You know one of the unfortunate things about former Presidential hopeful Rick Perry is people paint a broad picture about what the folks in the great state of Texas are like.Not everyone who lives there are homophobes any more than in any other state. In fact most likely many don't think about those who are pro-LGBT but the LGBTs themselves who live there.
Case in point as reported by The Dallas Voice, Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker who not only rules the bench but does so as an out and proud lesbian.
Tuesday evening she spoke before the group Stonewall Democrats of Dallas during its monthly meeting. Parker herself is a member of the group.
In her remarks as quoted by DV she said, “I have the power, of course, to perform marriage ceremonies,” Parker said. “I don’t.”
She followed up that remark with, “I use it as my opportunity to give them a lesson about marriage inequality in this state because I feel like I have to tell them why I’m turning them away,” Parker said. “So I usually will offer them something along the lines of ‘I’m sorry. I don’t perform marriage ceremonies because we are in a state that does not have marriage equality, and until it does, I am not going to partially apply the law to one group of people that doesn’t apply to another group of people.’ And it’s kind of oxymoronic for me to perform ceremonies that can’t be performed for me, so I’m not going to do it.”
So before you put down Texas because of Perry, the Bush's or even JR Ewing, remember there are a lot of great folks deep in the heart of Texas like Judge Parker.
