‘Houston Five’ Denounce Texas Legislators Who Voted Against Women’s Privacy

In a new video, a group of Texas pastors are promoting SB 6, the Texas Privacy Act, in an unorthodox way. The pastors are awarding 10 Texas State Senators with a Texas Toilet Seat Award, an ignominious award that shows they voted against SB 6. 

SB 6, also known as the Texas “bathroom bill,” requires all adults to use bathrooms matching their “biological sex” in public buildings. The bill passed the Texas Senate in a 21-10 vote but has faced opposition in the Republican-led State House of Representatives. House Speaker Joe Straus has publicly said he opposes the bill. 

Pastor Steve Riggle, executive pastor of Grace Community Church, told Charisma News it’s unorthodox for pastors to launch a shame campaign, but desperate times require desperate measures. 

“Most of you would think pastors would never stoop to this, and you’re right,” Riggle said. “But we’re fed up. And the only way that we think we’re going to get your attention is if we mark you in some way, so we’re doing it. How could 10 Senators in the state of Texas not vote to protect women’s privacy in the most intimate of settings?” 

Riggle said it wouldn’t stop there. The video is designed to hold Texas House representatives accountable to both bring up SB 6 for a vote and vote yes on the bill. 

“I’m just one, but I promise [legislators] … if they don’t stand up on this, next election season, I will take full time off from this church and I will go anywhere in this state, if it means talking to one person, and try to unseat every single Republican I can running for the House,” Riggle said. “If you guys don’t have enough courage to stand up for something this simple, why in the heck are we even having to face this in Texas anyway?” 

The video includes the “Houston Five”—the five pastors subpoenaed by Houston’s former mayor in 2014 to hand over their sermons—as well as other Texas pastors, including F.N. Williams and Willie Davis.

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