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TX, USA: Transgender Widow Sues for Husband’s Benefits

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Nikki Araguz, a transgender widow of a firefighter, is suing the City of Wharton, Texas for workers’ compensation benefits that she was denied because she was born a man.

Araguz, 36, legally changed her name in 1996 from Justin Graham Purdue. In 2008, she married Thomas Araguz, a Wharton County volunteer firefighter, and she underwent sexual reassignment surgery later that year. Thomas Araguz was killed while fighting a fire in July 2010.

After losing her appeal to workers’ compensation benefits last month in the state’s administrative process, Araguz filed a suit last week against Wharton, about 60 miles outside Houston with a population of over 9,000 people.

Full Story from ABC News

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Tags: benefits, lawsuit, texas, transgender, widow

TX: Married Gay Costa Rican Immigrant Wins Deportation Reprieve

Saturday, March 10th, 2012

A gay Costa Rican immigrant in Texas has won a reprieve from deportation because of his marriage to an American man, in what is reportedly the first such ruling in that state.

A Houston immigration judge Thursday ended the deportation proceedings against David Gonzalez, who married U.S. citizen Mario Ramirez in California in 2008, during the brief period legal same-sex marriages were available there, the Houston Chronicle reports. They later moved to Texas.

The case is “the first in Texas to end in a reprieve based in large part on a same-sex marriage to a U.S. citizen,” the Chronicle reports. There have been similar actions involving married gay binational couples in California, New Jersey, and other states.

Full Story from The Advocate

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Tags: costa rican, deportation, gay couple, immigrant, reprieve, texas

TX: Lesbian Dallas Judge Refuses to Perform Weddings Until Everyone Can Marry

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker says she won’t perform marriage ceremonies until gay couples can wed.

During a Feb. 21 meeting, Parker told the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas that while she has the power to perform legal marriage ceremonies in her court, she will not.

“I use it as my opportunity to give them a lesson about marriage inequality in this state because I feel like I have to tell them why I’m turning them away,” Parker said. “So I usually will offer them something along the lines of, ‘I’m sorry. I don’t perform marriage ceremonies because we are in a state that does not have marriage equality, and until it does, I am not going to partially apply the law to one group of people that doesn’t apply to another group of people.’ And it’s kind of oxymoronic for me to perform ceremonies that can’t be performed for me, so I’m not going to do it.”

Full Story from NBC 5

Click here for gay wedding resources in Texas.

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Tags: dallas, judge, lesbian, marriage equality, texas, weddings

TX: Federal Court Blocks Removal of Pro-Gay El Paso City Council Members

Saturday, February 18th, 2012

A federal appeals court has blocked a recall election to remove three El Paso, Texas elected officials who backed gay rights, the El Paso Times reported.

Pastor Tom Brown of the Word of Life Church led an effort to oust El Paso Mayor John Cook and two City Council members, Steve Ortega and Susie Byrd, because they supported giving health insurance benefits to the unmarried domestic partners of city workers.

The battle began in 2009, when the Council approved giving benefits to the unmarried domestic partners of city employees, regardless of sexual orientation. Opponents, led by Brown, forced a voter referendum, which was approved with 55 percent of the vote in 2010.

Full Story from On Top Magazine

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Tags: city council, el paso, federal court, recall, texas

TX: Valentine’s Day Marriage Equality Rally in Houston

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

Barbara Ervin and Enita Torres held hands as the couple tried to do the most romantic thing possible on Valentine’s Day — apply for a marriage license.But just like about a half dozen other same-sex couples, Ervin and Torres were swiftly denied by Harris County officials. A decision that came as no surprise to any of the couples who applied.

“It’s kind of empowering to come and say ‘This is my right,’” said Torres, who has been dating Ervin for 25 years. “Education is ongoing and it’s a reminder that we aren’t going away.”

The couple, who have two children in their 30s, took part in a Valentine’s Day Protest and March for marriage equality, sponsored by the Family Marriage Equality Foundation. Tuesday’s march and protest was the tenth annual Valentine’s Day event for the group.

Full Story from Chron.com

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Tags: houston, marriage equality, rally, texas, valentines day

Dallas Mayor Refuses to Sign Marriage Equality Pledge

Sunday, January 29th, 2012

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has been a proponent of marriage equality. He’s marched in Pride Parades. But as Andy noted yesterday, Mayor Rawlings for some reason refuses to endorse the pro-equality pledge already signed by 100 of the nation’s most important mayors. In fact, Mayor Rawlings is the only mayor of a city of Dallas’s size that has thus far refused to sign. And as a result of his refusal, LGBT activists last night picketed his office.

This afternoon, Mayor Rawlings met privately with approximately 25 representatives from Dallas’s LGBT community. From The Dallas Voice:

“To be a great city we have to have everybody feel a part of it,” Rawlings told a throng of news reporters as he left Resource Center Dallas, where the closed-door meeting took place. “Obviously, the LGBT community feels at times that they’re disenfranchised.”

Full Story from Towleroad.com

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Tags: dallas, mariage equality, mayor, pledge, texas

Texas: PFLAG to Hold Marriage Equality March in Brownsville on February 10th

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

States like Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Iowa and New York already legalized same sex marriage. It’s illegal in Texas, however, John Sutterby said it’s only a matter of time before it becomes legal.

Sutterby is a Minister and President of the All Souls Unitarian Universal Church in Brownsville. “It’s a difficult legal situation, where you have a legal contract recognized in some states and not in the rest of the United States,” Sutterby said.

“States have the right to regulate what marriages they recognize, but generally, if it’s recognized in one state, it will be recognized in another state.” The Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG Brownsville Chapter, will host a marriage equality march February 10 at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Brownsville.

Full Story from Valley Central

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Tags: brownsville, march, marriage equality, pflag, rally, texas

Featured Gay Friendly Wedding Vendor: Events Etc., Houston, Texas

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

Periodically we’ll feature one of our vendors here to let our readers know about some great people who can help you plan the perfect wedding.

Gay Friendly Wedding Vendors in Texas

Events Etc: “Where Beautiful Ceremonies are NOT Expensive.”

We offer many Austin wedding services, including entertainment, catering, decorations and much more.

We’re very flexible – you can remove items you don’t want or need, and will adjust the price accordingly.

Our catering services are offered in varying price ranges, or you can bring in your own food or caterer if you wish.

You can also bring your own alcohol and stock the bar with whatever you’d like.

Our wedding facility will be fully decorated in your wedding colors. Our ballroom features beautiful hardwood floors, and a two-story ceiling draped in shimmering silver to reflect the dance lights & mood lighting that our DJ offers.

See the Events Etc. Expanded Listing on Purple Unions Here

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Tags: Events Etc., houston, texas

TX: Judge OK’s Recall Effort Over El Paso’s Reinstatement of Domestic Partnership Benefits

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

A Texas judge has ruled that Pastor Tom Brown’s recall election against El Paso’s mayor may take place. Anti-gay Christian activists are attempting to remove the mayor and two members of the city council for voting to reinstate domestic partners insurance for city employees.

Pastor Tom Brown initiated the recall drive after Cook and council members Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega voted to overturn the limiting of benefits to legal spouses and their children. Brown, who pastors El Paso’s Word of Life Church, had led the effort that led to voter approval of those limits last year.

Mayor Cook challenged the recall effort, arguing that Brown violated state election law by using church resources to collect signatures for the recall petition. The Alliance Defense Fund is challenging the constitutionality of that law in federal court.

Full Story from Joe.My.God

Click here for gay wedding resources in Texas.

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Tags: domestic partner benefits, el paso, recall, texas

TX: Hundreds March for Marriage Equality in Corpus Christi

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Hundreds of people are rallying for marriage equality. Saturday, a large group gathered in front of the American Bank Center and marched down Shoreline to People’s Street. The group chanted, “what do we want? Equality?

When do we want it? Now!” People of all ages and walks of life took part in the event. Many were local students from LGBT groups. At the rally, several speakers took the podium with one message.

Full Story from KIII TV

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Tags: Gay Marriage, march, marriage equality, texas