A bill has been filed in the Texas Legislature
that could impact the sales for the gay leather
community. HB 1549, filed by Hillary
Hickland (R-Temple) would restrict the
sale of “obscene devices” to sex-oriented
businesses only. If enacted, this bill would
prohibit retailers such as Target, CVS, and
even Package Menswear from selling sex toys
like vibrators and dildos, and could be fined up
to $5,000 for each violation. Hickland stated:
“Children have a right to grow up without
being subjected to explicit materials that they
cannot fully understand and that could harm
their development.

Many activists are worried that restrictions
like these could be used as a stepping stone to
further target the queer community, after the
law passed in the previous session requiring
pornographic websites to collect user’s
government ID information to verify data
resulted in major distributors like Pornhub
blocking service for Texas customers. Gay-
oriented retailers are worried that bills such
as HB 1549 could expand those restrictions
to leather harnesses and producers such as Sir
Rat as a means to further discriminate and
intimidate queer retailers from selling the
objects.

After Republicans made marginal gains
in both the House and Senate in the last
November elections, many legislators have
declared their victories as a mandate to intensify
their agenda against queer people from the
past two years. Last session, the house passed
a sweeping ban on drag performances in public
spaces and restrictions on transgender athletes
participating in college sports. This year seems
to be no different, with over 30 anti-trans bills
already being filed as soon as the election was
over. Among these bills includes HB 239, filed
by Valoree Swanson (R-Spring), which would
ban the use of public restroom facilities that do
not align with your gender assigned at birth,
the first attempt at a “bathroom ban” in Texas
since 2017.

Many in the queer community are more
worried during this session, not only for
the increased Republican majority in both
chambers, but for the more hardlined
conservative beliefs of the incoming majority
caucus. Lobbyist Mike Hendrix, who has been
on the frontlines fighting the anti-LGBT bills,
says this upcoming session will need as much
resources as possible to fight this new ultra-
conservative majority. “The LGBT community
has been a scapegoat for the right to campaign
against, now they’re going to turn their full
force against us in the legislature.” Hendrix
said. “We’re already seeing
Fifteen Republican incumbents lost their
primary elections to farther right-wing
challengers, and the anti-LGBT rhetoric swept
the airwaves in the following general election.
Conservative PACs are estimated to have spent
around $200 million on ads targeting the trans
community, and hammering Democrats for
their “extreme” views on gender.

Beneath the publicly filed bills, rumors have
begun circulating that the crusade against
the queer community will not stop among
trans Texans for long. Rumors have begun
circulating that a bill will be filed before session
starts targeting the use of alkyl nitrate, more
commonly referred to in the gay community
as poppers. Several neighboring states like
Louisiana have already taken measures
against nitrite poppers, quietly sweeping the
substance in major bans on chemicals such
as nitrous oxide. Local gay-oriented retailers
have expressed concern over the issue, with
some worried the measure will be an excuse
to target gay men. According to a study from
the National Survey on Drug and Health,
around 35% of gay men reported to have ever
used poppers. While the FDA has warned the
public not to use the popular party drug, they
are not currently recognized as a controlled
substance in Texas, meaning they are allowed
to be sold at novelty stores and smoke shops.
However, recent stirrings from lawmakers have
indicated potential action on this item, as part
of a larger overhaul into state regulations on
what retailers are allowed to sell.