SAN ANTONIO — Mayor Ron Nirenberg and the majority of his colleagues on the City Council are taking a stance.
A resolution passed Thursday states the City Council “opposes legislation that is an attack on the safety of trans children and youth including legislation requiring them to compete in athletic competitions based on their sex assigned at birth.”
Mayor Nirenberg says he wanted to pull the resolution in response to several bills filed that he calls discriminatory.
“There has been an effort by some to create solutions to problems that don’t exist, and scapegoat the transgender community for political gain,” Mayor Nirenberg said.
The resolution passed 10-1, with the only "no" vote being Councilmember Clayton Perry. Perry sent a statement to KENS 5 saying: “I seldomly support resolutions brought forward by City Council. Oftentimes, these resolutions bare no teeth and go beyond the ability and responsibility of Council.”
“I fully support individuals’ first amendment rights and believe that issues like these should be handled on an individual basis,” the statement said in part.
Assistant City Manager Jeff Coyle gave a presentation on the topic and said local school districts had no issues with transgender participation in sports.
“The school districts have said they’ve informally communicated to their legislators throughout these sessions that they’ve had no conflicts with transgender participation in sports. But ultimately, school districts would be required to comply with whatever the state law is,” Coyle stated.
The San Antonio Family Foundation opposed the resolution, saying transgender participation in sports can lead to disadvantages for women.
“Men can run faster, jump higher, lift more weights. And when he is competing with her, she has no chance,” Michale Knuffke, president of the San Antonio Family Foundation said.
Ricardo Martinez, CEO for Equality Texas, states this has been the worst year for legislative attacks on the LGBTQ community. He applauds the move by the city council.
“Trans kids need to hear from people in positions of power that they are valued because for years, they have heard the exact opposite,” Martinez said.
“Affirming trans and LGBT kids makes them feel valued, and makes them feel respected, and that can quite literally save lives,” Martinez adds.
Council members like Manny Palaez say the city should be doing its part to be a safe, inclusive place for the LGBTQ community.
“What we’re not facing is a transgender in sports crisis because it doesn’t exist. Anyone who tells you that this is a problem in Texas is misinformed,” Councilmember Palaez stated.
“We deserve better than strawman attacks on truth and on children,” Palaez added.
Several bills seeking to bar transgender children from participating in University Interscholastic League athletic competitions are still being debated in the state legislature.
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