LGBT and progressive groups from around the nation outspent the opposition and brought in political leaders and celebrities in support of the ordinance. But it was the conservatives, armed with their hard-hitting "bathroom campaign" and religious liberty rhetoric who resonated with voters.

LGBT rights were clobbered, hammered, devastated in the city of Houston by voters, as the Houston Equal Right Ordinance (HERO) was repealed.

Houston has been thrust into the center of the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, with voters set to decide on a measure Tuesday that would provide anti-discrimination protections.

"No men in women's bathrooms" is the slogan for opponents of the civil rights protections.

Opponents have been pushing for a vote for more than a year.

The pretrial proceedings do not seem to have gone well for the coalition. Earlier this month, a handwriting expert found

The pastors are part of a movement that collected signatures to place HERO on the ballot, in hopes city voters would reject

Enter your email address: Want more updates from Amanda? Sign up for her newsletter, Piping Hot Truth. Parker took to Twitter

On April 9, 2013, Houston Mayor Annise D. Parker announced Gwendolyn Zepeda as the first-ever Houston poet laureate. Zepeda is now well into her two-year term, and I thought it would be a good time to ask her about her experiences so far.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) slammed Houston, Texas' openly gay Mayor Annise Parker after attorneys working for the city sent subpoenas to several pastors in the city, asking them to turn over "all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO [the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance], the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession."

Janice Evans, a spokesperson for Parker, told The Huffington Post the mayor "agrees with those who are concerned about the