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Annise Parker’s new gig, a run for governor and other top stories


By Johnny Trlica

Houston is the most diverse city in the nation and perhaps the world. No, I’m not talking about its rich cultural mix or how over 100 languages are spoken in the Bayou City. Houstonians have experienced floods of biblical proportions, hurricanes, freezing temperatures and snowstorms this year to go along with our usual tropical heat and humidity. Now, that’s diversity!
Here’s a bit of what has been shared on the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page.

Annise Parker to lead Victory Fund
The former mayor of Houston is not staying home and resting on her laurels. Annise Parker will lead the Victory Fund, a national political organization that works to elect gay, lesbian and transgender candidates to public office, reports the Houston Chronicle.
“The Victory Fund announced the move, and the resignation of outgoing CEO Aisha C. Moodie-Mills, on [December 8], stressing the opportunities ahead for progressives in the 2018 election cycle and the growing number of LGBTQ candidates seeking elective office,†reads the article.
Parker, Houston’s first openly gay mayor said, “This opportunity to help LGBT candidates across the United States is something that reinvigorates me as an activist. While I was in office I was constrained in my ability to really do the kind of work I loved to do. This gives me an opportunity to connect with people all over the country and help candidates do the very thing I did 20 years ago, and that is win elected office and serve their constituents.â€

Dallas County Sheriff announces bid for governor
While Houston’s former lesbian mayor is making headlines nationwide, an out sheriff in North Texas is doing the same statewide. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez announced her candidacy for governor on December 6, reports TexasMonthly.com.
“For far too long, hardworking Texans have been left behind, kept out, and, frankly, attacked for who they are, where they come from, and who they love,†Valdez said at the press conference announcing her candidacy. “Texans and Texas businesses are begging for a return of common sense.â€
During her brief announcement speech, Valdez telegraphed a few of the issues she plans to run on, including more pragmatic government, immigration, and LGBT rights (Valdez is openly gay). In her announcement, she made special mention of the “Dreamersâ€â€”the nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to America when they were children. The Trump administration has announced that the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protected Dreamers from deportation, will end in March 2018.
“For the Dreamers, if this isn’t their country, they don’t have a country,†Valdez declared, reads the report.

Supreme Court rejects Houston same-sex marriage benefits case
A sign of things to come? “The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Houston’s appeal of a lower court ruling that threw into doubt the city’s spousal benefits to gay married municipal employees, allowing a case that tests the reach of the landmark 2015 decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide to proceed,†reports HuffingtonPost.com.
The justices left intact a June ruling by the Texas Supreme Court that revived a lawsuit advocating “biblical, Judeo-Christian values†aimed at blocking Houston from offering benefits to married same sex couples.
The case now goes back to a Texas state court, which could decide to stop the benefits. Long story short, the court has said same-sex married couples are not de facto entitled to benefits.
Later that week, the court heard arguments in the Colorado bakery case, in which a same sex couple were denied a wedding cake from a baker based on his religious beliefs. Should the baker win, it could open the door to legalized discrimination.

Thank you, Bea Arthur, for being a friend
Some friendships last forever, even after we’ve gone. Such is the case for Bea Arthur and her relationship with the LGBTQ community. The Bea Arthur Residence giving young LGBTI people shelter and hope has launched in New York’s Lower East Side, reports GayStarNews.com.
The center is ready to house LGBTI young people in time for Christmas. The beloved Golden Girls actor left $300,000 in her will to support the Ali Forney Center. Arthur, who died in 2009, was a fierce and vocal advocate for LGBTI youth.
“These kids at the Ali Forney Center are literally dumped by their families because of the fact that they are lesbian, gay or transgender—this organization really is saving lives,†the two-time Emmy Award winner said in an interview with Next Magazine before her death.

Marriage equality comes to Australia and Austria
LGBTQ folks down under will soon be able to marry. Australia’s parliament approved a bill legalizing same sex marriage only days after Australian voters approved a non-binding referendum with over 60 percent in favor of marriage equality, reports GayStarNews.com.
Austria’s constitutional court ruled on December 5 to allow same-sex marriage, reports HuffingtonPost.com. Ruling that current marriage law discriminates against same-sex couples, the court said that restrictions will be automatically lifted in early 2019 unless the government does so before then.

Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. contact him at [email protected].

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