Tag Archives: gay rights

Lambda Legal challenges Texas Military Forces on benefits

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good. An LGBT legal group has given the Texas National Guard 10 days to respond to its request that it begin enrolling same-sex spouses of service members into the federal Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) at its facilities. DEERS … Continue reading →

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The state’s head in the sand legal strategy

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Slate and its invaluable legal writer Dahlia Lithwick take a look at the state of Texas’ determination to ensure that gay married couples stay gay married in Texas. On Nov. 5 the Supreme Court of Texas will hear arguments regarding … Continue reading →

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Time for a real NDO in Houston

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Bring it on. Last week, San Antonio passed an ordinance protecting gay and transgendered residents and veterans from discrimination. Houston Mayor Annise Parker says that vote “upped the ante” and that Houston should follow suit. “It is absolutely something we … Continue reading →

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Texas Military Forces asks for Abbott’s opinion on same-sex benefits

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Like we don’t know what he’s going to say. Here’s the dilemma: The Department of Defense, based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, has ordered certain benefits be extended to same-sex, legally married couples in the military. But the … Continue reading →

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The aftermath of the NDO in San Antonio

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Council vote is over, but don’t expect the fight to be. In four separate public forums since mid-August, more than 1,500 people approached the dais at City Hall and addressed the council, speaking passionately in support of and against … Continue reading →

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San Antonio council passes non-discrimination ordinance

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Well done. The City Council voted 8-3 Thursday to approve adding sexual orientation andgender identity to the list of classes protected from discrimination in San Antonio. Council chambers erupted with emotion — red-clad supporters of the updated nondiscrimination ordinance applauded … Continue reading →

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No federal benefits for you, soldier!

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We sure do love the troops here in Texas, don’t we? The Texas National Guard refused to process requests from same-sex couples for benefits on Tuesday despite a Pentagon directive to do so, while Mississippi won’t issue applications from state-owned … Continue reading →

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Texas Supreme Court to hear gay divorce case

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is a big can of worms being opened. The Texas Supreme Court announced Friday that it will determine whether same-sex couples, legally married in other states, can be granted a divorce in Texas. The cases, involving … Continue reading →

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Mind your own business, Dan

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

AG candidate Dan Branch to San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro: Drop the equality ordinance. State Rep. Dan Branch, a Dallas Republican campaigning for attorney general, sent a letter to Mayor Julián Castro on Monday asking that he withdraw the proposed … Continue reading →

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John Hagee drops opposition to San Antonio equality ordinance

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Television evangelist and pastor John Hagee on Sunday told congregants — and a national and international audience watching live — that he no longer opposes a proposed ordinance that seeks to protect the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and … Continue reading →

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Waco equality update

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Dallas Voice: Waco’s LGBT city employees may soon be protected from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. With four of six members present, the city’s Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee voted unanimously Thursday to recommend … Continue reading →

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The DOMA ruling and the workplace

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The SCOTUS ruling on DOMA will have an effect in Texas, if not now then eventually, we just don’t know exactly what that effect will be yet. Companies may assume that the recent Supreme Court case rejecting a key part … Continue reading →

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What does the DOMA decision mean for Texas?

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, the day after the disappointing SCOTUS ruling on the Voting Rights Act, we got a much more heartening ruling on DOMA, declaring it to be unconstitutional. However, not all of DOMA was struck down. In a landmark Supreme … Continue reading →

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Burnam to re-file marriage equality bill for Special Session 2

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Upon the announcement [Wednesday] of a second special legislative session by Governor Rick Perry, as well as the Supreme Court decision on the Defense of Marriage Act, State Representative Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth) today announced his intention … Continue reading →

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I love it when anti-GLBT candidates lose

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A good runoff result in San Antonio. Ron Nirenberg, once an underfunded dark-horse, secured the District 8 seat in [last] Saturday’s runoff, overwhelmingly defeating establishment candidate Rolando Briones. “It feels good knowing that in San Antonio, the message of grassroots, … Continue reading →

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Equality Texas’ best and worst legislators for 2013

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Two good lists to peruse while you wait for the Texas Monthly “Best and Worst” lists. It was a good session for Equality Texas with a record 31 endorsed bills in our Legislative Agenda, including multiple pieces of legislation that … Continue reading →

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A bumpy ride for an equality resolution in Dallas

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The saga begins when Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings unenthusiastically agreed to putting a resolution in support of marriage equality on the Dallas City Council agenda. After weeks of sidestepping the question, Mayor Mike Rawlings says he will vote next month … Continue reading →

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Some last minute good news from the Lege

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From Equality Texas: On May 15th, the Texas House passed an amendment by Rep. Matt Krause of Fort Worth that would prohibit state universities from requiring officially-recognized student organizations to abide by campus non-discrimination policies. The official vote on the Krause amendment … Continue reading →

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Boy Scouts go half gay

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There are compromises that actually resolve disputes, and there are compromises that exacerbate them. The Boy Scouts gay compromise is an example of the latter. The Boy Scouts of America on Thursday ended its longstanding policy of forbidding openly gay … Continue reading →

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The fight over domestic partnership benefits is just beginning

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Stuff like this was inevitable. Leaders of two Christian groups want City Council to stop extending benefits to domestic partners of city employees, now that the state attorney general has called the benefits unconstitutional. City officials reject the demand, at … Continue reading →

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Rick Perry feels persecuted by gay people

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I got nothin‘. Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said Sunday that he believes rejecting LGBT people is similar to fighting slavery during the pre-Civil War era. Appearing on the Family Research Council‘s program “Stand With Scouts Sunday,” the arch conservative … Continue reading →

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Cities generally ignore Abbott’s domestic partnership opinion

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Attorney General Greg Abbott’s opinion [last] week, while not binding, is the latest of several challenges to same-sex benefits across the country that so far have had mixed results in the courts and prompted changes after officials … Continue reading →

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No gay Scouts for Houston

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Despite a proposed change at the national level, if you’re gay the Boy Scouts in Houston still don’t want you. On Monday, Sam Houston Area Council members said they would continue the current national policy of the Irving-based Boy Scouts … Continue reading →

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Abbott opines against domestic partnership benefits

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This should not come as a surprise to anyone. The state Constitution prohibits government entities from recognizing domestic partnerships and offering insurance benefits to those couples, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott wrote in an opinion on Monday. In the nonbinding … Continue reading →

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The 2013 Houston Area Survey

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The 2013 Houston Area Survey shows that tolerance is prevalent in our region. The results, according to institute co-director Stephen Klineberg, may reflect the region’s growing ethnic diversity, younger residents’ acceptance of change and the emergence of live-and-let-live “tolerant traditionalists.” … Continue reading →

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Legislative quick hits

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is the time of the session where there’s lots happening, and there isn’t always the time or space to stay on top of it all. So here are a few quick updates on things that are happening in an … Continue reading →

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There are a lot of Republicans who want to move us backwards on equality

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Drew Springer is at it again, and he’s got help. In the last year, two Central Texas school districts have announced plans to offer employee benefits to same-sex couples, but one bill heard Tuesday at the Capitol would make that … Continue reading →

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Senate committee votes to repeal state sodomy law

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

About time. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee voted on Wednesday to repeal the state’s anti-gay sodomy law, a decade after the U.S. Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional. Texas, along with Oklahoma and Kansas, will be the only states that still … Continue reading →

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Romeo and Romeo and Juliet and Juliet

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is a small step forward, but it’s an important step. In a state where attempts to expand gay rights have hit a wall of conservative Republicans, a Senate committee on Tuesday approved a bill to provide a new legal … Continue reading →

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The remaining holdouts on marriage equality

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, we talked about the Democratic members of the Legislature that had voted for the anti-gay marriage Constitutional amendment of 2005, and where they stood now. Along those lines, The Hill checks on the situation in Congress. Eleven House … Continue reading →

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It’s still OK to be gay at Texas A&M

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It was touch and go for awhile there. Here’s the Dallas Voice from Friday: Texas A&M Student Body President John L. Claybrook has vetoed an anti-gay bill passed by the Student Senate on Wednesday that would have allowed students to opt out … Continue reading →

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House debates its budget

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, yesterday was Budgetpalooza in the House. The House budget puts more money into public education and less into health and human services than a Senate proposal that passed the upper chamber last month. “No one is or … Continue reading →

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Getting on the same page on marriage equality

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Harold Cook asks a darned good question. As SCOTUS hears arguments on marriage equality this week, it reminds me of when the Texas Legislature voted for the state constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage in Texas eight years ago. Texas voters … Continue reading →

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The Equality 2013 Poll

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From Equality Texas: The Equality Texas Foundation envisions a state where all Texans are treated equally, with dignity and respect. Equal rights for all are fundamental to our society and are long overdue. Everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender … Continue reading →

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