Tennessee Legislature Launches Discrimination Bills
CHATTANOOGA (nQhq)— State Representative Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) and State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) re-introduced two controversial discrimination bills to the Tennessee State Legislature yesterday.
The first, SB771 (and its House companion bill, HB888) is an anti-transgender measure targeting transgender, intersex, and gender non-conforming students. According to Channel 6 (WATE) news in Nashville, the bill states that public schools “shall require that a student use student restroom and locker room facilities that are assigned for use by persons of the same sex as the sex indicated on the student’s original birth certificate.”
This type of measure reflects that affecting the case of Gavin Grimm, a student in Virginia, who is unable to user the boys’ restroom due to discriminatory policies in his school. This case is due to be heard by the Supreme Court, but not until next year.
The second bill, the “TN Natural Marriage Defense Act” (Senate Bill 752 and House Bill 892) is an attempt to nullify the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling of 2015. It was introduced in the previous legislative session, but was shot down in a committee vote.
Both bills “passed on first consideration in the Senate”, and will be introduced in the house on Thursday.
These types of measures are a grave threat to the LGBTQ+ community. In the past, these measures — the Natural Marriage Defense Act, particularly — were often shot down due to concerns that federal money for Medicare and other programs would be cut off in response to what is viewed by the Federal Government as standing in violation of Supreme Court decisions and other federal edicts.
However, the newly-elected Trump administration has shown serious contempt for the nation’s court system when it goes against his policy targets. With the anti-LGBTQ+ Mike Pence and others helping to drive federal cabinet decisions, it could mean that states are less likely to have financial support withheld.
For ways you can help, and to participate in organized action, please visit the Tennessee Equality Project’s article on the topic.
