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100+ Groups Condemn Attack on LGBTQ+ Texans
Posted on April 13, 2023 at 10:00 am

Open Letter from 100+ Orgs Defending LGBTQ+ Texans

We all want to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of our races, backgrounds, and genders. But today, certain politicians are pushing laws that restrict our freedoms because of the color of our skin, what’s in our wallets, or because we are LGBTQIA+. They exploit divisions and fears among us so they can get and hold onto power, denying us the basic rights, resources, respect, and safety all people deserve. 

Since 2020, opponents of equality have pursued a nationally coordinated strategy to spread disinformation and fear about the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly transgender people. These attacks are meant to stoke fear about LGBTQIA+ people and perpetuate stigma. This stigma fuels identity-based harassment, bullying, discrimination, violence, rejection, and assault of LGBTQIA+ individuals. For transgender people specifically, stigma and vigilante hysteria has led to the fortification of barriers that have made access to adequate housing, jobs, healthcare, and identity documents nearly impossible. 

We, the signers of this letter, as organizations who serve Texas and the nation oppose anti-LGBTQIA+ extremist efforts to invalidate the existence of our neighbors. LGBTQIA+ people are our siblings, teachers, faith leaders, youth, employees and more. They are part of the fabric of this state and contribute to its richness. Attempts to villainize the LGBTQIA+ community do not align with true Texas values of friendship, family, and community. We believe each one of us should have the freedom to define ourselves, pursue our dreams, make private family decisions without government intrusion, and have a good and happy life — without exceptions. 

We envision a state where LGBTQIA+ Texans can visibly live, work, contribute to our communities, and access crucial resources that allow them to thrive. 

Texans deserve lawmakers who represent us all and grant us the dignity and respect we deserve. We deserve lawmakers who will focus on efforts to improve our lives. We deserve a fair shot at prosperity, access to health care, safe and affirming public schools, and active community support to access vital resources that allow us to thrive. 

Signed,

  1. AAPI Victory Alliance 
  2. Access Esperanza Clinics Inc. 
  3. ACLU of Texas 
  4. ACT 4 SA 
  5. AIDS Healthcare Foundation 
  6. All Souls Episcopal Church 
  7. Allandale Veterinary Clinic 
  8. The Ally Coalition 
  9. Angry Tias and Abuelas of the RGV 
  10. Anti-Defamation League (National)  
  11. Anti-Defamation League (Southwest) 
  12. Anti-Defamation League (Texas) 
  13. AFL-CIO – Texas 
  14. ASHwell 
  15. Austin Justice Coalition 
  16. Austin Mutual Aid
  17. Asian Texans for Justice 
  18. Austin Texas Musicians 
  19. Avow Texas 
  20. Battleground Texas Engagement Fund 
  21. Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ 
  22. CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers 
  23. Children’s Defense Fund – Texas 
  24. ChrysalisQ 
  25. Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience 
  26. Coalition of Labor Union Women – CLUW Texas 
  27. Coastal Bend Wellness Foundation 
  28. College Station Pride Community Center, Inc. 
  29. Deeds Not Words 
  30. Diverse Elders Coalition 
  31. Educators in Solidarity 
  32. Equality Federation 
  33. Equality Texas 
  34. Embrace United Church of Christ 
  35. Every Texan 
  36. Family Eldercare, Inc. 
  37. Family Equality 
  38. First Unitarian Church of Dallas
  39. Galileo Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 
  40. Galveston Island Voter Education Resource & Services (G.I.V.E.R.S) 
  41. GLAAD
  42. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 
  43. GLSEN – National 
  44. Grassroots Leadership 
  45. Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce 
  46. Ground Game Texas 
  47. GSA Network – National 
  48. Hogg Foundation for Mental Health 
  49. Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative 
  50. Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus 
  51. Human Rights Campaign 
  52. IDRA (Intercultural Development Research Association) 
  53. Indivisible Austin 
  54. Indivisible Grapevine Area 
  55. interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth 
  56. Joint Council 58 – Teamsters 
  57. Lambda Legal 
  58. Latina Institute Texas 
  59. League of Women Voters of Texas (LWV Texas) 
  60. The Mahogany Project 
  61. Makom Shelanu Congregation 
  62. MAVEN Youth 
  63. Minority Veterans of America 
  64. Moms Demand Action 
  65. MOVE Texas 
  66. NAMI El Paso 
  67. NAMI Gulf Coast 
  68. NAMI Texas 
  69. National Association of Social Workers – Texas Chapter 
  70. National Black Justice Coalition 
  71. National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition 
  72. National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) 
  73. National Center for Transgender Equality  
  74. Open Arms Rape Crisis Center & LGBT+ Services 
  75. Organizacion Latina Trans in Texas 
  76. OUTreach Denton 
  77. Pease Park Conservancy 
  78. PFLAG National 
  79. PFLAG Boerne 
  80. PFLAG Georgetown 
  81. PFLAG San Marcos 
  82. Planned Parenthood Texas Votes 
  83. Plus Life Media
  84. Pride Community Center, Inc. – College Station 
  85. Pride Corpus Christi 
  86. Progress Texas
  87. Public Citizen 
  88. QWELL Community Foundation 
  89. Resource Center 
  90. River City Federal Credit Union 
  91. SAGE 
  92. Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church 
  93. Sierra Club, Lone Star Chapter 
  94. South Texas Equality Project 
  95. St. Stephen United Methodist Church 
  96. Stonewall Democrats of Austin 
  97. Sunrise Movement Dallas 
  98. Tahirih Justice Center 
  99. Tarrant County Stonewall Democrats 
  100. Texas Psychological Association 
  101. Texas Equal Access Fund (TEA Fund) 
  102. Texas American Federation of Teachers 
  103. Texas Civil Rights Project 
  104. Texas Counseling Association 
  105. Texas Democratic Party 
  106. Texas Equal Access Fund 
  107. Texas Freedom Network 
  108. Texas Health Action 
  109. Texas Impact
  110. Texas LGBTQ Chambers of Commerce 
  111. Texas Organizing Project 
  112. Texas Pride Impact Funds 
  113. Texas Psychological Association  
  114. Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) 
  115. Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry 
  116. Transgender Education Network of Texas 
  117. Transgender Law Center 
  118. Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) 
  119. Travis County Democratic Party
  120. The Trevor Project 
  121. Trinity Metropolitan Community Church 
  122. United Way of the Coastal Bend 
  123. Welcome Table Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 
  124. Westminster Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) 
  125. Whole Woman’s Health Alliance 
  126. Woori Juntos 
  127. Workers Defense 
  128. YWCA San Antonio 
  129. Young Invincibles