City of Houston's LGBTQ advisory board has yet to meet with Mayor John Whitmire

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Some LGBTQ members want more than pride posts and parades. They said the groundwork is missing since Houston Mayor John Whitmire came into office.

LGBTQ leaders frustrated with Whitmire

The city of Houston has several advisory boards and commissions that work with the mayor's office. One of them is an LGBTQ advisory board.

Jacques Bourgeois was appointed to it in 2018. He's currently the chair.

"Making sure that we always have a lifeline to our elected officials to know, let them know what's going on," Bourgeois explained. "Let them know the temperature because they're busy."

Bourgeois said the feedback was frequent under Mayor Sylvester Turner's tenure.

"We always had communication and clear ideas on what the mayor and his administration always wanted to happen," Bourgeois recalled.

However, under Whitmire, it's been different. Bourgeois shared an email with ABC13 showing he attempted to meet with the mayor in May 2024.

Instead, he received a response from the mayor's office saying that due to scheduling constraints, it couldn't happen.

"I was a little miffed," Bourgeois recalled. "I'll say that."

More than a year after he got the rejection, Bourgeois said nothing has changed.

"Have we met him? No. We've not had any line of direct communication with him to know exactly what he wants," he said.

The mayor's office said Whitmire is an ally

Although Whitmire hasn't met with the advisory board, the mayor's office said he has no plans to get rid of it. In fact, they said he's working with the LGBTQ community to select new members.

His office added that there are 152 advisory boards and commissions that work with the mayor's office.

Whitmire has also been vocal in his support for the LGBTQ community. Last June, he marched in the city's pride parade. On June 1, he shared a social media post about Pride Month saying, "Let's continue building a city where everyone feels safe, seen, and supported."

During his time as a state lawmaker in Austin, Whitmire fought for LGBTQ rights. He opposed LGBTQ targeted legislation and also received awards for his work with the community.

For Bourgeois, his involvement isn't the same now that he's mayor. He believes Whitmire should be doing more than ever, especially because of unrest in the community over what's happening at the federal and state levels.

"We don't have time for you to be an ally, 'I'm going to show up.' How much longer can you just be an ally and show up when it's coming down to the wire? We don't even know if we'll have events like this anymore," Bourgeois explained.

Without Whitmire, the LGBTQ Advisory Board changes

Bourgeois said the advisory board may not communicate with the mayor's office, but it's still active. Last year, members conducted a survey asking community members to give feedback on a number of issues, including housing, policies, and public safety.

"We've got a lot of work to do, and our community is very passionate about making sure we're getting the work done and making sure our voices are being heard," Bourgeois said.

They're meeting with other city leaders, including Council Members Abbie Kamin and Mario Castillo. The group has also branched out to other non-profits and organizations.

How the group came about and why leaders fear it could end

Turner established the LGBTQ advisory board following the events in Orlando in 2016. Officers said a man targeted a gay nightclub. Nearly 50 people were killed in the Pulse massacre.

Turner established the board with 49 members, representing each of the victims from the tragedy. "I was really excited because the board was actually created in response to what happened in Orlando with the Pulse massacre," Bourgeois recalled.

Now, he fears its future without Whitmire's involvement.

"You start to lose steam within your own board, and people kind of delineate outside of that and kind of move away. If he's not going to be serious about this, we're not going to be serious about this," Bourgeois explained.

The board last met in January. During Turner's term, the chair said they met every two months.

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