What started as a sweeping religious refusals bill has been significantly watered down as it moves through the Texas Legislature. But LGBTQ advocates still fiercely oppose it, saying it perpetuates hateful rhetoric. By Emma Platoff, The Texas Tribune Over the tearful opposition of the Legislature’s first-ever LGBTQ Caucus and several failed attempts at a procedural…
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San Antonio Congressman Will Hurd, a Republican, Voted in Favor of the Equality Act
On May 17, the Democratic-led House of Representatives passed the Equality Act, legislation that would outlaw LGBTQ discrimination, in a vote of 236-173. Eight Republican representatives, including Rep. Will Hurd of San Antonio, voted in favor the measure. The Equality Act would extend civil right protections to LGBTQ citizens by prohibiting discrimination based on sexual…
Entertainers Announced for Pride Center’s Icon Awards Brunch
Pride Center San Antonio this week announced two local performers who will grace the stage for the first annual Icon Awards Brunch, which is slated for June 2 at the Pearl Stable. Vocalist and Dj Alyson Alonzo will spin a DJ set throughout the event and give a live performance that will feature songs from…
Anti-LGBTQ Legislation Killed in Texas House Revived in Senate
A so-called “religious liberty” bill that was killed in the Texas House last week has been revived in the Texas Senate where it appears to be on a fast track. Last Thursday, state Rep. Julie Johnson (D-Carrollton), along with her colleagues on the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus defeated the bill, HB 3172, using a couple…
Gina Ortiz Jones Running Again to Unseat Texas U.S. Rep. Will Hurd
Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democrat who narrowly lost last year to U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, is running again. By Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democrat who narrowly lost last year to U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, is running again. Jones, a former Air Force intelligence officer, launched her long-anticipated 2020…
Just One Night Fundraiser for Homeless LGBT Teens Set for May 18
An event to benefit homeless LGBT youth in San Antonio marks the second year where participants are asked to raise funds and sleep in a city park for a night. The fundraiser, dubbed “Just One Night” will benefit the Thrive Youth Center, a San Antonio shelter for homeless LGBT teens. LGBT youth represent a high…
County Commissioner Tommy Calvert Thrives in the Belly of the Beast
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. It could be argued that Tommy Calvert’s 2014 election as Bexar County Commissioner marked a turning point in local leadership. It wasn’t only that he was both the youngest person and first African American person to be elected to the position, but also because his background in civil…
Texas LGBTQ Caucus Marks Major Victory, Killing Bill They Feared Would Hurt Gay People
The LGBTQ Caucus, formed this year, notched a major victory Thursday evening, defeating a controversial measure as the Texas House raced toward a midnight deadline. By Emma Platoff, The Texas Tribune In their first major test, members of the Texas House’s LGBTQ Caucus helped muscle down a bill Thursday night that they characterized as an…
Ilene Brenner Dunn, LGBTQ Ally and Former Pastor of Madison Square Presbyterian, has Died
Rev. Ilene Brenner Dunn, former pastor of Madison Square Presbyterian Church in San Antonio and an ally of the LGBTQ community died on Sunday, May 4 surrounded by friends and family. Most recently, Dunn was a ministerial assistant at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and a pastoral counselor at the Samaritan Counseling Center, both in Austin.…
Pro-LGBTQ Bills Look Dead in the Texas House, but Advocates Say They’ve Made Progress
“Having a hearing is sometimes a victory,” said state Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, whose conversion therapy ban was debated for the first time this year. By Emma Platoff, The Texas Tribune In every session since she was elected to the Texas House, state Rep. Celia Israel has taken aim at the controversial practice of conversion…