Tag Archives: gay rights

Fifth Circuit hears drag ban appeal

Hope for the best as always. A Fifth Circuit panel grappled with questions of free speech and expression on Wednesday as it deliberated whether to uphold a lower court’s ruling that a Texas law dealing with sexually explicit performances and … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Court reform has to be about more than just SCOTUS

Exhibit A. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton returned to court on Thursday to press his case against the Biden administration’s workforce protections for transgender employees. Texas’s lawsuit, filed in federal court on Thursday against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Katy ISD keeps doing Katy ISD things to library books

I suppose it’s useful to be reminded, as we slog our way through another Year Of Mike Miles, that the suburban school districts around us have their own unique set of dysfunctions. The Katy ISD board of trustees passed a … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Katy ISD keeps doing Katy ISD things to library books

How Houston-area students are taking on conservative school boards

Good stuff. Rather than giving in to the common case of “senioritis,” recent Spring Woods High School graduate Cristopher Melendez spent his senior year determined to make his fellow classmates’ voices heard by Spring Branch ISD leaders. Melendez created a … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Anti-gay Waco JP gets her lawsuit reinstated

Boy, the State Supreme Court sure had a banner day on Friday. The state’s highest court ruled Friday that a Waco judge who had refused to officiate same-sex marriages had a right to sue the State Commission on Judicial Conduct … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Anti-gay Waco JP gets her lawsuit reinstated

The HD146 runoff

I’ve avoided writing about this for as long as I could, but it needs to be talked about. That Senate Bill 14 would pass was not in doubt. The legislation, which would bar gender-transitioning care for children and teens, had … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Feds investigating Katy ISD

Good. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation Monday into Katy Independent School District to determine if its controversial gender identity policy discriminates against students, according to records obtained by the Houston Landing. The investigation … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Feds investigating Katy ISD

Paxton sues over new federal LGBTQ+ protections in schools

Oh, look, his favorite judge is available. Texas Republican leaders are pushing back on the Biden administration’s new rules that bar schools from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity. On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott said he would direct … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Abortion and IVF roundup

Texas IVF patients are dealing with a lot of uncertainty right now. Heather Burzlaff has four embryos in a freezer in Dallas and she doesn’t know what to do with them. After seven years of medications, egg retrievals and waiting, … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Shawn Thierry situation

The Trib covers one of the more important primaries in Harris County this cycle. That Senate Bill 14 would pass was not in doubt. The legislation, which would bar gender-transitioning care for children and teens, had universal Republican support and … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Title IX complaint filed against Katy ISD

Good, but more will be needed. A student activist group has filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education against Katy ISD, claiming that the district’s gender fluidity policy is discriminatory. The policy, approved by the school board … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters, School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 26 Comments

November 2023 Texas School Board Election Recap

From Franklin Strong: Since Tuesday, headlines across the country have highlighted crushing defeats book-banning school board candidates, often associated with Moms for Liberty, suffered on Election Night. That trend carried over into Texas elections, too— but only to an extent. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Keep an eye on the Cy-Fair ISD elections

There’s potential for a lot of badness here. Conservative political-action committees and GOP U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz are backing four Cy-Fair ISD trustee candidates in next week’s election for four positions that could sway control of the board in one … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Anti-gay Waco JP’s lawsuit heard by SCOTx

Now we wait. Texas Supreme Court justices Wednesday questioned whether a Waco justice of the peace should remain under threat of a judicial oversight body’s sanctions if she continues refusing to marry gay couples. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Anti-gay Waco JP’s lawsuit heard by SCOTx

Drag ban officially ruled unconstitutional

Good. Texas cannot enforce a new law that restricts some public drag shows, a federal judge said Tuesday in declaring the legislation unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge David Hittner found Senate Bill 12 “impermissibly infringes on the First Amendment and chills … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Drag ban blocked

Good. U.S. District Judge David Hittner temporarily blocked a new state law Thursday from going into effect that would have criminalized sexually-oriented performances in front of children or effectively banned some public drag shows. LGBTQ+ groups sued the Texas attorney … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Katy ISD attacks its LGBTQ+ students

Shameful. Katy Independent School District trustees narrowly voted Monday to enact several restrictions on how employees can handle gender identity matters after listening to over four hours of public testimony overwhelmingly against the measure. In a heated 4-3 vote, Katy … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Katy ISD attacks its LGBTQ+ students

Lawsuit filed against anti-drag bill

The lawsuit count increases again. LGBTQ+ Texans and advocates filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday to block a new state law that criminalizes some drag shows — and other performances — if they occur in front of children. Senate Bill 12, … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lawsuit filed against anti-drag bill

Anti-gay Waco JP’s lawsuit to be considered by SCOTx

The end of the line one way or the other. The Texas Supreme Court will review a case involving a Waco justice of the peace’s refusal to perform same-sex weddings. McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley sued the … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Who you calling “groomer”?

Bryan Slaton is the poster boy for that epithet. In public, former state Rep. Bryan Slaton was a conservative champion unafraid to ruffle feathers and pick fights, even with Republicans he deemed insufficiently conservative. A self-described “bold and brave Christian-Conservative” who’d worked … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Who you calling “groomer”?

What would that ban on drag actually look like?

It would be a mess, to put it charitably. Controversy surrounding Senate Bill 12, which aims to restrict “sexually oriented performances” and drag shows to protect minors, has stirred up concerns that it could have far-reaching implications beyond its intended … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on What would that ban on drag actually look like?

You can always count on Sid Miller to be a bigot

There are other words I could have used as well. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is ordering his employees to dress “in a manner consistent with their biological gender,” the latest move by the state’s Republican leaders against transgender people. … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You can always count on Sid Miller to be a bigot

We wait to see how much harm the House will do to LGBTQ+ people

It’s a very scary time. Chants of “Protect trans kids” echoed across the Capitol as hundreds of LGBTQ Texans and their supporters gathered Saturday afternoon to express anger and fear over a slate of rapidly moving bills targeting queer people. … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

A brief but dismal legislative update

Just a few recent news stories, to give you an idea of what’s happening in the Legislative session, and why I have been avoiding it. Item 1: Republican Texas senators on Monday reversed themselves and voted against allowing transgender kids currently being treated with puberty … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The upcoming week in legislative gay-bashing

From the inbox, from Equality Texas: Monday, 3/27 Action Alerts & Upcoming Hearings HB 1686, the companion bill to SB 14, would ban trans youth from access to health care. We cannot let this pass. The hearing for HB 1686 begins … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Where we are on the agenda

Greg Abbott targets transgender college sports ban. Gov. Greg Abbott wants to ban transgender college students from competing on sports teams that align with their gender identity, adding momentum to a Republican proposal that’s condemned by LGBTQ advocates and progressive … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Where we are on the agenda

It’s going to be a brutal legislative session for LGBTQ folks in Texas

I really wish this weren’t the case, but it is. It’s going to be bad. Two bills that would ban classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in Texas public schools before certain grade levels are poised to receive … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Department of Education investigating removal of LGBTQ books from Texas school library

Good. The U.S. Education Department’s civil rights enforcement arm has launched an investigation into a North Texas school district whose superintendent was secretly recorded ordering librarians to remove LGBTQ-themed library books. Education and legal experts say the federal probe of … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ken Paxton’s hatred of LGBTQ+ people continues unabated

Item #1: Texas attorney general’s office sought state data on transgender Texans. Employees at the Texas Department of Public Safety in June received a sweeping request from Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office: to compile a list of individuals who … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

League City to mess with its libraries

This is watered down from the original proposal, which was a true book ban situation, but it’s still bad and dumb and ominous. At a packed League City council chambers Tuesday night, residents made their voices heard about a proposed … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on League City to mess with its libraries

Senate passes Respect For Marriage Act

Nice. And remember who opposed it, kids. Republican U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz tried to block a Senate vote to explicitly enshrine equal marriage rights for gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans into federal law Wednesday, after 12 GOP … Continue reading

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Senate passes Respect For Marriage Act

Anti-gay Waco JP’s lawsuit still tossed

Good. An Austin intermediate appellate court has upheld a Travis County judge’s decision to throw out McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley’s lawsuit against the state panel that sanctioned her in 2019 for refusing to perform same-sex weddings. … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Anti-gay Waco JP’s lawsuit still tossed

It’s really tough on LGBTQ students right now

Not a surprise, unfortunately. Schools remain a hostile place for LGBTQ students, according to a new report from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, which found a decline in access to resources, books and supportive clubs for those students. … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s really tough on LGBTQ students right now

You can be gay, you just can’t act gay

So rules a notoriously anti-gay Trump judge, narrowing a SCOTUS ruling from just two years ago at the behest of the usual suspect. A federal judge has ruled that Biden administration guidelines requiring employers to provide protections for LGBTQ employees … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on You can be gay, you just can’t act gay