San Antonio Planning Meeting – Demand Passage of Human Rights Ordinance!

GetEQUAL TX invites you to join the Community Alliance for a United San Antonio (CAUSA) at a strategy meeting next Tuesday, April 2, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Esperanza Center, 922 San Pedro (upstairs space). There will be sandwiches, snacks, sodas and water available at the meeting.

As you probably know, San Antonio is the 7th largest city in the country and, yet, it is the only major city in Texas and in the nation that does not provide non-discrimination protections for LGBT people in its municipal code.  CAUSA was formed in June of 2011 by a small group of activists to develop a strategy for amending San Antonio’s current non-discrimination ordinances to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in city employment, public accommodations, housing, city contractors and appointments to boards and commissions.

Shortly after CAUSA began meeting, organizers learned of a “surprise announcement” that the mayor and city manager wanted to include domestic partner benefits in the city budget. CAUSA switched gears to rally support from the community for that initiative and domestic partner benefits were successfully adopted in September, 2011.

CAUSA then refocused on its original goal, to amend the non-discrimination ordinances that exist within the city code to be inclusive of LGBT people. Organizers for CAUSA met with the mayor and City Council Member Diego Bernal, both of whom seemed supportive and dare we say excited to make this great change for the city; however, neither Mayor Castro nor Councilman Bernal, both of whom relied heavily on the LGBT community for donations and support during their elections, have pushed hard enough and the amendments were never placed on the Council agenda. Even after Mayor Castro and Councilman Bernal were presented with a scientific poll showing strong support for this ordinance among a cross-section of San Antonio voters, they continue to fail to take action or give any indication as to when this will be brought before Council.

CAUSA has now expanded its focus and is advocating for a fully-inclusive, citywide Human Rights Ordinance that includes a Human Rights Commission or similar entity to receive and adjudicate claims of arbitrary discrimination brought on the basis of race, color, age, religion, disability, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, etc. using the current policies and ordinances of Ft. Worth, Dallas and Austin as a springboard.

We cannot stop simply because “our friends” in power seem disinterested, or worse, indifferent, to discrimination.  It is time to develop a plan of action to see that the City of San Antonio provides a recourse for its citizens and visitors when the heavy hand of discrimination strikes.  It is time to GetEQUAL!

Jay Morris
GetEQUAL TX

PS: Parking is difficult around the Esperanza Center, so the best place to park is in the parking lot directly south of the Esperanza Building at 920 San Pedro. The meeting starts at 6 pm, but please arrive early to get a parking space and something to eat.

Please RSVP at this link: https://getequaltx.org/rsvpmaker/planning-meeting-demand-san-antonio-pass-a-human-rights-ordinance/

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GetEQUAL Texas is a state-based chapter of GetEQUAL, based in Texas and fighting for full equality for LGBT Texans. You can follow GetEQUAL Texas on Facebook at  or on Twitter at .

San Antonio Planning Meeting – Demand Passage of Human Rights Ordinance!

GetEQUAL TX invites you to join the Community Alliance for a United San Antonio (CAUSA) at a strategy meeting next Tuesday, April 2, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Esperanza Center, 922 San Pedro (upstairs space). There will be sandwiches, snacks, sodas and water available at the meeting.

As you probably know, San Antonio is the 7th largest city in the country and, yet, it is the only major city in Texas and in the nation that does not provide non-discrimination protections for LGBT people in its municipal code.  CAUSA was formed in June of 2011 by a small group of activists to develop a strategy for amending San Antonio’s current non-discrimination ordinances to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in city employment, public accommodations, housing, city contractors and appointments to boards and commissions.

Shortly after CAUSA began meeting, organizers learned of a “surprise announcement” that the mayor and city manager wanted to include domestic partner benefits in the city budget. CAUSA switched gears to rally support from the community for that initiative and domestic partner benefits were successfully adopted in September, 2011.

CAUSA then refocused on its original goal, to amend the non-discrimination ordinances that exist within the city code to be inclusive of LGBT people. Organizers for CAUSA met with the mayor and City Council Member Diego Bernal, both of whom seemed supportive and dare we say excited to make this great change for the city; however, neither Mayor Castro nor Councilman Bernal, both of whom relied heavily on the LGBT community for donations and support during their elections, have pushed hard enough and the amendments were never placed on the Council agenda. Even after Mayor Castro and Councilman Bernal were presented with a scientific poll showing strong support for this ordinance among a cross-section of San Antonio voters, they continue to fail to take action or give any indication as to when this will be brought before Council.

CAUSA has now expanded its focus and is advocating for a fully-inclusive, citywide Human Rights Ordinance that includes a Human Rights Commission or similar entity to receive and adjudicate claims of arbitrary discrimination brought on the basis of race, color, age, religion, disability, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, etc. using the current policies and ordinances of Ft. Worth, Dallas and Austin as a springboard.

We cannot stop simply because “our friends” in power seem disinterested, or worse, indifferent, to discrimination.  It is time to develop a plan of action to see that the City of San Antonio provides a recourse for its citizens and visitors when the heavy hand of discrimination strikes.  It is time to GetEQUAL!

Jay Morris
GetEQUAL TX

PS: Parking is difficult around the Esperanza Center, so the best place to park is in the parking lot directly south of the Esperanza Building at 920 San Pedro. The meeting starts at 6 pm, but please arrive early to get a parking space and something to eat.

Please RSVP at this link: https://getequaltx.org/rsvpmaker/planning-meeting-demand-san-antonio-pass-a-human-rights-ordinance/

--

GetEQUAL Texas is a state-based chapter of GetEQUAL, based in Texas and fighting for full equality for LGBT Texans. You can follow GetEQUAL Texas on Facebook at  or on Twitter at .

Texans Urge Perry to support LGBT Equality!

On March 26, 2013, Texas Governor Rick Perry attended a rally at the Capitol for “Faith and Families”. While it would seem that “Faith and Families” are true Texas values, the underlying issue is that both Perry and the attendees of this rally only believe that one specific faith and specific family construct are valid.

Perry gave a speech at the rally in which he said, "the people of the state of Texas, myself included, believe that marriage is between one man and one woman"

We believe that the governor is also a citizen and entitled to hold and express his own opinion however, he is not entitled to make up his own facts. 

These are the facts:

While it is true that 76% of voters voted to ban the freedom to marry in 2005, we must remember that that’s only 76% of the 17.97% of registered voters that even bothered to show up to vote. That is not a majority of Texans. It’s not even a majority of voters, but a minority of registered voters who bothered to show up and register their opinion in a special election.

That 76% certainly did not take into consideration the over 17,440 Texas children who are being raised by two moms or two dads, and they certainly were not protecting those families.

According to a 2013 Equality Texas Poll, 52% of Texas voters support the freedom to marry.

the fact is that the majority of Texans support the freedom to marry.

We call upon the governor to recant his statements against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and to do the job he was elected to do which is to represent and protect ALL Texans, including those who happen to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. 

Please sign the petition which will be printed out and hand delivered to the governor https://getequaltx.org/2013/03/texans-urge-perry-to-support-lgbt-equality/

GetEQUAL Texas is a state-based chapter of GetEQUAL, based in Texas and fighting for full equality for LGBT Texans. You can follow GetEQUAL Texas on Facebook at  or on Twitter at .

Founded in 2010, GetEQUAL is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community and our allies to take bold action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information go to www.getequal.org. You can also follow GetEQUAL on Facebook at  or on Twitter at .

Texans Urge Perry to support LGBT Equality!

On March 26, 2013, Texas Governor Rick Perry attended a rally at the Capitol for “Faith and Families”. While it would seem that “Faith and Families” are true Texas values, the underlying issue is that both Perry and the attendees of this rally only believe that one specific faith and specific family construct are valid.

Perry gave a speech at the rally in which he said, "the people of the state of Texas, myself included, believe that marriage is between one man and one woman"

We believe that the governor is also a citizen and entitled to hold and express his own opinion however, he is not entitled to make up his own facts. 

These are the facts:

While it is true that 76% of voters voted to ban the freedom to marry in 2005, we must remember that that’s only 76% of the 17.97% of registered voters that even bothered to show up to vote. That is not a majority of Texans. It’s not even a majority of voters, but a minority of registered voters who bothered to show up and register their opinion in a special election.

That 76% certainly did not take into consideration the over 17,440 Texas children who are being raised by two moms or two dads, and they certainly were not protecting those families.

According to a 2013 Equality Texas Poll, 52% of Texas voters support the freedom to marry.

the fact is that the majority of Texans support the freedom to marry.

We call upon the governor to recant his statements against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and to do the job he was elected to do which is to represent and protect ALL Texans, including those who happen to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. 

Please sign the petition which will be printed out and hand delivered to the governor https://getequaltx.org/2013/03/texans-urge-perry-to-support-lgbt-equality/

GetEQUAL Texas is a state-based chapter of GetEQUAL, based in Texas and fighting for full equality for LGBT Texans. You can follow GetEQUAL Texas on Facebook at  or on Twitter at .

Founded in 2010, GetEQUAL is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community and our allies to take bold action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information go to www.getequal.org. You can also follow GetEQUAL on Facebook at  or on Twitter at .

Texans Urge Perry to support LGBT Equality!

On March 26, 2013, Texas Governor Rick Perry attended a rally at the Capitol for “Faith and Families”. While it would seem that “Faith and Families” are some great Texas values, the underlyi
Perry gave a speech at the rally in which he said,ng issue is that both Perry and the attendees of this rally only believe that one specific faith and specific family construct.

the people of the state of Texas, myself included, believe that marriage is between one man and one woman

Obviously, we believe that Texas values ALL faiths and ALL families.

Sign our petition below urging Governor Perry to recant his statements against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Texans and to support equality for the LGBT community.

Note: These petitions will be printed out and hand delivered directly to the Governor himself. We urge you to sign the petition no matter where you live but, please provide your zipcode in the box provided so that we can get an accurate count on the Texans that have signed!

Here is the body of the petition:

Dear Governor Perry,
I heard you say, “the people of the state of Texas, myself included, believe that marriage is between one man and one woman”. I am exasperated at this statement for many reasons. While it is true that 76% of voters voted to ban the freedom to marry in 2005, we must remember that that’s only 76% of the 17.97% of registered voters that even bothered to show up to vote. That is not a majority of Texans. It’s not even a majority of voters, but a minority of registered voters who bothered to show up and register their opinion in a special election.
That 76% certainly did not take into consideration the over 17,440 Texas children who are being raised by two moms or two dads, and they certainly were not protecting those families.

According to a 2013 Equality Texas Poll, 52% of Texas voters support the freedom to marry.
Governor Perry,
the fact is that the majority of Texans support the freedom to marry. You are representing the minority who wish to stand in the way of liberty and the pursuit of happiness for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Texans.

The future of marriage in Texas is clear and you are currently standing on the wrong side of history!
I urge you to recant your statement and do your job as Governor which is to protect ALL Texas families!

Texas – Light The Way To Justice

On March 25th and 26th, thousands of Texans gathered throughout the state, in their local communities, to rally for marriage equality. These are the stories of history in the making!

Stay tuned to this page, we are adding media as it is found.

http://storify.com/getequal_tx/texas-light-the-way-to-justice

Texas A&M Students fight back against discrimination

Media Release from GLBT Aggies:

Texas A&M Student Senate Introduces SB 65-70: Call to Action to STOP Institutionalized Discrimination

On Wednesday evening, March 20th, a member of the Texas A&M University Student Senate

introduced S.B. 65-70: The GLBT Funding Opt-Out Bill. This bill proposes “allowing students
who object, for religious purposes, to the use of their student fees and tuition to fund this center
to opt out of paying an amount equal to their share of the Center’s funding from their fee and
tuition bills.” The author suggests that students have the religious right to “opt-out” of the
student fees that go towards maintaining the GLBT Resource Center. However, as currently
constructed this bill is a direct and blatant attack on the LGBT Aggie community. We hope to do
everything possible to ensure that this bill does not pass through the Texas A&M University
Student Senate.
Background:
Texas A&M University is currently ranked the least-friendly public institution for LGBT students
by the Princeton Review. Because of this reality, we are still in the process of fighting to exist
and to be positively acknowledged at Texas A&M.
As it follows, the introduction of S.B. 65-70 is not the first instance that the LGBT community
has been targeted by members of the Student Senate. In 2011, during the 63rd Student Senate
Session, a group of senators introduced S.B. 63-106: The Sexual Education Equality in Funding
Bill. This bill proposed that the student senate support and advocate for an amendment that was
concurrently before the Texas Legislature “to require GLBT resource centers to provide
matching funds to traditional sexual education” and asked Texas A&M University “that such
funding not be acquired through increased student fees.” In effect, the bill would have created
funds for “traditional sexual education” programming by draining funds away from the GLBT
Resource Center, while simultaneously creating a hostile environment on campus.
This bill passed the Student Senate but fortunately was later vetoed by then Student Body
President Jacob D. Robinson; the senate attempted to overturn the veto but was unsuccessful.
S.B. 63-106 was a direct attack on the LGBT community at Texas A&M University. Our
resources were not dispensable in the 63rd session, and they are not dispensable now in the
65th session.
Our Position:
As a community dedicated to respecting diversity, we support measures sincerely aimed at
protecting the religious beliefs of Texas A&M students, including those of many within the LGBT
community. However, while SB 65-70 claims to promote religious freedom, we cannot ignore
that it only allows students with one religious belief to control how their student fees are used:
only religious traditions that disapprove of LGBT interests are given a voice. A bill truly
dedicated to allowing religious designation of fees would make the opportunity available to
students of all faiths toward whatever policy creates a moral conflict of interest for them. Given
the extremely narrow scope of this bill, we can only conclude that its interest lies not in
promoting religious freedom but specifically in targeting the LGBT community. Whatever the
intentions of the bill may be, its effect is clearly discriminatory.
We stand for commitment to each other as fellow students of Texas A&M University. Our LGBT
members are not separate from the community as a whole; they are an integral part of the
backbone of the student body and of campus life. Depriving them of the resources that meet
their unique needs and that help them succeed affects the entire community. The Texas A&M
family includes students with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and needs, bound together by our
commitment to our university and to each other. An attack on our LGBT students is an attack on
the Aggie spirit we all share.
It is unacceptable that the Texas A&M student senate is willing to institutionalize a forum for the
student body to express its disapproval of LGBT students. This bill sends a clear message of
exclusion to past, current, and prospective LGBT students, as well as staff and faculty.
Action Plan:
In light of these events, it is exceedingly important that we stand together, not only as a
community, but as valued and respected members of the Aggie family. We need support from
EVERYONE! This includes current students, former students, community members, and Allies.
On Wednesday, April 3, at 7:00pm, there will be an open forum in Koldus 144 where
students and community members will be given the opportunity to speak directly to the student
senate, and we need you ALL to show up.
While this show of support will be absolutely crucial to our efforts, we want you to know that
this is not the only action you can take. You DO NOT have to wait until April 3rd to let your
voice be heard! Now is the time to meet with your student senators and explain to them exactly
why this bill is so hurtful to our community. Now is the time to have conversations with your
roommates, classmates, and friends. Now is the time for former students and community
members to step in and speak up by writing letters of support sent to .
Every single one of us has a story, and it is the sharing of these stories that is our best hope of
changing the hearts and minds of those who are in support of this discriminatory measure.
“An Aggie does not LIE about who they are, CHEAT someone out of a positive experience,
STEAL someone else’s dignity, or TOLERATE those who do.”
Sincerely,
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Aggies
Est. 1976

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Posted in support of GLBT Aggies

Waking Up Fort Worth – Light The Way To Justice

Tarrant County College G.S.A. “TREE” & GetEqualTx present

“Light the Way to Justice Rally” for Fort Worth

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” – The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776
Homosexuals are not given equal treatment of our laws. As of today, same-sex couples are denied 1,138 benefits, rights, and protections that are afforded to heterosexual couples in the United States. There is no equality.

On Tuesday, March 26, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear the case of Hollingsworth v. Perry, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California’s ban on same-sex marriage. On Wednesday, March 27, the Supreme Court will hear the case of Winsor v. United States. This lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman, and defines a spouse a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife. These cases are historical as they have the potential to pave the way for marriage equality nationwide, finally allowing same-sex couples to marry and be afforded the same 1,138 rights that are afforded to other married American couples.

Equality advocates nationwide will engage in demonstrations. We challenge all people of Fort Worth to WAKE- UP from their abusive of maginalization and to WAKE UP from being treated like a second-class-citizen because you are homosexual, and join us in “modest pajamas” for equality served up with coffee and donuts at 6am-noon on Monday, March 25th.

The following speakers and more will speak at 10:00am:, Major Mark Jiminez-Dallas marriage license dissident, C.D. Kirvin-Dallas Voice Person of the Year. TREE in conjunction with GET EQUAL TX will be holding a rally for Fort Worth to WAKE UP! That evening, many attendees will migrate to Dallas to join the rest of the North Texas LGBTQ community and add their voices to the multitudes across this country as they cry out for equality.

Light the Way to Justice – Fort Worth
Monday, March 25, 6:00AM-Noon
Rainbow Lounge parking lot
651 S Jennings Ave
Fort Worth, TX 76104

GSA=Gay Straight Alliance School Club

T.C.C.=Tarrant County College/ TR=Trinity River Campus located in downtown Fort Worth

Get Equal TX= GetequalTx.org is our partner empowering us with valuable tools and consult necessary to pull this off.

TREE= a TCC GSA is Trinity River Equality In Education a Tarrant County College/Trinity River campus student organization in downtown Fort Worth

Marriage Equality Forum – Light The Way To Justice Waco

The Social Action Team of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Waco will be hosting a Marriage Equality Forum on Monday March 25th at 6:30pm.

Our speakers include David Schleicher, who will speak for a few minutes on the disparity in civil rights for same sex vs opposite sex couple.

We will then have several couples speak about their civil unions/marriage: Jim and Ramona McKeown, Curtis Cannon and Dave Verdery, and Lee and Marty van Wagner.

The spokesperson for UUFW is Bruce Allen, board president.

Our focus will be on highlighting what unites people as families and the similarities in daily experiences of all couples. We will discuss the many hoops that gay and lesbian partners have to jump through and the civil benefits they do not share with heterosexual couples.

For more information, please contact Carmen Saenz

www.lighttojustice.org

“Light The Way To Justice” San Antonio UNITED for EQUALITY

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