Shawn Thierry

Shawn Nicole Thierry
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 146th district
In office
January 10, 2017 – January 14, 2025
Preceded byBorris Miles
Succeeded byLauren Ashley Simmons
Personal details
BornShawn Nicole Thierry
(1969-08-06) August 6, 1969[1]
PartyRepublican
Other political
affiliations
Democratic (until 2024)
EducationHoward University (BA)
Texas Southern University (JD)[2]
OccupationAttorney
Signature

Shawn Nicole Thierry (born August 6, 1969) is an American politician from the state of Texas. She was appointed Judge of the 515th Civil District Court in Harris County on August 25, 2026 by Governor Greg Abbott. Thierry is a former member of Texas House of Representatives. She won the November 2016 general election and was sworn into office on January 10, 2017.[3] She became nationally known for creating legislation with the goal of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.

Early life

Shawn Thierry was raised in Southwest Houston. She graduated from Howard University and Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University.

Positions

In April 2023, Thierry voted with Republicans in favor of HB 900, to ban books from public schools deemed "sexually explicit". The bill was heavily criticized by LGBT advocates for including books containing reference to LGBT topics in its definition of sexually explicit.[4][5]

In May of that year, Thierry broke ranks with her party to vote in favor of a bill to ban gender affirming care for trans minors.[6][7][8] She has also voted in favor of bans on trans women from women's sports.[9]

On March 5, 2024, Thierry came in second in the primary elections to her challenger, Lauren Ashley Simmons, a progressive queer union organizer who ran in opposition to Thierry's anti-LGBT votes and activism,[10][11] and was forced into a run-off. On August 30, 2024, Thierry officially announced that she would be leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republican Party.[a][12] Thierry further discussed her decision to leave the Democratic Party at the 2024 national summit for the right-wing group Moms for Liberty.

Personal life

Thierry is a practicing Catholic.

Notes

  1. ↑ “The Democratic Party has veered so far left, so deep into the progressive abyss, that it now champions policies I cannot, in good conscience, support—policies like promoting sex changes for vulnerable children and dismantling Title IX protections for women in sports,” Thierry wrote in her statement. “That’s why I am leaving the left and joining the party of family, faith, and freedom. I now stand with colleagues, friends, neighbors, women, and mothers in the Republican Party.”

References

  1. ↑ "Rep. Shawn Thierry - Texas State Directory Online".
  2. ↑ "Rep. Shawn Thierry (R)". Texas State Directory. September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  3. ↑ Svitek, Patrick (August 6, 2016). "Attorney Wins Democratic Nod to Replace Rep. Borris Miles". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  4. ↑ Dey, Sneha (April 19, 2023). "Texas House passes bill that aims to keep sexually explicit materials out of school libraries". The Texas Tribune.
  5. ↑ Lewis, Ricardo (April 19, 2023). "TX House initially passes bill that keeps sexually explicit books out of school libraries". CBS News.
  6. ↑ Nguyen, Alex; Melhado, William (May 12, 2023). "Pivotal House vote moves Texas closer to banning puberty blockers, hormone treatments for trans kids". The Texas Tribune.
  7. ↑ Nguyen, Alex; Melhado, William (May 15, 2023). "Texas moves closer to banning puberty blockers for trans kids". CBS News.
  8. ↑ McGaughy, Lauren (May 12, 2023). "Texas is one step from banning gender affirming medical care for transgender youth". The Dallas Morning News.
  9. ↑ Goldenstein, Taylor (June 10, 2023). "Houston Democrat's support of transgender care ban, anti-LGBTQ measures has roiled the party". Houston Chronicle.
  10. ↑ Reed, Erin (May 29, 2024). "Anti-trans Texas Democrat loses primary to queer woman". Washington Blade. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  11. ↑ Zuvanich, Adam (March 6, 2024). "State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who voted with Republicans on anti-LGBTQ+ bills, headed to likely primary runoff". Houston Public Media.
  12. ↑ DuPree, Will (August 30, 2024). "Houston lawmaker switches parties after Democratic primary loss". KXAN-TV. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
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