Shawn Thierry
{{short description|Texas politician}}
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image =
| name = Shawn Nicole Thierry
| state_house = Texas
| district = 146th
| term_start = January 10, 2017
| term_end = January 14, 2025
| predecessor = Borris Miles
| successor = Lauren Ashley Simmons
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|08|06}}{{cite web | url=https://www.txdirectory.com/online/person/?id=56292&office=23444 | title=Rep. Shawn Thierry - Texas State Directory Online }}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| otherparty = Democratic (until 2024)
| alma_mater = Howard University (BA)
Texas Southern University (JD){{cite web|url=https://www.txdirectory.com/online/person/?id=56292&office=23444|title=Rep. Shawn Thierry (R)|date=September 2, 2024|access-date=September 12, 2024|website=Texas State Directory}}
| occupation = Attorney
| spouse =
| children =
| residence = Houston, Texas, U.S.
| signature = Shawn Thierry Signature.png
}}
Shawn Nicole Thierry (born August 6, 1969) is an American politician. She was a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives, after an August 30, 2024 switch from the Democratic Party,{{cite news |last=DuPree |first=Will |date=2024-08-30 |title=Houston lawmaker switches parties after Democratic primary loss |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/houston-lawmaker-switches-parties-after-democratic-primary-loss/ |work=KXAN-TV |access-date=2024-08-30}} representing the 146th District. She won the November 2016 general election and was sworn into office on January 10, 2017.{{cite news|last1=Svitek|first1=Patrick|title=Attorney Wins Democratic Nod to Replace Rep. Borris Miles|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2016/08/06/hd146-election/|access-date=18 January 2017|publisher=The Texas Tribune|date=August 6, 2016}} She lost her re-election bid for her Texas House seat on May 28, 2024 after being defeated by Lauren Ashley Simmons by 65% to 35% in the Democratic primary runoff.[https://thetexan.news/elections/2024/texas-election-results-tracker-may-28-2024-runoff-election/article_b929e6e4-184d-11ef-8bff-331e669a4b49.html#house Texas Election Results Tracker: May 28, 2024 Runoff Election], The Texan, May 28, 2024. Thierry was an unsuccessful candidate for the 57th Civil District Court in 2010.{{cite news|last1=Kuffner|first1=Charles|title=Kuff's World Judicial Q&A revisited: Shawn Thierry|url=http://blog.chron.com/kuffsworld/2016/06/judicial-qa-revisited-shawn-thierry/|access-date=18 January 2017|newspaper=Houston Chronicle |date=June 21, 2016}}
Positions
In April 2023, Thierry voted 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.{{Cite news |last=Dey |first=Sneha |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/19/texas-libraries-books-schools-legislature/ |work=The Texas Tribune |date=April 19, 2023 |title=Texas House passes bill that aims to keep sexually explicit materials out of school libraries}}{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Ricardo |date=2023-04-19 |title=TX House initially passes bill that keeps sexually explicit books out of school libraries |work=CBS News |url=https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/tx-house-initially-passes-bill-that-keeps-sexually-explicit-books-out-of-school-libraries}}
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.{{Cite news |last1=Nguyen |first1=Alex |last2=Melhado |first2=William |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/12/texas-trans-kids-health-care-ban/ |date=May 12, 2023 |work=The Texas Tribune |title= Pivotal House vote moves Texas closer to banning puberty blockers, hormone treatments for trans kids}}{{Cite news |last1=Nguyen |first1=Alex |last2=Melhado |first2=William |url= https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/pivotal-house-vote-moves-texas-closer-to-banning-puberty-blockers-hormone-treatments-for-trans-kids/ |work=CBS News |title=Texas moves closer to banning puberty blockers for trans kids |date=May 15, 2023}}{{Cite news |last=McGaughy |first=Lauren |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2023/05/12/ban-on-gender-affirming-medical-treatments-for-youth-approved-in-texas-house/ |work=The Dallas Morning News |title=Texas is one step from banning gender affirming medical care for transgender youth |date=May 12, 2023 |url-access=subscription}} She has also voted in favor of bans on trans women from women's sports.{{Cite news |last=Goldenstein |first=Taylor |date=2023-06-10 |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/shawn-thierry-houston-gop-19733255.php |work=Houston Chronicle |title=Houston Democrat's support of transgender care ban, anti-LGBTQ measures has roiled the party}}
On March 5, 2024, Thierry came in second in the primary elections to her challenger, Lauren Ashley Simmons, a queer union organizer who ran in opposition to Thierry's anti-LGBT votes and activism,{{Cite news |last=Reed |first=Erin |author-link=Erin Reed (journalist) |url=https://www.washingtonblade.com/2024/05/29/anti-trans-texas-democrat-loses-primary-to-queer-woman/ |work=Washington Blade |date=May 29, 2024 |access-date=August 22, 2024 |title=Anti-trans Texas Democrat loses primary to queer woman}}{{Cite news |last=Zuvanich |first=Adam |date=2024-03-06 |url=https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/election-2024/2024/03/06/479964/state-rep-shawn-thierry-a-houston-democrat-who-voted-with-republicans-on-anti-lgbtq-bills-headed-to-likely-primary-runoff/|work=Houston Public Media |title=State Rep. Shawn Thierry, a Houston Democrat who voted with Republicans on anti-LGBTQ+ bills, headed to likely primary runoff}} and was forced into a run-off. On May 28, 2024, Thierry was defeated by Simmons, having received 35.4% of the vote.{{Cite web |last=Goldenstein |first=Taylor |title=Lauren Ashley Simmons defeats Houston state Rep. Shawn Thierry |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/election/2024/article/shawn-thierry-lauren-simmons-primary-runoff-19468277.php |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Houston Chronicle |language=en}} After losing her re-election bid, Thierry joined the American wing of the gender-critical group Genspect as the director of political strategy.{{Cite web |last=Downen |first=Robert |title=Rep. Shawn Thierry joins anti-trans policy group after losing Democratic primary |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/21/shawn-thierry-lgbtq-gender-transitioning-care-genspect/ |date=2024-08-22|access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Houston Chronicle |language=en}} On August 30, 2024, Thierry officially announced that she would be leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republican Party.{{efn|“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.”}} Thierry further discussed her decision to leave the Democratic Party at the 2024 national summit for the right-wing group Moms for Liberty.{{Cite news |last=Goldenstein |first=Taylor |date=August 30, 2024 |access-date=September 1, 2024 |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/shawn-thierry-houston-gop-19733255.php|work=Houston Chronicle |title=Outgoing Houston state Rep. Shawn Thierry says she's joining the GOP}}
Personal life
Thierry is a former Catholic and practicing Southern Baptist.{{Cite web |last=Wagner |first=Bayliss |title=State Rep. Shawn Thierry switches to GOP, says Dems have veered into 'progressive abyss' |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/state/2024/08/30/shawn-thierry-texas-state-rep-switches-gop-republican-epudiates-democrats-lgbtq-trans-votes/75013189007/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Austin American-Statesman |language=en-US}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=146 State legislative page]
- [https://www.texastribune.org/directory/shawn-thierry/ Shawn Thierry at the Texas Tribune]
{{Texas House of Representatives}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thierry, Shawn}}
Category:Republican Party members of the Texas House of Representatives
Category:Howard University alumni
Category:Thurgood Marshall School of Law alumni
Category:Former Roman Catholics
Category:Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives
Category:African-American state legislators in Texas
Category:Politicians from Houston
Category:Women state legislators in Texas
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century African-American women politicians