Telegraph UK (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/17/witaly17.xml)
By Malcolm Moore in Rome
Last Updated: 1:59am BST 17/05/2007
"We are here to defend our rights," said Kristal, a 6ft transsexual Brazilian who led the protest. "My mother always taught me to rebel against every violation of my rights. I am a Paduan citizen and I pay my taxes."
Dressed smartly in a red jacket and long black dress, Kristal said her colleagues were not wearing work clothes because "we do not want to provoke anyone, or be provoked".