We'd like to dedicate this little diddy to our tranny friends. "Let Me Die A Woman" comes to us from the New Zealand-based The Phoenix Foundation's 2004 full-length, Horse Power.

We can't help but wonder if they got it from the Doris Wishman 1978 doco on revolutionary sex-change surgeon, Dr. Leo Wollman of the same name.

Transexual MP Georgina Beyer stepped down yesterday after over ten years as a leading New Zealand politician. Instead of of hammering out bills and laws, Ms. Beyer will be trying her hand at acting and dancing in a production Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. As if that's not enough, she's also apparently mulling a mayoral race and collaborating on a film version of her life, tentatively entitled, Girl. And what a film it will make.

While living as a man, Beyer made her dough as a hustler and dancer in Australia. Fed up with being a man of the night, Beyer decided to become a woman of the day and moved to New Zealand, where she worked in a number of restaurants. A champion of queer rights, Beyer ran for office in the town of Wairarapa, where she eventually became mayor before taking national office.

Stepping down yesterday, Beyer got a little misty, saying her Parliamentary run has been "the greatest moment in my life". Sentimentality's all well and good, but Beyer made sure to inject a little humor:

...While I have relished the opportunity of being a member in this house, I am glad I don't possess one...

She means a penis, of course. It's funny because she's a trannie who doesn't have a penis. Quite a ham, that Georgina.

(PS: She wants Halle Berry to play her in the movie. Apparently she doesn't realize that the sex change operation doesn't change one's race...)

In other technologically minded news, New Zealand AIDS Foundation’s Gay Men’s Health launched a new safe text messaging service through which butt boys off all ages can get some advice on safe sex. In addition to finding health clinics and ordering free condoms, gents can type in queer queries and have answers beamed directly to their phones. Of the servuce, Gay Men's Health representative Douglas Jenkin says:

Other services of this type launched overseas have been automated, but ‘Safe Sex Txt’ allows for free form questions. This is also the first service of this type specifically for gay and bisexual men, who are the highest risk group for HIV transmission in New Zealand...'Safe Sex Text’ will mean that gay and bisexual men won’t need to be accessing a computer to get timely advice about safe sex and sexual health.

It's perfect for the homo ho on the go. LOL.

As it's Halloween, we thought we'd open with this story. While not necessarily "scary" in the traditional sense, the implications certainly have the potential to cause some petrifying aftershocks.

According to a new study, gay Asians in New Zealand are less likely than any other group to discuss their sexuality publicly, if at all. The New Zealand Herald reports:

The study found that while Asian-born immigrants were aware of having same-sex attractions at an earlier age, they were less likely to tell friends, family or colleagues as they grew older.

Only 3 per cent of non-Asian respondents said they hadn't disclosed their identity to anyone, compared with 15.3 per cent of Asian people.

[Study coordinator] Dr. Henrickson said Asian gays were much more likely to remain isolated because they tended to only make contact with other gay and lesbians on the internet.

While this may not seem like that big of a deal to some, the implications may be deadly. If gay Asians can't find it in themselves to confront and embrace their sexuality, they may be more likely to have hazardous sexual encounters. Further, as we all know, the anxiety around not coming out has a record of leading to depression, drug use, and/or suicide. All of which, of course, are no good.

So, why do these men and women find it so difficult to face their faggotry? Henrickson hypothesizes that "coming out" is a more Western ideal. He goes on:

Whereas people from western cultures are more likely to be open and positive about the fact that they are lesbian, gay or bisexual - 'it's me, it's my major identity, who I am' - Asians regardless of sexual orientation, regard their identity as linked to who their parents are, who they are married to...

While his statement reeks of stereotype, there may be some validity to it. Although, that opinion largely depends on where the subject comes from, i.e. a rural area v. an urban area, perhaps religion plays a role, or maybe none of the above...

Regardless, those are some pretty startling statistics.

Wow! The gay scandals just keep coming! This one takes us down to New Zealand, where pictures of Prime Minister Helen Clark's husband, Peter Davis, kissing another man have been making the newspaper circuit.

Naturally, Clark and her husband deny that there is anything romantic between the men. Apparently they're just old friends. We're not ones to buy scandalous denials straight away, but we're inclined to believe this one, particularly because Clark's left-leaning party has been getting shit for its pro-LGBT standings.

Clark says:

I consider this to have been a pattern for my entire 25-year political career. Political opponents have sought to defame me, and now they have sought to get at me through my husband.

Luckily for Clark, there's another scandal afoot in New Zealand involving her opposition leader and a rich business man's wife. This shit's better than Fashion House - and with better acting, too.

The Attorney General of New Zealand recently decided that the country's Human Rights Act includes transgendered people even though they are not specifically named in the legislation.

"[I have] no reason to suppose that sex discrimination would be construed narrowly to deprive transgender people of protection under the Human Rights Act," he said in his official statement.

That's all well and good, but what if the next Attorney General does see a reason to suppose that trannies should not have the same rights and freedoms as other New Zealanders? The statement was made so that a transgender member of Parliament would drop her bill that would require the inclusion of transgendered people in the Human Rights Act.

We have been conditioned by our own government that words basically mean nothing without writing to back them up, so perhaps we're being overly cautious, but why not just amend the Human Rights Act and be done with it?

New Zealand Human Rights Law Protects Transsexuals [365 Gay]

This is a tough one. A professor in New Zealand has angered many in the gay community for suggesting sperm recipients be told there might be a little ‘gay’ in that turkey baster. On one hand, it seems the man is claiming a genetic link to homosexuality (which most scientists agree with but has not yet been proven.) On the other hand, what are the reasons behind telling prospective parents they might soon have a friend of Dorothy?

Sin told The Dominion Post that it is "not daydreaming" to suggest that sexual orientation could be inherited. Animal models have clearly shown the existence of a gene that controls sexual behavior, he said. Though there is nothing so conclusive in human studies, there is strong evidence—particularly from studies on twins—of a significant genetic component. Though he has nothing against homosexuality, Sin said, he feels people have the right to know the trait could be passed on.

A woman visiting a sperm bank is told many things about the donor (eye color, height, ethnicity, etc.) and maybe sexuality is just another characteristic. That being said, why do we have a sneaking suspicion the bitches touting the proposed rule have an agenda to push?

Professor says sperm recipients should be warned of "gay gene" [Advocate]