Texas is way more queer than you think. Don't let politicians tell you otherwise. Welcome to Big & Bright 🌈⭐👏, our glittering corner of the internet celebrating the full spectrum of queer life in the Lone Star State. Kind Clinic and Texas Health Action are underwriting our original reporting and curation of queer Texas culture and news. All essays, reporting, and analysis are editorially independent.
Love this coverage? Big & Bright brings Queer Texas straight to your inbox — the fight, the joy, and the community politicians wish you couldn't see.
News
The state attorney general, Ken Paxton, is on a roll. Lately he’s targeted endangered lizards, the State Fair of Texas, and transgender Texans of all ages — and this time he’s suing the Biden Administration to make sure there are no protections for LGBTQIA+ children in foster care (a
Culture
Oh noooooooo. In a devastating turn of events, LGBTQIA+ advocates have begun email-spamming the state with links to sex toys, porn, and the entire script from the cult-classic absurd animated film “Bee Movie” over a new anti-trans policy, which banned Texans from changing the sex listed on
Arts & Entertainment
“The most rewarding part of stories,” said author Jonny Garza Villa at a book signing hosted by Austin’s Little Gay Shop, is “realizing that I can write something that’s hyperspecific, a Mexican-American experience in a specific city in Texas, and how what that character is going through
Health
The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed on Tuesday that transgender Texans will no longer be able to change the sex on their birth certificates to reflect their gender identity, a ban that comes just weeks after the state halted Texans from changing the sex listed on driver’s
News
Editor’s Note: This story discusses transphobia. For LGBTQIA+ youth in need of mental health support, call the Trevor Project’s 24/7 toll-free support line at 866-488-7386. Additional resources can be found at Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 and the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which
Crime & Justice
Editor’s note: This story mentions threats of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community. When the clock struck noon on Sunday, June 9, patrons were excitedly lined up to get into The Brewtorium in North Austin for its monthly Legendary Drag Brunch — a “fabulous day of fun” marketed online with glamorous