The issue of intersexuality is explored in a Feb. 18 CNN.com article reporting on a meeting at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Intersex babies are born with male and female sexual characteristics. One of the more common is congenital adrenal hyperplasia, in which genetic girls with XX chromosomes are exposed in the womb to such high levels of androgen—the hormone that triggers male development—that they appear male externally even if they have female reproductive organs. A different condition leaves genetic males less responsive to androgen during development, so they lack penises when they are born. The parents are told they must pick a gender because gender is required on a birth certificate and because they need to know what to call their child. But now doctors are advising parents to hold off on surgery, telling them that gender traits will be picked up later in life.
In Virginia, state senators killed a bill that would make it harder for gays and lesbians to adopt, and a bill creating a 'traditional marriage' license plate has been withdrawn, PlanetOut reported. Virginia senators attacked an adoption bill ( HB 2921 ) sponsored by Richard Black, a Republican of the state's House of Delegates. Black's bill would require an investigation of the sexual orientation of prospective parents by social workers and adoption agencies. The proposed license plate would have sported interlocked gold wedding bands over a heart, above the caption 'Traditional Marriage.'
In New Jersey, the group known as Garden State Equality has criticized the decision of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary to not renew the contract of its president for performing a gay commitment ceremony. In a statement, organization head Steven Goldstein said that the 'decision to let Dr. [ Norm ] Kansfield go is one of the most LGBTI-intolerant decisions made at a private institution in New Jersey in several years.' The ceremony was for Kansfield's daughter.
In Florida, a highly confidential list of the names and addresses of 4,500 Palm Beach County residents with AIDS and 2,000 others who are HIV-positive was e-mailed to more than 800 county health department employees, according to the Palm Beach Post. Health department statistician John W. 'Jack' Nolan, who compiles data on HIV/AIDS cases for the county, sent the e-mail containing his monthly cumulative statistics report and inadvertently attached a file with the identities.
A Kentucky man has been convicted of killing a gay man and stuffing his body into a suitcase, according to WHOTV.com . Joshua Cottrell was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter, along with theft and tampering with physical evidence. He faces up to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced March 1. Cottrell admitted killing Richie Phillips in June 2003, but claimed it was self-defense when Phillips made a pass at him.
The Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled that a lesbian who split with her partner after adopting the woman's biological children must pay child support, according to the Indianapolis Star. The ruling came less than 90 days after the court granted child visitation rights to a Bloomington woman who had broken up with her partner.
An online investigative journalism site suggested that White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is gay and was a regular at gay bars in Texas, 365Gay.com . Quoting an unnamed source, The Raw Story reported that McClellan visited an Austin, Texas gay bar March 19, 1995. The date was fixed in the mind of the source because a local memorial service was held the same day that McClellan attended.
The Human Rights Campaign praised the introduction of the Responsible Education About Life Act in the U.S. House and Senate. The bill would create a grant program through the Department of Health and Human Services for comprehensive and age-appropriate sexuality education.
