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San Antonio delays LGBT protections

Posted on 24 May 2013 at 12:06pm
Julian Castro

Mayor Julian Castro

Evangelical protesters and LGBT equality advocates clashed at San Antonio City Hall this week, and a proposal to add sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status to the city’s nondiscrimination policy was delayed in committee.

According to a Human Rights Campaign field organizer who has been in the city since January working on the ordinance, the protesters thought the city was debating same-sex marriage.

Mayor Julian Castro said San Antonio is lagging behind Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin, which already have LGBT protections.

“I believe that we cannot have second-class citizens in this city,” Castro said. “If you are for this ordinance you are against discrimination. If you are against this ordinance you are for discrimination.”

“The question is, do we believe that people should reserve the legal right to discriminate against them for being who they are?” Councilmember Diego Bernal said. “And I think for the most part, we all agree that the answer is no.”

The committee voted unanimously to have the city attorney draft the changes to the city ordinance and send the proposal to the full council for discussion, QSanAntonio reported. The changes would cover public accommodations, fair housing, city employment, city contracts and appointments to city boards and commissions.

Councilman Dan Medina, who is an evangelical Christian and has voted against LGBT proposals in the past, wanted the proposal to remain in committee another month. He is in a runoff with a candidate who supports the proposal.

— David Taffet

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WATCH: Emotional reaction to Boy Scouts’ decision to lift ban on gay youth

Posted on 24 May 2013 at 10:30am
BANNER.Tyrrell.JenniferWEB

Ousted lesbian den mother Jennifer Tyrrell hugs her son Cruz after learning the results of the Boy Scouts vote to allow gay youth. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice)

It was a touching scene in Grapevine Thursday when LGBT advocates who’ve worked for inclusion in the Boy Scouts were able to celebrate the victory of coming closer to their goal.

The BSA will begin allowing openly gay Scouts in January, but the ban on gay leaders will remain in place.

Those who’ve fought for full inclusion said they’re focus will remain on the Scouts until all gays are welcome in the organization.

Former den mother Jennifer Tyrrell said that in a year the American people were able to tell the BSA that they wanted the policy to change, so she has hope that the voices of allies will continue to be heard in the future.

Watch the video below.

Continue reading “WATCH: Emotional reaction to Boy Scouts’ decision to lift ban on gay youth” »

— Anna Waugh

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WATCH: Scenes from Wednesday’s Equal Scouting Summit

Posted on 23 May 2013 at 12:39pm
Eric Hay, who earned his Eagle Scout through Dallas-based Circle Ten Council, speaks about how he left Boy Scouts after he came out and was not allowed to be an adult leader. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice)

Eric Hay, who earned his Eagle Scout through Dallas-based Circle Ten Council, speaks about how he left Boy Scouts after he came out and was not allowed to be an adult leader. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice)

The Boy Scouts of America will announce a historic vote this afternoon after the 1,400 members of its National Council weigh in on whether gay youth should be allowed to participate the organization.

LGBT advocates for the change and protesters were in Grapevine on Wednesday to voice their opinions on the compromise to welcome gay Scouts but not adult leaders.

BSA President Wayne Perry had an op-ed in USA Today on Wednesday that called for the measure’s passage, saying BSA “policies must be based on what is in the best interest of our nation’s children.”

Watch video from Wednesday’s Equal Scouting Summit below.

Continue reading “WATCH: Scenes from Wednesday’s Equal Scouting Summit” »

— Anna Waugh

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Gay Scouts call for end to ban in advance of National Council vote

Posted on 22 May 2013 at 5:26pm
Gay Scouts and leaders participate in panel about how the Boy Scouts’ gay ban affected them during the Equal Scouting Summit in Grapevine on May 22, 2013. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice)

Gay Scouts and leaders participate in a panel about how the Boy Scouts’ gay ban affected them, during the Equal Scouting Summit in Grapevine on Thursday. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice)

ANNA WAUGH  |  News Editor

GRAPEVINE — LGBT advocates called on the Boy Scouts of America Wednesday afternoon to pass a resolution that would welcome gay youth into its ranks, so the organization can remain relevant in an accepting America.

In a crowded meeting room at the Great Wolf Lodge, dozens of advocates for the resolution listened to two panels of leaders and Scouts who’d been affected by the national gay ban during the first day of the Equal Scouting Summit.

Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout and founder of Scouts for Equality, spoke about his time in the Scouts with his two moms. He said the push for inclusive Scouting has grown over the past year, adding that full inclusion of gay leaders also needs to happen with a BSA nondiscrimination policy.

“It is clear that if Scouting is not willing to move forward on this issue, it will be left behind,” Wahls said, adding that Scouting is too much of an American institution to lose it over hate. “We cannot afford to lose this great cultural icon.”

Maryland Scout Pascal Tessier will be directly affected by the vote the National Council takes Thursday. He is months away from receiving his Eagle Scout Award, only having to complete his leadership service project over the summer to be eligible. But his being an openly gay Scout will prevent him from receiving an honor he’s worked toward since he was 7.

Tessier said he was told that his council likely would not approve the award if the resolution fails. And he will miss out on the joy of receiving the honor that his older brother, who is also gay, received years ago.

“Being gay doesn’t define who I am,” he said. “But because I want to stand up for what I believe is right, I won’t be able to get my Eagle Scout Award like my brother did.”

Tessier told Dallas Voice that he didn’t even think about being kicked out when he decided to come out as a gay Scout, wanting to “put a voice to the people who can’t come out.”

“I thought I should be here for all people that can’t,” he said.

Continue reading “Gay Scouts call for end to ban in advance of National Council vote” »

— Anna Waugh

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Craig Watkins backs marriage equality, proposes domestic partner registry

Posted on 22 May 2013 at 4:17pm
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Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins addresses Stonewall Democrats of Dallas on Tuesday as President Omar Narvaez, right, and Jay Narey look on.

Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins came out in support of marriage equality Tuesday and proposed that the county establish a domestic partner registry similar to one administered by Travis County.

Watkins, a two-term incumbent who is facing a possible challenge in next year’s Democratic Primary from former Judge John Creuzot, addressed Stonewall Democrats of Dallas during the group’s monthly meeting at Ojeda’s Restaurant on Maple Avenue. Watkins delivered what appeared to be his standard stump speech to the group’s membership, and he didn’t mention LGBT issues. But he spoke to Dallas Voice in an exclusive interview after the meeting.

“This is America, and we shouldn’t discriminate against anyone for whatever reason, and so I think it’s a disservice for us as Americans to say that just because you are a certain lifestyle, that you can’t have the same rights as someone else,” Watkins told the Voice. “I think it goes towards, you know, when we were going through the civil rights movement, issues that we dealt with back then, which, basically, I can understand very clearly because of who I am. … “

“It goes back to quality of life issues, and as a DA, I’m responsible for improving the quality of the lives of all of the citizens I represent,” Watkins said. “I’m the lawyer for everybody in Dallas County, and so I can’t be against something that will make your life better. So I’m for whatever we need to do in Dallas County to make the quality of life better, and in my opinion to have that —marriage equality and the registry — it makes lives better for citizens of Dallas County.”

Continue reading “Craig Watkins backs marriage equality, proposes domestic partner registry” »

— John Wright

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Freedom to Work sues ExxonMobil for anti-LGBT discrimination

Posted on 22 May 2013 at 1:32pm
Almeida.Tico

Tico Almeida

Freedom to Work, a national workplace discrimination organization, filed a complaint against Irving-based ExxonMobil today charging it with violating Illinois’ ban on anti-LGBT workplace discrimination.

The lawsuit comes one week ahead of ExxonMobil’s annual meeting in Dallas, where shareholders will again consider a resolution to add LGBT employees to the company’s nondiscrimination policy.

Two test resumes were submitted for a position with the company, according to the complaint. One was an LGBT applicant who was highly qualified for the position. Another was a less-qualified straight woman.

Exxon responded by treating the better-qualified LGBT applicant far worse than the less qualified non-LGBT applicant, the suit alleges. On three occasions, Exxon contacted the non-LGBT and less-qualified candidate for an interview, and Exxon even suggested that it would hold open the job for the non-LGBT applicant.

The better qualified LGBT candidate was never contacted by Exxon about the position.

“Exxon broke the law, defies industry standards and continues to betray the American people’s sense of fairness,” said Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work in a press release. “This case is one more reminder that Exxon stands virtually alone in the Fortune 100 in denying qualified gay and transgender Americans a fair shot to get a job based on their talents and hard work. Exxon must obey the Golden Rule and do onto others as they would want others to do onto them.”

ExxonMobil shareholder resolutions to add LGBT protections have been voted down every year since 1999. ExxonMobil is the only company that has ever received a negative score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. The company rescinded domestic partner benefits and discrimination protections for gay employees after Exxon and Mobil merged.

More coverage of the meeting in Friday’s Dallas Voice. Freedom to Work’s full press release is below.

Continue reading “Freedom to Work sues ExxonMobil for anti-LGBT discrimination” »

— David Taffet

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Jo Hudson sends farewell letter to Cathedral of Hope congregation

Posted on 22 May 2013 at 10:46am
the Rev. Jo Hudson

The Rev. Jo Hudson

On her last day affiliated with Cathedral of Hope, the Rev. Jo Hudson sent a letter to the congregation saying goodbye.

Hudson resigned as senior pastor at the 11 a.m. service on April 21. Her resignation took effect Sunday, May 19.

In her letter, Hudson wrote that she is bound by the United Church of Christ’s Code of Ministerial Conduct to stop participating in the congregation, and she cannot perform any ceremonies.

While leaving members with her email address to stay in contact, Hudson said she cannot discuss the church.

The church plans to hire an interim pastor with a specialty in problem solving, healing and day-to-day church management. Once that person is in place, a search and call committee will be formed to find a permanent senior pastor.

At an April 29 board meeting, plans were announced to have an interim pastor in place by May 19, but that person has not been chosen.

The letter from Hudson to the congregation follows:

Continue reading “Jo Hudson sends farewell letter to Cathedral of Hope congregation” »

— David Taffet

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Stay tuned to Instant Tea for coverage of Boy Scouts meeting in Grapevine

Posted on 22 May 2013 at 10:07am

scouts

Supporters of lifting the ban on gay youth in the Boy Scouts will convene today for the first day of a three-day Equal Scouting Summit in Grapevine.

At noon, Eagle Scout Dave McGrath and his son will arrive at the Great Wolf Lodge, 100 Great Wolf Drive, completing their 1,800 mile Bike for Equality campaign that began when they left Idaho Falls on May 3.

McGrath, Scouts for Equality founder Zach Wahls and Inclusive Scouting Network founder Mark Noel will address the audience.

Gay Scouts and leaders will then speak, including former Ohio den mother Jennifer Tyrrell, gay Eagle Scout Will Oliver, Greg Bourke, a gay dad removed from his position as Scoutmaster with his son’s troop, and Pascal Tessier, a gay Boy Scout who was told he would not be eligible to earn the Eagle award his older brother received.

Events for the summit will take place today at the Great Wolf Lodge in Fallen Timber A Meeting Room. They are expected to conclude around 2 p.m.

Across the street at the Gaylord Texan, where the roughly 1,400 members of the BSA’s National Council will vote on the resolution tomorrow, opponents of allowing gays Scouts will protest at Texas Values’ Save Our Scouts rally from noon to 4 p.m.

Dallas Voice will be in Grapevine to capture all the excitement and will be tweeting live from the press conferences and rally. Follow us on Twitter here.

Yesterday 20 members of Congress signed a letter supporting the resolution to welcome gay youth into the BSA. Among them was Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth.

“As part of its mission, the BSA seeks to instill traditionally American values of tolerance, acceptance and inclusion of others in youth scouts in preparation for the responsibilities of citizenship,” the letter reads in part. “Today, BSA has a policy that excludes gay Scouts and Scout leaders from participating. This is counter to BSA’s mission to teach our youth to combat discrimination. We are pleased to learn that the National Council will soon take up a resolution at the May 22nd meeting to update its membership standards policy. We strongly urge the BSA to pass the proposed resolution to end discrimination against gay youth.”

Read the full letter here.

— Anna Waugh

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Anti-trans marriage license bill dies, but Krause amendment remains

Posted on 21 May 2013 at 11:28am
State Sen. Donna Campbell

State Sen. Donna Campbell

Republican state Sen. Donna Campbell’s anti-transgender marriage license bill is officially dead.

SB 1218 passed the Senate last week, but failed to make it out of a House committee and onto the calendar for a vote this week. The bill would have prohibited anyone from obtaining a marriage license with a document that lacks a photo, including an affidavit of sex change.

Daniel Williams, field organizer with Equality Texas, said the organization worked with transgender activists to slow the bill’s progress throughout the session.

“That is absolutely a victory,” he said.

This is the third and last anti-gay bill that’s died this session. However, Fort Worth Republican Matt Krause turned his failed HB 360 into an amendment and tacked it onto a bill last week that passed. The amendment would allow student organizations at state-funded colleges to discriminate against people for membership.

Williams said the bill’s final version will come for a vote this week and the group will work to kill the amendment if it makes it into the bill.

— Anna Waugh

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UPDATE: Lesbian couple to comply with judge’s order enforcing ‘morality clause’

Posted on 20 May 2013 at 5:39pm
Roach.John

Judge John Roach Jr.

A lesbian mom plans to comply with a Collin County judge’s order saying her partner must move out under a “morality clause” that was included in a divorce settlement with her ex-husband, according to a statement from her attorneys.

The statement released Monday afternoon also indicates that Carolyn Compton’s ex-husband unsuccessfully sought to have her jailed for violating the morality clause by living with her lesbian partner.

Compton has custody of two children from her marriage to Joshua Compton, and she shares a home with her partner of three years, Page Price.

The morality clause says Compton cannot have anyone in her home between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. if it is “an intimate dating relationship” but they are not married. Under Texas law, Compton cannot marry Price.

Joshua Compton reportedly went to court to enforce the morality clause after hiring a private investigator to spy on his ex-wife.

Republican Collin County Judge John Roach Jr. issued an order May 7 giving Price 30 days to move out. Roach reportedly rejected Joshua Compton’s attempt to have his ex-wife held in contempt, fined and jailed for each of the 181 alleged violations of the morality clause. Nevertheless, the judge’s order has prompted an outcry against him since Dallas Voice broke the story on Friday.

Attorneys for Compton and Price issued a statement Monday saying the couple plans to comply with the order even though it is an unconstitutional violation of their right to privacy under case law including Lawrence v. Texas. The attorneys also requested that unlike Roach, the press respect the couple’s privacy since the case involves children. Their full statement is below.

Continue reading “UPDATE: Lesbian couple to comply with judge’s order enforcing ‘morality clause’” »

— John Wright

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