On March 2, Texas Independence Day, five Democratic state senators introduced Senate Bill 856 that would prohibit discrimination in the areas of employment, public accommodation, housing, and state contracting based upon sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Senator Jose Rodriguez, along with co-authors Senators Rodney Elllis, Sylvia Garcia, Kirk Watson, and John Whitmire, introduced…
Town Hall to address housing discrimination
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has played a leading role in administering the Fair Housing Act which was adopted in 1968 and prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of housing to racial minorities, women, and other groups. The Fair Housing Act does not expressly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender…
Faith Advocacy Day planned at state capitol
(Via Equality Texas) — Clergy, faith leaders and people of faith from across the state will gather at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 17, to issue calls – rooted in faith and Texas values – for an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The event, Faith Advocacy Day,…
Texas marriage equality fight heads to New Orleans
On January 9, the plaintiffs in the Texas marriage equality lawsuit will head to New Orleans where the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit will hear the state’s appeal of U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia’s ruling that struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. The case has reached the 5th Circuit thanks…
Former sheriff voices support for marriage equality
Former Bexar County Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz is speaking out in favor of marriage equality in a campaign by Texas for Marriage which is working to “to broaden the conversation about why marriage matters to all couples and their families.” In a full page writeup on the Texas for Marriage website, Ortiz says his support for…
Equality Texas plans three advocacy days at State Capitol
In years past, Equality Texas organized a Lobby Day when LGBT constituents would visit members of the State Legislature to press elected officials on issues that are important to the community. This year, Equality Texas will hold three advocacy days each with a specific theme. In 2013, over 500 Texans participated in the Equality Texas…
Abbott responds to motion by plaintiffs to lift stay on Texas marriage ban
State Attorney General Greg Abbott issued a response on November 25 to a motion filed by the plaintiffs in the Texas equal marriage case asking Judge Orlando L. Garcia to lift the stay he imposed in February after finding the state’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. The motion was filed on November 24 by attorneys…
Texas mental health professionals call for end to conversion therapy
Five Texas mental health professionals filed rule-making petitions on October 31 calling on state licensing boards to outlaw conversion therapy which seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation. The petitions were filed by Dr. Bert E. Johansson, M.D. (a physician), H. Michael Cunningham, Ph.D. (a psychologist), Katy Koonce, LCSW (a licensed clinical social worker), Jeff…
Equality Texas executive director to appear on ‘The Daily Show’
“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” will travel to indicted Governor Rick Perry’s backyard later this month to broadcast a week of shows covering the midterm elections. One of the guests on the show that week will be Chuck Smith, executive director of Equality Texas. A press release distributed by Comedy Central this week touts,…