LGBTQ+ advocates and state lawmakers are mobilizing against the Texas State Board of Social Workers’ removal last week of protections for sexual orientation, gender identity and disability status from its code of conduct. During a Friday news conference organized by the Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, advocates said they will pressure…
Texas Progressive Leaders Praise U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on LGBTQ+ Civil Rights
The ruling carries special power in the Lone Star State, which is among those that doesn’t extend protections to workers based on their gay or transgender identities. However, some cities, including San Antonio, have enacted anti-discrimination ordinances. Democratic congressional candidate Gina Ortiz Jones, who’s running to represent a border district that also includes a slice…
Progressive Group VoteVets Makes $270,000 Ad Buy for Gina Ortiz Jones
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. VoteVets PAC has snapped up $270,000 in TV advertising to support Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democrat running to represent a swing congressional district that includes San Antonio and a massive swath of South Texas. The spots, which will run in San Antonio during the first half of September,…
State Commission Admonishes Judge Speedlin Gonzalez for Congratulatory Facebook Posts
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. The Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct has admonished Bexar County Court-at-Law No. 13 Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez for using Facebook to congratulate attorneys who won jury verdicts in her courtroom. Speedlin Gonzalez — who in 2018 became the first openly gay judge to be elected in Bexar County…
Critics Say Trump’s Ban on Trans People in the Armed Forces Doesn’t Reflect Reality of Military Life
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. Until Donald Trump tweeted out his plans to ban transgender troops from entering the military, Tech Sgt. Jamie Hash never felt unwelcome during her eight years in the U.S. Air Force. Indeed, when she informed her supervisor in June 2016 of her pending transition, the response was supportive…
Study Finds TV Newscasters Ignored Trump Administration Attacks on LGBTQ Community
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. Last month, a flurry of reports from online and print media revealed potential Trump administration rule changes that would permit discrimination in housing, health care and adoption assistance against LGBTQ people. But television news largely ignored those apparent reversals of federal policy, according to recent analysis by the…
Greg Brockhouse Serves Up New Chick-Fil-A Offensive as Runoff Vote Looms
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. Mayoral aspirant Greg Brockhouse seems to be holding out hope that Chick-Fil-A will be the hen that plops out a golden egg come June 8. In a news release, the District 6 councilman argued that a decision to remove discussion of two federal grants from this week’s council…
Nirenberg and Brockhouse Headed to Runoff in Mayoral Race
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. Even though the progressive majority on San Antonio’s city council appears to have survived Saturday’s municipal election, Mayor Ron Nirenberg — who steered much of its agenda — is headed to a June runoff to keep his job. At press time, and with most precincts counted, Nirenberg led…
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Uses Anti-Gay Slur to Describe Beto O’Rourke on Fox News
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. During a Fox News interview, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — who has a habit of making provocative statements on national TV — used a term usually construed as an anti-gay euphemism to describe Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke. “He is so light in the loafers he floats off…
City Council Gives Thumbs Down to Another Vote on Chick-Fil-A
San Antonio City Council on April 18 denied mayoral candidate Greg Brockhouse’s request to vote again on whether to allow Chick-fil-A to participate in an airport concessions contract. City Councilman Brockhouse, who represents District 6, proposed a new debate over the issue but was denied in Thursday’s 6-5 vote. Shortly after, his campaign sent out…