Here's why a Texas lawmaker is threatening to defund UT if it keeps LGBTQ, gender studies

A state lawmaker is calling on the Legislature to "completely" defund the University of Texas if it doesn't shutter its Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department and LGBTQ studies program, which he has decried as liberal indoctrination that taxpayers should not fund.

The demand by Rep. Brian Harrison on Wednesday comes after a barrage of posts on X from the Republican lawmaker from Midlothian that draw attention to public universities' LGBTQ+ and gender-related course offerings, despite no law barring such curriculum.

After an "undercover" visit to the UT campus Tuesday, Harrison criticized the university's exhibit on "Black queer ecstasy," which showcases art that has often been excluded from historical representation; Pride flags flying around campus; books on gender, transgender issues and queerness; and event flyers for roundtables on Black feminism, transgender people's well-being and multiple resource posters for LGBTQ+ people.

This isn't the first time Harrison has called for LGBTQ+ studies to be removed at public universities, and he's promised it won't be the last. Harrison has pitched himself as a tireless defender of liberty against diversity, equity and inclusion at a time conservative lawmakers are attempting to assert more control over higher education for its perceived liberal bias and as the Trump administration seeks to rid "gender ideology" from federal agencies.

In doing so, Harrison has amassed 45,500 followers on X whom he calls "liberty bots" — more than triple the followers Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows has accumulated.

Multiple lawmakers, including Harrison, have filed bills this session to restrict course content on diversity and LGBTQ+ studies. Harrison does not alone have power to cut state appropriations to UT. That decision would have to be approved by the House, which is expected to vote on its budget proposal early next month, and the Senate.

In its recently approved budget proposal, the Senate does not call to defund UT.

In an interview Wednesday, Harrison told the American-Statesman that his impromptu visit to UT was spurred by an event hosted by the Department of Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies on disparities in health outcomes and gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary people of color.

"The voters of Texas do not want their money spent on gender ideology," Harrison said. "It's a very visible embarrassment. The state of Texas is supposedly run by all the Republicans down here. We can't do the basics."

UT and the head of the LGBTQ studies program declined to comment. The chair of the Women's and Gender Studies Department did not return Statesman requests for comment.

But queer organizations doubt Harrison's threat has standing.

Brad Pritchett, interim CEO of Equality Texas, the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in the state, said government intervention in what universities can teach could constitute viewpoint discrimination, a violation of the First Amendment. It would also infringe on the academic freedom that makes UT "top of their class," he said.

"Freedom requires that we allow ideas that are different from our own, ideas that might even make us uncomfortable," Pritchett said in a statement to the Statesman. "Harrison wants conformity, but Texans believe in Freedom at all costs."

Harrison said painting his demands as government censorship is "absurd," saying anyone can study anything as long as taxpayers aren't funding the material.

Still, Mariah Adeeko, a UT student and communications director of the Queer and Trans Black and Indigenous People of Color Agency, a student group running without university financial support after a 2023 state law banning DEI in higher education went into effect, said they believe Harrison's threat is performative.

"This is scary for my community, absolutely, but for the Republican Party because they're showing their hand," Adeeko said. "It's telling us that state officials, people who are passing laws, don't understand who we are, and they're using that lack of understanding as their primary basis to deny us the right to have well-being and our needs" met.

Harrison and other lawmakers should talk to queer students and organizing groups if they want to understand what being transgender and being queer in Texas means, Adeeko said. Until then, LGBTQ+ people will continue fighting against legislative threats.

"This isn't like the power boss (go) girl slay he thinks it is. It's worn out," Adeeko said of Harrison's crusade. "It's really just trying to dog pile all this hopelessness onto the people they go after, and it's not working."

Adeeko said Harrison has a duty to serve queer and transgender Texans as a state representative, and the queer community will continue supporting one another until then.

Harrison: 'Past time the Republican Government of Texas grows a backbone'

Harrison's visit to UT, according to his X thread, included entering inside buildings, sneaking into a conference and stealing a pamphlet on nonmedical gender transition resources that he called "one of the most disturbing things I've ever read."

UT is a public university, but there are rules on who can access its buildings for security purposes. According to the university's emergency management website, "with few exceptions such as museums, libraries and during certain events, university-owned buildings and facilities are not considered open to the public."

When asked if he had legislative support to cut UT's budget if the programs remain, Harrison criticized state elected members from the Republican Party for not publicly supporting his demands and said that many lawmakers privately agree with him. He said he will continue demanding that public money not be used to fund LGBTQ+ studies and will look to find support.

"The voters of Texas do not want their money spent on DEI, they do not want their money spent on liberal gender ideology," Harrison said. "It's past time the Republican government of Texas grows a backbone."