A forced kiss by a male colleague. A catcall by a state trooper assigned to guard the Capitol. Late-night texts. A work meeting hijacked by a male legislative staffer: You are my ideal woman, he told his female interlocutor.
The episodes illustrate what many women say is the biggest open secret at the Texas Capitol: That a culture of harassment persists despite repeated efforts to stamp it out.
In interviews with the American-Statesman, multiple women described a work environment in which they are objectified and made to feel uncomfortable in their daily interactions with male counterparts.
“Being a female staffer in the Capitol is uniquely and distinctly different than being a male staffer,” said one woman who works for a House member. “Women are treated differently.
A crisis pregnancy center in North Austin that s received funding through the A2A program (Photo by Jana Birchum)
While shooting down amendments that could have expanded health care for struggling low-income Texans and helped victims of human trafficking, Texas House members approved a record-breaking $100 million for the state’s
Alternatives to Abortion Program (A2A), which includes a network of non-medical, faith-based
crisis pregnancy centers.
During a marathon hearing on Thursday, April 22, the House debate over the state’s proposed $246 billion two-year budget included decisions to ban school vouchers, restrict some funding to the office of Texas Attorney General