Arlington library board chair faces ouster over LGBTQ concerns, calling out council members
Cat Serna-Horn, who chairs Arlington’s library advisory board, said she faces possible removal after she called out two council members in a private Facebook group message and urged people to speak out against censorship.
During Tuesday night’s council meeting, there wasn’t any action taken to remove Serna-Horn, but people who spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting defended her integrity and her willingness to listen to all sides.
“We don’t want to brow-beat you, but we felt compelled to be advocates for a cause we believe in,” said Adam Scott.
He urged council members to stand behind Serna-Horn.
“You will not bow to bullies. You will not bow to hateful rhetoric to make your decisions.”
Christina Smiley, who was recently appointed to the library board by council member Raul Gonzalez, praised Serna-Horn for her leadership.
“When one person or small group of people are emboldened to decide what information other people have, then that’s a slippery slope. Acquiescence is the first domino. This will not stop at pride displays. I ask you, Is censorship a part of Arlington being a dream city?” Smiley said.
Serna-Horn said she posted to a private Facebook group before a December library board meeting urging people to speak out against censorship. Her post that she provided to the Star-Telegram also criticized council members Gonzalez and Rebecca Boxall for their support of groups with anti-LGBTQ agendas. She also criticized activist Gina Woodlee, who has led efforts to oppose the pride displays. Woodlee did not respond to a request for comment.
The council members and Mayor Jim Ross did not respond to requests from the Star-Telegram for comment.
Serna-Horn wrote, “Council members (Gonzales specifically but also Boxall) and City Managers’ offices have indicated that since the inclusivity side isn’t saying much anymore but the Woodlee folks ARE, that we should give in to them and make this all go away. It’s the “faster” way out of this public debate after all ... Gonzales is unrelenting in nixing what has already been voted on and approved, following increased pressure from anti-lgbtq people since our last meeting.”
In her post, Serna-Horn also urged people to speak out in favor of inclusivity and to sign up to serve on city boards.
“The MAGA folks are already flooding with applications so that come appointment times, they’ll easily be the bulk of the pool and be appointed,” she wrote.
Serna-Horn said her post wasn’t “politically super tactful.”
But she is standing by what she wrote.
“If people are willing to have such a strong conviction to where they are wanting to whip votes and be in cahoots with extremists in the community, they should be willing to have that in the light if someone should have a value and think LGBTQ content shouldn’t be in the library say what you mean an do it in the light,” she said.
Serna-Horn added that council members Gonzalez and Boxall are angry with her for “outing” them for their actions and for their opinions.
Serna-Horn said the anti-LGBTQ groups ratcheted up their opposition following the advisory board’s 9-1 vote in October to recommend limiting Pride Month displays to teen and adult areas and to designate other areas in the libraries for LGBTQ materials.
The advisory board can make recommendations, but the policies must be approved by the City Council.
The controversy over LGBTQ issues has been brewing since May when anti-gay activists, including Jonathan Shelley, a pastor at Stedfast Baptist Church, spoke out against Pride Month during a council meeting.