San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced today that he will be holding a town hall meeting on February 19 in conjunction with his LGBTQ Advisory Committee. According to the Facebook announcement, the Mayor and the Advisory Committee will be having “a discussion on the issues affecting the community.” The event, which is dubbed “Mayor Nirenberg’s…
From the Archives: VICTORY! SA City Council Passes Nondiscrimination Ordinance
Originally published in QSanAntonio, September 5, 2013 (Editor’s note: Today marks the fifth anniversary of the passage of the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance.) Despite loud and vocal opposition from Christian extremists, the San Antonio City Council on September 5 passed a nondiscrimination ordinance that includes protections for LGBT citizens and veterans. The vote was eight in…
LGBT Employment Issues Are Focus of Queer Corazones Resource Fair
The Queer Corazones de Esperanza are hosting a resource fair and panel discussion on June 9 which will address issues and topics relating to LGBT employment. According to the press release, the purpose of the event is to facilitate conversations about the conditions and experiences of LGBT individuals at their places of employment. One issue…
Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee Set to Meet for First Time
Members of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s newly-appointed LGBTQ Advisory Committee are set to have their first meeting on Thursday, May 31 at the Central Library Auditorium. The gathering marks the first time the mayor will have the opportunity to meet the 15 members of the committee face to face since they were chosen. Future…
Fifteen Named to Mayor Nirenberg’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee
Fifteen San Antonio citizens have been named to Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee. The finalists were chosen from almost 200 applicants who were required to fill out an application that was widely distributed throughout the community in March. Applications were reviewed by the selection committee which was comprised of community members Gregory Casillas, Phillip…
Stonewall Dems Update Endorsements for City Council Runoff Election
The Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio on May 16 released an updated list of endorsements for the June 10 City Council runoff election. Last March, Stonewall held a forum where about 40 candidates came seeking the group’s endorsement in the May 6 election for 10 City Council seats and for mayor. To be eligible for…
CAUSA, Once Force Behind NDO Advocacy, Is Scaling Back for Now
The leadership team of CAUSA (Community Alliance for a United San Antonio) recently sent an email to its membership saying it will no longer hold regular meetings. The email was sent on October 21 and outlined how CAUSA is scaling back for now: First, we would like to thank each of you for your dedication…
Father Eddie Was an Advocate for Equality
It was a sunny autumn afternoon in 2005 when about 30 members of the local clergy gathered on the steps of the Bexar County Courthouse to express their opposition to Proposition 2, a provision which would amend the Texas constitution to define marriage as consisting “only of the union of one man and one woman.”…
Dems in Local State Senatorial Districts Pass LGBT Resolutions
Democrats in Bexar County’s three State Senatorial Districts have passed several pro-LGBT resolutions that will now be sent for consideration to the Texas Democratic Convention in June. The slate of seven pro-LGBT resolutions was passed by delegates at State Senatorial District conventions held in Districts 19, 25 and 26 on March 19. The three districts are…
Alamo Colleges Add Gender Identity to Nondiscrimination Policy
The board of trustees of the Alamo Colleges unanimously voted to amend its nondiscrimination policy to include gender identity and expression at their regular meeting on February 23. The vote brings to a close a controversy that started in June 2010 when the trustees voted to add sexual orientation, but not gender identity and expression…