University of California Los Angeles is the latest college to consider adding coed dorm rooms to the campus housing mix in a move intended to better accommodate transgender students, school officials said.

Although some campuses around the country give permission for heterosexual students to live in coed rooms with their boyfriends, girlfriends or platonic friends of the opposite sex, UCLA housing officials say they plan to avoid resembling a MTV “The Real World” situation.

Office of Residential Life Director Suzanne Seplow explained to the Associated Press their desire to aid transgender students. “Given that most of our housing systems are structured under the concept of a binary gender – that there's male or female – for folks that don't fit into those categories, finding housing is challenging," she commented. more >>

The transgender community is contending that Americans who have undergone a sex change should not be excluded from serving in the armed forces, especially after last week’s repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

“Transgender people,” which not only includes transsexuals but also cross-dressers, “are denied the ability to join the armed forces as a result of various discriminatory policies,” states the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), on its website.

“Not only is this unjust to individual transgender people who wish to serve their country through military service,” it maintains, “it weakens our national defense by barring qualified people from duty.” more >>

President Obama is in hot water and not just because of his sinking approval rating. A new book titled Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President, by Ron Suskind, reveals that the White House may be a testosterone filled environment hostile to women.

Tension within the administration began early in the Obama presidency when women felt that they had less access to the president than their male counterparts. They also felt left out of many important meetings and decisions. The situation grew so intense that Obama held a dinner for the women on his team in November 2009 in order to assure them that he valued their work.

At the dinner, the book reveals that the women aired their complaints directly to the President. Many of the women in the book say the President offered them “empowering” words at the table. more >>

In the wake of the 31st anniversary of China’s One-Child Policy, an organization is rallying churches to pray for the millions of female lives that have been lost in the name of population control.

The One-Child Policy, which limits Chinese families to having just one child, was established in 1980 as a response to an exploding Chinese population.

Due to the Chinese preference for male children, sex-selective abortions, female infanticide and the abandonment of female children has become an integral part of Chinese culture over the last 30 years. more >>

A child welfare agency in Australia has come under scrutiny after lesbian foster parents dressed a six-year-old boy in their care in girl's clothing and posted photos of the child on their Facebook page.

The boy, given the pseudonym Campbell in court papers, and his sister, Abby, were removed from their home along with five other siblings due to allegations of physical and mental abuse from their parents.

Campbell and Abby were placed with the lesbian couple in 2009. The boy was about 3-years-old and his sister 12 when they were placed with the foster parents, selected by child welfare agency Barnado's Find-a-Family Program. more >>

While many people, especially in the LBGT community, have lauded the addition of Chaz Bono to the "Dancing with the Stars" cast, others are concerned, disappointed, and just plain angry – and they went to the show’s online message board to let producers know how they feel.

One of the main concerns was that transgendered contestants will be confusing to children and inappropriate for a family program.

“I personally do not mind watching Chaz,” wrote Callisandria2. “The problem is that I watch this show with my 10 year old daughter. I am sure the show will talk about Chaz and the controversy, and I am not ready to explain all of that to her yet. We just barely covered the birds and the bees. We always watch one show together, in the fall it's DWTS, and in the spring it's American Idol. Looks like we will try X-factor instead this season.” more >>