How LGBTQIA+ Texans Can Protect Their Rights Right Now

We'd rather you have more than you need and not need it, than need it and not have it.

• Texas is on the brink of rolling back key LGBTQIA+ protections.

• If Obergefell is overturned, marriage equality could vanish at the state level. Trans rights may erode further.

• Take protective legal steps now, while you still can, to safeguard yourself and your loved ones.

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What’s Actually at Risk for LGBTQIA+ Texans?

We recently met with an attorney from Lambda Legal who offered a sobering warning. Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, may be challenged soon. If repealed, states like Texas could revert to old laws defining marriage strictly as between one man and one woman that were never taken off the books once marriage equality became law of the Federal Land, so to speak.

That means same-sex marriages could stop being recognized if you haven’t already tied the knot. In tandem, Texas is also expected to roll back laws around name and gender marker changes on legal documents. The legal landscape for LGBTQIA+ people in Texas is shifting fast and not in our favor.

Why Waiting Could Put You at Risk

When laws are repealed, it doesn’t just change the policy. It shakes our sense of safety. It creates confusion, fear, and instability in families that deserve peace and protection.

For instance, couples who haven’t formalized their relationship could lose access to hospital visits, end-of-life decisions, and financial rights. Trans and nonbinary people could lose the ability to correct their IDs, opening the door to discrimination.

Moreover, lack of clarity on these issues means we might not know what we’ve lost until it’s already gone. That makes now the most important time to act.

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Four Things You Can Do Right Now to Stay Protected

We have the chance to take action today. Start with these steps:

• Assign powers of attorney. Make your partner your durable power of attorney, medical power of attorney, and financial power of attorney.

• Get remarried in a blue state. If you're already married in Texas, consider re-marrying in a strong pro-equality state like New York, California, Massachusetts, or Washington.

• Join National PFLAG. For just $50/year, you’ll fall under Lambda Legal’s legal protection umbrella. You can sign up here: Become a PFLAG Member

• Update your legal documents. If you're trans or nonbinary, go to Travis County—even if you don’t live there—and file for a legal name and gender marker change before September 1.

  
  

These court orders still apply in other states even if Texas reverses protections. Ask for two certified copies: one for court and one for your own secure folder.

Don’t wait. These protections may disappear without warning. Make sure all your paperwork is properly notarized and filed.

You deserve safety, autonomy, and legal protection. Taking these steps now gives you and your loved ones peace of mind, no matter what happens next.

Imagine not having to worry about access to your spouse’s hospital room or whether your legal name will be respected. Picture having all your documents in a single folder, knowing you've done everything you can.

Yes, things are hard. But we can do hard things. The Renaissance came after the Dark Ages. We’re going to keep working toward that better time, together.

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