CAGED: Five Year Prison Sentence Handed Down for Brutal Attack on Trans Woman at McDonald's!

Teonna Monae Brown, 19, who pleaded guilty last month to first-degree assault and a hate crime in the beating of Chrissy Lee Polis, 22, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday, with five years suspended, plus three years of supervised probation. The maximum sentence for Brown's crimes is 35 years.

Advocates were upset by the ruling, the Baltimore Sun reports: "The whole incident is unfortunate and demonstrates the lack of knowledge and understanding, and discrimination against transgender people," said Patrick Wojahn, board president of the Equality Maryland Foundation. "If anything, five years may have been too short of an amount of time for the attack and the amount of hatred that was shown in the incident."

SHOOTING STAR: Trans Contestant Wows Australia's X-Factor!

X-Factor Australia's panel asks Paige Elliot Phoenix what made him wait until now to audition for the show.

"I've needed a whole bunch of things to really fall into place in my life. Probably the most significant thing was gender transition. I'm a female to male transsexual."

MAMA BEAR: Cher defends Chaz!

It’s very disappointing that there are people who have a problem with Chaz Bono participating in the new season of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars because he is a transgender male, reports Greg in Hollywood.

His famous mother, Cher, took to Twitter on Wednesday to defend her child with the late Sonny Bono .

Cher initially struggled with Bono’s transition from the female Chastity to the male Chaz but she clearly loves and supports her child.

“Chaz is Being Viciously Attacked on Blogs & Message boards about being on DWTS!This is Still America right ? It took guts 2 do it.” Cher wrote in one Tweet then added: “I support him no matter what he chooses 2do! God! will there always be haters! It took COURAGE 2 do dwts ! TG Chaz has an Unlimited supply.”

FIRE: Chaz's DWTS Pick Sparks Dialogue on Transgenders!

If ABC wanted to generate buzz with the announcement of the new Dancing With the Stars cast, then it looks the selection of Chaz Bono was a wise choice. Tim Molloy of the Wrap notes that the show's message board has been besieged with comments about the transgendered Bono, many of the I'm-not-watching-this-season variety. But Bono also has his fair share of defenders on the board, and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation welcomes the attention, notes the Daily News. 

Along with the selection of former Queer Eye star Carson Kressley, ABC has "created primetime firsts that reflect the growing acceptance of gay and transgender people in America today," says a GLAAD statement. The 42-year-old Bono, who was born a female before changing his gender, showed up for his first rehearsal today, notes the Daily Mail. "His inclusion on the popular show makes him one of the most visible transgendered people, a position that he seems to be slowly coming around to," writes Zara Golden at Mediaite.

LOSE IT: Will Chaz lose weight on “Dancing With the Stars"?

MK poses with Chaz at 2011 Gender Odyssey in Seattle

Dancing With the Stars, which has had very little LGBT representation in all its years on the air, has reportedly signed Chaz Bono as a celebrity contestant for its upcoming season, reports Greg in Hollywood. 

This is GREAT news if it does indeed come to pass.

It’s not only a personal opportunity for the only child of Cher and Sonny Bono to take on a physical challenge, having him on such a high-profile show will be the most exposure most people will ever have had to a transgender person.

Chaz transitioned from the female Chastity Bono to the male Chaz Bono and his journey was chronicled in the documentary Becoming Chaz and the memoir Transition: the story of how I became a man.

Money: $20,000 Needed to Save Trans Housing Program!

Phoenix, Arizona --A local charity, This is HOW, has launched a new project "Life Made Better - Our Own Place" to raise $20,000.  These funds will be used to purchase a permanent home for their Crisis Intervention Center. Their current property, which was leased, recently received a notice of foreclosure.  This property is home to 8 residents who are members of the most underserved population in the Phoenix metro area.

Life Made Better: Our Own Place project is raising funds to purchase one or more properties that will be used to house the individuals in crisis that are served by This Is H.O.W.  The organization must raise a minimum of 20K to ensure their current level of service to the community.  Through their housing, education and empowerment programs they have helped over 500 individual since their launch 6 years ago, including the current Executive Director, Antonia D’orsay, who was rescued from homelessness and given a chance during a deep crisis period in her life.  She has also served as the House Manager, and the Chair of the Board before stepping into her current position a year ago.