Breaking! Arlington Voted Against Reinstating LGBT Ordinance 5-4

Austin, TX – December 9, 2025: Today, The Arlington City Council voted 5-4 against reinstating a transgender ordinance in direct conflict with newly enacted state law as well as directives from the Trump administration and federal government policy causing it to become a national controversy. For more information, click here.

Jonathan Saenz, President & Attorney for Texas Values, released the following statement: 

“Despite all the back-and-forth and national media coverage, it wasn’t necessary for the city to choose sides. The only thing the City of Arlington needed to do was follow state and federal law; and that’s what they did by voting down the LGBT ordinance. I fully expect other cities in Texas to do the same.”

Not only did Jonathan Saenz testify at the meeting this evening, Texas Values has worked on this issue for weeks and recommended that Arlington City Council remove the terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” from the ordinance in order to comply with federal directives, as well as newly enacted state law such as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act (S.B. 8) which went into effect last week. Arlington City Council members Raul Gonzalez, Mauricio Galante, Long Pham, Bowie Hogg, and Rebecca Boxall voted in favor of removing the gender ideology definitions.

To learn more about Texas Women’s Privacy Act and to read our guidance letter, visit https://protectwomensprivacytexas.com/. 

Texas Values policy team will be at the meeting and available for comment. To schedule an interview, please email Ashley at media@txvalues.org or 737-314-2450 (m). 

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About Texas Values

Texas Values is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.