Contact: Debi Jackson | debi.jackson@equalitytexas.org, 

     Angela Hale | angela.hale@equalitytexas.org

October 7, 2021 – AUSTIN, TEXAS – Equality Texas, the largest statewide organization solely dedicated to securing full equality for LGBTQ+ Texans, today released a statement on the House committee passage of HB 25. Ricardo Martinez (he/him), Chief Executive Officer of Equality Texas, released the following statement:

“The Texas Legislature launched an unprecedented attack on the LGBTQ+ community during the regular legislative session which has continued now for three special sessions. This unrelenting attack on innocent children is cruel. Despite unequivocal evidence of the harm filing, hearing, and debating anti-trans bills has caused trans kids and their families and overwhelming community opposition, the bill was passed (8-4) out of the Constitutional Rights & Remedies Committee. 291 Texans registered their opposition to HB 25 while only 55 registered support. These numbers reflect what we know — the majority of Texans believe discrimination against LGBTQ+ people is wrong. Common sense policy doesn’t seek to harm Texans or ignore the negative implications of bills being proposed. Transgender children participating in sports is not a national emergency or a Texas emergency; these attacks on trans kids and the ongoing trauma to the trans community certainly are. This is unconscionable. We will continue to show up to the Capitol in opposition of these bills and will do everything we can to ensure they are defeated once and for all.”

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Equality Texas is the largest statewide organization working to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration.