Florida, Texas, and Kentucky. The LGBT Community’s ‘Axis of Evil”.
During a Senate Committee on Education meeting this week, Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Texas, amended HB 890, which relates to parental rights and the responsibilities of public schools. The change to bill HB 890 now includes a portion that bans the “instruction, guidance, activities, or programming regarding sexual orientation or gender identity to students enrolled in prekindergarten through 12th grade.”
The updates to the bill, critics say, are unnecessary and unfounded.
LGBT advocacy groups and organizations, like the Texas Freedom Network, say they’re outraged at the amendments made to HB 890.
It is unconscionable that lawmakers would attempt to sneak a ‘Don’t Say Gay/Transgender’ requirement into a bill that was not at all crafted for this purpose and previously received bipartisan support. Today’s committee hearing occurred without any notice given of this cruel addition. Anti-LGBTQ legislation of this nature creates an unsafe, hostile learning environment for LGBTQIA+ students, families, and educators while violating the rights of all families and parents who support inclusivity.
We’re systematically eliminating the spaces where kids can feel accepted,” said Braun. “We know from multiple studies that kids have to feel a sense of belonging and, if we’re removing the spaces where they can belong, then we’re driving them in more mental health crises than they’ve been embroiled in before.”
CBS Austin
Creighton an “alleged” homophobe and racist bill in 2019 was seeking to overturn LGBT protections enacted by Texas cities. In March 2023, he appeared here for his bill that would deny the prospect of tenure to newly-hired university professors. Creighton has spearheaded the Texas campaign to protect Confederate monuments.
In good news from Texas: (Yes, there is actually some.}
The Texas House on Saturday was required to advance bills through the committee phase by midnight. However, the House opted to not meet this weekend. The free weekend for state representatives means an untold number of bills can no longer be considered some of which focused on LGBT issues and race.
Senate Bill 16 — Banning “critical race theory” from universities, Senate Bill 1601 — Restricting libraries from hosting drag queen story hours, and Senate Bill 1029 — Holding doctors and insurers financially liable for transition-related care are all officially dead.
For now.
