From the Houston Press – In the early 2000s, Avery Belyeu was living as a gay man in New York City, starting a career in the nonprofit sector and seeking opportunities to help those who were struggling to find their identities. About 10 years ago, Belyeu became a woman.

Now the CEO of the Montrose Center, Belyeu remains steadfast in her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, and in Texas, that’s becoming more challenging by the day. She knows the struggles of feeling like she doesn’t belong. Raised in a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Florida, she hasn’t seen her parents in 17 years and has found that her religious beliefs align with Judaism.

“You don’t have to be alone,” she said. “A place like this was built so you don’t have to be alone. This is hard and we’re here to be a source of support.”

This week, Belyeu and the Center’s staff and clients are grappling with the fallout from the recently passed Texas House Bill 229, which strictly defines men and women based on the reproductive organs they are born with and requires state records to reflect it…