{"id":138756,"date":"2020-05-22T08:26:04","date_gmt":"2020-05-22T12:26:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/texas-mayor-defends-ban-on-women-leading-prayers-at-city-meetings-why-cant-i-have-my-choice-too-watch\/"},"modified":"2020-05-22T08:26:04","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T12:26:04","slug":"texas-mayor-defends-ban-on-women-leading-prayers-at-city-meetings-why-cant-i-have-my-choice-too-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/texas-mayor-defends-ban-on-women-leading-prayers-at-city-meetings-why-cant-i-have-my-choice-too-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Mayor Defends Ban on Women Leading Prayers at City Meetings: \u2018Why Can\u2019t I Have My Choice, Too?\u2019 (WATCH)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Texas Mayor Defends Ban on Women Leading Prayers at City Meetings: \u2018Why Can\u2019t I Have My Choice, Too?\u2019 (WATCH)<\/b><\/p>\n

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A Texas mayor is defending an email he sent this week saying only men<\/a> should lead prayers before city meetings. <\/p>\n

Eric Hogue has served as mayor of Wylie, a suburb of Dallas, for the last 12 years. He is also the pastor of Cottonwood Church of Christ, as well as a professional magician who once moonlighted as “Clinky the Clown.” <\/a><\/p>\n

Last week, Wylie Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Forrester sent Hogue an email asking whether a Christian group, Youth With a Mission, could lead a prayer at the next city council meeting. <\/p>\n

Hogue responded Sunday by saying he thought it was a good idea, as long as “those leading the public prayer [are] young men<\/a>.” He went on to cite two Bible verses about women<\/a> remaining silent in church, saying he takes them literally. <\/p>\n

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NEW: Email raising eyebrows in Wylie. Mayor agrees to let a missionary group lead prayer during council meeting as long as “…those leading the prayer be young men<\/a>.” He quotes two bible verses about women<\/a> staying silent at church. Story at 10p @NBCDFW<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/7riYIthQUY<\/a><\/p>\n

— Meredith Yeomans (@YeomansNBC5) May 21, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

“So I have always requested that a man<\/a> lead the invocation,” Hogue wrote. “I understand not everyone agrees with me, but I can’t go against my conscience. But I would love to have the group come and visit with them and then let a couple<\/a> of guys<\/a> lead a prayer.” <\/p>\n

Hogue’s email was later posted to a Facebook page focused on Wylie politics, sparking outrage. But Hogue doubled down on his statements in interviews with local TV stations. <\/p>\n

“I believe a lady<\/a> can be president of the United States,” Hogue told WFAA-TV<\/a>. “I believe a lady<\/a> can be CEO of a company, the superintendent of a school district. But I believe, and this is me, when it comes to [picking] somebody to lead the invocation at a city council meeting, because of those two sets of verses, I’m going to choose a male<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

Noting that said he has been married 33 years, Hogue added, “My wife would not stick around if I was anti, you know, like that. I mean, we are equal partners in everything.” <\/p>\n

“What I will say is a woman<\/a> can do absolutely anything and everything but if we’re in a public setting, in a religious setting, the bibles teaches that she’s not to say a public prayer or to lead the singing or to deliver the sermon,” Hogue told KXAS-TV<\/a>, claiming the controversy is politically motivated because people are upset that Wylie’s the election had to be pushed back from May to November because of the COVID-19 crisis. Hogue is not seeking re-election. <\/p>\n

“I think the main thing is the budget cycle is coming up and they would like to have the new council in place. I totally get that but we are living through a pandemic,” Hogue said.<\/p>\n

A group called Women Organizing Women Democrats<\/a> plans a protest outside Wylie city hall next week. <\/p>\n

“Wylie Mayor Eric Hogue has a long history of ultra-conservative, ultra-Christian, and ultra-anti-women<\/a> behavior,” the group wrote. “In his latest missive, he proves that he’s still as misguided and offensive as ever. We’re not letting this ‘public official’ get away with it any more.” <\/p>\n

Watch the reports below. <\/p>\n

The post Texas Mayor Defends Ban on Women Leading Prayers at City Meetings: ‘Why Can’t I Have My Choice, Too?’ (WATCH)<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Texas Mayor Defends Ban on Women Leading Prayers at City Meetings: ‘Why Can’t I Have My Choice, Too?’ (WATCH)<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n