GetEQUAL Texas Issues San Antonio Travel Alert for LGBT Tourists

GetEQUAL Texas, an organization seeking for empowerment of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community issued a travel warning for LGBTs who are planning to visit San Antonio Tuesday. The travel warning is effective until September 6.

The travel warning issued specific precautions to LBGT travelers and visitors such as avoiding traveling alone in the city, visiting only LGBT-friendly establishments and being aware of one's surroundings. The group even included a link to a website where one could find LGBT-friendly establishments in the city.

According to the Co-Lead Organizer of GetEQUAL Texas, Jay Morris, he has experienced repeated discrimination in the city. In a report by Edge on the Net, Morris shared his experience of having been discriminated and of the city police department not taking action.

"Having been raised in San Antonio, I've experienced discrimination repeatedly within the borders of the city. Despite calling the San Antonio Police Department after being the victim of a violent hate crime, I was removed from the building and my attackers walked free. No police report was filed and I had no mechanism after the attack to report the incident or to help prevent such an event from happening in the future."

Morris also said that he was worried that other LGBT residents and travelers might share the same fate.

Reports say that the travel warning was issued due to the heated debate and meetings over San Antonio's proposed nondiscrimination ordinance. Recently, councilors such as Elisa Chan have been quite vocal about being opposed to passing the ordinance.

Chan made it to the headlines this past week for her anti-gay rants caught on tape. The recording was taken by James Stevens, Chan's aide who has since retired from his job.

In a report by KSAT, GetEQUAL Texas member Mitsue McCoy also spoke out about the travel warning.

"We feel like we have a responsibility to let people who are coming in to the city, visiting or people that live here to know what the current state of things is," said McCoy. "There are no federal protections in place. There are no state protections in place. There are protections in the city in place."

Mayor Julian Castro, who supports gay marriage and San Antonio's 2011 adoption benefits for domestic partners of city employees, says that the travel alert might hurt the city in a report by My San Antonio.

"This advisory unnecessarily stands to hurt the city. The fact is that San Antonio always has been and remains welcoming to all," Castro said.