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GUEST: Russell Berman, Senior Associate Editor at The Atlantic. His article about this issue is entitled, How Bathroom Fears Conquered Transgender Rights in Houston.

Voters in Texas on Tuesday failed to pass the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), called Proposition 1. The measure would have affirmed a Houston city council resolution passed earlier but which was rejected by the Texas State Supreme Court. The Equal Rights Ordinance is similar to what hundreds of cities around the country have passed. It would have added legal protections to transgender people in particular.

But an unexpectedly organized opposition developed and reduced the ordinance to bathroom rights for transgender people. Despite attracting support from Hollywood celebrities, and Houston’s own mayor Annise Parker – an openly gay politician who has been elected multiple times – Proposition 1 failed.

Read his article online: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/11/how-bathroom-fears-conquered-transgender-rights-in-houston/414016/. Follow him on Twitter @russellberman.