School officials said parents complained about the posters. Taylor Lifka was allowed to return Tuesday, but she said she is not prepared to come back until the school commits to more inclusive policies. By Stacy Fernández, The Texas Tribune Unable to meet with her students in person because of the pandemic, Taylor Lifka, an advanced…
State Rep. Diego Bernal Files Two Pro-LGBT Bills Ahead of Next Legislative Session
State Representative Diego Bernal of San Antonio has filed two pro-LGBT bills ahead of the 86th session of the Texas Legislature which convenes on January 8, 2019. Bernal has so far authored 26 bills covering a variety of issues. The first of the two LGBT bills, HB 188, relates to the “prohibition of housing discrimination…
Rep. Mary González Says She’s Taking the High Road After Rep. Pat Fallon Mocked Her Sexuality
By Julián Aguilar, The Texas Tribune State Rep. Mary González said Wednesday that a Republican colleague who publicly mocked her sexual identity earlier this week has apologized to her. González, a Democrat from Clint, identifies as pansexual — someone who is attracted to other people regardless of gender or sexual identity. On Monday, state Rep.…
After Three Months in Office, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg Ratifies His Commitment to LGBTQ Rights
On June 10, Ron Nirenberg did the unthinkable: After two terms as a Councilman for the Northside District 8, he defeated Mayor Ivy Taylor by a convincing 54.59 to 45.41 percent margin (the first time in 20 years that a candidate defeated a San Antonio mayor seeking reelection), and he did it his way: neither…
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…
Supermodel Patricia Velásquez on her Warm Welcome to the Family
Don’t try putting a label on Patricia Velásquez. An actress, producer, author, parent, entrepreneur, activist and supermodel, Velásquez, 45, isn’t interested in being just one thing — unless that one thing is a happy person. She found happiness early last year when she released her memoir Straight Walk. In the book, Velásquez, who has modeled…
LGBT Activists to March on Brownsville Federal Courthouse
A group of LGBT activists from Texas’ Rio Grande Valley are planning to march on April 17 through downtown Brownsville to the Federal Courthouse “to stand firmly against all legislative attacks currently being waged against the trans and queer communities throughout the South.” Participants say the march, which is being organized by Aquí Estamos, will…
FDA’s new policy on blood donations still discriminatory
After a year-long discussion, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last week it would lift the 32-year-old lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood. The new regulations allow men who have sex with men (MSM) to donate blood as long as they have abstained from sex for a period of 12…