A new Committee focused on LGTBQ issues has been organized to advise Fort Worth city council members.
The advisory committee will be part of the city’s Human Relations Commission, which is comprised of 11 council-appointed volunteers who advise the council on issues such as religious, ethnic, and racial discrimination.
The Commission voted on Sept. 16 to appoint Jonah Murray as the LGBTQ subcommittee liaison. Murray is the treasurer for Finn’s Place, a non-profit that focuses on helping transgender people in Fort Worth, reported Fort Worth Report.
Finn’s Place has been under public scrutiny for its trans youth initiatives.
“Finn’s Place promotes a summer camp ‘for LGBT youth’ located somewhere in North Texas. Sounds safe, right?” posted Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
“A camp dedicated to ‘trans’ children where they stay out in the wilderness away from their parents? Not great. They also promote therapists that socially transition children, businesses that offer sexual products, and The Kind Clinic, which offers ‘hormone therapy.’” French said.
The city’s director for diversity and inclusion, Christina Brooks, has voiced support for the committee.
“You are talking about a segment of the population who is sometimes invisible, and so this is an opportunity to make sure that their voices are heard on important issues within our community,” Brooks said, reported Fort Worth Report.
Brooks explained that garnering multiple viewpoints can only help the city.
“It’s kind of like asking, ‘Why is there oxygen?’ Because it’s necessary for people to function. When you hear from multiple groups of people and understand different perspectives, we make better decisions as a city.”
Some council members have criticized the committee’s creation, with several feeling blindsided by the volunteer board’s creation.
“This morning’s article in the Fort Worth Report is the first time I have heard about this advisory committee. I am deeply concerned that city staff appear to be pushing their own personal and political agendas rather than holding the Human Relations Commission (HRC) accountable to fulfill the responsibilities they were appointed to carry out. HRC plays a vital role in addressing critical issues affecting our community, and their work must remain focused,” Fort Worth Councilwoman Macy Hill posted on Facebook.
“I’ve shared my concerns with City of Fort Worth City Management and demanded that staff implement City Council-approved policy over their own politics and only with the knowledge of the members of the City Council,” Hill said.