouns When Talking About HIS Death

Maria Guido
Scary Mommy

Bismarck, ND

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Vil_3.JPG

please press:  www.scarymommy.com

lead story - Donald Trump’s transgender ban is as bad as Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, say 49 Senators

Josh Jackman
Pink News

Capitol Rotunda

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/USA-US_Capitol4.JPG

please press:  www.pinknews.co.uk

doins' in Connecticut...

Credit:  https://ctmirror.org/files/2015/01/IMG_0020.jpg

ezs note:  Tonight, I was about to watch  Stephen Colbert when, on an impulse, I switched to another channel.  It was the Connecticut House of Representatives - and they were debating a very important bill.  It would change the system from the House of Delegates to a popular 'one person, one vote' method.

I, for one, think that a popular vote is far better than the creaky House of Delegates.  I hope that you do too.  However, just wishing for it will not make it happen.  Call your state Representative and state Senator.  

Is it easy?  Nope.  Never said it was.  But you have to be a part of things, pal

French Lick, Indiana

estimated transgender population:  10*
(rounded down)

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/French_Lick_Resort_and_Larry_Bird_Boulevard%2C_French_Lick%2C_Indiana_01-13-2002.JPG

ezs note:  French Lick, Indiana!  Home of Larry Bird! And... other stuff!  

*Credit:  http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/How-Many-Adults-Identify-as-Transgender-in-the-United-States.pdf

Donald Trump - The cost of Donald Trump’s deserted government

Lorraine Woellert
Politico

the nerve center of Washington DC 

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/AbandonedHouseDelray.jpg

please press:  www.politico.com

Jamaica - US criticises Jamaica on corruption, extrajudicial killings and stance on same-sex acts

Press
Jamaica Observer

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Flag_of_Jamaica.png

please press:  www.jamaicaobserver.com

ezs note:  And here in the United States, Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is doing yeoman's work on transgender problems.

Yeah... riiiiiight....

civil rights - Transgender Woman Claims She Was Fired For Violating A Non-Existent Dress Code

Jeff Taylor
newnownext

Detroit, Michigan

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/GrandBoulevardNewCenterDetroit.jpg

please press:  www.newnownext.com

Utah - Utah 2018 Legislative Report: Employment Law Developments

Payne & Fears
JDSupra

lead story - 'No questions off-limits' for those attending transgender Q&A at North Charleston brewery

Hannah Alani
The Post and Courier

North Charleston, SC

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/City_of_North_Charleston_city_hall.JPG

please press:  www.postandcourier.com

Donald Trump - Don’t get angry when Donald Trump comes to Britain – get even

Stella Creasy
The Guardian

Credit:  https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fa/dc/8d/fadc8d0f87cbbe59d0466209c13d55ee.jpg

please press:  www.theguardian.com

Barbados - Barbados: Former Magistrate welcomes gays

Press
St. Lucia Times

Georgetown, Barbados, Statue of Bussa

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Bussa_statue.png 

 please press:  stluciatimes.com

civil rights - ACLU's Pensacola transgender discrimination lawsuit goes before judge

Kevin Robinson
Pensacola News Journal

Pensacola, FL

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Pensacola_AmNatBank02.jpg

please press: www.pnj.com 

Maryland - Maryland lawmakers ban gay conversion therapy for minors

James Besanville
Gay Star News

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/94/f3/31/94f331dcbab8cdd7cb17e0b98f96a33f.jpg

please press:  www.gaystarnews.com

lead story - Police: Transgender woman likely knew her attacker

Press
News Connecticut

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Bridgeport_101_0153small.jpg

please press:  connecticut.news12.com

ezs note:  Details on the event are very sketchy right now, but as more details become available, lightbulbs might go off.  If you are one of those, please call 203-576-7671.  Thanks.

Finland - Transgender man gives birth in Finland first

Press
Channel NewsAsia

Whooper swan (cygnus cygnus)

national bird of Finland

Credit:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Cygnus_cygnus_from_zh.JPG

please press:  www.channelnewsasia.com