Nikki Araguz
As we noted below, the Texas Senate is slated to consider a bill Monday would effectively bar transgender people from marrying people of the opposite sex. The bill is a direct response to the case of transgender widow Nikki Araguz.
In order to take up the bill, the Senate must have 20 votes. Republicans are one vote short of a 20-vote majority, meaning they will need at least one Democratic vote.
The Transgender Education Network of Texas issued an action alert this morning for people to contact Senate Democrats and urge them to vote against Senate Bill 723 by Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands. Here is contact information for Senate Democrats:
Mario Gallegos (512) 463-0106
Wendy Davis (512) 463-0110
Rodney G. Ellis (512) 463-0113
Kirk Watson (512) 463-0114
John Whitmire (512) 463-0115
Carlos I. Uresti (512) 463-0119
Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (512) 463-0120
Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121
Royce West (512) 463-0123
Leticia R. Van de Putte (512) 463-0126
Eduardo A. (Eddie) Lucio, Jr. (512) 463-0127
José R. Rodríguez (512) 463-0129
Watch the YouTube video that’s linked to this post; it reviews what the real problem is with this bill… and it’s not about marriage.
The real issue that will cripple trans folk throughout the State is the Legislative intent of this bill! Legislative intent is part of a bill and it is seen as being the context of a bill legislatively and in a court of law. The legislative intent of this bill explicitly enshrines Littleton v Prange case law into Texas law!
The legislative intent of Senate Bill 723 explicitly states that stripping away trans-positive law is appropriate due to Littleton case law which states that whatever sex the doctor put on your birth certificate is what you are forever and ever and can never ever be changed. In other words, if the doctor wrote “male” on your birth certificate, you’re male and if the doctor wrote “female” on your birth certificate, you’re female … no matter what.
Passage of this bill would enshrine Littleton case law logic into State Law. If you want to see that come to pass here in Texas, you don’t have to do anything. If, on the other hand, the idea of having the State strip away your gender is as repugnant to you as it is to me, then you need to act… TODAY.
You can call these numbers day or night, weekend or weekday!
PLEASE CALL! PLEASE FIGHT! Please don’t let Littleton case law become the law of the land!