Texas
STATUS: Anti-relationship recognition constitutional amendment
TAKE ACTION: State advocacy groups are working toward fairness for all of Texas' families by overturning a constitutional amendment that prohibits relationship recognition for same-sex couples in the state.
HISTORY: In 2005, anti-gay forces in Texas pushed through Proposition 2, a constitutional amendment that excludes same-sex couples from marriage and prohibits same-sex couples from attaining any other form of legal family status.
GROUPS ACTIVELY WORKING ON MARRIAGE:
- Equality Texas is a statewide political advocacy organization working to advance the cause of equality for all Texans.
- Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage for same-sex couples nationwide.
- Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.
POLLING DATA: A majority of Texans (61%) support either marriage or civil union for same-sex couples. (Public Policy Polling, February 2013)
NUMBER OF SAME-SEX COUPLES: According to The Williams Institute's analysis of the 2010 U.S. Census, 46,401 same-sex couples are living in Texas, representing 5.2 same-sex couples per 1,000 households.
Blog Posts Related to Texas
Indiana legislature delays vote on anti-gay marriage amendment
Today, legislative leaders from Indiana's House and Senate announced that they would not vote in 2013 on an anti-gay constitutional amendment that proposes to permanently limit the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. The move is the latest example of states in nearly every region of the country taking steps forward rather than backward on the freedom to marry.
Austin City Council unanimously supports the freedom to marry
Today, the Austin City Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting the freedom to marry. The council is now the first city in Texas to officially declare support for ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker champions freedom to marry on The Colbert Report
Last night, Houston mayor Annise Parker, one of the chairs of our Mayors for the Freedom to Marry campaign, was a featured guest on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report. She spoke about her partner, discussed why marriage matters, and referenced the 250 other mayors who stand with her in advocating for the freedom to marry.
Resources Related to Texas
Census 2010: More Gay Parents Raising Children in South
UCLA demographers analyzing 2010 Census Bureau data have found that same-sex couples raising children are more common in the South than in any other region in the United States.
New Poll Shows A Majority of Texans Support Freedom to Marry, Relationship Recognition
The 2010 Texas Lyceum poll shows that a majority of Texans support some form of legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples.
Texas Census Snapshot
Demographic and economic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children in Texas.