Harris County commissioners voted 4-1 to create a new “LGBTQ+ commission” in an effort to promote “equality” in Texas’ most populous county.

Last month, the court appointed Dr. Cody Pyke, a biological man who believes himself to be a woman, to the Harris Health System Board of Trustees. Although nominated by Commissioner Lesley Briones, Pyke earned his medical doctorate at Baylor College of Medicine, but he has limited experience in the medical field.

On Tuesday, Briones filed a motion to create the county’s first “LGBTQ+ commission.”

The move follows  Gov. Greg Abbott’s approval of a bill to ban gender mutilation procedures for children. Senate Bill 14 by State Sen. Donna Campbell (R–New Braunfels) protects children from being chemically castrated by puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and from receiving mutilative surgeries to “transition” them.

Similar legislation has been enacted into law in states like Louisiana and Nebraska.

However, while child protection advocates see SB 14 as a long-sought accomplishment, the Harris County commissioners called it “harmful and discriminatory.”

“The Human Rights Campaign has declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQIA+ people for the first time in its history following a slate of harmful and discriminatory legislation across the nation,” Briones said. “Representation matters. This Commission will ensure voices of the LGBTQIA+ community are front and center in the County’s decision-making processes.”

Members of the commission will be appointed by the court, where they will assist and provide recommendations to improve economic, social, health, and safety outcomes for the community.

Brady Gray, a board member of Texas Family Project, said citizens of Harris County need to start demanding their commissioners find solutions to real problems rather than focusing on woke agendas.

While residents of Harris County are struggling to pay their outrageous tax bills, the commissioners court is focusing on woke agendas to no benefit of their constituents. It seems nothing is safe from the indoctrination of these perverse agendas. The idea that a commissioners court should concern itself with the sexual orientation of citizens is absent logic. Citizens of Harris County should take note of what their commissioners are wasting time on and demand they focus on solutions for all residents, not a tiny percentage of those they see as politically profitable.

Emily Medeiros

Emily graduated from the University of Oklahoma majoring in Journalism. She is excited to use her research and writing skills to report on important issues around Texas.

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