GOP lawmakers demand Texas A&M drop publicly funded 'woke' LGBTQ Studies minor

Two Texas Republican lawmakers have called out Texas A&M University for its LGBTQ Studies minor degree, advocating for legislation to eliminate the program.

“It’s time for Higher Education Institutions – including Texas A&M – to be held accountable for advancing radical woke policies – both in the Texas Legislature and Congress. Enough,” Congressman Chip Roy of Texas’ 21st congressional district recently told The Daily Caller.

[RELATED: Catholic university introduces new LGBTQ+ affairs position]

Texas state Representative Brian Harrison shared a similar sentiment in a post to X on Feb. 15.

“After discussions with [Texas A&M] leadership, they just confirmed that Texas A&M is spending state resources to assert that ‘gender and sexuality are socially constructed,’ that ‘transphobia’ has a ‘relationship to racism, colonialism, sexism, ableism, classism,’ and that they plan to continue spending tax dollars to maintain their undergraduate minor in LGBTQ studies,” Harrison wrote.

“Outrageous,” Harrison continued. “Hard-working, over-taxed Texans should not be forced to pay for liberal indoctrination, and I will be exploring legislative remedies.”

🚨UPDATE: After discussions with @TAMU leadership, they just confirmed that Texas A&M is spending state resources to assert that “gender and sexuality are socially constructed,” that “transphobia” has a “relationship to racism, colonialism, sexism, ableism, classism,” and that… https://t.co/Vpr9AZyEfq

— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) February 15, 2024

Later that morning, Roy replied to Harrison’s post, writing, “This must be fixed in the next legislative session, completely.”

This must be fixed in the next legislative session, completely. https://t.co/dNflRi1Pfd

— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) February 15, 2024

“Texas A&M has been considered one of the most conservative major public institutions of higher education in all of America,” Harrison said according to The Daily Caller. “If Texas A&M is going this far off the rails then I think this speaks volumes of the state of [publicly] funded higher education in the country.”

According to the Texas A&M website, the LGBTQ Studies minor explores “the ways gender and sexuality are socially constructed.” Students are also taught to “critically analyze how sexuality and sexual orientation shape gender roles, identities, and social statuses in societies.”

[RELATED: Johns Hopkins OUTlist identifies LGBTQ+ community members for ‘recruiting’]

Course topics for the minor include “Extensive scholarship on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds,” as well as “Homophobia and transphobia’s relationship to forms of power (colonialism, sexism, ableism, classism, etc.).”

A Texas A&M course catalog lists required classes for the minor, such as: “Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies” and “Queer Theory.” Elective courses include “Feminist Theory,” “Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies,” and “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Literatures.”

Campus Reform has contacted Texas A&M University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.