Sixteen San Antonio Fire Department units responded on Tuesday morning, March 26, to a fire at Club Essence, located at 800 Lexington Avenue. The blaze was reported around 8:30 a.m. According to media reports, two people were checked out by EMS for smoke inhalation. So far, no cause for the fire has been established and…
The QSA
City Council Votes No to Chick-Fil-A Restaurant at San Antonio Airport
The San Antonio City Council voted on March 21 against allowing the opening of a Chick-Fil-A concession at the city’s airport in a vote of 6 to 4 with one abstention. The Chick-Fil-A restaurant was part of a group of ten “concepts” Paradies Lagardère, a company that operates stores in airports and hotels throughout the…
LGBTQ Advisory Committee Challenges City’s Neutrality on Senate Bill 15
The Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee is challenging the City of San Antonio’s “neutral” stance on Senate Bill 15, a measure currently under consideration in the Texas Senate which would prohibit the local regulation of private employers. On its face, SB 15 would prohibit cities from requiring that private companies offer paid sick leave and other…
Local Gender Affirmation Project Will Assist with Updating of ID’s
A partnership of three organizations will begin offering gender marker and name change clinics that will help gender nonconforming individuals update their government ID cards, driver’s licenses and other documents to align with how they identify. The program, dubbed the Gender Affirmation Project, is being organized by Pride Center San Antonio in conjunction with the…
Anti-LGBTQ Bills Flood State Legislature as Filing Deadline Arrives
Friday, March 15 was the deadline for filing bills for this session of the Texas Legislature and as expected, Republicans have unleashed a torrent of proposed legislation aimed a scaling back the rights of LGBTQ Texans. On March 18, Equality Texas released a list of “bad bills” and expressed particular concern for two bills: SB15…
Texas House LGBTQ Caucus Opposes Appointment of Sec. Heather Wilson as UT El Paso President
Members of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus have joined other groups in opposing the appointment of Heather Wilson, the Secretary of the Air Force, as the finalist for president of the University of Texas at El Paso based on her anti-LGBTQ views. From 1998 to 2009, Wilson served as a congresswoman from New Mexico and…
SXSW Premiers Film That Tells Story of Young Trans Wrestler From Texas
A short documentary film about a transgender boy on the wrestling team at Trinity High School in Euless, Texas had its world premier on March 8 at the South by Southwest Conference and Festival in Austin. The film, Mack Wrestles, which was produced by ESPN Films, tells the story of Mack Beggs, who in 2017…
Matthew Shepard’s Parents Coming to San Antonio for ‘Stay Proud, Be Loud’ Event
Judy and Dennis Shepard, of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, will be in San Antonio on March 20 for an event dubbed “Stay Proud, Be Loud” which will emphasize the importance of reporting hate crimes. In 1998, the Shepard’s 21-year-old gay son, Matthew, was brutally attacked and tied to a fence in a field outside of…
Nod to Nirenberg for Mayor Tops List of Stonewall’s City Council Endorsements
For the second time in two years, the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio have endorsed Ron Nirenberg for Mayor of San Antonio. In his address to Stonewall members at their endorsement forum on Sunday, March 10, Nirenberg, the now-incumbent mayor, reiterated the message that he is mayor of all the citizens of San Antonio. Saying…
Photos: Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio’s Candidate Endorsement Forum
Over 30 candidates for mayor and city council attended the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio’s endorsement forum on Sunday, March 10 at the El Tropicano Hotel in downtown. After each candidate spoke, Stonewall members asked questions. After all candidates are heard, Stonewall members will vote on endorsements. The final list of endorsements will be posted…