Texas GOP new low - LGBTQ

[Michelle]

[seeyalater52]

Texas - literally running in the wrong direction. A dozen states have already passed conversion therapy bans and yet here they are going out of their way to support something that is basically already legal in the absence of a ban and nondiscrimination protections.

[Deleted]

Jun 23, 2018 10:14:57 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Texas - literally running in the wrong direction.

It really is incredible. I’m not saying Texas was ever a bastion of progressive politics, but I do recall Ann Richards being governor. Texas was conservative when I was growing up, but it didn’t feel this batshit insane. Seriously, what the fuck is happening?

[Michelle]

Jun 23, 2018 10:26:32 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

Jun 23, 2018 10:14:57 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Texas - literally running in the wrong direction.

It really is incredible. I’m not saying Texas was ever a bastion of progressive politics, but I do recall Ann Richards being governor. Texas was conservative when I was growing up, but it didn’t feel this batshit insane. Seriously, what the fuck is happening?

If I didn’t work for one of the highest rated (employee satisfaction) and highest performing (quality, patient outcomes, values), organizations in the nation I would be looking to move. It is infuriating.

[Michelle]

Also, I have never voted straight ticket before. This year I am going blue all the way in protest to the GOP.

[ellipses84]

I’m sure I was in an urban bubble when I lived there, but I feel so strongly that the TX GOP does not represent the majority of the residents in the state with their horrendous agendas (and doesn’t act in the best interest of the majority of the residents even on less “controversial” topics). It’s maddening. The state is so large that the rural population plays a huge role and the major cities can’t overcome that, but I don’t feel like the majority of people are so hateful and extreme as the elected leaders. I know how awful I felt being there on Election Day and my heart goes out to all my LGBTQ friends and colleagues then and now.

[mrsukyankee]

When you are trying to support something that the American Psychological Association and pretty much every other ethical psychotherapy group has stated is bad and wrong and unethical (plus doesn't work), then you are insane and just showing your ass.

[redheadk]

Jun 24, 2018 2:36:57 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

I’m sure I was in an urban bubble when I lived there, but I feel so strongly that the TX GOP does not represent the majority of the residents in the state with their horrendous agendas (and doesn’t act in the best interest of the majority of the residents even on less “controversial” topics). It’s maddening. The state is so large that the rural population plays a huge role and the major cities can’t overcome that, but I don’t feel like the majority of people are so hateful and extreme as the elected leaders. I know how awful I felt being there on Election Day and my heart goes out to all my LGBTQ friends and colleagues then and now.

I agree BUT too many people are willing to overlook anything and vote R because they are anti-abortion. Meanwhile, the GOP can play to the extreme right to keep them fired up while Susie ignores the 800 horrific policies because she just can’t bring herself to vote for anyone that doesn’t want to outlaw abortion. It’s insane. Or they are just anti taxes because they are greedy AF.

[ellipses84]

Jun 24, 2018 10:46:44 GMT -5 redheadk said:

Jun 24, 2018 2:36:57 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

I’m sure I was in an urban bubble when I lived there, but I feel so strongly that the TX GOP does not represent the majority of the residents in the state with their horrendous agendas (and doesn’t act in the best interest of the majority of the residents even on less “controversial” topics). It’s maddening. The state is so large that the rural population plays a huge role and the major cities can’t overcome that, but I don’t feel like the majority of people are so hateful and extreme as the elected leaders. I know how awful I felt being there on Election Day and my heart goes out to all my LGBTQ friends and colleagues then and now.

I agree BUT too many people are willing to overlook anything and vote R because they are anti-abortion. Meanwhile, the GOP can play to the extreme right to keep them fired up while Susie ignores the 800 horrific policies because she just can’t bring herself to vote for anyone that doesn’t want to outlaw abortion. It’s insane. Or they are just anti taxes because they are greedy AF.

That is true too. It’s infuriating.

[lilibet]

Jun 24, 2018 2:36:57 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

I’m sure I was in an urban bubble when I lived there, but I feel so strongly that the TX GOP does not represent the majority of the residents in the state with their horrendous agendas (and doesn’t act in the best interest of the majority of the residents even on less “controversial” topics). It’s maddening. The state is so large that the rural population plays a huge role and the major cities can’t overcome that, but I don’t feel like the majority of people are so hateful and extreme as the elected leaders. I know how awful I felt being there on Election Day and my heart goes out to all my LGBTQ friends and colleagues then and now.

This is interesting to me as it's basically the opposite of IL. I've heard this from others though, that these actions don't represent the people most people know in TX. So is it just that voting areas are set up so these opinions have more heft or is this a closet Trump voter type situation?

My company has offices in TX and though dh and I would love to move from where we are I automatically rule out any in-house jobs that would require moving to Tx. There are too many horrible laws, ideas practices in charge there.

[mrs.jacinthe]

Jun 24, 2018 12:23:54 GMT -5 lilibet said:

Jun 24, 2018 2:36:57 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

I’m sure I was in an urban bubble when I lived there, but I feel so strongly that the TX GOP does not represent the majority of the residents in the state with their horrendous agendas (and doesn’t act in the best interest of the majority of the residents even on less “controversial” topics). It’s maddening. The state is so large that the rural population plays a huge role and the major cities can’t overcome that, but I don’t feel like the majority of people are so hateful and extreme as the elected leaders. I know how awful I felt being there on Election Day and my heart goes out to all my LGBTQ friends and colleagues then and now.

This is interesting to me as it's basically the opposite of IL. I've heard this from others though, that these actions don't represent the people most people know in TX. So is it just that voting areas are set up so these opinions have more heft or is this a closet Trump voter type situation?

This is just my observation from having lived in Texas for a couple years (we got out ASAP), but I think it's apathy/lack of voter education.  The rural areas vote straight-ticket red because that's what they've always done and things are "fine" so they will just keep on keeping on.  They don't bother to research the issues or candidates because "it doesn't affect them".  And also, guns.  

[Deleted]

Let's not let the suburban areas off the hook. Sure, the rural areas are heavily conservative, but those rich folks in the suburbs don't exactly have liberal voting records. I grew up in a wealthy suburban area full of educated white people. It has been solidly Republican but is becoming more Democratic as the population becomes less white. There are plenty of anti-LGBT folks, particularly among certain religious groups, who may not use slurs in polite company (or even ever) but certainly do not support LGBT rights. And there's a whole other group of people who I think probably don't have any real animus toward LGBT but ooooh boy do they love their low taxes. They probably even have gay friends, but if their two choices are someone who might raise their taxes or someone who might harm their gay friends, money rules.

[Michelle]

Jun 24, 2018 16:21:56 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

Let's not let the suburban areas off the hook. Sure, the rural areas are heavily conservative, but those rich folks in the suburbs don't exactly have liberal voting records. I grew up in a wealthy suburban area full of educated white people. It has been solidly Republican but is becoming more Democratic as the population becomes less white. There are plenty of anti-LGBT folks, particularly among certain religious groups, who may not use slurs in polite company (or even ever) but certainly do not support LGBT rights. And there's a whole other group of people who I think probably don't have any real animus toward LGBT but ooooh boy do they love their low taxes. They probably even have gay friends, but if their two choices are someone who might raise their taxes or someone who might harm their gay friends, money rules.

this.

[greeneggs]

I place most of the blame for the state of the Texas GOP on the suburbs to be honest. The rural areas just can't be helped but better educated suburban areas could have tried to stop this 10 years ago when the Tea Party nuts started coming out of the woodwork and dialing up the hate overt speech in the Republican party. It's a toxic stew of lack of critical thinking, selfishness, and just not paying attention to anything happening outside of their little suburban bubbles. I don't know how many times in previous election cycles the Texas GOP would put out an awful hate filled platform and people would dismiss all the awful things saying that those aren't the important issues. They could have stopped this by voting for better candidates in primaries years ago but now we're entrenched in this hateful brand of crazy. I've lived in the Dallas and Fort Worth area for nearly twenty years and I've watched the political climate change from solid but reasonable Republican to downright hostile. As the years go by it's getting harder and harder for my husband and I to keep saying that it's not perfect but it's home and we've talked a lot about moving once we no longer have aging parents in the area to take care of.

[GilliC]

I vote in a Republican Texas district, and it is definitely populated by upper middle class white suburbanites who find all manner of reasons to keep voting R because of “Christian values.” Plenty are racist. Plenty are homophobic. And so many of them are just plain lazy and use abortion, taxes, etc to save them the trouble of making hard decisions.