The Texas Governor’s Mansion

Equality Texas, Human Rights Campaign, the Transgender Education Network of Texas, the ACLU of Texas, Lambda Legal and Texas Freedom Network are hosting a rally tonight (Tuesday, Oct. 12), at 7 p.m. outside of the Texas Governor’s Mansion in Austin to protest on behalf of the children who are already suffering because of this unprecedented attack on the trans and LGB+ community.

“We will stand in solidarity with transgender people and their families as the light against the darkness,” the organizations said in a statement issued this morning.

Participants will assemble at the corner of East 11th and Colorado streets.

Equality Texas CEO Ricardo Martinez said, “Last week, parents, teachers, mental health clinicians, school administrators, transgender adults and children and the people who love them stood across from the dais and once again provided example after example about the damage that HB 25 has caused and will cause the trans and LGB+ community. In the face of overwhelming evidence, lawmakers made a decision to ignore the pleas for help from our community and instead chose to pivot from doing what is right to selfishly prioritize their political aspirations.

“This moment in time requires thoughtful inquiry and reflection about how we best support transgender children who are juggling being a kid, a global pandemic, living authentically and the weight of cruel legislative attacks,” Martinez continued. “We should be working to create supportive and affirming environments in our schools that allow all people on campus, including LGBTQ+ students, to focus on academic success. It is our duty to ensure this goal is realized. Instead, the state sanctioned green light to dehumanize trans people continues. Our community will rally to hold space for the crisis we are in and pray that we will once again be able to kill this bill and protect innocent children.”

— Tammye Nash