I’m very glad to see this.
The Baptists Ministers Association of Houston & Vicinity issued a joint statement with the Houston GLBT Political Caucus saying the two groups “are building a relationship that recognizes our common equal rights struggle.”
The joint statement follows a controversy earlier this year in which the Caucus faced criticism from some members for allegedly encouraging candidates to seek endorsements from the Baptists Ministers Association, which actively supported the repeal of HERO.
According to the joint statement, the Baptist Ministers Association “apologizes for the pain [its opposition to HERO] caused the LGBTQ community, and we both look forward to ongoing discussions to prevent this from happening again as we collectively fight for the equality of all Houstonians.”
“Though we may not agree on everything, we both realize that [there] is more that unites us than divides us,” said Pastor Max Miller, president of the Baptist Ministers Association. “We are looking forward to more discussions to continue to build on this relationship. Our apology is sincere.”
[…]
Monica Roberts, who chairs the Caucus’ Faith Outreach Task Force, said in the statement that as a black trans woman, she was “happy on behalf of the Houston transgender community to convey to [the Black Ministers Association] how harmful that anti-trans rhetoric was to our community and the trans community at large.”
“We have more in common than not, in terms of wanting a Houston we can all be proud of and in which everyone’s human rights and humanity is respected and protected,” Roberts added. “Trans Houstonians needed to hear an apology, and I am happy it was given. I am pleased that these conversations will continue so that we can continue the process of getting a much-needed nondiscrimination ordinance in Houston.”
The Caucus also apologized for “not directly engaging black and brown communities,” including the Black Ministers Association.
You can see a copy of the joint statement in the story. I don’t know what led to this rapprochement, but it’s great that it happened. Putting aside the fact that HERO was an equal rights ordinance for all of Houston, the fact of the matter is that a large portion of Houston’s LGBT community is people of color, a point that Monica Roberts makes all the time on her blog and on Facebook. There was too much common ground for there to be such antagonism. Kudos to all for this achievement.
This is wonderful news!! If we could get all if the faith community leaders in Texas to this point there could be so much healing.
I’m wondering why we haven’t been inundated with stories of gays suffering horrific abuse and discrimination as a result of the HERO failing. I’m also wondering why we haven’t heard stories of horrific abuse and discrimination against veterans, and all the other groups that were tossed into the HERO language as cover.
Surely there are hundreds of thousands of verifiable stories of discrimination that have resulted from the failure of the HERO.
Hopefully they will be a part of ththe solution to redo the ordinance.
Bill, there are conflicting problems that have no easy solutions. I understand that if someone thinks they are of a sex not reflective of their body that they would not want to shower or go to bathrooms with that sex that their body looks like.
Than you have the other side that does not see what the person thinks. If they had taken out the part where people could shower, etc, and limited to bathroom it would have probably passed. Women bathrooms have stalls and doors, no different that the bathrooms at home or a hotel room. Close the door and lock it.
Women have been going into men’s bathrooms for year during sporting events, it is legal in Houston.
Why should they apologize?
Annise Parker could have amended the non-discrimination ordinance similar to the one passed in Utah and supported by the churches.
https://thinkprogress.org/utah-bill-would-ban-lgbt-discrimination-with-some-big-exceptions-767990f9a9fc/
Now we have nothing and it’s highly doubtful that Mayor Turner will pass one.
Annise Parker should apologize for her tantrum when it got voted down. Also, we don’t need a bathroom bill from either side of the aisle. People can handle these things themselves.
Agree with Jason. Take out the bathroom junk and the equal rights ordinance would have passed.