Representatives from Equality Texas and Atticus Circle said at a rally Monday that they never want to hear another Texas legislator say "I don't have any gay people in my district."
The two groups organized a rally at the Capitol promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights among Texas state representatives.
"With over a million LGBT Texans, we deserve and need more from this Legislature," said Paul Scott, executive director of Equality Texas.
The rally specifically promoted nine bills currently pending in the House. The proposed bills cover discrimination laws based on sexual orientation and gender identity, hate crime laws and the right to change the gender on birth certificates and identification. The rally also supported a bill creating a statewide hotline and Web site to report acts of bullying and harassment.
"Most people don't realize that intimate relationships between people of the same sex are still illegal in the Texas Constitution, despite being made legal by the Supreme Court," said Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, who spoke at the rally.
While no pro-gay marriage bills have been introduced, Equality Texas used the rally to urge lawmakers to create pro-gay marriage bills in the near future.
"Over 30 years of empirical evidence says the sexual orientation and gender identity of a child's parents does not make a difference," Scott said. "LGBT make wonderful parents and create wonderful homes."
Young Conservatives of Texas Chairman and government junior Tony McDonald believes the issue transcends morality.
"Traditional marriage is a very important stabilizing institution in our country, and I believe maintaining that institution is a legitimate political and philosophical position that is not rooted in hate," McDonald said. "I don't like the demagogic LGBT organizations ... that [say] because I don't support homosexual marriage, it means I hate homosexuals, which is completely untrue."
The group said they hoped to use its gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members' personal life stories to sway legislators.
Kevin DeCloux, a group member, became an activist after his partner of nine years was unable to work and could not be covered by DeCloux's benefits at his job.
"They completely devalued my relationship," DeCloux said. "We're here at the Capitol today to make sure every citizen is given the full amount of rights the Constitution promises."
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