Del Rio residents and advocates criticize removal of transgender-themed library display; ask Val Verde County to take public stand

Several Del Rio residents urged the Val Verde County Commissioners Court on Tuesday to challenge what they described as erasure of transgender stories after a Transgender Day of Remembrance display at the public library was removed and later restored without trans-authored books. Miguel Garcia, vice president of Del Rio Safe, told the court the removal allowed "violent voices to hurt us" and asked commissioners to enforce legal protections for LGBTQIA+ residents and announce where they stand publicly.

Vanessa Bernas Salinas, who described herself as a practitioner of Mexican ancestral healing traditions, said gender diversity has long been recognized across the Americas and criticized the library's removal of queer and trans books as a denial of community history. "Trans lives matter. Trans stories matter," she said, urging leaders to create spaces that help young people feel seen.

Robin Ann Cochran, who identified as a post-op transgender woman and a local board vice president, said the display honored Transgender Day of Remembrance and recounted national figures of transgender deaths. "The display was not there to indoctrinate anyone only to inform," she said, and she thanked Judge Owens for deciding not to destroy the books. The judge acknowledged community concern and thanked speakers for coming forward.

The court heard multiple public comments during the citizens' comment period and took no immediate policy action on library operations during the meeting. Speakers asked the court to adopt a clear, public statement about protecting the dignity and safety of LGBTQ residents and to ensure library displays that mark remembrance events include representative materials.