The Republican Party of Texas (RPT) adopted a new platform at its biennial convention in Houston on Saturday that calls homosexuality “an abnormal lifestyle choice.”
The statement is part of a section in the 40-page platform titled “Homosexuality and Gender Issues.” Party platforms are a list of guiding principles characteristic of the party, though elected officials are not bound to follow them.
“We believe there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior, regardless of state of origin,” the platform document states.
The section also includes a call to oppose “all efforts to validate transgender identity” and a ban on offering transgender hormones or surgeries to anyone under 21. Opposition to using taxpayer money for such procedures is expressed in the section, and the platform pushes support for conversion therapy.
Public funding for “homosexuality, transgender or diversity-equity-inclusion centers” is also opposed.
Chris Halbohn said the line calling homosexuality “abnormal” was “an unnecessarily gratuitous addition to the Republican Party of Texas’ platform.”
Halbohn is president of the Log Cabin Republicans of Houston, an organization that represents LGBTQ conservatives.
“We exist to advance that niche voice within the Republican Party, because there are plenty of gay conservatives out there, there are plenty of lesbian conservatives out there, and plenty of trans conservatives out there,” Halbohn told KUT 90.5 on Saturday.
Halbohn added that he does agree with the portion opposing special treatment for people who identify as LGBTQ.
Jonathan Saenz, the president of Texas Values, told The Dallas Express that this section of the platform is necessary because “Texans should be free to believe — and not punished by the government — for following their faith principles on issues of sexuality.”
“This includes expressing concerns about, and opposing, a homosexual lifestyle,” Saenz added. “Whereas once some LGBT Americans touted the idea that ‘what happens in the privacy of one’s bedroom shouldn’t matter,’ we now see some LGBT advocates pushing extreme policies, and graphic LGBT content has entered public school libraries and classrooms while government schools are hiding it from parents. Thus, it appears a response has become necessary.”
At the convention, Senator Ted Cruz spoke in opposition to what he called the “woke” agenda from the left and Disney’s new Lightyear movie, which includes a scene showing a same-sex couple kissing.
“Like, just leave the kids alone,” Cruz said. “Consenting adults, you can do what you want to do, but this culture assault is driven by radical leftists who want to tear down America.”
The RPT has consistently rejected the Log Cabin Republican’s application to place a booth at its biennial conventions, including this year.
David Palmer, public relations director of the Log Cabin Republicans Houston chapter, said there is no legitimate reason for the rejections.
“This is a political organization and not a church group,” Palmer said. “I think that the rules of the Republican Party of Texas have been disproportionately used against us to keep us from having a presence at the convention.”
The decision to deny the group a booth this year was criticized by many national Republicans, including Donald Trump Jr., the son of former president Donald Trump.
“The Texas GOP should focus its energy on fighting back against the radical democrats and weak RINOs currently trying to legislate our 2nd Amendment rights away, instead of canceling a group of gay conservatives who are standing in the breach with us,” Trump Jr. told Breitbart.
The Log Cabin Republicans national chapter issued a statement after its most recent rejection by the RPT, calling the decision “narrow-minded” and “politically short-sighted.”
“The Texas Republican Party has an opportunity to play a pivotal role in our shared victory — but weak leadership that compromises the party’s appeal to a new generation of voters … should reassess their priorities,” the statement said. “Losers don’t get to change the course of the nation — only winners. And inclusion wins.”
Jack Finger, a precinct chairman from San Antonio, supports excluding LGBTQ Republicans from the convention.
“Their ideas we consider are, quite frankly, evil,” Finger said. “We think their ideals will destroy our society.”
During the convention, anti-LGBTQ flyers were distributed, including one titled “Be Alert and Aware of the Homosexual Agenda.”
Some Republicans concede that they are not entirely aligned with their party platform on the topic.
“I have a real issue with people here — how are you going to tell me that you don’t stand firm on our principles, but you don’t want another group in because you don’t think they do,” Jessica Steels, a delegate from College Station, said.
She added that the party’s principles should not exclude LGBTQ people.
“Do I have a problem with [LGBTQ people]? Absolutely not,” Steels said. “Are they my comrades-in-arms on the side of conservatism? Yes, they are.”
