On January 12, the Washington Post reported that during a meeting with lawmakers on immigration President Donald Trump made a vulgar comment in reference to immigrants from Haiti and Africa. Trump’s words were met with widespread outrage. For State Rep. Mary Gonzalez of El Paso, the president’s comment presents an opportunity to endorse a more…
Texas Equity PAC Announces Endorsements
On December 29, Texas Equity PAC announced four end-of-the-year endorsements of candidates running for the Texas Legislature. In a statement on its Facebook page, Texas Equity PAC describes its mission: “Pro-equality legislation happens with the support of pro-equality lawmakers. The Texas Equity PAC is the political action committee of Equality Texas. It supports the election…
Two DFW-Area LGBT Democrats Seek Texas House Seats
Two LGBT Democrats from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area have announced their candidacy for seats in the Texas House of Representatives. Jessica Gonzalez from Dallas is seeking the Texas House District 104 seat, which is currently held by fellow Democrat Roberto Alonzo. Finnigan “Finn” Jones from Arlington is hoping to capture the Texas House District 94…
Lesbian Attorney from Houston Declares Run for Texas Senate
Attorney and political activist Fran Watson from Houston has filed her application to be officially placed on the ballot as a Democratic primary candidate for Texas Senate District 17. Watson traveled to Texas Democratic Party headquarters in Austin to file her application on November 21. If she emerges victorious in this race, she will be…
State Rep. Mary Gonzalez Nominated for Victory Fund Award
State Representative Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso) is one of six finalists nominated for the Victory Fund’s first-ever Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award. The award was created to honor an up-and-coming state or local LGBT elected official “whose promising political career will move forward equality.” The award is named after Tammy Balwin, an openly-lesbian Democrat who is…
Straus tells business leaders to keep up fight after “bathroom bill” failure
By Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune September 12, 2017 SAN ANTONIO — Texas House Speaker Joe Straus urged business leaders Tuesday to keep up the fight following the failure of legislative efforts this year to pass a “bathroom bill” that many of them opposed. “Texans rejected name-calling and scare tactics, and as a result, we…
Texas Bathroom Bill Appears to Be All But Dead in Special Session
By Alexa Ura, The Texas Tribune August 11, 2017 Despite it serving, in part, as the reason lawmakers are back in Austin for legislative overtime, the Texas Legislature could very well gavel out next week without passing a “bathroom bill.” With just days left in the 30-day special legislative session, controversial proposals to regulate bathroom…
Growing Number of Corporate Leaders Step Up Opposition to Bathroom Bill
CEO’s from 10 Fortune 500 companies voiced their opposition to the Texas bathroom bill in a letter which was sent to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday, August 3. “No industry will remain untouched by the unnecessary harm that discriminatory laws will do to our competitiveness, to our ability to attract talent, and to our…
Religious Right Lobbyists Are the Lone Supporters of the Texas Bathroom Bill
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. Law enforcement. The National Football League. Tech companies. Small businesses. And now, the largest oil and gas companies in the nation. None of the communities Texas Republicans have historically rallied behind want the GOP-led state legislature to pass its so-called “bathroom bill.” In fact, each and every one…
Bathroom Bill Debate Highlights Barriers to Updating Birth Certificate in Texas
By Alexa Ura, The Texas Tribune July 31, 2017 Though he tries to avoid restrooms “at all costs,” high school student Jason Foster says they’re sometimes unavoidable at school. Leander Independent School District requires students to use bathrooms based on their birth certificates. For Foster, who is transgender, that means using a gender-neutral bathroom or…