CAROLINE SAVOIE | East Texas Writer carosavo@storydustsearch.com

TYLER — Representatives from three LGBTQ+ organizations in East Texas say they were barred from participating in a University of Texas at Tyler community event this month, raising concerns that the state’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs is leading to broader exclusion of queer groups from public spaces.

The Glass House, Tyler PFLAG and Tyler Area Gays (TAG+), all long-standing LGBTQ+ advocacy and support organizations in Tyler, said they were “uninvited” from UT Tyler’s annual Trunk or Treat, a Halloween-themed event co-hosted with the East Texas Crisis Center.

The groups say they had participated in the event in past years without issue. But this year, representatives from the organizations said, th

See Full Page