Testimony delivered before the Texas Senate Redistricting Committee
Date: 02/12/2021
Witness: Joshua Tutt
I’d like to thank the committee for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Joshua Tutt. I am a Texas native and a resident of Burleson County, in State Senate District 18. I am also the Vice President of Pride Community Center serving the Brazos Valley area. I am here to represent a marginalized demographic NOT counted on the census: the LGBTQ+ community.
To be blunt, Texas does not have an exemplary history of respecting or protecting the LGBTQ+ community. Texas criminalized us until the United States Supreme Court’s decision on Lawrence vs Texas in 2003. The Texas Constitution (Article 1, Section 32) still refuses to recognize same sex marriage. The Texas legislatures constantly battles over Bathroom bills and the right to turn us away. Nonetheless, we are still here. Queer people are everywhere: rural & urban, red & blue, within racial majorities and minorities. And so you see, you can’t shape your districts around us.
Texas has vibrant LGBTQ+ communities, and gerrymandering anywhere hurts us everywhere. In addition, according to the Williams Institute, 50% of Texas’ LGBTQ+ population are black or brown, so any racial bias in redistricting is also an LGBTQ+ issue On behalf of Texas’ LGBTQ+ community, I demand that you represent us fairly during the redistricting process. To ensure this, here are my recommendations:
• Hold public hearings with public testimony after the 2020 census data is released, and after any maps are proposed. Provide adequate notice to the public about these hearings and an opportunity to review the maps beforehand.
• Explain how the maps were drawn, and why there was any deviation from normal practices.
• Articulate how these maps impact the ability of historically disenfranchised groups to elect candidates of their choice.
• And most importantly, do not look at partisan data while drawing maps, as doing so can artificially distort and consolidate political power.
Please keep me and people like me in mind while you deliberate on the redistricting process. We will be watching with high expectations. Thank you all for your time today.