Houston recently passed a nondiscrimination ordinance protecting the following 15 classes: Sex, Race, Color, Ethnicity, National Origin, Age, Familial Status, Marital Status, Military Status, Religion, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Genetic Information, Gender Identity, and Pregnancy. A leader in the opposition to equality is Pastor Kendall Baker. Here he is speaking before Houston City Council:
When speaking against equality, Pastor Kendall Baker mentioned that he had just ended a 20+ year career with the City of Houston due to failures of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). What Baker failed to mention that he was fired after the OIG determined that he had made lewd comments, sexual advances, engaged in inappropriate touching and solicited sexual acts from the females he was supervising.
“You’re time is up!” said Baker to Mayor Parker, Houston’s out lesbian mayor. Baker asked the council, “What if I came into the restroom here while you were sitting on the toilet? How would you feel?”
As it turns out, the organization leading the anti-trans bathroom meme hyperbole – the Houston Area Pastor Council (HAPC) – attempted to help Baker escape facing any consequences of his own sexual deviancy. David Welch, the leader of the HAPC, denounced Baker’s treatment before the City Council.
At the end of Baker’s rant, Mayor Parker responding to Baker’s aspersions against the OIG saying, “You are proof we do a good job in the OIG, sir.”
Welch, Baker and the rest of HAPC intend to have the Houston equality ordinance repealed though a ballot initiative. Grousing about the equal rights ordinance, Welch said, “Once we correct this grievous act through the ballot this fall we will then remind those members that patronizing a tiny interest group and outgoing mayor instead of serving the people leads to a short political career.” Welch claims that his organization is even considering a recall of Houston’s Mayor and council.
In 2010, Mayor Parker signed an Executive Order making it legal for trans people to use the correct restroom on city property. Welch, Baker and HAPC claimed that the Mayor’s order would lead to “peeping toms” in the women’s restroom.
Although Welch, Baker and HAPC’s dire predictions have now had years to prove themselves true, Houston is still awaiting the promised flood of sexual harassment cases by trans perverts. Now, in 2014, Welch, Baker and HAPC are (ironically) once again making the same argument after they were caught in their own sexual assault scandal.
NOTE: I debated Welch live on Fox and won. We were scheduled to do another debate, but he backed out at the last minute and has been ducking a debate with me since 2010.
Writers for the TransAdvocate work hard to bring you news and commentary. If you found this article meaningful, let the author know that you appreciate the work they do with a tip!
Cristan Williams is a trans historian and pioneer in addressing the practical needs of the transgender community. She started the first trans homeless shelter in the South and co-founded the first federally funded trans-only homeless program, pioneered affordable healthcare for trans people in the Houston area, won the right for trans people to change their gender on Texas ID prior to surgery, started numerous trans social service programs and founded the Transgender Center as well as the Transgender Archives. Cristan is the editor at the social justice sites TransAdvocate.com and TheTERFs.com, is a long-term member and previous chair of the City of Houston HIV Prevention Planning Group.
