A new study shows “the intense psychological and social harm same-sex couples face” because they cannot marry. “Study: Gay Marriage Ban Is Unhealthy” also states that married people get more emotional support from their spouses than unmarried people get from their partners; I’m not buying it.

Helena Stone, a phone repair worker who has been assigned to work in Grand Central Terminal since August 2005, said Tuesday that she has been arrested on disorderly conduct charges three times in the last six months, on Sept. 29, on Dec. 17 and on Jan. 12, for using the women’s restroom (the “wrong restroom”) at Grand Central Terminal. Helena stated one police officer referred to her as “a freak, a weirdo and the ugliest woman in the world’ and warned her that she would be arrested if she used the women’s restroom again. Helena says that, since her office has no bathroom, she now has no other option but to urinate into a cup. Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Tom Kelly claims the MTA “will take whatever steps are necessary to avoid a similar situation in the future.”

The next Carnival of Bent Attractions will be held at Transcending Gender on March 10th. Submissions are due by 12:01AM on March 2nd - that’s just a few days away!

I’m sure you remember when the media was all over the news of Cynthia Nixon dating Christine Marinoni. But they moved on pretty quickly, and Cynthia Nixon has now thanked the press for respecting the couple’s privacy.

Nixon explains, “It was a little crazy being on the front page of the paper, and I had photographers outside my house for a day or two, but, it wasn’t so bad.”

“I think people have been pretty good, I have to say. They understand and they’re pretty respectful.”

Britney Spears will appear as a lesbian character in an upcoming episode of Will & Grace (which has a blog too, btw).

On the April 13 episode, in which a Christian network buys ‘Out TV’ where Sean Hayes’ character Jack works Britney will play Jack’s sidekick reports ‘In Touch Magazine.’

She has experience playing gay on TV - remember that famous live prime time TV lesbian kiss with Madonna at the 2003 VMA’s?

NBC issued a press release earlier this month touting Spears’ guest appearance on the sitcom and at that point it appeared Brit would be playing a religious conservative TV personality who would co-host a talk show with Jack (Sean Hayes).

Pink News reports Marvin Andrews, a soccer player in Scotland, is being criticized for recently commenting that his church could “cure” Liberal Democrat MSP Margaret Smith of her sexual orientation.

Andrews also had this comment about gays and lesbians: “There is a demon in their spirits, their spirits are ill. But God can help them through his church and anyone who doubts this can check the bible.”

Monica Helms resigned from her executive director position at Trans=Action, an Atlanta based transgender advocacy organization, earlier this month. The Southern Voice recently published this piece about Helms’ decision to step down.

Snippet:

Helms said her biggest reason for leaving is her involvement with the Transgender American Veterans Association, for which she serves as founding president. Helms said she also considered working as a transgender rights consultant to organizations and companies.

“I feel that my expertise of having about seven and a half to eight years of activism that I could provide independent information for various organizations,” Helms said. She will align herself with other organizations and lobby for equal rights “when it’s necessary,” Helms added.

Under Helms’ tenure, Trans= Action increased its visibility through projects including hosting the annual Day of Remembrance to honor transgender victims of violence; meeting with Atlanta police to discuss treatment of transgender citizens; and addressing a city homelessness task force to discuss biases transgender people face in local shelters.

Click here to visit the website of the Transgender American Veterans Association.

Kortney Ryan Ziegler, who blogs here, is seeking funding for a “documentary in pre-production about black transgendered queers.”

Please visit her blog to donate, or to get in contact with her for more information about the film.

In the March 6th edition of Business Week you’ll find this mention of Androxal, a drug for testosterone deficiency.

Zonagen’s chief product, Androxal, is a one-a-day oral tablet for testosterone deficiency caused by a condition called hypogonadism. Early results of a study of 13 men showed that Androxal has the potential of restoring normal testosterone levels. CEO Joseph Podolski says a 200-patient Phase 3 clinical trial will be held later this year. Matthew Kaplan of Punk Ziegel, an investment firm, rates the stock a “buy, with a 12-month target of 14. “We’re impressed with Androxal’s efficacy,” and an oral pill “is a clear advantage over the topically applied AndroGel,” he says. Low testosterone afflicts 6.3 million men aged 50 to 80 in the U.S., he notes. Reduced sex hormone levels adversely affect muscle and fat mass, libido, mood, and cardiovascular health. Kaplan sees Androxal taking 4% of the U.S. market by 2010.

Some wishful thinking from this post at RedState: “It is not at all implausible that Androxal may reverse the tendency among ‘effeminate’ boys to homosexuality.”

Because, you know, effeminate gay boys are a different kind of gay - a curable kind.

Because of an anonymous letter sent to the Malden City Council alerting them that their first-floor men’s room is listed as a favorite Massachusetts cruising spot on GayUniverse.com (it’s current action rating is a 4 for better than average but not as hot as you can get - head to the Taunton City Hall second floor private bathroom for some of the hottest government building action around), city councilors want a security plan put in place to “protect” anyone who needs to use the restroom.

Comments left on the Malden Government Center (Malden City Hall) cruising page at Gay Universe:

* I’ve just visited (02/24) and it appears the Police are watching this spot. The police station is next door to Gov’t Ctr. so they must have included this in their foot patrol. Be careful! Also, I noticed what appears to be a camera on the light pole at the rear side of the building and they might be looking for us out front to… (2-24-2006)

* 2/22/06 Careful, two men were arrested there last week. Police station right outside front door. Recent press activity has city council extra vigilant at this spot! (2-23-2006)

* Enter City Hall across from the Malden Center T station. Enter door, go down the ramp, turn left, then it’s down another flight; near the snack shop. Now sports a glory hole (but too high and too small, so can only peek. Lots of old men (and I’m 45 but feel young here). Closes at 4 pm, Mon-Fri access. (12-11-2005)

* where at the city hall? in side in a restroom? tell me where (10-19-2005)

* Still active…have never seen security, although some comments here or elsewhere mentioned security. Closed at 4 pm weekdays…I don’t think it’s open weekends/holidays since it’s a City Hall. (10-18-2005)