WATCH: Texas Mother Urges LGBTQ Equality for Son at State Capitol

LGBTQ activists held a media event on the South Steps of the Texas Capitol Tuesday morning to urge support for non-discrimination protections.

Participants in the Equality Texas Non Discrimination News Conference spoke on behalf of queer Texans, who face discrimination and legal barriers to equality. Spokespersons at the Feb. 27 event included state representatives, pro-LGBTQ organization leaders, and a mother of twins––one gay and one straight––who said it is time for her sons to be treated fairly under Texas law.

“It is my deep desire to see my gay son live in a world where he is treated with the same dignity and equality as his twin brother,” Felicia Dodd said. “Why is it legal for one son, just because he is gay, to be fired from his job, while my other son will never be fired based on who he is?”

Equality Texas’ new State of the Equality report shows that 930,000 Texans identify as LGBTQ, and sixty-four percent of Texan voters support laws to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination, according to data released by the Public Research Institute. Still, Texas is one of 28 states where there are no statewide laws on protecting queer folks from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

In addition to Dodd, advocates at Equality Texas’ event included pastor Griff Martin, Visit Dallas CEO Phillip Jones, Equality Texas interim executive director Samantha Smoot, Transgriot founder Monica Roberts, state reps Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio), Jessica Farrar (D-Houston), Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso), and Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso).

Watch a live stream of Equality Texas’ Non Discrimination News Conference below.