One of President Donald Trump’s nominees for a federal judgeship in Texas is a notorious homophobe who supports conversion therapy, says marriage equality will lead to polygamy and bestiality, and maintains that trans kids are evidence of “Satan’s plan.” Jeff Mateer currently serves as the first assistant attorney general of Texas, a position he has…
Esperanza Center to Host ‘Trans Kids Back-to-School’ Workshop
Back-to-school time can be daunting for any child. For transgender children and their parents, the beginning of a new school year holds challenges the rest of the population may not face. On September 30, the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center will present its second annual ‘Son Tus Niños También – Trans Kids Back to School’ workshop…
Trans Youths Named Grand Marshals of SA Pride Parade
Pride San Antonio has named two transgender boys as Grand Marshals of the Pride Bigger Than Texas Parade slated for July 1 along the Main Avenue Strip. Officials from Pride SA announced that 8-year-old Joe Maldonado of Secaucus, New Jersey, and 18-year old Mack Beggs of Euless, Texas were selected for their trailblazing efforts which…
SA Activists Set to Protest Reversal of Protections for Trans Students
A decision by the Trump administration to rescind protections for transgender students has hit home with San Antonio LGBT activists who are ready to take to the streets to protest the decision. The rescinded policy originated with the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice. It emphasized there is no “medical or mental health diagnosis or…
Texas Judge Halts Federal Transgender Protections
A federal judge in Texas issued a temporary injunction on December 31 against efforts by the Obama administration intended to ban transgender discrimination by hospitals, the Texas Tribune reports. U.S District Judge Reed O’Connor sided with Texas, along with the religious hospital network Franciscan Alliance and four other Republican-led states, in a lawsuit that claimed…
Texas Judge Issues Injunction Against Protections for Trans Students
Originally published in the San Antonio Current. A federal judge in Fort Worth ruled late Sunday that conservative states that oppose allowing trans kids in public schools to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity won’t face punishment for maintaining the status quo. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor issued a nationwide injunction stopping…
Texas, Other States File to Stop Education Dept. Trans Bathroom Policy
Thirteen states, led by Texas, today submitted a legal filing with a U.S. judge in Fort Worth asking to halt the implementation of the U.S. Education Department’s directive which says schools should allow students to use the restroom that matches their gender identity. The states say the guidelines represent unlawful “radical changes.” The hearing is…
Workshop: Back to School Challenges for Trans Kids
With the new school year just around the corner, the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is hosting a workshop on how to navigate possible school-related problems when you are the parent of a trans child. The workshop, Son Tus Niños También: Trans Kids Back To School, will address the legal rights of trans children and…
Paxton Tries to Stop Federal Protections for Trans Students Before School Starts
Originally published in the San Antonio Current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wants a nationwide injunction against federal protections for trans kids in schools. On Tuesday, Paxton announced the coalition of states Texas is leading in litigation against the federal government filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against a U.S. Department of Education and…
Transgender student welcomed at Episcopal school
KSAT-TV in San Antonio is reporting that a longtime male student at St. Luke’s Episcopal School in Alamo Heights has returned to classes after the Thanksgiving holiday as a girl. In a letter sent to the parents of students, the school’s headmaster Thomas McLaughlin says, “After much prayer, research and thorough consideration, we have concluded…