Houston

=== Sexual orientation and gender identity ===
{{Main|LGBT culture in Houston|LGBT rights in Texas|Houston Gay Pride Parade}}
[[File:LGBTbannersinMontrose.jpg|thumb|249x249px|LGBT banners in [[Montrose, Houston|Montrose]]]]
Houston is home to one of the largest [[LGBT community|LGBT communities]] and [[pride parade]]s in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Same Sex Couples Statistics by The Williams Institute|url=https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/visualization/lgbt-stats/?topic=SS&area=48201#economic|access-date=July 30, 2020|website=williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The World's Biggest Pride Parades|url=https://www.theactivetimes.com/travel/worlds-biggest-pride-parades/slide-13|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=The Active Times|date=January 10, 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Houston LGBTQ Community & Culture|url=https://www.mygayhouston.com/community/|access-date=July 30, 2020|website=My Gay Houston|language=en-us}}</ref> In 2018, the city scored a 70 out of 100 for LGBT friendliness.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Martin|first=Florian|date=October 12, 2018|title=Houston Lags Behind Other Major Texas Cities in LGBT-Friendliness|url=https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2018/10/12/307944/houston-lags-behind-other-major-texas-cities-in-lgbt-friendliness/|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=Houston Public Media|language=en-US}}</ref> Jordan Blum of the ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'' stated levels of LGBT acceptance and discrimination varied in 2016 due to some of the region's traditionally conservative culture.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Blum|first=Jordan|date=January 18, 2016|title=In energy sector, coming out 'can put you at risk'|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/In-energy-sector-coming-out-can-put-you-at-risk-6764343.php|access-date=July 29, 2020|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|language=en-US}}</ref>

Before the 1970s, the city's [[gay bar]]s were spread around Downtown Houston and what is now [[midtown Houston]]. LGBT Houstonians needed to have a place to socialize after the closing of the gay bars. They began going to Art Wren, a 24-hour restaurant in Montrose. LGBT community members were attracted to Montrose as a neighborhood after encountering it while patronizing Art Wren, and they began to [[Gentrification|gentrify]] the neighborhood and assist its native inhabitants with property maintenance. Within Montrose, new gay bars began to open.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Oaklander|first=Mandy|date=May 18, 2011|title=The Mayor of Montrose|url=https://www.houstonpress.com/news/the-mayor-of-montrose-6589627|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=Houston Press}}</ref> By 1985, the flavor and politics of the neighborhood were heavily influenced by the LGBT community, and in 1990, according to Hill, 19% of Montrose residents identified as LGBT. [[Murder of Paul Broussard|Paul Broussard]] was murdered in Montrose in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 2, 2006|title=Anatomy Of A Gay Murder|url=http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF2001/Bull/Bull.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061002211623/http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF2001/Bull/Bull.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 2, 2006|access-date=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

Before the legalization of [[same-sex marriage in the United States]] the [[marriage of Billie Ert and Antonio Molina]], considered the first same-sex marriage in Texas history, took place on October 5, 1972.<ref name=":18">{{Cite web|title=Houston's LGBT History|url=https://www.mygayhouston.com/community/houstons-lgbt-history/|access-date=July 29, 2020|website=My Gay Houston|language=en-us}}</ref> Houston elected the [[Annise Parker|first openly lesbian mayor]] of a major city in 2009, and she served until 2016.<ref name=":18" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Bustillo|first=Miguel|date=December 13, 2009|title=Houston Election May Prove Historic|language=en-US|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB126057851102188215|access-date=July 29, 2020|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> During her tenure she authorized the [[2015 Houston, Texas Proposition 1|Houston Equal Rights Ordinance]] which was intended to improve anti-discrimination coverage based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the city, specifically in areas such as housing and occupation where no anti-discrimination policy existed.<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 4, 2014|title=Equal rights law opponents deliver signatures seeking repeal|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/Equal-rights-law-opponents-deliver-signatures-5599272.php|access-date=July 30, 2020|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|language=en-US |last1=Morris |first1=By Mike }}</ref>