After a year-long effort to install an official historical marker recognizing the LGBTQ+ community at the Rainbow Lounge a gay bar in Fort Worth, Texas that was targeted in an infamous 2009 police raid the effort was ultimately thwarted by Republican Tarrant County Judge Tim OHare.The site for the historical marker, 651 S. Jennings Avenue, was the location of the Rainbow Lounge. Shortly after opening, on June 28, 2009, Fort Worth police and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents raided the bar without prior notice, using excessive force and arresting patrons for public intoxication. The raid resulted in one man being hospitalized for brain bleeding, and another suffering broken ribs. Related Drag queens visit small towns across America in a show that will bring you to tears Were Here uses drag to teach acceptance in states with some of the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The raid, which occurred on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, mobilized the Dallas-Fort Worth area LGBTQ+ community and garnered national publicity, ultimately leading to sweeping reforms of the citys anti-discrimination laws and the implementation of diversity training for local legal officials. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Unfortunately, the Rainbow Lounge burned down in June 2017. To this day, the site lies abandoned as leasing issues prevent the bar from being rebuilt. Investigators never stated the cause of the fire; arson was never officially ruled out.Todd Camp, who runs Fort Worth LGBTQ+ history group, Yesterqueer, told The Fort Worth Report that the city approved of a historical marker after Camp gave a presentation on local queer history to city staff. Everything seemed to be moving accordingly, however, Tarrant County Judge Tim OHare issued a letter to the historic commission claiming the application for the historicalmarker was improperly submitted and did not go through the Tarrant County Historical Commissions thorough approval process. Before a state marker can be submitted to the state for approval, it must undergo a review process from the local countys historical society.While OHare argued that the process bypassed established precedent for approval, former Tarrant County Historical Commission chair Coletta Strickland told The Fort Worth Report that this wasnt the case. There was nothing untoward or out of the ordinary that was done for this application, Strickland said.Nevertheless, OHare wrote in a letter opposing the gay bars historical marker, Allowing the marker to proceed under these circumstances risks generating unnecessary controversy and undermining the credibility of both the local and state historical commissions. While his letter didnt directly attack LGBTQ+ people, a statement from the judges chief of staff Ruth Ray said that OHare does not support a historical marker glorifying radical gender ideology and drag performances. People visit public spaces for recreation and relaxation, often with their children. As the vast majority of our nation agrees, transgenderism should not be pushed on our children, Ray said.OHare has a history of opposing LGBTQ+ rights and having far-right political beliefs. As a Tarrant County judge, he has led efforts to cut funding for non-profits that work with at-risk children, citing their views on racial inequality and LGBTQ+ rights.There are over 16,000 historical markers that can be found in all 254 of Texass counties to commemorate elementary schools, historic mansions, plantations, Black historic locations, and even ones dedicated to historical female figures from Texas.Despite this large number and the size of the state, there is currently only one officially designated LGBTQ+ historical marker in Texas: The Crossroads in the Oak Lawn neighborhood of Dallas, recognizing its significance as the heart of the citys LGBTQ+ community.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.