The New York Post reports on a lawsuit filed against the city, alleging discrimination against transgender individuals by making it an unnecessarily arduous to amend their birth certificates. While the New York City Health Code says a "new birth certificate shall be filed when . . . the name of the person has been changed pursuant to court order and proof satisfactory to the department has been submitted that such person has undergone convertive surgery," Louis Leonard Birney said that is actually insufficient for the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The 70-year-old, who underwent female to male convertive surgery in May of 2009, turned over a detailed affidavit from his doctor outlining the procedure, but said the DOHMH also demanded his complete surgical record be turned over, as well as under-go a post-operative psychiatric evaluation. The suit says the requirements, which are not posted on the agency's website, "not only exceed the relevant legal requirements, but infringe petitioner's constitutional rights by requiring him to disclose confidential information regarding his medical history without just cause." Yetta Kurland, Birney’s attorney, said "It's really outrageous. Why do they need a psychiatric evaluation? For what purpose? It's bizarre." She noted other agencies, including the state Department of Motor Vehicle and the US State Department amend genders with a single form. The suit asks a judge to order the agency to amend the birth certificate. Gabriel Taussig of the city Law Department said a birth certificate "is primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, which in turn is crucial to the issuance of Social Security cards as well as passports, and other governmental identification documents. Although we understand the concerns raised by the petitioners in the lawsuit, the Board of Health should not change its requirements without assurance that the amended certificate cannot be misused."
The Hackney Gazette reports that police have determined that a fire at Britain’s biggest gay sauna was not an act of arson. Chariots Roman Spa in Fairchild Street, Shoreditch, east London, was destroyed by a large fire in the early hours of Sunday morning. The spa, which describes itself as ‘the UK’s largest and friendliest gay men’s sauna’, had around half of its ground floor destroyed in the blaze which started around 6:00 am. Around 150 guests fled the building as six fire engines and 30 firefighters arrived at the scene to battle the blaze. The crews had the fire under control by 7: 40 am. An employee at the sauna said that the Spa would be closed for repairs for at least two months.
Saturday, reports New York Magazine, Andy Cohen hosted the 25th annual GLAAD Media Awards, and in an attempt to avoid failure, inviting honouree Tina Fey onstage for a “rousing” game of “Fey on Gay, my best friend Tina answering a variety of questions concerning gay and lesbian characters in popular culture. Asked “if you realized that you had been living a lie tomorrow and just decided to come out, how would you choose to do it,” Tina answers “I would say either halftime at the Super Bowl would be good, or also it might be kind of weird to do it in the middle of the in-memoriam at the Oscars.” The entire exchange is fun and fabulous.
Chord Overstreet offers a splendid view of his underwear clad butt on Monday’s Ellen episode.
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