The recent edict to erase all the rainbows from Texas’ streets feels a little over-the-top, even for a cartoon villain like Greg Abbott. Yet, it is consistent with the aggressive, ever-escalating attacks on our community, seeking to erase every symbol of our presence.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the FBI have threatened to go after equality organizations; the legislature has locked bathroom doors in government buildings to trans people, and every day, it seems like, there is a new attack, a new policy or a new slur on or against our LGBTQ+ community.
But in spite of the most aggressive anti-LGBTQ+ attacks, Texas leads the fight for LGBTQ+ equality. Organizations like Equality Texas consistently step up to tackle any and all opposition.
For nearly 50 years, some version of Equality Texas has been lobbying the Texas Legislature. We’ve worked on hate crimes legislation and funding for HIV care, and we’ve published reports about the impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
I am incredibly proud of the work done by Equality Texas to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ Texans and our families. Over the past year, Brad Pritchett has been leading the charge against these attacks on our community as Equality Texas’ interim CEO of Equality Texas.
On Saturday, he officially dropped “interim” from his title.
Brad is a thorn in the side of every lawmaker who threatens our peace and freedom.
When state Rep. Shawn Theirry of Houston abandoned her principles and delivered an egregious anti-trans speech on the House floor, Brad vowed then and there to un-elect her. And after Brad coordinated volunteers to go knocking on hundreds of doors, pushing out thousands of mailers and sending tens of thousands of text messages, Theirry no longer represents any district in Houston.
Today, Lauren Ashley Simmons, a Black queer union organizer, holds that seat.
Brad has been fighting since we had even less to lose. He was instrumental in the fight to get the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance passed; he drove political and electoral strategy at the ACLU of Texas, and he has been a presence in the Houston gay community for the past 20 years.
The LGBTQ community in Texas is venturing into new territory. This fight doesn’t look the same as it used to. At one point in time, even Republicans were done “bashing on the gay community.”
But today, it’s hard to even get in the door. And yet, that doesn’t stop Brad from knocking.
He’s constantly working out new plans to fight back. When Abbott started pulling rainbows off the pavement, Brad sent out chalk. When legislation threatens trans Texans, Brad testifies, rallies the community and fearlessly marches down the Capitol corridors.
It’s not lost on anyone that this transition in leadership status comes at a time when LGBTQ Texans are facing unprecedented challenges. But if Brad’s track record tells us anything, it’s that he thrives under pressure. Now is a time for bold action, and Brad is the right person to lead the charge.
Steve Atkinson is a former board chair of the Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas and a former board chair of Equality Texas Foundation.
