Texas State University will remove an LGBT course from its catalog following criticism.
Earlier this week, State Rep. Brian Harrison (R–Midlothian), cited the description of “COMM 3316I: LGBTQ+ Communication Studies” in the Texas State Course Catalog. Harrison specifically highlighted the use of the words “resistance” and “justice” as they pertain to the LGBT communities.
He accused Texas State University of promoting “transgender resistance” and “transgender justice.” Harrison furthermore asked why the Texas State system was allowing this activity.
🚨Despicable!… WORSE… I just found out that Texas State University is literally indoctrinating students in TRANSGENDER “RESISTANCE” and TRANSGENDER “JUSTICE!”
Why are @GregAbbott_TX‘s Regents at @txst allowing this!!?? https://t.co/qpau8IlOhd pic.twitter.com/LIfkkHNiSy
— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) September 16, 2025
According to Texas State’s most recent course syllabus, the class was taught by Dr. Elizabeth Eger.
Dr. Eger’s official university biography lists “Communication and Gender,” “Work, Identity, and Difference,” “Diversity and Communication,” and “LGBTQ+ Studies” among her teaching interests. The same page names “Difference and Intersectionality,” “LGBTQ+ Work and Health,” “Transgender and Queer Communication,” and “Social Justice, Engaged, and Applied Scholarship” as research interests.
Eger states her pronouns as “she/her” in the course syllabus.
The syllabus also contains a land acknowledgement: “We wish to acknowledge this land on which Texas State University exists and operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Jumano, Cibolo, Cantona, Casquesa, and Coahuiltecan tribes.”
Among the required readings is “Juliet Takes a Breath.” The Amazon description calls it a book about “a self-proclaimed closeted Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx.”
The description adds that the main character “learns what it means to come out–to the world, to her family, to herself.”
One writing project for the class is an “LGBTQ+ Identities Infographic + Reflection” mini-paper that requires students to “research ‘one letter’ of our beautiful 2SLGBTQIAP+ identities.”
An assigned project is to bring “peer-reviewed research on LGBTQ+ Communication Studies to Wikipedia.” The syllabus described this as “Queering and Transing” the website.
The course was last offered in the Spring 2024 semester. A Texas State spokesperson stated this is the only time Texas State has ever offered this course and that it would be removed from the course catalog shortly.
As of September 18, the course is still listed.
The catalog also lists another “LGBTQ+ Communication” course. The description states that the class explores “historical and contemporary developments of LGBTQ+ rhetoric, advocacy, and communication.”
Harrison’s criticism comes as the university’s board of regents has been given new curriculum oversight authority under Senate Bill 37.
Texas State University is a component institution of the Texas State University System. It is overseen by a board of regents that is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate.
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