AUSTIN, Texas — LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are asking the United Nations to intervene in Texas.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Equality Texas, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign and the University of Texas's School of Law Human Rights Clinic sent a letter to the UN on Monday.
Their letter claims at least seven Texas laws violate international human rights – Senate bills 12, 14, 15, 17, 763 and House bills 900 and 2127. Some of that legislation is working its way through the courts.
"The State of Texas blatantly disregards its responsibilities and obligations to uphold the standard of human rights as described in the ICCPR by targeting the LGBTQIA+ community with laws that seek to invalidate their lived experiences, prevent them from participating in society and ultimately, seeking to erase them from the public sphere," the letter reads.
Laws mentioned in the letter that are the subject of legal disputes include SB 14, which bans gender-affirming care for minors. It also mentions SB 17, which restricts diversity offices at Texas universities.
The petition points to more than 140 proposed bills from last spring's legislative session, including bills focused on the participation of transgender athletes in school sports.
It calls on the UN to recommend the federal government repeal laws restricting rights based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The groups allege the seven Texas laws violate the LGBTQ+ community’s right to privacy, health, education, freedom of religion and belief, freedom of expression and equal treatment.
KVUE reached out to Attorney General Ken Paxton's office about the letter, but we have not received a response.