HOUSTON, Texas – The left of center Washington Post has entered into a city election campaign involving LGBT rights and access by men dressed as women into women’s restrooms. The Post‘s “A perverted campaign against LGBT rights in Houston,” assaults ads shown in Houston, Texas, opposing a city ordinance that has been dubbed “the bathroom ordinance.”
The author writes, “What goes too far is this bigoted ad and its perversion of the facts. It is an outright lie to say ‘any man at any time could enter a woman’s bathroom at any time simply by claiming to be a woman that day.’ Such a statement reveals a willful ignorance of what it means to be transgender.” The article contains a link to a Post article entitled, “Bruce Jenner’s teachable moment on being transgender.”
Breitbart Texas spoke with Pastor Dave Welch who is the Executive Director of the US Pastor Council (USPC). Welch argues that the ordinance does not define sex or gender. “There is no definitive expression of what ‘gender expression’ means. There is no definition, limits, or restrictions. There is no time limits and no surgery requirements.” The organization is based in Houston, Texas.
The executive director of the pastor’s organization says that bottom line – men will be able to shower with females, and will be able to go into a women’s restroom, use the facilities, and expose themselves. Business owners who try to stop a man from going into a women’s restroom will be subject to prosecution for a Class C misdemeanor, and could be subject to a fine of $500 per day.
Welch charges, “The Mayor [Parker] and proponents of the ordinance have lied from the beginning about what this ordinance is, and why [it is being proposed]. And in reality, the facts are there. There are no limits on the term ‘gender expression’ which means any male can at any time decide his identity is female and have access to all women’s facilities.”
The ordinance has been submitted to the voters in Houston during the city’s November election.
The Post calls the ads “one of the most outrageous and disgustingly deceptive ads” and charges that the ads are focused only on “gender identity.”
The ads are being paid for by a political operation called “Campaign for Houston.”
In spring of 2014, Mayor Annise Parker introduced a 35 page city ordinance that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity among thirteen other “protected characteristics.” Parker entitled it “H.E.R.O.” (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance). Parker is Houston’s first openly gay mayor. During her campaign for mayor of the fourth largest city in the nation, Parker promised not to promote a gay agenda.
Proponents of the ordinance say that it addresses discrimination in city employment, city contracting, housing, public accommodations and private employment, as reported by Breitbart Texas.
Opponents say that the proposed ordinance requires Houston businesses to make all women’s bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms available to all who are dressed in female attire, without regard to biological sex. They say “[t]his provision subjects women and girls to sexual predators who are allegedly confused by their gender identity.”
Opponents are also concerned that the ordinance would lead to quotas in hiring and in city contracts and affirmative action requirements. They also fear that failing to meet these quotas, or to refuse transvestites access to women’s restrooms, would lead to criminal prosecution and civil lawsuits.
Breitbart Texas’ Bob Price conducted a video interview with Houston Councilman Michael Kubosh who said among other things, that “They’ve added these other classes, of sexual identity and gender expression, and these things have confused the issue. The business community doesn’t want to be perceived as being in any way discriminating. But they [the backers of the ordinance] want to criminalize anyone who denies them service or feels like they may be discriminated [against] by any business.”
The ordinance would apply to employers who have fifty or more employees.
As reported by Breitbart Texas, Houston Texans NFL team owner Bob McNair donated $10,000 to the Campaign for Houston, and former Houston Astros and six-time MLB All-Star Lance Berkman, appeared in a television ad opposing the ordinance.
The Berkman ad asks Houstonians to “Vote ‘No’ on Proposition 1.” He ends the ad by saying, “No men in women’s bathrooms. No boys in girls’ showers or locker rooms.” The slugger says in the ad, “I played professional baseball for fifteen years, but my family is more important.” He explains, “My wife and I have four daughters. Proposition 1 would allow troubled men who claim to be women to enter women’s bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms. It’s better to prevent this danger by closing women’s restrooms to men, rather than waiting for a crime to happen. Join me to stop the violation of privacy and discrimination against women.”
Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as a prosecutor and an associate judge in Texas. Follow her on Twitter@LanaShadwick2