Subject: IYF-TX Court Rules Gender Cannot Be Changed
From: "Clare Howell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 07:46:38 -0500

MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Editor: Clare Howell, [email-masked]

.TEXAS COURT RULES THAT GENDER CANNOT BE CHANGED
.ALLY SHEEDY AS HEDWIG AT GENDERPAC FUND-RAISER

TEXAS COURT RULES THAT GENDER CANNOT BE CHANGED
===============================================

[San Antonio, TX: 28 Oct 99] IN A FINDING THAT COULD
have profound legal implications for transgendered 
people, the Fourth Court of Appeals here has ruled 
that a person remains the gender he or she was born, 
regardless of a sex change operation. 

	The AP reports the court's ruling that "47-
year-old Christie Lee Littleton, who had a sex change 
operation, does not have the standing of a spouse in 
a wrongful death lawsuit against her late husband's 
doctor, because their marriage was a 'same sex 
marriage,' and therefore illegal under Texas law." 

	Christie was married to Jonathan Littleton for
seven years. She says she will appeal the decision to 
the Texas Supreme Court. 

	Said GenderPAC's Executive Director Riki Wilchins,
"This decision is a slap in the face by a reactionary 
court system to all people who are gender-different and 
for transexuals in particular.  This is yet another 
attempt to regulate gender by denying people who have 
legally changed their sex the same rights, privileges, 
and respect other Americans enjoy. "

		###

ALLY SHEEDY AS HEDWIG AT GENDERPAC FUND-RAISER
=============================================

[New York, NY: 24 Oct 99] IN A FUND-RAISER FOR GENDERPAC
Sunday night, Ally Sheedy starred as Hedwig in a special 
benefit performance of the smash off-Broadway trannie rock 
musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." Her performance drew 
raves from the sold-out crowd. More than $10,000 was raised 
for GenderPAC's year 2000 initiative. 

 	Ms. Sheedy spoke at a GenderPAC panel the preceding 
Friday and joined a reception after the performance Sunday 
to answer questions, pose for pictures, and sign posters, 
one of which was promptly auctioned for $225 to benefit 
GenderPAC's Fortune 500 Project.  

	Said GenderPAC's Riki Wilchins, "This benefit was 
especially important to us. It was our first, major fund-
raiser and we needed it to go well. Thanks to the work of 
Gina Reiss, our new Director of Special Projects, and a 
lot of community support, it was."

		###

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