Charges have been dismissed for a male stripper and porn star who in past years performed at Club Essence in San Antonio and who has spent the last three years in jail awaiting trial for the September 2010 murder of a man in Florida. San Antonio-born John “Champ” Snavely was charged with the murder of…
Ron Casola, Founder of Live Oak Singers, Has Died
Ron Casola, founder and artistic director of the Live Oak Singers, an LGBT and allies chorus, died on February 21 after a battle with Alzheimer’s. Casola moved to San Antonio from Phoenix in 2013 to be near his family after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. In an interview with Jade Esteban Estrada in the San Antonio…
SA Activists Set to Protest Reversal of Protections for Trans Students
A decision by the Trump administration to rescind protections for transgender students has hit home with San Antonio LGBT activists who are ready to take to the streets to protest the decision. The rescinded policy originated with the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice. It emphasized there is no “medical or mental health diagnosis or…
Syphilis and HIV Rates Remain High Among SA’s Gay and Bi Men
The incidence of syphilis and HIV has increased over the past three years among San Antonio’s gay and bisexual men according to data provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The rate of syphilis and HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) increased in Bexar County from 2014 to 2015, the…
ICE Detains Trans Woman Seeking Domestic Abuse Protection in El Paso
An undocumented transgender woman, who had just received a protective order against a boyfriend who she alleges was abusing her, was detained on February 9 at the El Paso County Courthouse by six Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The woman, who is a citizen of Mexico, was arrested after federal immigration agents got a tip…
When a Birthday Party is a Fundraiser
For the seventh year in a row, activist Ana Alicia Perez is telling her friends to ditch the birthday presents and instead make a donation to some of her favorite charities. Over the years, Perez has invited the community to a party where she’s accepted donations for the San Antonio AIDS Foundation, the Children’s Hospital,…
Musicians and Actors Sign Letter Opposing Anti-LGBT Bills in Texas
Over 140 musicians and actors including Jennifer Lawrence, Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga have signed a letter opposing the bathroom bill and other anti-LGBT measures currently under consideration by the Texas Legislature. “Please know that the creative community is watching Texas, with love for all of its people and for its contributions to…
Gay Porn Actor with Nazi Tattoos Arrested in Dallas Meth Bust
Gay porn star Cameron Diggs (real name Timothy Harper) was one of four men arrested by Dallas police on February 9 for manufacturing and/or delivering methamphetamine in an Oak Lawn apartment complex. News of the bust was first reported on Twitter by Cory Smith of KXAS-TV who said neighbors called police after they heard a…
In Discussing SB6, Texas State Rep Cites ‘Dudes in Dresses’
On February 7, the Texas Tribune live-streamed a conversation with three first-time state representatives during which one of them said that allowing transgender people access to the bathroom of their choice encourages “dudes in dresses” to be beaten up. Participating in the event were Reps. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park), Justin Holland (R-Rockwall) and Victoria Neave…
Mayoral Candidates at Town Hall Questioned About Anti-Trans Bill
Three mayoral candidates attending a town hall sponsored by the Rivard Report on February 7 at the Pearl Stable were asked to comment on Senate Bill 6, the anti-trans bathroom bill under consideration by the Texas Legislature. SB6 bars transgender people from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity and would prohibit local ordinances…