5 THINGS TO KNOW

Transgender rights find support from some religious conservatives.

Transgender rights activists emphasize that they belong to a minority that’s defined by a gender identity that is different from that typically associated with their assigned sex at birth. This transgender identity presupposes that ‘masculinity’ and ‘femininity’ are innate psychological states that are intrinsic in the human subject, conceptualized as things akin to hair color or skin pigmentation.

DESTINATIONS

Something for everyone in NYC.

The City that Never Sleeps has plenty of time for nightlife, and its gay scene is one of the most prominent in the United States. After all, the Stonewall Inn — a Greenwich Village tavern that was the epicenter of the 1969 Stonewall riots — recently became the country’s first LGBT national monument. Whether your idea of an amazing night out includes Broadway-worthy singalongs or crowded ragers, there are a number of excellent gay bars and clubs in New York City to check out. Get to know the local LGBT community at one of these eight spots — and don’t forget your dancing cowboy shoes.

HEALTH

Starve the gay away!

A Liverpool church which offered a “cure” for homosexuality through a “dangerous” three-day starvation programme was uncovered by an ECHO investigation. The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry, which has a branch on Breck Road, Anfield, was found offering gay people the chance to “cure” themselves of their homosexuality through a relentless prayer session involving three days without food or water.

BUSINESS

Handbook of LGBT Tourism & Hospitality Marketing: A Guide for Business Practice. 

Ed Salvato is an LGBT travel expert and co-author of the recently released Handbook of LGBT Tourism & Hospitality Marketing: A Guide for Business Practice. He served on the Board of Directors of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) for six years and is co-founder and chief content officer of ManAboutWorld magazine, a smartphone- and tablet-based mobile and digital gay travel magazine.

DESTINATIONS

The rich LGBT history in Washington D.C.

It’s hard to walk a block in D.C. without passing a historic landmark; much of the country’s history was made here, after all. But out of the hundreds of places in the District that are included on the National Register of Historic Places, only two are recognized because of their connection to the city’s extensive gay and lesbian history. That could soon change. This summer, D.C. received a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Interior to identify the city’s LGBTQ landmarks.

HEALTH

Huge demand prompts gender reassignment surgery training

The surge in demand for transgender surgeries in the United States has triggered a New York City hospital to launch a program to train doctors to perform gender reassignment procedures. Mount Sinai’s Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery opened early last year in Manhattan and has since operated on roughly 350 patients. Dr Jess Ting, the center’s director of surgery, said the team operates on nearly four patients a week.