Susan's Place Transgender Resources

News and Events => People news => Topic started by: Kate Thomas on May 04, 2006, 09:35:11 PM

Title: Italy's first transgender lawmaker
Post by: Kate Thomas on May 04, 2006, 09:35:11 PM
First things first.  just where does one go?

Vladimir Luxuria, Italy's first transgender lawmaker faces the usual workplace problems....

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=673452006

QuoteItaly's transgender MP fights toilet "apartheid"
By Phil Stewart

ROME (Reuters) - Among the most pressing orders of business for Europe's first "transgender" lawmaker may be fighting over which toilet to use in the Italian parliament.

Elected last month, Vladimir Luxuria said on Thursday she was opposed to toilet "apartheid" after a centre-right lawmaker suggested the creation of a special, third lavatory for all transgender politicians.

In Italy, and all of Europe, that means just Luxuria.

"I didn't expect politics to sink this low," Luxuria, a 40-year-old drag queen and defender of gay rights said in an interview with the online edition of Corriere della Sera daily.

Born Wladimiro Guadagno, Luxuria prefers to be referred to as a she and expressed a general preference for women's bathrooms. She suggested women reacted better than men did.

"There are many difficult moments in the life of a transgender and even some embarrassing ones, like the use of public bathrooms. Maybe we go to the ladies' toilet because the men get embarrassed," Luxuria said.