Tarrant County College student groups are hosting several Pride Month events, one of which is partnering with LGBTQ S.A.V.E.S, an organization that supports transitioning minors.
“Celebrate Pride Month with us! Join us for an inspiring event featuring, Sharon Herrera, the Founder and Executive Director of LGBTQ S.A.V.E.S. There will be crafts, yard games, chalk writing of encouragement, and activities for individuals to participate in. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Food will be provided,” TCC’s website states. Trinity River Student Activities is organizing the event.
LGBTQ S.A.V.E.S provides minors with transition resources, such as links to a “Texas Name and Gender Marker Change” Facebook group, the National Center for Transgender Equality, and the Wikipedia page for “Texas Name and Gender Marker Change.”
“Name and Gender Marker changes may be done through ANY county in Texas, it does not have to be the county you reside in. Some counties may be more LGBTQ friendly than others – Tarrant county has a reputation for denying applicants, while Bexar and Travis counties are reported to be the most friendly and easy to navigate,” the LGBTQ S.A.V.E.S website reads.
Another event, scheduled for June 17, is called “Pride: Fun in the Sun,” where students can create customized “tie dyed shirts” and swim in a pool and play water games. Northwest Student Activities is organizing the event.
This is not the first time that TCC has held such events.
Last year, TCC hosted an “LGBTQIA+ History Month: Pizza and Pronoun,” where students ate pizza and learned about gender ideology.
“Students can enjoy free pizza while learning about:
- The ways gender identity diversity is changing communication best practices,
- Pronouns beyond she and he,
- The negative impact of misgendering people and the Title IX implications that has, and
- Action items for gender-inclusive communication.
Title IX Presentation presented by Jeremie Middleton, Deputy Title IX Coordinator,” the TCC website states. South Student Activities is organizing the event.
TCC also has a “TCC Cares: LGBTQIA+” page, which serves as a resource page of links for LGBTQ organizations.
Such organizations include The Trevor Project, Trans Lifeline, Equality Texas, and others.
TCC also has a “diversity and inclusion” council.
“Tarrant County College’s intentional approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion affirms the intersectionality and simultaneous influence of identifiers such as gender, religion, sexual orientation, race, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, ability (physical or cognitive), linguistic heritage, cultural expression, and military-connected status,” the council claims.
There’s been criticism over these events.
“My tax dollars are supporting an ideology that is destroying our youth!” Fort Worth resident Carol Guarnieri posted in a Facebook comment.
Some, however, have shown support for Pride Month events.
“Pride events are important and very much welcome in Dallas. They provide safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals to celebrate who they are, rather than hiding parts of themselves. I grew up in a part of the U.S. where there wasn’t a single openly gay person in my hometown,” Dallas City Council Member Chad West (District 1) said, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The Dallas Express reached out to TCC Board members but did not receive a response by the time of publication.