The City of San Antonio maintained its ranking in the Human Rights Campaign’s 2017 Municipal Equality Index. Now in it’s sixth year, the 2017 MEI scores 506 cities based on 44 criteria including nondiscrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and the city leadership’s public position on equality. “This year’s Municipal…
City of SA Stands Behind Trans Employees After AG Sessions Reverses Federal Job Protections
Officials from the City of San Antonio released statements in support of the city’s transgender employees after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo reversing a Justice Department policy that protected trans workers from discrimination under federal law. “Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination encompasses discrimination between men and women but does not encompass…
Supporting Transgender Kids Is Child Abuse Says Texas State Rep
A state representative from McKinney, Texas says that transgender children are mentally ill and letting them express their gender identities is tantamount to child abuse. The remarks were made by state Rep. Scott Sanford during a panel discussion on bathroom privacy legislation which was produced by CBS DFW (KTVT-TV) and streamed on Facebook Live on…
Anti-LGBT Bills Filed a Week Before Special Legislative Session
On July 10, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation calling members of the State Legislature to a Special Legislative Session which is set to begin on July 18. Within hours of the governor’s announcement, two lawmakers filed three bills which would affect transgender Texans’ bathroom use and threaten the protections LGBT citizens have under…
Ron Nirenberg: LGBT Ally in the Mayor’s Office
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. It’s been three years since San Antonio’s LGBT community has had an ally in the mayor’s office. During her time in office, former Mayor Ivy R. Taylor did little to recognize the existence of her LGBT constituents, let alone support them. She called 2013’s non-discrimination ordinance — a…
Dancing as a Cure for Poison Ivy (Taylor)
Almost one hundred people from the LGBT and allied community brought their protest to Mayor Ivy R. Taylor’s home for 45 minutes of joyous dancing in Dignowity Park on the evening of May 27. There were no speeches or angry words. Just the sound of music and laughter — all of which took place across…
SA Mom Organizes ‘Gay Pride Flash Mob’ to Dance in Park Across From Mayor’s House
With the mayoral election just two weeks away, one local activist is inviting the LGBT and allied community to participate in a flash mob dance in Dignowity Park across the street from Mayor Ivy R. Taylor’s house. The May 27 event is being organized by Rosey Abuabara who says it is meant to be a…
Lawmakers Engaged in ‘Unprecedented Effort’ to Roll Back Civil Rights For LGBTQ Texans
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. On Tuesday, the Texas House could debate and vote on a bill that would give state-funded adoption agencies the “religious freedom” to turn away LGBTQ parents. Other measures waiting for approval by Texas lawmakers would let county clerks deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples if doing so conflicts…
Treviño Campaign Accepted Contributions from Elisa Chan
According to finance reports filed by District 1 City Councilman Roberto C. Treviño, his re-election campaign has received $1000 in contributions from former District 9 City Councilwoman Elisa Chan, who in 2013 voted against the nondiscrimination ordinance and in a recording made by one of her employees, expressed disgust for LGBT people. Chan made two…
In Discussing SB6, Texas State Rep Cites ‘Dudes in Dresses’
On February 7, the Texas Tribune live-streamed a conversation with three first-time state representatives during which one of them said that allowing transgender people access to the bathroom of their choice encourages “dudes in dresses” to be beaten up. Participating in the event were Reps. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park), Justin Holland (R-Rockwall) and Victoria Neave…