GRAND MARSHAL
Q & A
Lou Weaver , 47 , is the first transgender male Grand Marshal in Pride Houston ’ s history . He adds this honor to a list of firsts , including being the first Transgender Programs Coordinator for Equality Texas where he leads the Texas TransVisible Project . He has been an active volunteer for many Houston LGBT organizations and now serves on the Human Rights Campaign ’ s National Board of Governors as co-chair of the national Diversity & Inclusion Committee .
Outside of activism he is a selfdescribed “ geek ” and avid reader . He lives in Montrose where he shares his home with rescue animals Bruce the Dog , a 3-year-old dog , and a “ mouthy ” 13-year-old cat named Cosmo .
What does becoming Male Grand Marshal mean to you ?
It has been incredibly meaningful to be the first out transgender man to be a Pride Grand Marshal in Houston . It ’ s really an amazing feeling . The visibility this will bring to the trans community is something that I find thrilling . Anytime I can bring more visibility to the trans community is just amazing for me .
How long have you been a trans activist ? Can you tell us a bit about your activism ?
I have been out as a transgender man for going on 9 years . It took me about a year and I started to get involved . I didn ’ t have a whole lot of leaders or a whole lot of visible folks who were out before me and I started to get involved because I don ’ t want other people not to have role models .
What was your greatest personal victory ?
This is a hard one . I think the conclusion of the most recent Transgender Leadership Institute in Dallas was one of my greatest personal victories as I was able to bring together national organizations , 50 trans folks , parents , and a spouse together in Texas to learn about messaging , storytelling , racial justice , and intersectionality . The amazing feeling that was in that group that day - the learning , the bonding , the community - that was started was just overwhelming .
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the trans community in Houston and Texas ? Are these challenges universal or are there some that are unique to Houston and / or Texas ?
Some the challenges facing the trans community in Houston and in Texas are the lack of education others have around the trans community . In Houston , we ’ re still battling back the HERO fight and the narrative of “ no men in women ’ s restrooms .” While this isn ’ t unique to Houston or Texas , it is something that was at the forefront of Houston for a very long time and we need to battle back that narrative . Also , some of our elected officials are very anti-LGBTQ and they are targeting the trans community right now making it a very difficult place for trans people to live in . We also have to acknowledge that different folks across the state are dealing
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