Tarrant County commissioners voted along partisan lines Tuesday to reject a resolution honoring the county鈥檚 largest health center focused on LGBTQ services.
The resolution was drafted to commend Arlington鈥檚 HELP Center for LGBTQ+ Health for 鈥渙utstanding service, compassionate care and enduring contributions to the health, dignity and wellness of the people of Tarrant County.鈥� In 2025, the center administered more than $70 million worth of medication, clinical services and supportive care to 7,000 patients for free.
The court鈥檚 three Republicans 鈥� County Judge Tim O鈥橦are and commissioners Matt Krause and Manny Ramirez 鈥� voted against the resolution. Democratic commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roderick Miles were the yes votes.
鈥淭here鈥檚 more work to be done to let everybody know exactly what we do and not allow people lying about what we do to reach elected officials,鈥� HELP Center CEO DeeJay Johannessen told the Fort Worth Report after the vote.
The decision came after commissioners heard from more than a dozen speakers, the majority of whom spoke about the value of LGBTQ-centered health services and urged commissioners to approve the resolution.
A handful of people testified against, saying the resolution鈥檚 adoption would contradict 鈥渂iblical values.鈥� Those sentiments were echoed by O鈥橦are and Krause, who jointly introduced a resolution celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. that said the country was founded 鈥渋n the Judeo-Christian tradition.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not the business of the court to put the county鈥檚 name and seal behind a divisive social agenda that glorifies a group that supports transitioning children,鈥� O鈥橦are said. 鈥淥ur responsibility is to protect children 鈥� not sacrifice them in the name of ideological advocacy.鈥�
Before voting, he read aloud a list of events and programming he alleged the center had promoted or hosted, including National Kink Day, International Nonbinary People鈥檚 Day and Polyamory Day, plus a fundraising concert to provide grants to transgender people seeking out-of-state healthcare.
Simmons, who introduced the resolution praising the center, said it was 鈥渃ertainly not鈥� about advocating for or supporting medical transition for transgender children.
鈥淭his resolution did not ask the court to endorse a political viewpoint,鈥� Simmons wrote in a statement published after the vote. 鈥淚t asked the court to recognize service, acknowledge results and honor an organization that has improved lives across Tarrant County.鈥�
Simmons and O鈥橦are are opponents , running against each other for the countywide judge seat O鈥橦are currently holds.
Resolutions are statements read aloud during commissioners meetings to ceremonially honor or recognize events, individuals and milestones in Tarrant County. Any commissioner may introduce a resolution, but they require majority approval to be presented to the recipient.
Simmons鈥� resolution Tuesday commended the HELP Center for preventing an estimated 200 new HIV transmissions annually. It described the center as a 鈥渃ultural home鈥� for the LGBTQ community, noting that the center also sponsors Trinity Pride in Fort Worth, now the county鈥檚 largest Pride celebration after to the city suspending its anti-discrimination protections.
During the meeting, commissioners unanimously approved six other resolutions, including one that recognized June as Responsible Fatherhood Month and another that honored 鈥済randmother of Juneteenth鈥� Opal Lee and supporters of the National Juneteenth Museum .
Ramirez was absent at the start of the meeting but joined via video call moments before the vote on the HELP Center resolution. His chief of staff, Tracey Knight, said via text message the commissioner is out of town on business and joined the meeting as soon as he could.
Krause thanked speakers for attending 鈥� telling audience members he appreciated their signs that read 鈥渟hame鈥� 鈥� but said he ultimately couldn鈥檛 support the resolution because the HELP Center offers gender-affirming care.
鈥淲hile that sounds really nice, I think it actually does more harm than good,鈥� Krause said. 鈥淭he gender-affirming care piece actually does more harm than people realize.鈥�
The HELP Center does not serve children or offer surgery, Johannessen said. The center doesn鈥檛 promote anything other than access to healthcare, he added.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 promote transitioning or not transitioning,鈥� Johannessen said. 鈥淲hat we promote is access to services and access to care, where you can make the best informed choice for yourself.鈥�
Fort Worth resident Reed Bilz told commissioners about her now-adult transgender son, who left Tarrant County to seek gender-affirming care in California where he now lives.
鈥淭hese services are needed for disease control and medical assistance to a valued population of our community,鈥� Bilz said. 鈥淚 fully support the presentation of this resolution.鈥�
David Malone, president of the Mid-Cities Stonewall Democrats, thanked Simmons for her support of the LGBTQ community and urged the other commissioners to join her.
鈥淲e want to be neighbors and get along and live peacefully with the conservative Christians, MAGA Republicans,鈥� Malone said.
Chris Cheema, a pastor at Mercy Culture Church, referenced the , just across the street from where the meeting took place. Honoring the HELP Center would contradict those commandments, he said, adding a slogan frequently used by members of his church: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not political, it鈥檚 spiritual.鈥�
鈥淓very commissioner who votes yes today is not simply endorsing healthcare 鈥� they are formally commending an organization that promotes sexual perversion, affirms mental illness as identity and advances the very lifestyle driving the sexually transmitted disease crisis in this country,鈥� Cheema said.
Miles did not speak before voting in favor. Earlier in the meeting, he wished Tarrant County鈥檚 LGBTQ residents a 鈥渨arm and happy鈥� Pride month, which is observed annually in June.
鈥淭arrant County is a place where every resident, regardless of who they are or who they love, they deserve to feel seen, heard and valued and protected,鈥� Miles said.
Cecilia Lenzen is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org.
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