WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — An administrator at Williamson County facilities said she was fired after hanging an inclusivity poster in her office during Pride month.
Carmen Baez's personality is as bright as her accessories.
"They made me the face of facilities because of my bubbly personality," Baez said.
She said the same job that lifted her up dimmed her light during a time of celebration: Pride month.
She said she had been a Williamson County employee for three years and two days after hanging the poster, she was fired.
"I was terminated, effective immediately, because of the tax dollars being used," Baez said.
She said tax dollars were used for laminating one poster to hang on her already vibrant and colorful office wall. She said her supervisor made her take it down the day she put it up, on June 14.
"He stated out loud that Williamson County facilities is inclusive, but we don't need to show it," Baez said. "He said that I should be happy with the little colors that he does allow me in my office because he can take it down at any moment and change it all to black and white."
She said in 2021, she received verbal warnings for being late following her recovery from surgery and that was also listed as a reason for her termination.
"We've seen a pretty good uptick in cases that involve the LGBTQ+ community," employment lawyer Dan Ross said.
Ross said the uptick happened in 2020 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the federal ban on discrimination based on sex applies to the LGBTQ+ community.
Ross said Baez has a strong case.
"So even if she couldn't prove discrimination, she may be able to prove that during the period of time where they made her take down the poster and the time she was fired, that they violated her right to free speech," Ross said.
Baez knows it will be a long fight but she said keeping her and others' light bright is worth it.
"Going against them is something that I'm terrified of, internally, but I know that if nobody speaks up, what's going to be resolved?" Baez said. "Who you love doesn't reflect what you do on the job."
She said she requested an interview with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and is currently looking for a lawyer.
LULAC, an organization that fights to protect civil rights, is also backing her during this fight. A Williamson County spokesperson said they do not comment on employment matters.