Courtroom victories, allyship critical in the fight for LGBTQ rights
By Jennifer Kimrey | FREELANCE WRITER
June is Pride month and, coincidentally, when many Supreme Court opinions are published. As a result, there have been several Pride months during which groundbreaking LGBTQ rights decisions from the Supreme Court have been released.
“Many of these wins have had a tangible and life-changing impact on the LGBTQ community, such as by enabling people to marry and not be fired at work for who they are. But we still have a long way to go until LGBTQ people experience full lived equality, particularly here in Texas,” said Brian Klosterboer, staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. “Just last summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is illegal sex discrimination for employers to treat LGBTQ people differently because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. This landmark ruling is now being applied to other areas like housing discrimination and students’ rights in schools, but the Supreme Court has not yet applied its ruling more broadly.”
hile members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and queer community should never have to got ot court to affirm their human and
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civil rights, they have – and the last several decades have seen many courtroom victories for LGBTQ people. However, many legal battles still loom in the fight for gay rights.
LGBTQ rights
depend on courtroom victories
Regardless of how many legal battles have been won for LGBTQ Texans, in 2019, Texas led the nation in transgender murders, specifically that of Black trans women.
— Brian Klosterboer, attorney
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— Derrick M. Brown-Ritchel
We are still in the middle of many legal fights concerning LGBTQ equality. For every step forward, there have been efforts to turn back the clock and curtail LGBTQ people’s newly gained rights.
Lawrence v. Texas in 2003 struck down Texas laws prohibiting same-sex relations, Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015 granted marriage equality and Bostock v. Clayton County just last June affirmed LGBTQ equality in employment.
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2019. The Supreme Court of the United States SCOTUS hears arguments on LGBTQ employment rights. LGBTQ Community and Allies.
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For more information on ACLU Texas’ work with the LGBTQ community, visit www.aclutx.org.
The ACLU of Texas works with partner organizations across the state and here in Houston to fight for LGBTQ equality in the courtroom, at the legislature and in local communities. The organization collaborates with the Transgender Education Network of Texas, Equality Texas and Lambda Legal to operate the website txtranskids.org, which has information and resources for transgender and non-binary youth in Texas and those who support them.
However, some states, Texas included, are behind the times. These states lack any explicit protections for LGBTQ people. Texas still has unconstitutional and outdated laws on the books that marginalize LGBTQ people. “The Texas Legislature needs to revise our laws to remove the vestiges of state-sponsored discrimination while also creating new laws to affirmatively protect LGBTQ Texans from mistreatment in housing, employment and public accommodations,” Klosterboer said. “We are still in the middle of many legal fights concerning LGBTQ equality. For every step forward, there have been efforts to turn back the clock and curtail LGBTQ people’s newly gained rights.”
“Regardless of how many legal battles have been won for LGBTQ Texans, in 2019, Texas led the nation in transgender murders, specifically that of Black trans women. This year, there have already been two murders of transgender women – Iris Santos and Tiffany Thomas,” said Klosterboer. For LGBTQ allies, the best way to help is to actively listen to members of the LGBTQ community, learn from them and value them fully. “It is okay to acknowledge that you do not know everything and there might be new information and terminology that you are not familiar with. It is helpful to educate yourself without forcing people to undergo emotional labor to tell you about their experience,” said Klosterboer. “For example, there are a lot of wonderful documentaries that you could watch during Pride month, including ‘Changing the Game,’ which highlights stories from transgender student athletes and is now available on Hulu.”
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Who's Who in Houston
Thousands of LGBT members & their supporters filled Christopher St. to celebrate the Supreme Court's Obergefell decision validating same sex marriage throughout the US.
By Valerie Sweeten | FREELANCE WRITER
As Chief Development Officer at AIDS Foundation Houston Inc., Derrick M. Brown-Ritchel is a proud native Houstonian who said he’s been blessed with many incredible opportunities to be a servant leader in causes close to his heart that support the LGBTQ communities.
As a Montrose resident with his husband of 29 years and two schnauzers, he said to be truly “living my passionate purpose and walking the path” so many community leaders forged before him. Brown-Ritchel received both his undergrad and graduate degrees from the University of Houston as well as a degree from the University of Phoenix in organization management and human resources. The AIDS Foundation Houston, established in 1988, is led by Brown-Ritchel with a mission of service to the community to provide a holistic approach for those living with HIV and/or whose lives have been impacted by the virus. “Our purpose continues to provide cutting-edge innovation and free services until we end the HIV epidemic in the Houston area,” he said. For more than 20 years, Brown-Ritchel has been actively involved in volunteering, championing and directly supporting the LGBTQ community. “From the onset of the AIDS epidemic in the late 1980s, I knew I had a purpose to grow through the pain and assist in making an impact to others and their well-being. I’m constantly seeking opportunities and areas where improvements can be made to have quick and effective change. I have always been a fervent believer in action, getting involved, encouraging others to join the cause and helping to create and execute plans to drive change,” Brown-Ritchel said. The saying, “Vision without action is just a dream. Action without vision just passes the time, and vision with action can change the world” impacted him. “I think it was Nelson Mandela who originally said it,” said Brown-Ritchel. “I hold this dear to heart and belief. I firmly [believe] that each of my leadership roles from the Houston LGBT Chamber to the North Texas GLBT Chamber, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber and Freedom for All Americans to my current role, we collaborate on our vision. We build action plans, and we engage our community partners and make the change real in our world.”
ouston’s LGBTQ community has much to be proud of with city leaders, advocates, and a diverse population making a difference on many levels. Get to know some of them here:
Derrick M. Brown-Ritchel
The saying, “Vision without action is just a dream. Action without vision just passes the time, and vision with action can change the world” impacted him.
Who’s who in Houston
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Our purpose continues to provide cutting-edge innovation and free services until we end the HIV epidemic in the Houston area.
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Brown-Ritchel is a proud native Houstonian who said he’s been blessed with many incredible opportunities to be a servant leader in causes close to his heart that support the LGBTQ communities.
Native of Pasadena and Texas A&M graduate, Thomas J. Lopez knows when to enjoy life running marathons, completing an Ironman, taking care of his growing family and co-hosting a podcast about LGBTQ history called, “Let’s Talk About Gay Stuff.”
He also knows when to get down to business as founder of EconomiWork and ListenWerks, a company which produces podcasts. He’s also an adjunct faculty role at a local university teaching in the business school, a Board Member for the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce as well as the Greater Houston LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Foundation. When he began EconomiWorks in 2018, he got involved in the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce to make business connections. What he found was so much more, he said. “It is a sense of community. As business connections turned into personal connections, I became more involved with the Chamber and became a board member in 2020. The opportunity to help the Chamber further advance LGBTQ+ owned and allied businesses was something that appealed to both personal and professional goals of mine, and I could not pass up the chance to make an impact in the community,” Lopez said.
— Thomas J. Lopez
Thomas J. Lopez
His podcast also had an impact and reach he hadn’t anticipated. What started as a couple of guys “goofing off in front of mics, nerding out over history” with a commitment to sharing life stories of LGBTQ+ pioneers and trailblazers has become more than expected. Two years later, it reaches across the country and the globe. “To hear folks in the LGBTQ+ community say ‘thank you for sharing that story’ or to hear allies comment ‘we didn’t realize how bad you all had/have it,’ it’s the best success you could imagine given where we started,” explained Lopez. With his talents in business, teaching, as a podcaster and with the Chamber, Lopez has affected people on many levels. With EconomiWorks, he helps small businesses do more with less. “I have helped LGBTQ+ owned businesses by pairing them with freelance talent who can help execute projects related to digital marketing and website development,” he said. The podcast touches lives with real-life stories that are reminders about the community’s endurance, hosting guests such as former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and others who have lived this history and spoke about their journey. With the Chamber, he’s able to promote economic opportunities for the LGBTQ business community. By championing connections, events, and collaborations, Lopez helps foster economic ecosystem that invests in the community and helps it to thrive. And as a professor, Lopez speaks to and demonstrates the value of diversity, inclusion, and equity from a personal standpoint, as well as from an economic one. “We can only change when the LGBTQ+ community becomes more visible. With visibility, we can dismantle harmful perceptions and stereotypes so that people can see our value and our contributions. This only happens if we can feel safe in being visible. This means we must get involved,” said Lopez.
...The opportunity to help the Chamber further advance LGBTQ+ owned and allied businesses was something that appealed to both personal and professional goals of mine....
Native Houstonian and Texas Southern University graduate, Narcisse is the founder of House of Capri (H.O.X.) and Save Our Sisters United, Inc. (S.O.S.U.).
As a speaker to educators, students and professional organizations about life’s journey as a Black transgender woman, she intends to destroy the barriers of stigma that transwomen encounter on a daily basis. In addition, as a mentor, Narcisse’s goal is to “stand in solidarity by holistically empowering and mobilizing Black and other transwomen of color to confront issues in society.” As the current volunteer specialist at the Montrose Center, Narcisse has been involved in the Houston LGBTQ community for more than 20 years. Staying involved in the community is important because “we all are part of the meaning of community and regardless of what color our skin, hair, or other characteristics are, we all are human and deserve to be seen and respected as such,” she said. Through her community efforts and S.O.S.U., there was an intentional place able to provide direct COVID-19 relief financial assistance to Black and Brown trans community members in Houston. Narcisse, who has served as an honorary Grand Marshall, is a prolific writer, loves the simplicities of nature, is an avid reader and enjoys personal journaling.
Atlantis Narcisse
— Atlantis Narcisse
We all are part of the meaning of community and regardless of what color our skin, hair, or other characteristics are, we all are human and deserve to be seen and respected as such.
Atlantis founder of House of Capri (H.O.X.) and Save Our Sisters United Inc. (S.O.S.U.).
Randle, the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce 2020 Volunteer of the Year, grew up in Bay City and graduated from Sam Houston University to become a public educator.
After eight years of teaching, Randle decided to switch to entrepreneurship and became a Realtor. The goal was to be a client’s best advocate while bridging the gap between the homeownership and the LGBTQ community. “Only 49% of the LGBTQ+ community are homeowners versus the 64% homeownership rate of the general population. My duty is to show clients their best options and guide them through the process as their trusted advisor,” Randle said. Nearly three years ago, Randle was searching for an environment to feel comfortable and accepted to help build a career as a Realtor. This led to the discovery of an event hosted by the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
Shan Randle
“I met my now life partner,” said Randle. “With her real estate investing and financial skills and my retail real estate agent skills we created a company named Empower Financial. Through the Chamber, we have gained our LGBTBE certification for our business as well as made many meaningful connections and become more integrated into the LGBTQ+ community.” Randle’s determination to bridge the gap is achieved through education, community, and inclusivity. As host of the podcast Shen & Shan Show: LGBTQ+ Pride & Business, Randle highlights stories and careers of LGBTQ professional and entrepreneurs. Seventy five percent of proceeds from this podcast are donated to nonprofit organizations that support the LGBTQ community. “I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of getting involved in the community from volunteering on the membership committee for the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce and as a board member for the Houston LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance. Getting involved will expose you to opportunities to help make a difference in your community by volunteering, donating, and mentoring. Community involvement helps us band together as a stronger community and boost our visibility and representation. There are so many amazing people to meet, work with, mentor and help. We should all take part in building our community,” Randle said.
— Shan Randle
Only 49% of the LGBTQ+ community are homeowners versus the 64% homeownership rate of the general population...
Wallace, president/CEO for the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce, has been a Houstonian since 1986 and her dedication for the city is evident. “I love, love, love H-Town,” Wallace said. “I'm so proud to be a Houstonian! Houston has been incredibly good to me and has become ‘home’ for this girl who moved here on my own when I was 17. Being in a city as diverse as Houston has helped me find community, my path and my passion in life.”
Wallace, who lives in the Montrose with her wife, has professional experience spanning various industries including education, financial services, government, nonprofit management, public policy, and management consulting. The Chamber is focused on economic equality for the LGBTQ community. “I love to give back to help our LGBTQ and Allied businesses thrive and succeed. We would love to help more businesses! Learn more the Chamber at www.houstonlgbtchamber.com,” Wallace said.
Tammi Wallace
Wallace has a long history of being involved in Houston’s LBGTQ community. She first became involved politics through one of Annise Parker’s early campaigns. Wallace saw the opportunity to make a difference through building a larger base of pro-equality supporters to advocate for the LGBTQ community at the ballot box and beyond. She then ran Equality Knocks and worked with organizations like the Houston GLBT Political Caucus and Equality Texas. In addition, she served on the Victory Fund Campaign Board as well as Mayor Turner’s inaugural LGBTQ Advisory Board and the Hollyfield Foundation plus several other organizations. “In 2011, I had the tremendous honor of being recognized by Houston's LGBTQ community as the Female Grand Marshal for the Houston Pride Parade. In 2016, I co-founded the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce, which is celebrating its milestone five-year anniversary this year,” Wallace said. Wallace’s goal is to make sure the LGBTQ+ business community and broader community as well has a seat at the table and has access to economic opportunity as well as tools and resources to help LGBTQ owned businesses grow. “The work at the Chamber is the perfect match with my extensive experience in both business and the community. Through the Chamber, the intersection of business plus community is a tremendous opportunity to make sure our businesses are seen and valued. This is why one of our key focus areas at the Chamber is to advocate for the LGBTQ+ and Allied business community,” she said. Getting involved is Wallace’s tribute to the trailblazers that paved the way for today’s LGBTQ+ community. “I have rights, acceptance and in many ways, love, because of the work and sacrifices these trailblazers made,” Wallace said. “We have so much more work to do, and it's important for people to get involved, that our organizations have support and ultimately to give back. We must do the work today to pave the way for those that come behind us.” Getting involved is different for every person whether "time, talent or treasure" explained Wallace. “Every one of these ways of engaging is very much needed and makes a difference,” she said.
— Tammi Wallace
I have rights, acceptance and in many ways, love, because of the work and sacrifices these trailblazers made.
