AFPI Releases Statement on Arlington Victory Vote Against LGBTQ Bathroom Policy

Washington, D.C.— The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) this week released the following statement from Leigh Ann O’Neill, Chief Legal Affairs Officer, in response to the Arlington, TX City Council’s vote against reinstating an LGBTQ ordinance that would codify rights and access to intimate facilities based on “gender identity,” rather than biological sex. Adoption of such an ordinance would have placed Arlington in violation of Texas law and applicable federal rules:

“This is a victory for women, a victory for common sense, and a victory for truth. Women can now feel safer knowing that intimate facilities designated for women are reserved for women only. Arlington’s City Council should be congratulated for this common-sense decision.”

President Trump’s Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” sends a clear message to city councils nationwide considering similar ordinances. The executive order outlines the standards the Trump Administration will enforce – guidance that is particularly relevant for jurisdictions that rely on federal funding.

Arlington, TX, is scheduled to host a 2026 World Cup match and will receive $16M in federal funding in connection with that event. Had the ordinance been passed, the city would have risked violating both state law and the President’s executive order, potentially jeopardizing its eligibility for federal funding.