Why LGBTQIA+ Dallasites must vote against S, T, and U

BY: Rep. Julie Johnson, Rep. Venton Jones, Rep. Jessica González, Council Member Chad West,
Council Member Omar Narvaez and former Council Menber Hon. Adam Medrano

Dallas’s hard-won progress on LGBTQIA+ rights faces a critical test: The upcoming vote on Propositions S, T and U, funded by MAGA Millionaires, will undermine our inclusive community.

As your LGBTQIA+ representatives, we urge you to vote against Propositions S,T and U.

For decades, Dallas has championed equality — from passing one of Texas’s first comprehensive non-discrimination ordinances to offering transgender-inclusive healthcare for city employees. Our commitment is visible in the rainbow-hued streets of Oak Lawn, echoed in the cheers of our Pride parades and reflected in the diverse faces of leadership across our city.

This is the Dallas we know and love — a city that celebrates equity, inclusion and diversity. Here’s why these amendments matter to our community and all Dallasites:

• Amendment S puts our inclusive policies and city services at risk. This amendment will allow wealthy individuals and companies to sue the city more easily, putting our non-discrimination ordinances and other LGBTQIA+-friendly policies at risk of legal challenges.

It’s crucial to understand that our city’s non-discrimination protections are our frontline defense — and the threat to them is real. We’re seeing the MAGA playbook unfold across the nation; earlier this year, more than 20 GOP-led states sued the Biden administration to challenge Title IX rules expanding protections for LGBTQ students.

If Amendment S passes, we risk exposing our inclusive policies to similar attacks, undermining the progress we’ve fought so hard to achieve.

• Amendment T threatens LGBTQIA+-supportive leadership and effective governance. By tying the city manager’s job to an undemocratic 1,400-person survey, we risk losing leaders who have been instrumental in advancing LGBTQIA+ rights in Dallas.

It was forward-thinking city leadership that implemented transgender-inclusive healthcare for city employees and made projects like Oak Lawn Place — an LGBTQIA+ affirming, affordable senior housing complex that opened this year — possible.

• Amendment U diverts funds from city services and puts our safety at risk. While we support our police, the amendment mandating the hiring of 900 officers would force every city department to make cuts. According to Interim City Manager Kim Tolbert, “You would be looking at drastic, very extreme cuts that we would have to make across the board.”
Additionally, our police chief has stated that hiring 900 officers within a year is nearly impossible. “It would be incredibly difficult,” he said. “It would be a burden on the department, particularly when it comes to funding for other priorities.”

We all believe in responsible policing that aligns with our community’s priorities, and we’re proud that the Dallas Police Department reflects this through its LGBTQ+ Liaison Officer and Community Engagement Unit. We don’t want to compromise our safety by rushing to put untrained officers on the streets or rollback crucial initiatives designed to build trust and foster stronger community connections.

This Nov. 5, as you reach the bottom of your ballot, think of the Dallas we’ve built together. Think of the LGBTQIA+ youth who find refuge here, the seniors who can age with dignity in Oak Lawn Place, the trans employees who receive the healthcare they deserve.

Our Dallas — the city that has been our shield, our home, our pride — needs us now more than ever. To protect the Dallas we cherish today and secure the future we can’t afford to lose, vote AGAINST Propositions S, T and U.