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HEALTH | METRO | ON THE TOWN CAROLE ANN BOYD, DDS, PC PANDEMIC PIVOT | PETS | SHOP SHOW | TRAVEL | SERVICES JONATHAN VOGEL, DDS Call today 214.521.6261 4514 Cole Ave, Ste. 905 DrBoyd.net 02.26.21 █ dallasvoice 3 DallasVoice.com/Category/Instant-Tea instanTEA Highlights from the Dallas Voice website Gallup poll shows LGBTQ- House passeses Equality Act identified rises to 5.6 percent; HB 2069 would “address a wide range of issues impacting the LGBTQ community,” census releases LGBTQ data according to a press release from Coleman’s The latest Gallup survey found that 5.6 office. “Rep. Coleman has successfully pushed percent of Americans identify as LGBTQ. policies to become law including protections That compares to just 3.5 percent who for sexual preference in the James Byrd Jr. identified as LGBTQ in 2012 and 4.5 percent Hate Crimes Act, and suicide prevention in 2017. Only 86.7 percent say they are training in schools. Regrettably, many of the straight and 7.6 percent didn’t answer the LGBTQ policies Rep. Coleman has cham- question. pioned have yet to be passed in the Texas Of those identifying as LGBTQ, more than Legislature.” half say they are bisexual. Almost a quarter Rep. David Cicilline Included in the omnibus bill are elements identify as gay. Only 12 percent call them- The U.S. House of Representatives voted on proposing a constitutional amendment to selves lesbian and 11 percent transgender. Thursday, Feb. 25, to pass The Equality Act, repeal the current constitutional provision One reason for the lower number of women legislation which would provide protection defining marriage as the union of one man and who identify as lesbian is that women are from discrimination based on sexual one woman (the amendment approved by Tex- much more likely than men to identify as orientation and gender identity in employment, as voters in 2005 bans recognition of marriage bisexual. Overall, more women than men housing, credit, education, public spaces, equality and remains part of the Texas Consti- self-identify as LGBTQ. public funding and jury service. Rep. David tution even though the U.S. Supreme Court’s The biggest increase in people self-iden- Cicilline, a gay Democrat from Rhode Island, 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges makes it tifying as LGBTQ is among those who were re-introduced the bill the previous Thursday, a moot point); uniformizing and streamlining 18 to 23 years old in 2020 when the survey Feb. 18, in the House. All the House court procedures for change of name and was taken. In that group, one in six identifies Democrats and three Republicans voted for gender marker on state-issued IDs; including as LGBTQ. That compares to just one in 50 the measure. protection for transgender individuals in the who identifies as LGBTQ among those 56 Three Democratic senators — Jeff Merkley Texas Hate Crimes Law; repealing the Texas and older. One reason for that lower number of Oregon, Cory Booker of New Jersey and, sodomy law, which was deemed unconstitu- that Gallup fails to recognize is the number the first open lesbian elected to the Senate, tional by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2004 ruling of mostly gay men from the older genera- Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin — announced in Lawrence v. Texas, but which is still listed tions who died of AIDS. that same day that they would be re-intro- as a criminal offense in the Texas Penal Code; The U.S. Census has also released new ducing The Equality Act in the Senate this prohibiting discrimination against or harass- data on same-sex couples for 2019, the week when the Senate floor re-opened for the ment of a public school employee or student year before the latest census was taken. For introduction of new bills. on the basis of sexual orientation, or gender 2019, there were 980,000 same-sex couple The Equality Act passed the House of Rep- identity or expression; comprehensive employ- households in the U.S. Of that number, 58 resentatives in 2019 but stalled in the then- ment non-discrimination measures prohibiting percent were married couples. Among both GOP-controlled Senate. This time around, discrimination based on sexual orientation, or married and unmarried couples, there were with both the House and the Senate under gender identity or expression in employment, more female spouses than male. Democratic control, it’s chances of passing labor organization membership, and including The metro areas with the highest percent- Congress are much better. And President Joe LGBTQ people in Texas’ “Romeo and Juliet” ages of same-sex couples were San Francis- Biden promised during his campaign that he law. co, Portland and Seattle. would sign the bill into law within the first 100 The legislation as originally filed used Both same-sex and opposite-sex married days of his presidency. the term “sexual preference.” Coleman on couples were more likely to have children The day after Cicilline introduced the mea- Wednesday, Feb. 24, issued a statement than unmarried couples. Opposite-sex mar- sure in the House, President Joe Biden issued apologizing for that terminology and saying it ried couples were twice as likely as same- a statement applauding the bill and calling on would be replaced with “sexual orientation.” sex marred couples to have children. both houses of Congress to pass the bill and —Tammye Nash — David Taffet send it to his desk. During his campaign last year, Biden pledged to sign The Equality Bill into law within the first 100 days of his term if Congress gave him the chance to do so. █ pet of the week / CJ —Tammye Nash shown that he is a funny, curious boy who loves to explore and State Rep. Coleman files play with toys. He came to the SPCA of Texas last year through their Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit, so he did not have LGBTQ omnibus bill the best life before. He can still be a little scared in unfamiliar situations, but he has come a long way. CJ would thrive in a home with another dog as his buddy; he just loves hanging out with friends, and they really bring out his confidence! He’s quite a smarty pants — and has learned tricks like sit, come, stay and down from the staff at the shelter. This goofy, lovable sweetheart is sure to be a loyal companion to anyone willing to give him a chance. CJ is waiting to meet you at the Jan Rees- Jones Animal Care Center in Dallas. To request an appointment to meet CJ, please visit spca.org/adopt. Rep. Garnet Coleman Adoptions will be available by appointment. Adopters will need to submit an adoption inquiry form in order to begin the Texas state Rep. Garnet F. Coleman, adoption process and schedule an appointment to complete D-Houston, a longtime ally of the LGBTQ the adoption. Please browse our available animals at spca.org/ community, on Tuesday, Feb. 23, filed legis- Meet CJ, a 1½-year-old, black mouth cur mix with a great findapet and visit spca.org/dogadopt to inquire about a dog or lation that would protect LGBTQ Texans from personality! He spent some time in a foster home and has spca.org/catadopt to inquire about a cat. discrimination. 4 dallasvoice.com █ 02.26.21 Every seat Fort Worth candidates on contested LGBTQ issues At least two new gay candidates Commission and the board of the Great- er Dallas Planning Council. Both he and seek to join two gay incumbents Blewett live in East Dallas. Viney, an at- on the Dallas City Council torney who was named the winner of The Dallas Foundation’s Good Works DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer Under 40 award in November 2017 for Leland R. Burke, left, in District 13 and Jonas Park, right, in District 2 are the only two openly [email protected] her volunteer work with Advocates for LGBTQ challengers running for Dallas City Council. Openly gay Mayor Pro Tem Adam Medrano, Community Transformation, lives in District 2 cannot run again due to term limits. Openly gay incumbents Chad West in District 1 and hree Dallas City Lakewood Heights.