Later this summer, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, a case that is likely to ignite a firestorm here in Texas, no matter the outcome.

The case arose in 2012, when Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig tried to buy a cake for their wedding reception from the Masterpiece Cakeshop in Denver, but were turned away by the shop owner because they are gay. Mullins and Craig notified the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which investigated and found that Masterpiece had violated a Colorado law that bars businesses from denying service to customers on the basis of personal characteristics like race, sex, or sexual orientation. The Commission ruled that Masterpiece need not sell wedding cakes at all, but if it chooses to do so, must sell cakes to any customer who wants one. The shop owner has appealed that ruling all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing that he should be exempt from state civil rights laws because of his personal religious beliefs about homosexuality.

So why all the fuss over a cake?  The transaction that gave rise to the case may have involved a simple cake, but the case is about something much bigger.

The Masterpiece case is part of a coordinated strategy to roll back rights that LGBTQ people have spent decades fighting to achieve.  Masterpiece is represented in the case by Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal organization designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for extremist anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and advocacy. ADF and its ilk have devised a cynical strategy to use religion as a justification for discrimination.  In this case, ADF is asking the Supreme Court to create a constitutional right to discriminate under the First Amendment, giving some people the right to ignore laws meant to protect everyone.  So much for “love thy neighbor,” huh?

If the opponents of equality have their way, such a license to discriminate could have consequences in many contexts beyond wedding-related services.  In a system where personal religious beliefs trump the law, the LGBTQ community will be targeted in every facet of our lives:

• An ER doctor could refuse to treat a transgender patient needing urgent life-saving care.
• A boss could fire a lesbian employee for talking about her wife with coworkers.
• A waiter could refuse to serve LGBTQ patrons.
• A school counselor could decline to help a gay student with college admissions.

Nor are these harms limited to the LGBTQ community. A license to discriminate against the LGBTQ community opens the door for service refusals against people of color, against women, against people of different faiths.  We long ago rejected this kind of discrimination in our country, because using religion to divide people is the antithesis of what we hold dear in America.

Texas is at the epicenter of these attacks in the guise of religion. Just last year, the Texas Legislature passed a law that permits state-funded foster and adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ people, including the kids they’re meant to serve. And the Masterpiece case is likely to spawn a whole new round of bills aimed at creating a license to discriminate against the LGBTQ community.

All of us value the freedom to worship according to our own beliefs, and that’s why religious liberty is enshrined in the First Amendment. But religious liberty doesn’t give anyone the right to discriminate against us for being who we are.

At Equality Texas, we have no intention of letting our hard-won rights be stripped away.  No matter the outcome in Masterpiece, we’re ready to defend the LGBTQ community from assaults in the guise of religion.

Help us fight back.

Sign the pledge to join us in the fight.

Donate today to support our work.

I didn’t expect to come out. As a mother of three with a fantastic husband, coming out wasn’t in the cards. And then, I had to. So did my husband. My whole family, actually. We all came out. We had to for my oldest daughter. We came out as an inclusive family.

What it feels like to be transgender is to be yourself in your own unique way. That’s how my daughter puts it, and I cannot be more proud of her for the simple act of being herself. It isn’t easy, although it really should be.

Equality Texas works very hard to make it easier for LGBTQ Texans to be themselves, live their authentic lives, and have full equality in hearts, minds, and all aspects of the law.

This should be easy, and I want to build a state where it is. I want parents to know that being an inclusive family is the only option and help them be supportive. I want schools to know that it is their job to be inclusive and help them to do it. I want businesses to know that inclusivity is great for growth and teach them how. I want my children to grow up comfortable and confident in themselves and enter an adult world totally free to be themselves.

I want that for you, too. Join us, and help us.

As the parent of a trans youth, I know all too well how overwhelming it can be to be your child’s best advocate in the state of Texas. It is simply too much to take on alone at times. Families across the state desperately need continued support. As a mama bear, I ask you to please consider giving the gift of equality this holiday season. Your generosity will be deeply appreciated by many.

You can support the work of Equality Texas Foundation with a tax-deductible gift right now. A generous foundation is matching gifts through the end of the year, up to $70,000, so your gift goes twice as far.

In solidarity,

Rachel Gonzales
Education and Resource Coordinator
Equality Texas Foundation

PS You can also support our political advocacy by contributing HERE or by getting your Merry Merry Martini Mixer or Love Equality Tickets!

We have an opportunity to reaffirm our collective purpose to create a state that reflects our values and priorities. We achieve transformational social change by coming together, and we must continue to fight for the state we want. That means speaking out and working against racism, white supremacy, xenophobia, sexism, misogyny, ableism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and any other forms of oppression that impact so many.

Are you willing to help us stop the rollback of progress we have made in the past few years?

Civic education and engagement will be crucial to our success in 2018 and beyond. Educating, motivating, and activating the LGBTQ community and our allies in this next year is required for us to advance a proactive agenda for equal treatment. Help us, and together, we will build a state of equality in Texas.

A generous foundation is matching gifts through the end of the year, up to $70,000, so your gift goes twice as far. You can support the work of Equality Texas Foundation with a tax-deductible gift right now!

With your help, and the help of other fair-minded Texans, we will achieve our vision of a state where all Texans are treated equally with dignity and respect.

Sincerely,

Chuck Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Equality Texas and Equality Texas Foundation

PS You can also support our political advocacy by contributing HERE or by getting your Merry Merry Martini Mixer or Love Equality Tickets!

The Senate Committee on State Affairs will hear witness testimony on SB 3 and SB 91, also known as anti-transgender “bathroom bills,” on Friday, July 21st, starting at 9:00 a.m. in Capitol Extension Room E1. 036.

Read the language for SB 3 and SB 91

There are many ways to voice your opposition to SB 3 and SB 91.  

• Social media. We ask throughout the day that you use #YallMeansAll when posting to Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media app in order to create more advocacy noise.
• Text TX Senate to 30644. Follow the prompts and be connected to your state senator’s office and tell them that you are opposed to SB 3 and SB 91.
• Testify at the committee hearing. Public testimony requires registration; please read these introductions for more information.

Before Registering to Oppose SB 3 and SB 91 or Testify Against SB3 and SB 91

• Know the who and where for committee hearings. The SB hearing is with the Senate State Affairs Committee. The hearing begins at 9 a.m. in the Capitol Extension Room E1.036. The room will open at 7:30 a.m. Registration will open between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. (noon). The Capitol opens at 7:00 a.m. At registration, those registering to give oral testimony will be assigned a panel number. Witnesses will be called up by panels. Outside the hearing room and “holding room” there will be dry erase boards with the panel numbers inside that room. (For example, witness panels 1, 2, and 3 will be in the hearing room. Witness panels 4, 5, and 6 will be in the “holding room.”

• Bring a smartphone or wifi-enabled device, charged. You may be able to register using a wifi-enabled device, so bring a fully-charged device the day of and portable chargers if you have them.

• Bring at least 15 copies of your written testimony. If you plan to supply a written testimony, you must give 20 copies of your written testimony to the clerk. Print these copies, and extra, before coming to the Capitol. (Note: You do not have to have a written testimony in order to register in opposition to SB 3 and SB 91 or to testify.)

The Day of Committee Hearing

• Questions. If you have questions on the day of the hearing, look for someone in a gray T-shirt with a name tag saying “Equality Coalition Staffer”. The hospitality room is E2.002 and will open at 8:00 a.m. You will be able to head there and get updates, rest, etc. No food or drink is allowed in the room. We are currently working on setting up food & drinks for the day. Please be prepared to purchase things from the Capitol Grille as well.

• Parking. Free 2-hour parking can be found in the Capitol’s visitors parking garage on 13th and San Jacinto. Street parking and other garages are around the Capitol.

• Registering at kiosks. SPECIFIC RULES FOR THIS HEARING: Anyone wishing to provide oral testimony must fill out a paper witness card. Electronic registration will only be used for people wishing to register a position on SB 3 and SB 91 and people submitting written testimony only. Several kiosks for registering can be found near the hearing floor and around the Capitol. When registering, these devices will prompt you to provide basic information such as name and address, what entity you’re representing (either yourself or an organization), your position on the bill (oppose SB 3 and SB 91), and whether you plan to testify or only submit a written testimony. Representatives from Equality Texas will be there the day of to help you find these kiosks, however, kiosks can also be found using Capitol maps. For a more extensive guide, check out this video.

• Registering on a smartphone or wifi-enabled device. In order to register using your smartphone or wifi-enabled device, you must be connected to the Capitol’s wifi. When you have a connection to the wifi, use this website in order to complete registration. After you are redirected to the website, open your browser’s settings and click “Request Desktop Site” to properly view all options for registering. If you do not use the desktop site you will not be able to register via your smartphone. The same information needed for kiosk registration is required via a mobile device. (Note: the website provided will only work IF you are connected to Capitol wi-fi.)

• Sign a Testimony Card. SPECIFIC RULES FOR THIS HEARING: Anyone wishing to provide oral testimony must fill out a paper witness card. Testimony cards can be found on a table near the entrance of the hearing room E 1.036. These cards can be submitted to the clerk at any time.
• Written testimony from people not present. The Committee Clerk advises that written testimony from people not present at the hearing can be submitted to the Committee Clerk’s office. The office will distribute to committee members. Equality Texas is happy to accumulate all such written testimony and deliver it to the Clerk’s office.

• Wear Purple! In order to let the committee members and those in attendance to see and easily spot our supporters, we ask that everyone wear purple in solidarity with the transgender community.

• Media Event. Come to the press event at 11 a.m. on Friday. The event is planned for the outdoor rotunda in the Capitol Extension, near the hearing room. You can bring signs and provide support as press conference speakers explain to reporters why SB3 and SB 91 are discriminatory and why we must them.

Testifying

• Testifying is not required. If you only want to register in opposition to the bill, that is all you need to do. Testifying is an option for every citizen that wants to speak before the committee.

• Limit testimony to 2 minutes. Testimonies will be timed and you will be allowed 2 minutes to complete your entire testimony. Utilize your time well and practice what you want to say beforehand. Remember that most testimonies are more conversational rather than academic. The key message is that SB 3 and SB 91 are discrimination. 

• Typical Introduction. A standard introduction of your testimony includes “Madam Chair, and members of the committee, my name is First Last from Austin and I’m here to testify in opposition to SB 3 and SB 91.”

• Use our data. Please feel free to use our researched data as well! Click here for talking points

• Don’t be deterred. The hearing will start with the author of the bill, Sen. Kolkhorst, explaining her bill. This will be followed by questions for the author from committee members. It may be some time before the committee begins to hear public testimony. Committee members may interrupt you to ask questions. If so, simply answer their questions to the best of your ability and keep pressing forward. If you did not get through your entire testimony, a written testimony, if supplied, can be archived in full. The hearing will likely extend into the afternoon and possibly the evening.

• Back up statistical data. Any statistical data provided is strengthened by supplying the company or agency that led the research. Make sure to cite your sources.

Thank you for contributing to the fight for equality for all Texans. Please don’t forget to use #YallMeansAll when posting to Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media app!

The House of Representatives Committee on State Affairs will hear witness testimony on the Committee Substitute to HB 2899 (CSHB 2899), a proposed House alternative to the SB6 bathroom bill, on Wednesday, April 19th, starting in the afternoon in the John H. Reagan Office Building Room JHR 140 in the Capitol complex.

Read the proposed Committee Substitute to HB 2899 (CSHB 2899) here.

To be clear, this bill being promoted as an alternative to SB 6 by Texas lawmakers is unacceptable. CSHB 2899 is discriminatory and will leave thousands of transgender Texans without protections and vulnerable to harassment and violence.  

There are many ways to voice your opposition to CSHB 2899.  The important ways are through social media, registering your opposition to the bill, calling your representative, and testifying at the public hearing. For social media, we ask throughout the day that you use #StopHB2899 and #YallMeansAll when posting to Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media app in order to create more advocacy noise. You can find who represents you and how to reach them HERE. The hearing is anticipated to be late in the afternoon and could last into the evening. If you can make it to the Capitol but cannot stay late, we strongly encourage you to register your opposition to CSHB 2899. Public testimony requires registration, as well. Please read these instructions for more information:

Registering to Oppose CSHB 2899

• Parking. Free 2-hour parking can be found in the Capitol’s visitors parking garage on 13th and San Jacinto. Street parking and other garages are around the Capitol.
• Questions. If you have questions on the day of the hearing, look for someone in a gray T-shirt with a name tag saying “Equality Coalition Staffer”.

• Registering at kiosks. Several kiosks for registering can be found near the hearing floor and around the Capitol. When registering, these devices will prompt you to provide basic information such as name and address, what entity you’re representing (either yourself or an organization), your position on the bill (oppose CSHB 2899), and whether you plan to testify or only submit a written testimony. You do not have to have a written testimony in order to register in opposition to CSHB 2899. Representatives from Equality Texas will be there the day of to help you find these kiosks, however, kiosks can also be found using Capitol maps. For a more extensive guide, check out this video.

• Registering on a smartphone or wifi-enabled device. In order to register using your smartphone or wifi-enabled device, you must be connected to the Capitol’s wifi. When you have connection to the wifi, use this website in order to complete registration. After you are redirected to the website, open your browser’s settings and click “Request Desktop Site” to properly view all options for registering. If you do not use the desktop site you will not be able to register via your smartphone. The same information needed for kiosk registration is required via mobile device. (Note: the website provided will only work IF you are connected to Capitol wifi.)

Before Registering to Testify Against CSHB 2899

• Know the who and where for committee hearings. The CSHB 2899 hearing is with the House State Affairs Committee. The hearing begins in the afternoon upon adjournment of House in the John H. Reagan Office Building room JHR 140.

• Bring a smartphone or wifi-enabled device, charged. You may be able to register using a wifi-enabled device, so bring a fully-charged device the day of and portable chargers if you have them.

• Bring at least 20 copies of your written testimony. If you plan to supply a written testimony, you must give 20 copies of your written testimony to the clerk. Print these copies, and extra, before coming to the Capitol. (Note: You do not have to have a written testimony in order to register in opposition to CSHB 2899 or to testify.)

The Day of Committee Hearing

• Questions. If you have questions on the day of the hearing, look for someone in a gray T-shirt with a name tag saying “Equality Coalition Staffer”.

• Parking. Free 2-hour parking can be found in the Capitol’s visitors parking garage on 13th and San Jacinto. Street parking and other garages are around the Capitol.

• Registering at kiosks. Several kiosks for registering can be found near the hearing floor and around the Capitol. When registering, these devices will prompt you to provide basic information such as name and address, what entity you’re representing (either yourself or an organization), your position on the bill (oppose CSHB 2899), and whether you plan to testify or only submit a written testimony. Representatives from Equality Texas will be there the day of to help you find these kiosks, however, kiosks can also be found using Capitol maps. For a more extensive guide, check out this video.

• Registering on a smartphone or wifi-enabled device. In order to register using your smartphone or wifi-enabled device, you must be connected to the Capitol’s wifi. When you have connection to the wifi, use this website in order to complete registration. After you are redirected to the website, open your browser’s settings and click “Request Desktop Site” to properly view all options for registering. If you do not use the desktop site you will not be able to register via your smartphone. The same information needed for kiosk registration is required via mobile device. (Note: the website provided will only work IF you are connected to Capitol wifi.)

Testifying

• Testifying is not required. If you only want to register in opposition to the bill, that is all you need to do. Testifying is an option for every citizen that wants to speak before the committee.

• Limit testimony to 2 minutes. Testimonies will be timed and you will be allowed 2 minutes to complete your entire testimony. Utilize your time well and practice what you want to say beforehand. Remember that most testimonies are more conversational rather than academic. The key message is that CSHB 2899 is discrimination. It is state interference into local determination and will leave thousands of transgender Texans without protections and vulnerable to harassment and violence. 

• Typical Introduction. A standard introduction of your testimony includes “Madam Chair, and members of the committee, my name is Meryl Streep from Austin and I’m here to testify in opposition to CSHB 2899.”

• Don’t be deterred. The hearing will start with the author of the bill, Rep. Simmons, explaining his bill. This will be followed by questions for the author from committee members. Next, the committee will hear testimony from “invited” witnesses. It may be an hour of more before the committee begins to hear public testimony. Committee members may interrupt you to ask questions. If so, simply answer their questions to the best of your ability and keep pressing forward. If you did not get through your entire testimony, a written testimony, if supplied, can be archived in full.  The hearing will likely extend into the night and possibly into Thursday morning.

• Back up statistical data. Any statistical data provided is strengthened by supplying the company or agency that led the research. Make sure to cite your sources.

Thank you for contributing to the fight for equality for all Texans. Please don’t forget to use #StopHB2899 and #YallMeansAll when posting to Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media app!