Progress in Texas

Jess Herbst became the first known openly transgender mayor in Texas when she came out to the residents of New Hope in early February. Herbst, a former alderman and mayor pro tem, was appointed mayor in May after the previous mayor died.

Herbst posted an open letter on the North Texas town’s website, telling her more than 600 Collin County constituents, “I am transgender.”

“As your mayor I must tell you about something that has been with me since my earliest memories,” Herbst wrote. “Two years ago, with the support of my wife, daughters and son-in-law, I began Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). At the time, I did not imagine I would hold the mayor’s position, but here I am.”

“I love my wife, and she loves me, we have no intention of change,” Herbst wrote in her open letter. “My daughters have been adamant supporters of me and are proud to tell people their father is transgender.”

She invited the residents of New Hope to visit her blog if they had comments or questions.

http://www.ajc.com/news/national/texas-mayor-comes-out-transgender/4Ec4K1p9SWz0QOFUErS72J/

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Gays for Trump, but Trump for Gays?

I’ve never been one to fully stand with one particular party on all of their issues and stances. There are laws and bills put forward by both Republicans and Democrats that I can often stand behind, or stand against. Whether it’s fiscal responsibility, gun control measures or family rights there are multiple view points and reasons why we vote the way we do.

Recently, I came across this article, highlighting why some LGBT community members are pro-Trump, which immediately confused me.  As much as I don’t want to vote based on one issue or area (I value looking at a candidate’s full plan, ideas and past) I can’t look past the fact that Trump has aligned himself with Governor Pence.

Pence just spent the past year advocating and signing into law a bill that directly discriminated against our community.  What if this man takes this plan with him to DC?  Marriage equality isn’t exactly “equal” if a business has the right to turn my husband and I away if they don’t believe we should be married in the first place. I can’t imagine having to explain to my child why a restaurant or a business just asked us to leave.  Equality means equal and I fear Gays for Trump don’t realize that Trump-Pence isn’t for Gays.

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