You want to know why I supported Jared Woodfill for another term as the Harris County Republican Party Chair? Because he isn’t afraid to stand up for what is right and what the majority of Harris County Republicans support. Being a spokesperson for the party is critical – I fear that in the future, obnoxious provisions such as letting men cruise women’s restrooms will pass because no one will be there to stand against them. Jared fought and fought hard against the ordinance and specifically that obnoxious provision. Today, Houston Mayor Annise Parker dropped the provision.
Conservative groups have taken issue with a paragraph that states: “It shall be unlawful for any place of public accommodation or any employee or agent thereof to intentionally deny any person entry to any restroom, shower room, or similar facility if that facility is consistent with and appropriate to that person’s expression of gender identity.”
(click here to read the original article by Olivia Pulsinelli in the Houston Business Journal)
Make no mistake, this would not have happened without Jared’s involvement. It saddens me that some Republicans in Harris County criticized him for his opposition to the measure. As a father of two daughters and now one granddaughter, I appreciated his efforts. I reached out to him and he was still not happy because he wants the entire ordinance to be defeated.
I was encouraged by the thousands of individuals who stood against the Mayor’s liberal, personal agenda for the City of Houston. We will soon find out whether she is listening. Regardless of the result, this is just one battle in a larger cultural we must win!
While I agree with his ultimate goal and wish that the Mayor of Houston would concentrate on fixing potholes, I still think that his efforts were very much worthwhile. And I’m very disappointed that Paul Simpson, Chair-elect of the Harris County Republican Party, remained silent on the issue.
Look, I’m very much on record as supporting a national NDO law and in support of two individuals, regardless of sex, being able to marry and live their lives without discrimination. But the idea that the intimacy of little children going to a restroom can be violated by perverts under the guise of “law” is revolting. And my revulsion has nothing to do with transgendered people – if you have already had the surgery, obviously you have ‘put your money where your mouth is’ so to speak, so that is a non-issue. Men entering women’s restrooms and then claiming that they are protected because Annise Parker says so is ridiculous.
Thank you Jared.