Tag: Texas

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Dallas Billboard Promotes “Ex-Gay” Therapy, Billboard Company Promises To Remove Ad

A Dallas billboard recently went up promoting the use of “ex-gay” or “reparative” therapy.

As many know today, these techniques are used to try and “convert” gays and lesbians from homosexual to straight. Organizations like the American Psychological Association consider the practices harmful and damaging.

From ThinkProgress:

ThinkProgress spoke with Terry Kafka, president of Impact Outdoor Advertising, the small Dallas billboard company that is hosting the ad. Kafka explained that they had been convinced the ad was for couples therapy, having never heard the term “reparative therapy” before.

He described the true content of the ad as “repulsive to me personally,” promising that the ad would be coming down by next week at the latest. “If we had known, we wouldn’t have put it up in the first place.”

The practitioner who placed the ad, David Pickup,  says his techniques are not meant to “suppress” homosexuality but “resolving issues that cause homosexuality.” He tells ThinkProgress that he believes no one is born gay but instead come about due to childhood “gender identity inferiority” and “unmet male emotional needs.”

The Texas Republican Party endorsed ex-gay therapy in its platform last year.

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Texas GOP Lawmakers Seek To Nullify LGBT Non-Discrimination Ordinances

Last month I reported on the city of Plano, Texas, passing important non-discrimination LGBT protections.

Now, it appears four Texas GOP lawmakers plan to introduce a bill that would effectively cancel those protections not only in Plano but the entire state of Texas.

The Texas Observer reports:

Texas Pastor Council Executive Director David Welch, whose group is leading efforts to repeal equal rights ordinances in Plano and Houston, told the Observer the legislation would prohibit political subdivisions of the state from adding classes to nondiscrimination ordinances that aren’t protected under Texas or federal law—neither of which covers LGBT people.

“It should be a uniform standard statewide, and cities can’t just arbitrarily create new classes that criminalize a whole segment of the majority of the population,” Welch said. “It’s just self-evident that they’re going to try to do it city by city. We’re dealing with a broad public policy that creates criminal punishments. That’s a pretty serious issue, and when it’s based on a special agenda by a small, tiny fragment of the population … that’s a legitimate need and reason for the state Legislature to act.”

The legislation is apparently modeled after a law that passed in Tennessee in 2011.

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News Roundup: January 10, 2015

News stories you may have missed:

• The creators of WICKED are hoping for 2016 release of major motion picture adaptation of their blockbuster Broadway musical.

• Sen. Marco Rubio doesn’t understand the role of the judicial arm of government.

• Even with HUGE loopholes built in for “religious liberty,” haters in Plano, Texas, are gearing up to repeal the recent protections passed by the city council for LGBT folks.

• A Texas lawmaker has authored legislation that would take away a state employee’s salary and pension if they should ever issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple.

• North Carolina is heading to SCOTUS asking for review of the ruling which overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

• George Zimmerman, the man who killed Trayon Martin, has been arrested. Again. For the 4th time since his Trayvon Martin trial.

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Texas Police Officers Support The Freedom To Marry

New PSA from Fort Worth, Texas police officers (my hometown!) in support of marriage equality.

From the clip description: Three police officers from Fort Worth, Texas talk about why they support the freedom to marry in Texas – and speak out on their support for their colleague Chris Gorrie, a detective who wants to someday marry his partner Justin.

“Texans believe in freedom and liberty, and part of that is being able to marry who you love. Chris should be able to marry whoever person he loves.”

The ad is airing across Texas this week in advance of a key federal appeals court hearing Friday.

From The Houston Chronicle:

The $100,000 TV buy will air Sunday and Monday, just days before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans is slated to hear arguments in a case challenging Texas’ constitutional ban on gay marriage.

“The aim is to show gay Americans are really completely integrated into the fabric of our society,” said Mark McKinnon, a former advisor to President George W. Bush and Texas chair of Southerners for the Freedom to Marry. He called the ads an “electronic blanket” to reinforce a recent wave court cases validating LGBT Americans right to marry in other states.

Learn more at www.texasformarriage.org and www.freedomtomarry.org.

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Texas Tribune Offers “Oops” Reel In Honor Of Gov. Rick Perry’s Ride Into The Sunset

As Rick Perry rides off into the sunset as governor of the Lone Star state after 14 years, the Texas Tribune offers this video send-off celebrating a few highlights of his public statements.

I should add: everyone trips up on their own tongue over years of public speaking. Maybe not as much as Gov. Bang Bang, but it’s human.

We’re just lucky to get to enjoy this little blooper reel. Happy Sunday.

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Shenanigans By Sen. Ted Cruz Lead To Texas’ First Gay Federal Judge

Thanks to Sen. Ted Cruz, his home state of Texas now has it’s first openly gay federal judge.

Dallas Morning News has the details:

The Senate confirmed three Texans Tuesday night for lifetime judicial appointments, capping an effort to fill vacancies in the state that have languished for years.

The nominees — U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman of San Antonio, Texarkana lawyer Robert Schroeder III and Sherman Magistrate Judge Amos Mazzant III — were approved by a voice vote on Congress’ final night this year.

Pitman, the first openly gay U.S. attorney in Texas history, will be the state’s first openly gay federal judge. The process was sped up over the weekend, when Sen. Ted Cruz forced action on the constitutionality of the president’s immigration policies. The move failed badly — but gave Majority Leader Harry Reid more time to set up votes on a slew of nominees in the final days of the chamber’s session.

Before that point, it was unclear whether the three Texans could be approved before Republicans take over the Senate on Jan. 6.

(h/t JMG)

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Texas Pastor Donnie Romero: “I’m Not Letting Any Dirty Faggots Inside My Church”

Pastor Donnie Romero, of Fort Worth, Texas, says that if he ever goes “soft on sin,” he hopes that his children will call him out and tell him to “get up there and rip on these queers because it’s only getting worse and worse.”

“I’m not going to let any of these dirty faggots inside my church,” Romero said. “They are all pedophiles … They’re always trying to rape and hurt other people. They’re relentless. They are relentless. They are predators and given an opportunity to snatch one of your children, they would do it in a heartbeat.”

(via Right Wing Watch

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Texas Governor-elect Greg Abbott: Gay Marriages During Appeal Would Be “Deeply Offensive”

Texas Governor-elect Greg Abbott says it would be “deeply offensive” for same-sex marriages to take place during the appeal of a federal district judge’s ruling striking down the state’s marriage bans.

Abbott made the comments during a press conference Monday where he unveiled his agenda and staff as governor, the Associated Press reports:

The governor-elect didn’t mention gay marriage until he was asked about the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which next month will hear a case in which a judge in February struck down Texas’ ban.

Some advocates have asked other Texas judges to begin performing gay marriages pending the appeal, but Abbott said that would be “deeply offensive” since it “would be a clear rebuke of the 5th Circuit’s jurisdiction.”

Oral arguments are scheduled for January 9th in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals regarding US District Judge Orlando Garcia’s ruling which struck down Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage.

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Texas: Plano LGBT Protections Ordinance Has A Few Holes In It

I reported last night on the passage of LGBT protections by the Plano City Council. While a good step forward, it seems there are a few holes in the fine print that will allow for the truly anti-gay to refuse to serve LGBT folks.

From the Plano Star Courier:

According to the revised ordinance, discrimination based on a resident’s sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited in regards to public accommodation, employment, housing transactions and city contracting. However, religious and political groups as well as nonprofit organizations are exempt from the ordinance.

City Attorney Paige Mims said the ordinance also includes a waiver process for businesses to be exempt if the owners feel the policy would not allow them to conduct business based on their personal faith. Individuals and organizations found in noncompliance to the ordinance would be charged with a Class C misdemeanor, the least severe class of misdemeanor. While the ordinance does make it illegal to discriminate against gender identity in a public place, Mims said that would not extend to public restrooms and locker rooms which would still be segregated based on physical anatomy.

So, apply for a “waiver” and you can get to discriminate.

Ironically, those who are the more virulently anti-gay STILL hate the ordinance and want to sue to have it struck down. Hard to imagine why when the religious exemptions are so broad. Clearly, anyone who doesn’t want to serve gays will not have to. So, shut up.

Forward.

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Texas: Plano City Council Passes LGBT Protections Ordinance 5-3

Yes, kids! Yes!

I reported earlier that the city of Plano, Texas, was prepared to debate an ordinance tonight which would offer LGBT protections which would ban discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The incoming Attorney General “urged” the City Council to stand down and hit pause on these important protections.

Well, tonight at the Plano City Council meeting the ordinance passed by a vote of 5-3!

Take that, haters!