Texas GOP platform calls for ban on same-sex parenting because being gay is ‘abnormal’

Texas delegates Rene Diaz (left) and David Barton (right) speak during the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center on September 3, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo: Shutterstock

The Texas Republican Party’s completed draft platform calls homosexuality an “abnormal lifestyle choice,” gender-affirming care as “child abuse,” and Drag Queen Story Hour as “predatory sexual conduct.” The platform was put to a vote by State Party delegates and will be formally adopted on Wednesday after the final vote count.

The State Party’s priority list calls for an end to legal same-sex marriage, same-sex parenting, all LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination laws, all transgender rights – including gender-affirming care for children and adults – a ban on LGBTQ+ content in schools and libraries, defunding all diversity and equality initiatives (DEI) and legal protections for anyone who discriminates against queer people based on “religious or moral beliefs.”

Moreover, the Texas GOP platform calls for a complete end to all of the following: pornography, federal welfare programs, minimum wage laws, mandatory sick or family leave policies, net neutrality, removal of Confederate monuments, pro-immigrant sanctuary, public education for undocumented children, no-fault divorce, non-abstinence sex education, abortion, citizenship by birth, professorship in colleges and universities, legalization of cannabis, legislation to combat climate change, contact tracing to track infectious diseases, federal regulations to ensure safe farm food production, and US participation in the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The platform also calls for legally recognizing fertilized human eggs as people, passing a “state electoral college”-style bill that will make it nearly impossible for Democrats to win statewide office in the United States, invalidating all federal laws not approved by county sheriffs, and introducing Christianity into public schools and government buildings.

“We believe that Obergefell v. Hodges the decision invalidating the Texas law prohibiting same-sex marriage in Texas has no basis in the Constitution and should be invalidated. We support the definition of marriage as a divinely ordained, legal and moral covenant exclusively between one biological man and one biological woman,” says the platform, which party delegates voted on last Friday.

“Homosexuality is an abnormal lifestyle choice,” we continue. “No one should receive special legal status based on their LGBTQ+ identification…. We oppose same-sex parenting, the intentional exposure of a child to the loss of a biological father or mother, and other non-traditional definitions of family.”

“We oppose all attempts to confirm the identity of transgender people,” he adds. “You must not attempt to engage in so-called medical or mental health interventions for 18- to 26-year-olds,” including the use of trans people’s names and gender pronouns. The platform would require insurance companies providing gender-affirming care to fully fund transition procedures.

The platform argues that any professional who in any way assists in the gender reassignment of a minor should face professional, civil and criminal penalties, as well as lawsuits from those affected by their conduct. It further calls for all sex-segregated facilities in prisons, schools and government buildings to be accessible only to people based on their biological sex assigned at birth.

“We support the return of affirmations of God, including prayer, the Bible and the Ten Commandments, to our schools, courthouses and other government buildings,” the platform notes. “All persons and legal entities have the right of conscience and should be protected under Texas law if they consciously object to participating in practices that are contrary to their moral or religious beliefs.”

The law calls for increased taxpayer funding for home, private and charter schools while opposing any government oversight of them. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has used anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric to push school privatization policies. Critics say the policy is designed to defund public schools while benefiting students from wealthier families.

The platform also calls on the state to ignore any federal regulations or policies that conflict with state law. This would include new Title IX and Title VII laws that prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in workplaces and schools. Texas is one of 13 Republican-led states suing President Joe Biden’s administration over the legislation.

It also calls for laws to prohibit exposing minors to “social transitioning” (i.e. discovering a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth), “predatory sexual behavior” such as Drag Queen Story Hour, and “desensitizing children to sexual topics.” “.

But federal courts blocked a Texas law banning children from attending drag queen parties as a violation of First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly. What’s more, a federal court also blocked a Texas law requiring bookstores to rate titles based on their sexual and LGBTQ+ content. Laws preventing funding for DEI initiatives have also disrupted LGBTQ+ inclusive training, advocacy centers and awareness campaigns in schools and businesses, raising other concerns about free speech.

Even though Republicans have controlled the state legislature and governorship for two decades, the party continues to struggle to adopt the key priorities of its platform: Texas Tribune recorded.

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