A person dressed in a colorful outfit reads "Little Red Hen" to a group of children seated on the floor in a classroom setting.

Drag Queen Storytime spared, trans high schooler arrested and other top stories


By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: “Fire! Fire! Fire!†It’s like I’ve been yelling “fire†and no one listens. Our country has lost its way. A man sends at least 13 pipe bombs to prominent members of the opposition party and critics of the administration and is apprehended with a van plastered with pro-Trump stickers and pictures of his targets in the crosshairs. The president blames the media and refuses to tone down his own vitriolic rhetoric.

A self-proclaimed white nationalist walks into a Pittsburgh synagogue, proclaims, “All Jews must die†and starts shooting, killing eight men and three women, ages 54 to 97. Yes, 97! The president all but blames the victims for not being armed (NRA talking points). Our country has lost its way.

The entire Republican Party openly lies to its constituents about protecting pre-existing conditions in the healthcare debate while most of them have voted over 70 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which is the single piece of legislation that protects pre-existing conditions. Our country has lost its way.

“Fire! Fire! Fire!†Early voting has begun and continues through November 2 with the general election on November 6. Most Texas counties are reporting record turnouts. With any luck and if voters choose wisely, perhaps, just perhaps we can find our way back and see if anyone has been listening.

Judge halts efforts to end Drag Queen Storytime

The show must go on! So says U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal, who decided against a conservative Christian group trying to stop Drag Queen Storytime, reports Houston Public Media.

The Houston Public Library and Mayor Sylvester Turner were sued by anti-gay protesters over the readings that began last summer at the Freed-Montrose branch. They claim the event promoted “obscene speech†and violated the Constitution’s Establishment clause.

On October 27, Judge Rosenthal denied the group’s request for a temporary restraining order to halt the event writing there was “no basis†and denied the request.

Transgender student arrested

Was this a case of cyber bullies getting payback? A Tomball High School sophomore is out on a $2000 bond after being arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault, reported the Houston Chronicle on October 24.

Tra’vez Perry, 17, is charged with brutally beating a male and female student in the hallway. “The victims were taken to a hospital, and Perry was charged with misdemeanor assault. Perry, who is transgender, told police that the female victim had taken her picture and posted it on Snapchat with a negative comment,†according to a Tomball police report.

Videos obtained by police showed Perry, who is in CPS custody, grabbing the female victim by the hair while punching her in the face and pushing the male victim to the ground. Perry then jacked him in the head and face.

Mariah Carey to sweeten Sugar Land

My, how the mighty have fallen. While Cher, Madonna, and Celine Dion are still selling out large arenas, Mariah Carey is bringing her Caution World Tour to the Smart Financial Center, reports Chron.com. The “Always Be My Baby†singer will play the 6,400-seat Sugar Land concert hall on March 1.

The Fort Bend County date is the second date of the tour dubbed as Carey’s “most intimate tour yet.â€

Matthew Shepard has come home

His brutal murder 20 years ago moved a nation to action and became a milestone for gay rights. Matthew Shepard, the Wyoming college student who was pistol-whipped and left for dead because he was gay, found closure during an internment service at the Washington National Cathedral on October 26, reports Reuters.

“You are safe now,†said Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, in his opening remarks of the service.

Robinson urged the crowd not to simply commemorate Shepard but to remember that discrimination against sexual minorities continues, especially transgender people, whom he called a “target†right now.

Defining gender

Remember candidate Trump’s promise to protect the LGBTQ community? That seems like a long, long time ago now. A proposal leaked by the administration to the New York Times would change the definition of gender to male or female based on the genitals of the person at birth. It would then be unchangeable later in life, reported Gay Star News.

The news was cause of great concern to the transgender community with the crisis support hotline Trans Lifeline reporting a massive increase in callers in the one day since the memo was leaked.

“Without being able to define their gender identity, millions of transgender people would lose their protections. Brought in by President Barack Obama, transgender people are protected in healthcare, schools and the military,†reads the report.

In response, President Trump stated, “I’m protecting everybody. I want to protect our country.â€

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].

Related Posts

About author

Related Posts

Comments are closed.

Do not miss