A 30-year-old man from Childress, Texas has been found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in jail for the 2016 murder of a 43-year-old Austin transgender woman. During the trial, which began in late October, JonCasey Rowell admitted to shooting Monica Loera at close range in what he said was an act of self-defense. Rowell…
Transgender Day of Remembrance to be Observed in SA on Nov. 16
San Antonio’s LGBT community will come together to observe the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 16 with events slated for downtown San Antonio. The evening begins at 6 p.m. when Pride Center San Antonio presents a Memorial Celebration of Lives Lost in Travis Park. At 7 p.m., the observance moves indoors for a service…
Austin Car Dealership Says First Amendment Gives Company Right to Out Trans Employee
Updated: October 19, 2017 4:00 p.m. This article was updated to include replies from Beasley Automotive and from Mr. Rudkin’s attorney. A car dealership in Austin, which is being sued for discrimination by a transgender employee, says freedom of speech gave the company the right to out the employee to other staff members. On August…
Trans Texans’ Military Dreams on Hold Under Trump Administration
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. In January, Misty Brandon’s 24-year-old son sold his furniture and his truck and moved from San Antonio to Colorado with one goal in mind: To join the military in June. That’s because in June, the U.S. Department of Defense was going to officially let openly transgender people enroll…
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…
Trump’s Military Ban Rattles Trans Troops, Veterans in Military City, USA
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. On Wednesday morning, San Antonio army veteran Danny Ingram got a worried call from a friend in the Air Force. “She had seen the news and was scared, suddenly it felt like her job was on the line,” said Ingram. The call came a few hours after President…
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Supports “House Companion” to “Bathroom Bill”
By Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune April 28, 2017 HOUSTON — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick expressed support Friday for “a House companion” to the Texas Senate’s “bathroom bill” that has been one of his biggest priorities this session. “Senate Bill 6 — or a House companion — we need to pass,” Patrick said during remarks…
Richard Linklater Directs Ad Targeting Texas’ Anti-Trans “Bathroom Bill”
Originally published in the San Antonio Current Fear is at the heart of Texas conservatives’ push for a bill that would block transgender Texans from using the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity — a baseless fear that equal rights for transgender people will endanger women and young girls in public restrooms. So in…
Abbott Mocks NFL for Opposing Anti-Trans Bill
Originally published in the San Antonio Current Governor Greg Abbott decided to attack the NFL over Twitter this weekend for its threat to halt future Texas Super Bowls if Abbott signs an anti-transgender bill into law. In a brief Friday email, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Associated Press that a discriminatory law like Texas’…
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…