Over the weekend, Texas Republicans passed a slew of controversial amendments to their party’s platform, making a sharp right turn on key issues and speaking out strongly against LGBT rights.
At the end of the party’s 2022 state conference, delegates accepted a platform that referred to homosexuality as an “abnormal lifestyle choice” and opposed “any efforts to affirm transgender identity.”
Stance and Beliefs
The message of the platform states, “We believe there must be no special legal handouts or formation of special prestige for homosexual conduct, irrespective of the state of origin.”
“We also reject any civil or criminal sanctions against others who condemn homosexuality out of religion, conviction, or adherence to traditional values.”
“No one should be awarded special legal status based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
Treating homosexuality as an "abnormal lifestyle CHOICE" signals that they will go after Oberfell (as I mentioned months ago). It also signals that they will try to take children from homes of LGB parents. 3/n pic.twitter.com/wLu5OHSWxt
— Brynn Tannehill (@BrynnTannehill) June 19, 2022
The manifesto goes on to criticize “all efforts to validate transgender identity.”
It advocates a prohibition on medical attempts to “validate” transgender mindsets in persons under the age of 21, as well as a ban on any gender reassignment surgery funded by the government.
“We condemn using tax dollars for any medical gender identity disorder or sex-change procedures and/or treatments.”
According to the document, “This includes, but is not limited to, military members and inmates in federal, state, and municipal prisons or jails. No national, state, insurance, or estate funds may be used to pay for such therapy.”
Additionally, the platform says prisoners in Texas state penal facilities “shall be confined according to their birth sex.”
In addition, Texas Republicans gave a tacit endorsement to so-called “conversion therapy.”
This aims to alter a person’s gender identification by promising to safeguard the legality of “counseling techniques” and “reintegrative therapy” for individuals with “gender dysphoria or undesired same-sex attraction.”
LGBT Republicans condemned the unnecessary and “hateful” platform amendments.
Michael Cargill, the chairman of the LGBT Republican organization, Log Cabin Republicans, characterized convention members that pushed forward anti-LGBT remarks as a “tiny minority” of “mad individuals” spewing “hateful language” and holding “unchristian-like” attitudes.
Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) stated in response to the platform’s adoption that the Texas GOP was “trying to send us back to the days when women couldn’t make choices about their own health and when Americans feared being persecuted for being themselves.”
Standpoints
Influential proponents of the platform include rulings that Joe Biden’s presidency was not valid, calling the 2020 election illegal.
It also rebuked Senate Republicans for working with Democrats to make a bipartisan deal on gun control measures, including Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn after the Uvalde mass shooting.
In addition, the platform stated, “All gun restrictions are a breach of the Second Amendment and our God-given rights.”
Seems like it should be a bigger deal that the Texas Republican Party just passed an official resolution declaring Biden is not legitimate (while attacking Cornyn and the existence of LGBT people)
The lie is the core of the Republican identity. They are way off the cliff.
— Justin Kanew (@Kanew) June 19, 2022
In addition, Texas Republicans advocated for the removal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as well as the 16th and 17th Amendments to the United States Constitution.
The 16th Amendment gave the government the legal right to take income taxes. The 17th Amendment allowed people to vote directly for U.S. senators who state legislatures had previously chosen.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) was confronted by pro-Trump demonstrators who accused him of being a “globalist,” said he backed gun regulation, and referred to him as “Eyepatch McCain” during the Texas GOP convention.
One protester was heard saying the congressman was a “traitor” and he should be “executed for treason.”
