Texas

Dallas Expands Anti-Discrimination Protections To Include Transgender People

Finally, some good news out of Texas!

We Don’t Need No Education?: Texas High Court Mulls Limits Of Homeschooling

The Texas Supreme Court is set to determine if parents have a religious-freedom right to homeschool with no state oversight whatsoever. Michael and Laura McIntyre, who homeschooled their nine children after pulling them out of a local Christian school, claim the El Paso Independent School District violated their rights when it attempted to verify the children were being educated.

No HERO Worship: Houston Pastors Fight Broad Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

Today, voters in Houston will decide the fate of a city ordinance that would protect the rights of lots of city residents, but that measure won’t pass if the Religious Right gets its way.

Texas Gov. Voices Goes Anti-HERO On Twitter

Just one day before the veto referendum on the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) in Harris County, Texas, Governor Greg Abbot decided to join the voices opposing the ordinance by using the tired old "men in the women's bathroom" canard.

Sex And Common Sense: Texas Public School Reconsiders ‘Chastity’ Speaker

A self-appointed expert on sex and relationships won’t speak at an El Paso, Texas, high school – for now.

Houston Texans Owner Takes Back $10,000 Contribution To Anti-Discrimination Opponents

Remember when we said that Texans owner Bob McNair had donated $10,000 to the anti-HERO campaign in Houston? Looks he's walked that donation back.

Texas Hilton Hotel Chef Allegedly Refused To Cater A Same-Sex Wedding

A Hilton Hotel chef in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas has allegedly refused to cater a same-sex wedding in the hotel. Daren Merchant and Rick O’Connor, a couple who has been together for over 24 years, approached the hotel to schedule ceremony and party.

Martyr Movie: Ted Cruz’s Claims About ‘Religious Freedom’ Persecution Were Debunked Long Ago

With Donald Trump getting all the attention in the race for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, other candidates are getting increasingly desperate to stay relevant. Enter U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a Tea Party darling who is putting in an all-out effort to court evangelical voters.

Texas County Clerk's Refusal To Issue Marriage Licenses To Same-Sex Couple Costs County Almost $44K

Wherein the actions of one public official cost the taxpayers big time.

Big Bill: S.C. Ordered To Pay $135,000 In Legal Fees After Losing Marriage Equality Case

Now that marriage equality is officially on the books in the United States, the bills racked up by state officials who decided to listen to the Religious Right in defense of a lost cause are coming due. One of those debts is apparently pretty large, as a federal judge just ordered South Carolina to pay $135,000 in fees.

Texas AG Throws In Support With Religious Non-Profits Looking To Block Contraception Coverage

Embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is in the news again, this time filing a friend-of-the-court brief in support of East Texas Baptist University's never-ending quest to avoid providing contraception to its employees.

Texas Judge Takes Down Roadblocks to Marriage Equality in Denton County

In July, Americans United issued a warning letter to Judge James R. DePiazza of Texas regarding his violation of the Fourteenth Amendment in erected roadblocks to marriage equality. We're pleased to announce that Judge DePiazza has removed the requirement that all couples married by him sign a written acknowledgement that  he "'prefers to not conduct same-sex marriages' and must agree to refrain from mentioning the topic of marriage for same-sex couples 'before, during or after the ceremony.'" The new Denton County Wedding Letter and Receipt form no longer carries the discriminating language. 

Paying The Piper: Texas Attorney General Faces Contempt Charge For Marriage Equality Non-Cooperation

From AU's Wall of Separation blog:

Some Religious Right operatives have said they would rather go to jail than accept marriage equality in the states. Although Texas’ attorney general has not yet made so bold a statement, he may nonetheless spend some time behind bars for his refusal to cooperate with the U.S. Supreme Court’s marriage decision.

Houston Non-Discrimination Law Sends Some Minds to The Gutter

With the Texas Supreme Court's ruling that Houston's non-discrimination ordinance must be put up to a public vote, the Religious Right is so pleased that a law that protects LGBT Americans is in danger that they have resurrected the "pervert" trope especially for the occasion.