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Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is demonstrating his disregard for international law, despite no action being taken against Texas so far.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has demonstrated his disregard for international law after human rights groups accused Texas' anti-LGBTQ+ legislation of violating human rights.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Equality Texas, GLAAD, and the Human Rights Campaign submitted a report last month to 17 independent experts, working groups, and special rapporteurs calling attention to the deteriorating human rights situation for LGBTQ+ people in Texas. In their 37-page Joint Allegation Letter, the groups examined several critical pieces of recently enacted legislation that they say is a comprehensive assault on the rights of the queer community.
In response to the serious accusations, Abbott completely dismissed the agency tasked with upholding international law, which has not yet publicly responded to the letter, nor stated they will be taking action or even investigating the state further.
“The UN can go pound sand,” Abbott wrote Sunday on Twitter/X, in response to a month-old article on the story.
It is not the first time Abbott has told the agency to "pound sand," as he used those exact words in 2021 after UN Secretary-General António Guterres suggested that the state would be more profitable in the future if it was less dependent on oil and gas.
The January letter from human rights groups cited the state's bans on gender-affirming care for minors, DEI initiatives in public universities, drag shows, transgender athletes, and “sexually explicit” library content, which is often used against age appropriate LGBTQ+ literature.
CEO of Equality Texas, Ricardo Martinez, told The Advocate in an exclusive interview at the time that the laws have "made it hard for us to navigate life in Texas."
“It comes down to privacy. It comes down to whether or not we want government interference in our daily lives. And I think that impacts everyone,” he said. “If we allow for the rights of some to be trodden upon, it is a slippery slope that will happen to others.”
