Tag: Tennessee

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Tennessee: GOP lawmakers introduce bill to legalize discrimination

A bill has been introduced in the Tennessee state Senate that would write into law the ability for anyone to refuse service to another person if they felt it would “violate” their religious beliefs.

The bill – SB 2566 – states that “protecting the free exercise of religion is a government interest of the highest order,” and “laws that protect the free exercise of religious beliefs regarding marriage will encourage private citizens and institutions to demonstrate tolerance of others’ beliefs.”

Here’s just part of the legislation:

No person or religious or denominational organization shall be required to perform any of the following actions related to, or related to the celebration of, any civil union, domestic partnership, or marriage not recognized by this state, if doing so would violate the sincerely held religious beliefs of the person or religious or denominational organization regarding sex or gender:

(A) Provide any services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, or privileges;

(B) Provide counseling, adoption, foster care, or other social services;

(C) Provide employment or employment benefits; or

(D) Solemnize a civil union, domestic partnership, or marriage not recognized by this state.

So, if you are in a same-sex marriage, be prepared for folks to refuse any kind of service, job or accommodations.

Kansas and Idaho are also in the process of similar laws, with more states lining up as marriage equality continues it’s momentum.

(source)

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Tennessee: Four couples file suit to challenge marriage equality ban

Marking 20 states that now have lawsuits for marriage equality, Tennessee saw a new lawsuit filed today by four couples who married in other states and want the state of Tennessee to recognize their marriages, just like the state recognizes straight marriages from other states.

Via press release from the National Center for Lesbian Rights:

Today, four legally married same-sex couples who live in Tennessee filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Nashville, challenging Tennessee laws that prevent the state from recognizing their marriages and treating them the same as all other legally married couples in Tennessee. The couples, who include a full-time Army reservist and his husband and two professors of veterinary medicine, all formerly lived and married in other states and later moved to Tennessee to pursue careers and make new homes for their families. Tennessee law currently prohibits recognition of their marriages and treats the couples as legal strangers.

The lawsuit argues that Tennessee’s laws prohibiting recognition of the couples’ marriages violates the federal Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection and due process and the constitutionally protected right to travel between and move to other states.

The couples are Dr. Valeria Tanco and Dr. Sophy Jesty  of Knoxville; Army Reserve Sergeant First Class Ijpe DeKoe and Thom Kostura of Memphis; Kellie Miller and Vanessa DeVillez of Greenbrier; and Matthew Mansell and Johno Espejo of Franklin.

“Getting married not only enabled us to express our love and commitment to one another, but it also provided us with the protections we would need as we started our new lives together,” said Dr. Jesty, who moved to Tennessee with her wife in 2011 to accept a teaching position at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, where her spouse also teaches. “When we moved to Tennessee, we lost those protections. Now that Val is pregnant with our first child, having those protections is more important than ever.”

Sergeant DeKoe, who served a tour of duty in Afghanistan, said: “Fairness and equality are the guiding principles of our government, and as a member of the armed forces, I have fought and will continue to fight for those principles. After returning to Memphis with Thom, I was saddened to learn that Tennessee law does not live up to those ideals in the way it treats married same-sex couples.”

Said attorney Rubenfeld: “Tennessee is the volunteer state—it is our tradition to honor and applaud those who voluntarily move here to enjoy the benefits of this great state—not deny them benefits and respect afforded them in other states. Tennessee traditionally values fairness and family. The time has come for Tennessee law to be true to those values by including same-sex couples who legally married before moving to Tennessee because this state is as much their home as it is ours. We believe that the United States Constitution requires that Tennessee law treat married same-sex couples like all other married couples. Today, we ask the courts to reaffirm that dignity and respect are core values in Tennessee and that our anti-marriage recognition laws conflict with those values.”

“Tennessee recognizes the marriages and families of all other couples that were married out-of-state” said Harbison, a partner at Sherrard & Roe. “It is wrong and unfair for Tennessee law to single out these legally married couples and treat them as legal strangers to one another simply because of who they are.”

Read more the NCLR website

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Tennessee: 51% support marriage equality/civil unions

In 2006, 81% of voters in Tennessee approved a state constitutional amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman as “the only legally recognized marital contract” in the state.

A new poll by Vanderbilt University shows a marked improvement in LGBT rights in the state.

51% of Tennesseans would support  some sort of relationship recognition (32% support marriage equality, 17% support civil unions).

That being said, the state’s constitutional ban remains a big obstacle for LGBT rights advocates for years to come.

(source)

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Tennessee: “Don’t Say Gay” Bill is back, requires teachers to “out” students

From ThinkProgress: Tennessee’s so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay‘ bill died with the adjournment of the state assembly last year. But now the measure is back — with new, harsher requirements.

The bill, SB 234, still bars Tennessee teachers from discussing any facet of “non-heterosexual” sexuality with children in grades K-8. But the newest iteration also includes a provision requiring teachers or counselors to inform the parents of some students who identify themselves as LGBT.

Family rejection is a serious risk for LGBT youth. Kids who are LGBT often face alienation, if not outright abandonment, because they come out. Forty percent of homeless youth are LGBT, and many of them report that the reason they left home was to escape an environment hostile to their sexual orientation.

LGBT youth who experience family rejection are at high risk for depression and suicide.

More at ThinkProgress

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Tennessee principal who told gay students they “were going to hell” resigns

Dorothy Bond

The Tennessee high school principal who reportedly told students during an assembly that gay students were going to hell, has resigned.

Haywood County High School Principal Dorothy Bond has resigned, according to the school system’s law firm, reported the Jackson Sun.

In a statement released through Purcell, Sellers & Craig, Inc., the school system said:

“The Haywood County Board of Education acknowledges its student body’s right to free speech. Further, the Haywood County Board of Education strives to provide an atmosphere of tolerance and diversity while maintaining high academic standards.”

Bond allegedly singled out LGBT and pregnant students during a meeting with students, and said, “If you’re gay you’re going to hell and if you’re pregnant, your life is over,” reported WPTY-TV in Memphis.

Since the story broke earlier today, more than 5,000 people signed an HRC petition calling on the Haywood County School District to investigate the allegations.

Think about this folks.  Imagine YOUR child attending a school where the principal told them they were “going to hell” or “your life is over.”

Imagine.

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Tennessee Governor: “Drop the ‘Don’t Say Gay Bill'”

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) has told state lawmakers to drop the now infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill that has made nationwide headlines for the past few years.

The bill would make any discussion or acknowledgment of homosexuality illegal in Tennessee schools.

Via Nashville Public Radio:

Yesterday a committee of state lawmakers put off dealing with so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation. That’s after hearing in private from an official with Governor Bill Haslam’s office.

The amendment that passed the state senate last year would limit all sexual instruction up through eighth grade to quote “natural human reproduction science.” Now some House lawmakers want to add some exceptions, or keep it from interfering with an anti-bullying law passed last year.

Asked about his administration’s reported intervention yesterday, Haslam told reporters he thinks there are simply better things for lawmakers to spend their time on.

“I’ve said before I don’t think that should be a priority of the legislature. I think there’s other things that we can and should be focused on right now, and I’ve been up front about that from the very beginning.”

With Tennessee’s unemployment rate higher than the national average, ranked 39th out of 50 states for child homelessness, plus being ranked 45th out of 50 states for state planning and policy, you have to wonder: is this the most important thing to be debating in Tennessee?

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Tennessee Gov. overturns non-discrimination ordinance

Gov. Bill Haslam signed a bill Monday that overturns Metro’s nondiscrimination ordinance.

It took months of debate before Nashville passed the measure prohibiting companies that work with the city from discriminating against gays and lesbians.

The Human Rights Campaign responds: “Discrimination should have no place in the Volunteer State and the Chamber’s opposition to this law sent a strong signal that corporations are on the leading edge of positive change,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “In contrast Governor Haslam has put discrimination ahead of the state’s values and even business interests by signing this horrible legislation.”

Major corporations spoke out against the bill and in favor of workplaces that respect and welcome all individuals. Since the bill passed late last week, Aloca, FedEx, AT&T, KPMG, UnitedHealth Group, Whirlpool, Comcast and other companies publicly disavowed the bill.

To think that Nashville wanted to add “sexual orientation” to their non-discrimination statute and the state legislature literally is saying “no, it’s ok to discriminate against gays and lesbians.”

Sad, kids. Very, very sad.