Pentagon Says No Discharges Under Policy Prohibiting Openly Gay Service Members Over Last Month, Bowling Green Voters Pass Ordinances Extending Protections To Gay And Transgender Persons, Joshua Wilkerson, First Transgender Judge Appointed In Texas, Will Justin Bieber Do Drag, Tight-Panted Ryan Kwanten

Cynthia Smith, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, said Monday that no United States service members have been discharged until the policy that prohibits open gay and lesbian personal in the month since the Department of Defense adopted new regulations regarding “don’t ask, don’t tell,” reports the Washington Post. On October 21st, Defense Secretary Robert Gates afforded authority for signing off on dismissals with four service secretaries. Prior to the changes, any commanding officer at a rank equivalent to a one-star general could discharge any openly gay personal. Aaron Belkin, the executive director of the Palm Center, a progressive think-tank at the University of California at Santa Barbara, who advocates for an immediate repeal, says that the changes in protocol and manoeuvres by both Gates and President Obama to lift the 17 year old ban have caused discharge rates to decrease dramatically, Belkin saying “Statistically, it would be extremely unlikely if we had a month in which there were no gay discharges,” adding that there were 428 gay and lesbian service members honourably discharged under the policy in 2009.

Two measures meant to offer protection to gay and transgender persons have been approved by the voters of Bowling Green, Ohio, reports the Independent. One ordinance expands the city’s housing code to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender expression. The second extends the same protections in employment, at businesses, and educational institutions.

18 year old Joshua Wilkerson was buried Monday morning, in Pearland, Texas, reports Fox. Wilkerson’s badly beaten and burned body was discovered Wednesday by police. He had been missing since Tuesday afternoon. A classmate, 19 year old Hermilo Moralez remains in custody, charged with three counts, including murder, Moralez alleging that Wilkerson made unwanted sexual advances during a ride home from school.

Phyllis Frye, a transgender attorney was appointed to a municipal bench last week in the very room that in 1980 she helped to repeal Houston’s “cross-dressing ordinance,” Frye telling the Houston Chronicle “I almost started crying, because I remembered when 31 years ago, in the very same chamber, I was subject to arrest." Frye becomes the first transgender judge in Texas, and she said of her appointment “I don’t want to underplay this, because I understand it is very significant. But I don’t want to overplay it either. I don’t want people to think I am anything other than an associate municipal court judge.” There were critics of the appointment, including Dave Welch, the executive director of the Houston Area Pastor Council, said “Phyllis Frye is a very well-known radical transgender activist. We don’t think it is consistent with the values of the vast majority of the people.”

Luis Venegas, the founder and editor of Candy magazine, the self-described “transversal” style book, wants Justin Bieber to be the next cover star, telling Style.com that “Well, it’s a fantasy, but I would love to have Justin Bieber on the cover. I mean, everyone says he looks like a 14 year old lesbian anyway, so how perfect would that be?”

Ryan Kwanten spotted Sunday attending the American Music Awards, sporting seriously tight patterned trousers.