A homosexual legal professional who represented Satisfaction San Antonio in a controversial lawsuit over San Antonio’s rainbow crosswalks has been appointed to a management position within the Texas Republican Get together, in keeping with the SA Report.
Lawyer Justin Nichols will now signify San Antonio as a member of the Texas State Republican Govt Committee (SREC), a governing physique that controls the state get together.
As a newly elected consultant on the 64-member SREC, Nichols is tasked with holding the get together to its platform, which incorporates condemning homosexuality and opposing “all efforts to validate transgender id and beliefs.”
Nichols’ position on the SREC has renewed outrage in opposition to him amongst some members of San Antonio’s queer group, who’ve argued for months that Satisfaction San Antonio misplaced its belief in him as a champion.
“This improvement underscores why so many within the LGBTQ+ group had been involved when Satisfaction San Antonio selected to align itself with the Texas Conservative Liberty Discussion board in litigation in opposition to the Metropolis of San Antonio,” an Instagram publish from Satisfaction 210 learn.
The January lawsuit, by which Nichols represented each Satisfaction San Antonio and the Texas Conservative Liberty Discussion board, was an try and cease town’s removing of its rainbow crosswalks and the set up of rainbow sidewalks utilizing public funds with out a public listening to.
Satisfaction San Antonio acquired public backlash for retaining Nichols, who has been a Republican precinct chair for 16 years. Nichols additionally serves as the final counsel and parliamentarian for the Republican Get together of Bexar County.
Members of the Satisfaction San Antonio board additionally fielded criticism for partnering — by way of Nichols — with the Texas Conservative Liberty Discussion board, which has been identified to take what some view as an anti-trans stance, together with championing a 2023 invoice prohibiting gender reassignment surgical procedure and gender dysphoria remedy for minors.
District court docket judges finally threw out the lawsuit, however the authorized motion created a deep rift locally. Afterwards, Satisfaction San Antonio moved to interchange its complete board and lots of LGBTQ+ San Antonians deserted ship for what they noticed as extra “trans-friendly” organizations, corresponding to Satisfaction 210 and the Homosexual Agenda.
The Texas Conservative Liberty Discussion board describes itself as a gaggle working to make the Republican Get together extra inclusive.
Even so, the Texas Republican Get together has held agency on its anti-homosexuality stance through the years. In 2022, the get together platform known as homosexuality “irregular” and characterised it as a “alternative.” The platform additionally seeks to guard those that could be accused of hate crimes in opposition to LGBTQ+ folks.
“Homosexuality is an irregular way of life alternative,” the 40-page platform and resolutions doc reads. “We consider there needs to be no granting of particular authorized entitlements or creation of particular standing for gay habits, no matter state of origin, and we oppose any prison or civil penalties in opposition to those that oppose homosexuality out of religion, conviction, or perception in conventional values.”
Regardless of the get together’s staunch stance, Nichols was elected simply 4 years later to signify Texas’ twenty sixth state Senate District in its statewide management, which encompasses a lot of San Antonio’s city core. Delegates elected Nichols to function one among two San Antonio representatives on the physique that governs the Republican Get together of Texas.
Nichols beat out Metropolis Corridor fixture and conservative firebrand Jack Finger, incomes 39 votes to Finger’s 17, in keeping with the San Antonio Report.
Nichols has additionally been hailed as one among San Antonio’s “most influential” homosexual leaders by Out in SA and an “LGBTQ+ advocate” within the SA Report’s article this week.
Nichols initially rose to prominence for being the primary legal professional to file a grievance below San Antonio’s 2013 non-discrimination ordinance, which designated LGBTQ+ folks as a protected class.
Nonetheless, Satisfaction 210 took situation with this glowing characterization, stating “many in our group discover it tough to reconcile [with his other actions].”
“Advocacy is just not a easy label. It’s measured by the causes we champion, the communities we defend, and the actions we select to assist,” Satisfaction 210’s publish added.
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Associated Tales
Nirenberg, who’s working for Bexar County Choose, additionally talked concerning the controversy surrounding San Antonio’s rainbow crosswalk throughout the rally over the weekend.
Satisfaction San Antonio and the Conservative Liberty Discussion board sued to cease the removing and to stop town from putting in rainbow sidewalks.
The swimsuit, filed by Satisfaction San Antonio and a right-wing group that backs anti-LGBTQ+ laws, calls for that plans for the sidewalk be ‘deliberated in a public discussion board.’
