LGBTQ Texans voting with marriage, worker protections and trans rights in mind
The Texas Tribune spoke with LGBTQ voters, the parents of queer youth and advocates from across the state about what’s at stake for them this November. Full Story
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![Thomas Smith, right, and his partner Kevin McCardle outside of the Polk County Courthouse building in Livingston on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Smith has voted for mostly Republican candidates his entire life but will now be voting for Democrats this election as issues like women’s rights and same sex marriage are being scrutinized.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Only one Texas Republican in Congress voted to protect marriage equality
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales was the only Texas Republican to vote for a bill seeking to codify the right to same-sex marriage. The measure passed the House, but its fate in the Senate is uncertain. Full Story
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![A protestor waves a pride flag during a protest outside of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at the University of North Texas in Denton on March 23, 2022.]()
Credit: Emil Lippe for The Texas Tribune -
Marching in solidarity: This year’s Texas Pride events highlight Black queer and trans people
LGBTQ Texans are getting back to Pride’s protest roots while standing alongside Black and brown people in their community, who are still fighting for equality on two fronts. Full Story
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![Ashley Williams, left, and Micah Sutton, far-right, watch and laugh as Devante Warmack, center, dances in celebration at the Dallas Southern Pride Juneteenth Festival on June 16, 2018.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
This LGBTQ Texan says the U.S. Supreme Court ruling is a key step toward fully realized equality
In the weekend edition of The Brief podcast, Fran Watson — a Houston attorney who is a lesbian and represents LGBTQ clients — explains how it feels to finally be protected in the workplace. Full Story
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![Fran Watson, Houston attorney and activist, speaks on the steps of Houston City Hall on December 2, 2018.]()
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won't defend state agency in gay marriage case
The attorney general's office is charged with defending state agencies when they are challenged in court. But Paxton will not defend a commission sued after it issued a public warning for a Waco judge who refuses to perform same-sex marriages. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks to the convention delegates at the Texas Republican Convention in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Waco judge sues state agency after receiving public warning for refusing to officiate same-sex marriages
Dianne Hensley, who received a warning last month from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, will be represented by First Liberty Institute, a high-profile religious liberty law firm with close ties to the Texas Attorney General's Office. Full Story
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![Judge Dianne Hensley.]()
Credit: Screenshot via KXXV-TV Waco -
Appointees claim Gov. Greg Abbott ousted them from board for voting to sanction judge who refused to perform same-sex marriages
After those two appointees left the commission, it handed down just a warning to the judge, Dianne Hensley. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott during the Texas Fallen Heroes Memorial Ceremony on May 25, 2019]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The end for a time-honored Republican recipe in Texas politics
Texas Republicans are talking openly — and in opposition to gun rights advocates — about firearms restrictions that used to be sacrosanct for conservative politicians. Full Story
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![Guns at McBride's Guns in Austin on Mar 26, 2013.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Rejection of LGBTQ student group leads to a fight at "unambiguously Christian" Baylor
The Baptist university has denied a charter to Gamma Alpha Upsilon for eight years, members say. Full Story
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![Baylor senior Anna Conner in Cypress on June 12, 2019. Conner's campus LGBT organization, called Gamma Alpha Upsilon, or GAY, has been denied to be charted by the university nine times since 2011. Although Baylor removed a policy banning "homosexual acts" in its sexual conduct policy in 2015, LGBT students are still waiting for recognition to arrive.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas Senate flushed with success
In a session where middle-of-the-road issues like school finance and teacher pay dominate the conversation, the Texas Senate has returned to familiar — and conservative — ground. Full Story
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![Members of various faith communities met at the Texas Capitol on Aug. 1, 2017 to speak out against the "bathroom bill."]()
Credit: Austin Price/The Texas Tribune -
Houston judge tosses same-sex marriage benefits challenge, but plaintiffs pledge to appeal
A newly elected Democratic judge issued the decision in the latest turn of a 2013 legal challenge to Houston's policy extending benefits to municipal employees' same-sex spouses. Full Story
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![Herbert Clayson Cloete and Mark Chavez smile as they watch Jodie Flint, who officiated the "Big Gay Wedding" ceremony, sign their marriage license on July 4, 2015 in Austin.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune -
Fifteen years after landmark gay rights case, same-sex couples in Texas still face challenges in court
On June 26, 2003, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law banning gay sodomy — a watershed moment for gay rights. But 15 years later, same-sex couples face another court case that aims to roll back their rights. Full Story
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![Left to right: John Lawrence, Attorney Mitchell Katine and Tyron Garner celebrate the recent landmark Supreme Court ruling on a Texas sodomy law, during a gay pride parade in Houston on June 28, 2003.]()
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Analysis: Texas GOP ignores young voters with LGBT snub
With its vote to deny the Log Cabin Republicans a booth at the GOP state convention, the State Republican Executive Committee might be drawing a line with the younger voters it hopes to attract. Full Story
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Houston looks to Supreme Court to resolve same-sex marriage benefits fight
The city of Houston is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision by the Texas Supreme Court in which it suggested a landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage does not fully address the right to marriage benefits. Full Story
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![Pamela Holwerds holds up her marriage license following the ceremony that married over 40 same-sex couples on the south lawn of the Texas Capitol in Austin on July 4, 2015.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa for the Texas Tribune -
What the Texas Supreme Court decided — and didn't — in its 2017 term
After 10 months and 81 decisions, the Texas Supreme Court wrapped up its 2017 term on Friday. Here's a look back at what the nine justices decided — and didn't. Full Story
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![Texas Supreme Court Building]()
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Same-sex benefits, teacher pay raises and Dawnna Dukes (podcast)
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Patrick about the state Supreme Court's same-sex benefits ruling, Gov. Greg Abbott's plan for teacher pay raises and state Rep. Dawnna Dukes' not-guilty plea in court. Full Story
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Court throws out ruling that favored same-sex marriage benefits
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday threw out a lower court ruling that said spouses of gay and lesbian public employees are entitled to government-subsidized same-sex marriage benefits. Full Story
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![Couples embrace at the conclusion of the "Big Gay Wedding" ceremony on the south lawn of the Texas Capitol on July 4 after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in June.]()
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UT/TT Poll: Texas voters weigh in on importance of "bathroom bill"
Most Texas voters don't rate proposals to regulate transgender people's use of public restrooms as an important issue, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Texas on the hook for $600,000 after conceding same-sex marriage case
A federal appeals court this week ordered the state to pay more than $600,000 in legal fees to two same-sex marriage couples who sued Texas over its now-defunct same-sex marriage ban. Full Story
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![Couples Cleopatra DeLeon and Nicole Dimetman and Victor Holmes and Mark Phariss celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage at an LBJ Library news conference on June 26, 2015.]()
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Texas' voter ID law again takes a hit in the courts (video)
Asked to re-evaluate the state’s voter ID law, a federal judge rules for the second time that state lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Latino and black voters in passing the strict law. Full Story
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