Texas Senator wants to change the legislation on ‘hurtful’ remarks on Homosexuality

What the legislator has to remark on homosexuality?

Two measures were filed by the Texas Senator, Nathan Johnson (D Dallas) to make the state more accepting of persons who are involved in homosexual relationships. 
The language that same-sex partnerships are illegal would be removed by one of the legislation, and the family code would be changed to be less gender-specific. The 
Texas lawmaker said: “I find it disgusting that this stuff is still on the books, frankly.”
Texas
Source- Dallas Morning News

 

Johnson’s Senate Bill 82 would delete language declaring “homosexuality” is unlawful as well as several provisions governing how educators must teach sex education in Texas schools. 
Additionally, Senate Bill 81 eliminates language that would have made same-sex sexual activity illegal and modifies the family law to use the term “spouse” rather than “husband and wife” Texas Senator added

What do the contemporary laws say about homosexuality?

One of the current laws states, “Homosexual activity is not an acceptable lifestyle and is a criminal violation under Section 21.06.”

The second regulation relating to how educators should instruct kids about sex in Texas remarks, “Emphasis, delivered in a factual way and from a public health perspective, that homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal violation.”

Texas Homosexual Conduct Law states-

Consensual intercourse between two members of the same gender was expressly forbidden by the Texas Homosexual Conduct Law up until 2003. In its decision in Lawrence v. Texas from 2003, the United States Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional. Three of the nine justices disagreed, arguing that the Texas statute should be upheld, while the other six joined the court’s decision.
According to Johnson, the proposals repeal “the current unlawful restriction on homosexual activity.”

“The Texas legislation violates the Constitution according to Supreme Court precedent, but in recent years, the Supreme Court has a history of overturning precedent. And we might find ourselves in a situation where the the State laws’ unconstitutionality is reversed, in which case, similar to when Roe v. Wade was overturned, “we will have an effective prohibition on homosexual conduct,” he added.

Also Read- Who is Cody Fern? Is he Bixesual or Gay?

In accordance with Texas law, instructors of sexual education or courses on sexually transmitted diseases must emphasise that “homosexuality” is not a permissible way of life and is therefore unlawful.

Texas
ACLU

“I don’t want it to happen anymore if any teachers are talking like that to students, Johnson added. “I believe that we contribute to the issue as long as we support a culture of fear, intolerance, and discrimination,”

Johnson expressed doubt that these proposals will be approved during the upcoming session but expressed optimism nonetheless. He said that he believes Republican lawmakers could be reluctant to endorse them if they face upcoming primaries.

“I don’t like just filing obscene statement bills. First of all, though, these aren’t absurd. These are serious, and I mean it,” he declared. “I also believe that we need to give individuals a chance to act morally.”

“Why would Texas have a law on the books that is unlawful in our opinion? And that we are aware that it offends and disrespects a sizeable segment of our population?” Senator further added.