Independent: Transsexual to be granted right to marry

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-04-03/news/transsexual-to-be-granted-right-to-marry-1316716547/
3.4.2013; Update 2


Minister Helena Dalli and Joanne Cassar

Joanne Cassar, a 31-year-old hairdresser who underwent gender reassignment surgery to become a woman, will be granted the right to marry. The announcement was made by Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli in the wake of the out of court settlement reached with Ms Cassar in recent days.

In 2011, Ms Cassar had instituted proceedings against government in the European Court of Human Rights, claiming breach of human rights.

Pink News: Malta: Transgender woman wins legal right to marry after government drops case

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/04/03/malta-transgender-woman-wins-legal-right-to-marry-after-government-drops-case/
3 April 2013, 1:50pm by by Scott Roberts

Joanne Cassar began legal proceedings in 2011

Campaigners have welcomed a decision to allow a transgender woman in Malta the right to marry.

Joanne Cassar, a 31-year-old hairdresser, began legal proceedings in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2011 after she was prevented from marrying on the island.

Although the case is still pending in Strasbourg, on Wednesday, the Maltese Government dropped its objection to Ms Cassar’s claim.

Pink News: Uruguay: Equal marriage bill passes Senate and is ‘nearly certain’ to become law

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/04/03/uruguay-equal-marriage-bill-passes-senate-and-is-nearly-certain-to-become-law/
3 April 2013, 12:09am by Joseph Patrick McCormick

The equal marriage bill is expected to be signed into law after passing Uruguay's Senate

The Uruguayan Senate today passed a bill which would allow gay and lesbian couples to marry, and which is expected to be approved and signed into law.

The bill to legalise same-sex marriage passed the Senate 23 votes to 8, and equal rights groups have said that it is “nearly certain” that Uruguay will become the next nation to allow equal marriage.

iNews Malta: Aġġornat: “Issa Malta għarfitni bħala t-tifla tagħha” - Joanne Cassar

http://www.inewsmalta.com/dart/20130403-issa-malta-arfitni-ala-tifla-tag-ha-joanne-cassar
10:18 | 03.04.2013

Joanne Cassar - li bl-emenda li se jressaq il-gvern fl-Att taż-Żwieġ issa se jkollha d-dritt li tiżewweġ mingħajr xkiel - qalet li issa hi wkoll tista’ tgħid li hi t-tifla ta’ Malta. “Issa Malta għarfitni bħala t-tifla tagħha,” qalet Joanne Cassar

Cassar tkellmet f’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet mal-Ministru Helena Dalli fejn tħabbru dawn il-bidliet. Dalli qalet li dawn il-bidliet se jkunu diskussi fil-parlament wara t-tieni ġimgħa mill-ftuħ tiegħu. Dan meta se titressaq emenda f’artiklu tmienja tal-att taż-żwieġ biex persuni li jkunu bidlu s-sess ma jsibux xkiel min-naħa tad-direttur tar-reġistru pubbliku biex jinħarġilhom iċ-ċertifikat.

MGRM & aditus: Joint Statement on Joanne Cassar case

3.4.2013 Press Release; 

Gabi Calleja (Malta Gay Rights Movement Coordinator)

Dr. Neil Falzon (aditus foundation Director)

The MGRM and aditus foundation welcome the Maltese Government's decision to drop its objection to Joanne Cassar's claim to the right to marry.

The case of Joanne Cassar versus Malta is currently pending before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, where she is claiming that when Malta prevented her from marrying her fiancée, her fundamental human rights were violated.

Times: Updated: Committee to establish way forward for civil unions being set up

Joanne Cassar welcomes changes to Marriage law after general reassignment casehttp://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130403/local/committee-to-establish-way-forward-for-civil-unions-being-set-up.463943
Wednesday, April 3, 2013, 10:18

[Click on the hyperlink above to watch the video.]

A consultative committee is to be set up shortly to establish the best way forward for the introduction of civil unions, Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli said this morning.

The minister said civil unions were promised in Labour’s electoral programme and the committee will include stakeholders, such as LGBT people, their parents and researchers.

Malta Today: Government to amend Marriage Act for transgender people

Government reaches out of court settlement for Joanne Cassar

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Government-to-amend-Marriage-Act-for-transgender-people-20130403
National Wednesday 3 April 2013 - 10:14


Government has reached an out of court agreement with Joanne Cassar over her preclusion from marrying as a transgender
Government has reached an agreement with Joanne Cassar to drop proceedings in the European Court of Human Rights against the Maltese government over her preclusion from marrying.

Cassar was recognised by the state as a woman after gender reassignment, but she was not allowed to marry under Maltese laws.

Malta Today: Government hours away from agreement on transsexual marriage rights

An agreement between government and Joanne Cassar is understood to be “imminent” following several meetings between the two sides.

http://maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Government-hours-away-from-agreement-on-transsexual-marriage-rights-20130402
Tuesday 2 April 2013 - 13:16 by Raphael Vassallo


Joanne Cassar

An agreement between government and Joanne Cassar - the aggrieved party in a European court case against Malta over the rights of transsexual persons to marry according to their reassigned gender - is understood to be "imminent" following several meetings between the two sides.

Cassar filed a case against Malta in the European Court of Human Rights, after unsuccessfully suing the Registrar of Marriages for refusing to issue the banns necessary for her to marry her long-term (male) partner.

Times: US Supreme Court may strike down marriage law

Polls show growing support for gay couples

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130328/world/US-Supreme-Court-may-strike-down-marriage-law.463334
Thursday, March 28, 2013 by Reuters


A supporter of traditional marriage rallies in front of the Supreme Court in Washington yesterday. Photo: Reuters

A majority of US Supreme Court justices yesterday indicated they could be inclined to strike down a law that denies federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples, a move that would reflect the evolving nationwide sea change in attitudes to gay marriage.

As a packed courtroom listened attentively on a second day of arguments on gay marriage, Justice Anthony Kennedy, a potential swing vote, warned of a “real risk” that the Defence of Marriage Act (Doma) infringes on the traditional role of the states in defining marriage.

Malta Today: Gay marriage: Supreme Court justices criticise Defense of Marriage Act

A US law that defines marriage as between man and woman only sharply criticised by Supreme Court justices at landmark hearing

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/world/Gay-marriage-Supreme-Court-justices-criticise-Defense-of-Marriage-Act-20130328
Thursday 28 March 2013 - 09:27



A US law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman only has been sharply criticised by Supreme Court justices at a landmark hearing.

A judge considered the court's swing vote joined four liberal colleagues in questioning the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Legal analysts speculated that the law, which denies various federal benefits to gay couples, may be struck down.