In a nonbinding opinion, Ken Paxton said the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council doesn’t have the authority to punish social workers who refuse service to clients based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or disability status. By Isabella Zou, The Texas Tribune Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a nonbinding legal opinion Monday that…
FBI Statistics for 2017 Show Rise in LGBT Hate Crimes in Texas
Statistics released by the FBI on November 14 show a rise in hate crimes against LGBT people residing in the state of Texas during 2017. In 2016, 45 LGBT hate crimes were reported statewide — that number rose to 49 in 2017. The breakdown shows a 16 percent rise incidents motivated by sexual orientation and…
Recall of Gay Councilman in Groves City, Texas to Proceed Despite Forgeries on Petition
A state district judge ruled on October 1 that a recall election for a 19-year-old gay city councilman in Groves City, Texas can proceed despite the fact that two residents, whose signatures appeared on the recall petition, submitted sworn affidavits stating they did not sign the document. City Councilman Cross Coburn filed a lawsuit on…
House Spars Over Whether New State Bar Rules Would Open Door to Discrimination
By Alexa Ura, The Texas Tribune May 15, 2017 As part of an ongoing push by some Republicans to insert religious freedom protections into state agency review bills, House lawmakers on Monday sparred over attempts to amend the State Bar of Texas sunset bill in a way that opponents say could open up prospective LGBT…
Study Examines Impact of Discrimination on LGBT Texans
A recently released study by the Williams Institute finds that Texas laws and social climate contribute to an environment where LGBT adults experience stigma and discrimination in employment and other aspects of their life. Affected too are LGBT youth who are bullied in schools and rejected by their families. The study, The Impact of Stigma…