City of Fort Worth officials have created a new committee to advise the city council and the city manager on issues related to the LGBT community.
According to the Director of the city’s Diversity and Inclusion Department, Christina Brooks, the new committee will focus on LGBT concerns, identify equal opportunities for LGBT residents, and provide education on LGBT topics.
The committee is a part of the city’s Human Relations Commission—which is an 11-person council-appointed board that advises the city council and manager on matters “involving racial, religious, or ethnic discrimination” and recommends “to the City Council and the City Manager measures designed to eliminate prejudice and discrimination.”
Members of the Human Relations Committee voted last week to appoint Commissioner Jonah Murray as the subcommittee’s liaison.
Murray is tied to a community center in Fort Worth called Finn’s Place. The center claims to be a “safe space for the trans community to gather and access resources, educate the community about trans and LGBTQ+ people and their experiences, and create opportunities for trans joy.”
The vote came just months after the committee’s formal creation and was first introduced by Murray. Murray began working on the committee to create a “pipeline for queer voices to be continually heard by the city of Fort Worth.”
The committee is set to be comprised of 11 members that represent each of the city council districts and will be appointed by the Chair of Human Relations Karen Johnson.
Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French told Texas Scorecard that the city needs to stop focusing on radical social agendas.
“Once again our great city of Fort Worth is doubling down on the radical transgender agenda at great expense to our taxpayers. No Republicans and the majority of Democrat voters reject this anti-science danger to our community,” said French. “Fort Worth should focus on law and order, trash, and our streets and quit pushing radical social causes.”
“I have always maintained an open-door policy and welcome the opportunity to meet with any group, formal committee, or constituency to ensure our city remains welcoming to all,” Mayor Mattie Parker told Texas Scorecard. “I previously had full confidence in the Human Relations Commission (HRC) to fulfill this important role, as that is their charge.”
Parker said the creation of the subcommittee “was not initiated by the mayor’s office, nor was I aware of its formation.” She advised citizens to direct questions about the necessity of the committee to the commission chair and Christina Brooks. “Regardless, my commitment to being accessible to all members of the community remains unchanged,” added Parker.
