City caves & ends LGBTQ+ protections under pressure from presidential administrationhttps://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/12/city-caves-ends-lgbtq-protections-under-pressure-from-presidential-administration/ 🔗Faefyx Collington (10 Dec 2025)
The city council for Arlington, Texas, has voted not to reinstate its anti-discrimination ordinance. The provisions include LGBTQ+ protections based on gender identity, and the council has been pressured to roll them back to avoid losing federal funding under the president's "Two Sexes" executive order.
"I'm just disappointed right now," said Nikkie Hunter, an Arlington city council member who voted for reinstating the LGBTQ+ protections. "I would hope that we can sit down as a council and work out some type of agreement to bring back these protections for everyone in the city — so that everyone feels safe and protected here in the city of Arlington."
The anti-discrimination ordinance was first introduced in 2021 in response to the death of George Floyd and included protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, or other protected classes.
It was previously suspended in September, and the council at the time cited pressure from the presidential administration and the risk of losing federal funding. According to Trey Yelverton, the Arlington city manager, Arlington receives $65 million in federal grants, which fund firefighters, housing assistance, a city rideshare program (Via), and a transport service for the elderly and disabled (Handitran).
The mayor's response suggests that the capitulation was a result of federal pressure.
Anti-LGBTQ+ groups online have been celebrating the rollback in protections.
