Tag Archives: gay rights

From the “Things that are not considered legislative emergencies” department

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

That list would include removing Texas’ unconstitutional anti-sodomy law from the books. Although Texas’ so-called sodomy law cannot be enforced legally, civil rights advocates say it should be removed from the books because it creates a climate favorable to bullying, … Continue reading →

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Unfinished business

Posted on January 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One thing that stood out to me from the Chron’s Q&A with Noel Freeman, the newly-elected president of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus: Q. What has changed about Houston’s GLBT community in past three decades? A. We have branched out. … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

DADT repeal passes, DREAM Act fails

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some history was made yesterday. The Senate took a big step toward ending the military’s ban on openly gay servicemembers today. By a vote of 63 to 33, the Senate voted to end debate on a bill repealing the military’s … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: It gets worse

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Remember when being a maverick meant something? The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

A bill for Asher

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Representatives Garnet Coleman and Jessica Farrar announced [Friday] that they would again file and work to pass the Dignity For All Students Act to prohibit discrimination or harassment against students and employees of Texas public schools. Recent … Continue reading →

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Gay-baiting in the HD76 runoff

Posted on April 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I had not paid much attention to the Democratic primary runoff in El Paso’s HD76, which is the only Democratic legislative runoff on the ballot. I don’t have a strong opinion one way or the other about the incumbent, Rep. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Parker extends city rights policy to transgendered

Posted on April 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston Mayor Annise Parker has updated a 12-year-old Houston non-discrimination policy to include transgendered individuals, a step that has won praise from supporters in the gay community but prompted criticism as well. The two executive orders she signed last … Continue reading →

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Boycott us, please!

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Now this is something I can really get behind. If you think the folks in Haiti are having a rough time, just wait until Houstonians feel the economic effects of Pastor David Grisham’s boycott against our city of sin. Launched … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hoang’s agenda

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Tomorrow is the public swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Annise Parker. After she retakes her oath of office, she will then administer the oath to all new and returning City Council members. One of them is the newly elected Member from … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

How others are viewing the election

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This AP story about the Mayoral runoff election contains a paragraph you won’t see very often. Houston became the largest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor, with voters handing a solid victory to City Controller Annise Parker after … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Holmes fibs about his donation history to Hotze

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, Ned Holmes, the finance chair for the Gene Locke campaign, made a $20,000 donation to Steven Hotze’s Conservative Republicans of Harris County PAC just before Hotze sent out his homophobic mailer to voters. Holmes claims that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Locke backers funded Hotze

Posted on December 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. The finance chairman and a finance committee member of Gene Locke’s mayoral campaign helped bankroll the conservative political action committee that sent out an anti-gay mailer targeting City Controller Annise Parker and other municipal candidates earlier this month, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Ministers speak out against homophobia

Posted on December 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

More like this, please. A group of Houston clergy members has signed a letter objecting to recent anti-gay sentiment “espoused by those who co-opt religion as a cover for hatred.” The letter reads as follows: We the undersigned religious leaders … Continue reading →

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Locke sorta kinda explains the Hotze endorsement

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here it is, for what it’s worth, which isn’t much. I guess if you can truly convince yourself that Hotze’s endorsement wasn’t about Annise Parker’s sexuality, you can believe it’s okay to accept it. I don’t know what there is … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

What the others are saying about Hotze’s endorsement

Posted on December 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So here’s the Chron coverage of the Hotze endorsement. Of the many things I find unfathomable about this, here’s the item at the top of the list. Kris Banks, president of Houston’s GLBT Political Caucus, which has endorsed Parker, questioned … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Hotze endorses Locke

Posted on November 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what we’ve all been waiting for, and now it’s on its way to a mailbox near you, as local hatemeister Steven Hotze has endorsed candidates in all six City of Houston runoffs and sent a mail piece out touting … Continue reading →

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Stay away from Hotze

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The following is a message from HCDP Chair Gerry Birnberg: CANDIDATES – ALL CANDIDATES – STAY CLEAR OF HOTZE Steven Hotze is a hatemonger. For nearly twenty five years he has stoked the flames of bigotry in this community like no other … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

And another hatemonger is heard from

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s almost too depressing to read through this KHOU story about local bigot Dave Wilson and his pathetic attempt to affect the outcome of the Mayor’s race, but it needs to be done. Here’s what I have to say about … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Chron on Hotze, Welch, and Locke

Posted on November 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorializes today about the forthcoming hatemongering in the city election to be aimed at Annise Parker, and Gene Locke’s tepid response to being its intended beneficiary. And they fall just short of getting it right. We’ve been here … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Locke’s response

Posted on November 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So while I was out watching Rice beat Tulane, the Gene Locke campaign released the following statement regarding the homophobic attack on Annise Parker. “As I have previously stated, I reject any association with the style of campaigning that was … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

And here comes the nastiness

Posted on November 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I really thought that we’d make it through this election without there being any nasty anti-gay stuff. I guess I was naive to think so, because here it comes. A cluster of socially conservative Houstonians is planning a campaign to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

The NYT on Parker and the Mayor’s race

Posted on November 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Our Mayor’s race is getting some national attention, as the New York Times gives it a writeup, with a primary focus on Annise Parker. Greg goes over the basics, so I’ll leave that to him, and I’ll just make note … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Pride

Posted on June 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So yesterday was the annual Pride parade in Houston. It was greeted by this sweet article in the lifestyle section. Today’s Pride Festival will celebrate the diversity of the Houston area’s thriving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. That diversity … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Please join me in supporting Mayor Castro in San Antonio

Posted on June 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

What RBearSAT says. Mayor Julian Castro agreed to serve as Grand Marshal of San Antonio’s Pride Parade this July 4th, becoming the first San Antonio mayor to ever serve in this role. Prior Grand Marshals have included SAPD Chief William McManus, Bexar … Continue reading →

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Threatened by opera

Posted on May 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t normally think of opera as being particularly controversial or threatening, at least not in this day and age, but apparently it can be. The organizers of the second annual Opera Vista Festival suspected one of their featured operas … Continue reading →

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Why words matter

Posted on May 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

On Sunday, I mentioned HB1323, the anti-bullying bill that Equality Texas helped to draft. It was originally scheduled to be on the House calendar on Monday; it’s on today’s calendar now, but nothing is carved in stone these days. Anyway, … Continue reading →

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Gay rights support in Houston

Posted on April 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. [A]ccording to the latest Houston Area Survey, fewer than half of Harris County residents believe homosexuality is morally wrong, 61 percent believe it’s an innate characteristic rather than a lifestyle choice, and 43 percent believe gay marriages should … Continue reading →

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