Susan Stanton stepped out for the first time yesterday, appearing at a National Center for Transgender Equality event at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.

Susan once went by the name Steve Stanton, the former Largo, Florida city manager who caused quite a stink when he announced his plans to become a woman. Since being forced out of politics, Stanton has undergone hormone therapy and electrolysis.

Though Stanton believes in her cause, she's still shedding popular misconceptions of trangendered persons. Stanton tells the St. Petersburg Times - the same paper that blew the lid off of Stanton's impending transition: "It's amazing how many well-adjusted, well-accomplished, happy, interactive people there are at this event. It's been a learning experience for me, too."

Stanton's also learning about getting dolled up: she spent the hours before the event getting her hair done and a manicure:

...In the morning, she had her first professional blow dry and manicure.

For the day's events, her hair was styled fluffy on top with wispy bangs in front. She chose a soft rose color to accent her sporty nails. She admired herself in the mirror.

"I could get used to this," she said, as the manicurist massaged her hands.

Ooo, girl - you go on with your bad self!

Introducing Susan Stanton [St. Petersburg Times]
Susan Stanton debuts in D.C. [St. Petersburg Times]

Anthony Niedwiecki and Waymon Hudson got an earful after arriving to Fort Lauderdale last week. While waiting for their luggage, the couple of six of years heard what sounded like a Biblical condemnation of homosexuality. Shocked and a bit confused, they boys thought they had imagined it. Until the message played again. South Florida's NBC6 reports:

A gay couple is asking for an investigation after they claim they heard threatening comments announced over the intercom system at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
...
"My partner said, 'Did you hear that?' And I said, 'I kind of think I did,'" said Anthony Niedwiecki. "Then about two minutes later we heard it again. 'A man who lies with a man as if he were lying with a woman shall be subject to death.'"

"It was almost so threatening that I was frightened," said Waymon Hudson, Niedwiecki's partner.

Certainly not the kind of talk one would expect from a public airport.

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The Florida Senate cares more about teenager's underwear than homo's safety. They adjourned yesterday after squashing the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act, named for a 15-year old could take his peers' incessant anti-gay bullying and killed himself. They did, however, have time to pass an amendment forbidding students from showing their underwear while wearing low-cut pants. An amendment!! On panties! Kids are flattened by the taunts of homophobic jerks and all these politicians can do is talk about drawers? Did we wake up in an alternate universe?

Putting an end to the matter, Republican Senator Stephen Wise sneered: "I don't want to talk about it anymore, it's dead. These people are bullying me." Now that's class. Especially considering Johnston's mother, Debra, has been rallying for her dead, bullied son. (She and Mrs. Shepard should form a gang.)

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Just as Arkansas politicos squashed a gay foster parent ban, UCLA's Williams Institute and the Urban Institute have released a study on the adoption and foster rates for gay and lesbians. Apparently, 35% of lesbians between the ages of 18 and 44 have birthed a child, while 16% of gay men have adopted. Those numbers will only increased, researchers claim, as 52% of male homos and 41% of homettes claim they want guppies.

Certainly this information's interesting, but we're most intrigued by researcher Gary J Gates' comments:

Research measuring child well-being among children raised by LGB parents shows no negative consequences. In fact, studies show that these parents tend to have a higher percentage of qualities that are highly desirable.

On average, LGB adoptive parents and same-sex couples raising foster children are older and more educated than other foster parents. In addition, many LGB adoptive parents have access to more economic resources than other adoptive parents.

Someone forward this to Utah, Florida and Mississippi, all of which bar gay adoption. Also, attach a note: "It's because we're so damn fly".

Study claims a third of US lesbians have had a baby [Pink News UK]

It's a story made hauntingly familiar by Michael Sandy: a man goes out looking for sex and discovers murder, instead. But, this story has an even more bizarre twist.

According to friends, Ryan Keith Skipper, 25, went cruising Wahneta, Florida, for some quick and easy sex when he came across 21-year old Joseph Bearden (left). Testing his luck, Skipper offered Bearden a ride, which Bearden accepted. Skipper then took him to his house, where they smoked a bit of ganj and, according to police reports, chatted about using Skipper's computer expertise to copy checks.

Skipper and Bearden then apparently took Skipper's laptop and headed off to meet Bearden's friend, 20-year old William David Brown Jr. (right) From what police gather, Bearden and Brown, nestled in Skipper's car, then stabbed Skipper 20 times before tossing his body on the side of the road.

Though police originally thought Skipper's death a routine robbery, once they picked up Bearden and Brown - who one witness saw cleaning the blood soaked car - they heard a different story. Brown allegedly told a friend that Skipper had made moves on them, thus garnering their anti-gay vengeance.

If police can successfully prove this claim, the men's charges will be boosted from first-degree murder and armed robbery to full-blown hate-crime - allegations that will appropriately boost their sentencing. Regardless of the hate-crime charges, the men both face the death penalty if found guilty. We'd rather they just rot in jail, to be honest...

Everyone's favorite tranny-to-be and former Largo city manager, Steve Stanton, took some time to sit down with The Agenda with Joe Solmonese to discuss his unceremonious ouster. His political peers voted to dismiss Stanton after St. Petersburg Times revealed his plans to become a woman.

Chatting with guest host Kevin Naff of The Washington Blade, Stanton expressed his remorse over the group's dishonorable actions. When asked if he knew the council's rationale, Stanton remarked:

The resolution that was ultimately adopted simply said that it was in the best interest of the city that I be terminated, primarily they felt that anybody who was essentially a transsexual was deceptive, deceitful and should have disclosed that sooner...

He also says that approximately 1200 people wrote in citing religious beliefs as to why Stanton should be sacked. Listen to entire conversation over at Pam's House Blend.

• Floridian gay activists still fighting for anti-gay bully bill. Three students sat down with Republican Rep. Alan Hays to discuss the matter. One of the students, 22-year old Jessica Osborn recalls the meeting, "After telling him my story he proceeded to say he was repulsed by homosexuals, and we needed extensive psychological treatment." For his part, Hays says he doesn't remember saying gays repulse him, but he does admit he told them they need psychological treatment. What a guy. [The News-Press]

• Brideshead Revisted will be revisited on the big screen. So, who will play Charles and Sebastian? Matthew Goode and Ben Whishaw, respectively. [New Now Next]

• Kenneth Hill stressed out about coming out to his grandparents. Considering he's the biggest fag this side of the rainbow, however, they already knew. [QueerSighted]

• Wait, Clay Aiken was kidding when he asked people to invent the most scandalous gossip about him? Now we have to cancel that gallon of motor oil, fifty nipple clamps, a dozen Japanese Macaque, those loaves of French bread and that call to Matt Sanchez. Fuck. [The Clay Aiken Fraud Squad]

• Ryan Davis' directorial take on marriage in the United States. Largely improved and strangely captivating. [YouTube]

• Is Cord Jefferson's penis an Uncle Tom? We don't know, but his crush on Kristen Davis makes him worry... [Mollygood]

• Why the gays love Ugly Betty. [Out]

• Don't forget the Queerty-sponsored, Svedka-stocked, eastern bloc-housed Good Times tonight. We've included the flyer after the jump. We would have included last week's pictures, too, but we've been too lazy busy to resize them. Thankfully guest DJ, Sparber posted them on his blog. Thanks, Sparber. You're the breast. And, yes, those boys are cute. [Twerking]

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Alright faggots of the marrying kind, we've got some bad news for you. You cannot - we repeat: cannot - celebrate your gay nups at Disney World in Florida. It's tragic, yes, but there's nothing we can do about it: gays can't legally marry in Florida and apparently Disney requires a valid marriage license before it will allow you to celebrate in its fantastical realm.

As the kids over at AfterElton point out, however, it shouldn't be an issue, because the family friendly company simply holds ceremonies and doesn't issue licenses. That said, a gay couple should be able to rent their space for their ceremony, legally binding or not.

California's Disney Land does allow domestic unions, but you can only celebrate in certain areas. No Rose Court Garden for you, just a tacky banquet hallor ballroom. So, is the mega company violating discrimination laws? While we're not lawyers, it certainly seems that way.

When asked for a statement, a Disney representative said:

The Walt Disney World Resort is open to everyone, every day. We extend our welcome to everyone and treat all of our guests with respect.

Are we the only ones who smell mouse shit?

We don't know for sure, but we bet Steve Stanton's feeling pretty blue. As you may recall, Largo, Florida's city council voted 5-2 to oust him after Stanton announced his plans to become a woman. By ejecting Stanton, the city has violated its own non-discrimination laws and made clear to poor Stanton exactly how he stands: alone. Of the vote, Stanton said:

It's just real painful to know that seven days ago I was a good guy and now I have no integrity, I have no trust and most painful, I have no followers.

Now, we know you guys love a good petition and you've had some excellent results as of late. So, why not show Stanton's he's not alone in this and sign the Save Steve Stanton petition.

If nothing else you can tell your friends you did a good deed. They'll be so proud of you that they'll throw you a big party with strippers and silly string. Possibly even some cake. If you don't do it, you'll burn in hell for all eternity (hey, it works for Priests, why shouldn't it work for us?).

Largo City Manager Steve Stanton's decision to become a woman may have effectively ended his career. Less than a week after the 48-year old announced his plans to undergo sex change surgery, his political peers voted to fire him after 14 years of service.

Speaking to a packed city hall, Commissioner Gay Gentry commented:

His brain is the same today as it was last week. He may be even able to be a better city manager. But I sense that he's lost his standing as a leader among the employees of the city.

Gentry and four others voted to oust Stanton, while Largo Mayor Pat Gerard and Commissioner Rodney Woods lent him their support.

Of the decision, Stanton said:

It's just real painful to know that seven days ago I was a good guy and now I have no integrity, I have no trust and most painful, I have no followers.

Well, Stanton, at least you won't have to worry about people borrowing your lovely new frock. And, of course, you'll have plenty of time to write a book - isn't that what people do in times like these?

After 48 years of dreaming, Largo Florida, City Manager Steve Stanton has announced that he's started taking hormones to prepare for his trannie transformation into Susan Stanton. The St. Petersburg Times reports:

Married with a 13-year-old son, Stanton said he has thought of becoming a woman since childhood. He said he has gone out in public as a woman in recent years, but only in places like Orlando, Atlanta and Chicago.
...
Stanton said he is "terrified" about the effect of the news on his family, but he wouldn't comment on the future of his marriage. His wife, Donna, could not be reached for comment.

"I love my wife," he said. "She's been superb. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Let's hope she love you, too.

Hearing the news, many of Stanton's political peers expressed disbelief and shock, but were supportive of his life changing sex change. Of course, not everyone's spreading good cheer. Baptist pastor Ron Sanders had this to say:

He's not going to be a man, and he's not going to be a female. He's going to be an 'it.' It's going to be the most sorrowful decision he has ever made.

Apparently Sanders's a psychic as well as a bigot.

• It's Anglican war in Tanzania. Literally. Archbishop Peter Akinola called in an extra bishop, former army colonel Archbishop Nicholas Okoh.

• "No Tongue," says Courtney Cox on her not-so-Dirty lesbian kiss with Jennifer Aniston - a detail that doesn't really matter, considering that no one's watching.

• Gay Floridian foster parents lose custody of HIV baby! Yeah, that about sum's it up.

• Gawker has a crush on a man-loving, folk song-singing, baby-sitting Brooklynite named Ryan. Pass it on.

• Some Euro gay rights groups have joined forces to combat anti-gay bullying. So, bullies, you'd better watch your asses. Those Euro homos fight dirty.

• Speaking of dirty, you should head on over to Eastern Bloc and get drunk with us. Jimmy Im will be there spinning. Info below.