In an interview published this week in the San Antonio Current, Mayor Ivy R. Taylor tells interviewer Jade Esteban Estrada that she finds political correctness “frustrating.” The interview was published on Wednesday, January 13. In it Estrada and Taylor discuss her time in office and the issues she’s been dealing with since she was appointed…
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S.A. transgender dad seeks visitation rights
A San Antonio transgender man, who helped raise two boys while in a committed relationship with their mother, is seeking a ruling from the Fourth Court of Appeals that would allow him to see the kids on a regular basis. Dino Villarreal was coupled with Sandra Sandoval, the children’s mother. He helped raise the two…
Church of the Good Shepherd hosts ‘Reconciling Sunday’
By Rev. Charles Fredrickson, Guest Contributor San Antonio’s Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd is holding its annual Reconciling in Christ Sunday on January 25 at 10:30 a.m. Reconciling in Christ Sunday, typically held on the last Sunday in January, is recognized ecumenically throughout the welcoming church movement as the annual highlight of the shared…
Bexar Republicans strike down anti-LGBT resolution
The executive committee of the Bexar County Republican Party on January 8 voted down a resolution that sought the “repeal of our local governments’ pro-homosexual policies.” The resolution, which was circulated to local GOP precinct chairs in mid-December, called for the repeal of the nondiscrimination ordinance that was approved by the City Council last September…
Pro and anti-LGBT bills await opening of Texas Legislature
The 84th Texas Legislature opens its 140-day work session today with a Republican majority: Twenty Republicans and 11 Democrats in the Senate, and 97 Republicans and 52 Democrats in the House. There are bills filed to further restrict abortion rights, to terminate in-state tuition for children of immigrants, to outlaw sanctuary cities and to increase…
Van de Putte best choice for transgender community
In recent weeks I have attended events for the three major mayoral candidates for this spring’s city elections: former State Rep. Mike Villarreal, former State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, and former County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson. Even though I had spoken with Mike Villarreal as recently as the HRC banquet in November, when I went…
5th Circuit winds up same-sex marriage hearings
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans held center stage today while it heard appeals of same-sex marriage cases from Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. The three appeals were heard by Judge Jerry E. Smith (a Reagan appointee), James E. Graves (an Obama appointee) and Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham (another Regan…
SNAP offers assistance to pet owners with HIV
A program from the local branch of the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) is offering free and low-cost veterinary services to San Antonio residents living with HIV/AIDS. The program, dubbed the Animal Aid Program, provides free spay-neuter surgery, free wellness exams, and at-cost wellness services and products for the pets of low-income persons with HIV/AIDS. Program…
State Rep. files bill to deny marriage licenses to Texas same-sex couples
Updated Jan.8,2015, 7:20 p.m. Perhaps anticipating that marriage equality could soon be a reality in Texas, a member of the state House of Representatives has submitted a bill that would deny the funding and issuing of marriage licenses for same sex couples. State Rep. Cecil Bell Jr., a Republican from Magnolia, Texas is the author…
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…