Dead Firefighter Leaves Behind Transgender Wife. His Family Wants Her Kicked to the Curb
http://www.queerty.com/dead-firefighter-leaves-behind-transgender-wife-his-family-wants-her-kicked-to-the-curb-20100720/Thomas Araguz III, a Texas firefighter who died battling a blaze on an egg farm, leaves behind more than just mourners: His transgender wife Nikki Araguz of almost two years is now battling his family, which wants to keep her from getting any of his (likely substantial) death benefits.
With the usual scorn so often levied against trans people, Thomas' mother Simona Rodriguez Longoria says her son's marriage to Nikki is invalid because she was born a man, and Texas doesn't recognize same-sex marriage, blah blah. Eight days after Thomas died, on July 4, his family filed suit against Nikki, claiming further Thomas didn't even know she was trans until after they married;
Nikki says he was well aware she was born Justin Graham Purdue, and her non-fully formed male genitalia were removed in an operation after their wedding day. (That she might be intersex and not trans throws a whole other wrench into this charade.)
