From singling out transgender athletes at state universities to attempts at defunding public libraries that host drag queen story hours to banning health care for trans youth, the 88th Texas Legislature will go down as one of the most hostile sessions toward the LGBTQ+ community in the state's history. If it weren't already clear from the Texas Republican party platform, which explicitly declares homosexuality an "abnormal lifestyle choice," these bills send a loud message that the GOP wants queerness hidden, eradicated, and even criminalized. So, how did we get here?
When the Texas Lege convened for its regular biennial session in January, Republican lawmakers projected a unified agenda of kitchen table issues like education ("school choice") and the economy ("tax cuts"). By April, however, the House soundly rejected Gov. Greg Abbott's plea for a private school voucher program, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threatened to upend Speaker Dade Phelan's docket over how to lower property taxes. Now, the only issue area Republicans (and "moderate" Democrats) stand united on is vitriol toward queer Texans.
To view the full story, visit https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2023-05-26/anti-queer-laws-just-keep-coming-at-the-texas-legislature/