JARRELL, Texas – Después de varias apelaciones a oficiales escolares y de distritos, a una estudiante lesbiana de preparatoria en una ciudad pequeña de Texas, se le permitirá llevar a su pareja del mismo sexo a la fiesta “prom” mañana por la noche (sábado).

La estudiante Allison Brawley de dieciocho años, tuvo que luchar para conseguir ese derecho. Todo comenzó en febrero cuando el director de su escuela sugirió que Brawley y su novia llevaran, cada una, a un invitado hombre como pareja oficial al prom para no romper con las reglas de la fiesta que prohíbe asistencia a parejas del mismo sexo. Pero esa no fue una solución satisfactoria para ella.

“Honestamente, prefiero tener los mismo derechos que todos los demás.”

Con la ayuda de su madre, apeló al comisario del distrito presentándole una petición con firmas de más de la mitad de los estudiantes y algunos maestros apoyando su petición. Pero no fe hasta que Brawley pidió que la Unión de Libertades Civiles de Texas (ACLU, por sus siglas en inglés) se involucrara, que el distrito cambió el reglamento sobre parejas del mismo sexo para el prom.

Stephanie Bauman, abogada con la ACLU de Texas, fue quien negoció con los abogados del distrito escolar, y dice que su organización con frecuencia interviene en casos como este en otras partes del país, usualmente sin tener que llegar a una demanda legal.

“En la mayoría de los casos, una vez que se inicia la conversación, el distrito entiende que lo que se pide es lo que se debe hacer, y terminan permitiendo que los estudiantes lleven a parejas del mismo sexo al prom. Por lo menos últimamente estos casos se han resuelto de manera amistosa.”

Brawley planea estudiar Bioquímica en la Universidad Southwestern el próximo semestre. Dice que ve como está evolucionando rápidamente la opinión pública de los derechos de las personas LGBT, aún en ciudades pequeñas como Jarrell, y acredita a sus colegas y amigos por tomar ese camino.

“En verdad creo que muchas personas de mi edad son más abiertos y no les molesta las parejas o matrimonios del mismo sexo. Espero que algún día logremos matrimonio entre parejas del mismo sexo en Texas. Sería en verdad fantástico.”

También dice que se siente orgullosa de haber abierto las puertas para otras parejas del mismo sexo que quieran atender a proms futuros. Aunque ha recibido comentarios negativos por parte de algunos estudiantes y maestros, dice que la mayoría apoyan su esfuerzo.

Bauman con el ACLU dice que existe una lección para otros estudiantes LGBT de Texas.

“Si sienten que los están tratando de manera distinta bajo cualquier circunstancia - no solo el prom - poder ver que defenderse a si mismos es una manera que funciona y puede traer resultados positivos.”

Añade que aunque parezca que en las ciudades pequeñas del país se está incrementando la aceptación de derechos civiles y gays, un cambio así no sucede de la noche a la mañana. Solo hace dos años, una preparatoria en Fulton, Mississippi, canceló su prom en lugar de dejar que una pareja del mismo sexo atendiera después de que la ACLU prevaleció ante la corte representando a la estudiante lesbiana.



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The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas says it is monitoring protests at college campuses, after almost 60 students protesting the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were arrested during a demonstration at the University of Texas in Austin.

State troopers on horses and in riot gear were called in to control the crowd. ACLU Staff Attorney Brian Klosterboer said students planning to participate in peaceful protests should know their rights.

"We encourage everyone to follow the guidance of law enforcement even if they believe that law enforcement might be violating their First Amendment or constitutional rights," said Klosterboer. "It's important that people try to stay safe. Remember, they also have a right to remain silent. You can ask if you are free to leave."

Charges were dropped against the protesters in Austin. Students also held a sit-in at the University of Texas in Dallas and a walkout was held at the University of Texas in Arlington.

Following the arrests of the protesters, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on the social media platform X that the students belonged in jail, and accused them of hate speech.

Klosterboer said when state officials attack free speech, they undermine the core of democracy.

"Texas public universities were specifically designated by Gov. Abbott as traditional public forums," said Klosterboer. "That's where students and others who are engaging in any kind of speech, whether it's passing out Bibles and religious literature or engaging in protests for human rights. That's where free speech is at its apex."

He added that if someone feels their civil liberties have been violated, they can file a complaint on the ACLU website.

The demonstrations in Texas are part of nationwide protests calling for a ceasefire between the Israeli forces and Hamas.





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The Montana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has filed class-action lawsuit challenging a measure barring people from listing a gender on their birth certificate other than the one they were born with.

Montana lawmakers passed Senate Bill 280 in 2021, which requires a court order to change gender on a birth certificate. A state court issued an injunction against the measure but now the state health department has put a total ban on changes to sex designations on birth certificates.

Akilah Deernose, executive director of the ACLU of Montana, called the measure part of a "concerted and unrelenting attack" on the civil rights of people who identify as transgender.

"We've previously sued on the birth certificate issue," Deernose pointed out. "Once again, we're seeing the state implement laws and rules and policies that unfairly target transgender people."

On the other side, some people argued birth certificates contain vital statistics and should be based on the facts at the time of birth. The suit awaits action in state court.

Deernose noted beyond privacy rights, the birth certificate measure has the potential to force a person to declare themselves to be someone other than who they are, based on their declared identity.

"And who they know themselves to be," Deernose observed. "That puts them at risk of discrimination and also forces them to out themselves every time they share those identity documents."

The suit also challenges a motor vehicle department policy forbidding changing sex designations on driver's licenses.

New York state lawmakers have appointed members to the Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, created through legislation Gov. Kathy Hochul signed in 2023.

Its goal is to examine the legacy of slavery and its continuing impacts on black New Yorkers. The commission will develop a report outlining recommendations for addressing these inequities.

Linda J. Mann, co-founder of the African American Redress Network, said there is one problem facing the commission: a lack of funds.

"It is absolutely imperative that funds for these types of task force, because of the amount of research that's going into it, is an imperative," Mann emphasized.

While the bill had plenty of Democratic support, it drew the ire of Republican lawmakers.

Many areas of the country are determining how to redress past disparities Black people face. A recent report found philanthropies have received millions in funds stemming from depriving Black people of opportunities to build wealth similar to those of their white counterparts.

The New York commission will have to present its findings in 2025.

A 2021 Pew Research survey showed three-quarters of Black Americans surveyed support reparations, while only 18% of white Americans support it.

Along with the U.S., countries worldwide are navigating reparations, with Mann noting they are not always compensatory.

"We're not talking about just altering economic wellness," Mann pointed out. "There's other ways in which historical harms have led to disparities in education, in health, in housing."

Beyond New York, California is the only other state to have created a reparations commission. California's reparations task force recommended some compensatory reparations based on factors such as health harms, mass incarceration and over-policing, housing discrimination and the devaluation of African American businesses. But, it wasn't certain how much all of this would amount to.