Key bills affecting Tennessee's LGBTQ community continue to move the week of March 7. Take action with these campaigns and events. We will continue to add campaigns and events as available over the coming days.

MARCH 7 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time

*Zoom phone bank against discrimination. Bring your phones; we supply the scripts and numbers. Facebook event with Zoom link located here.

MARCH 8

1. HB2835, the attack on gender-affirming care for trans youth is back in the House Health Subcommittee. HB2451, which represents itself as a parental bill of rights, is also up in the same subcommittee. Noon Central Time.  Note: These bills are far down on the calendar and the subcommittee may not get to them.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Health Subcommittee.

*Attend the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event link is here.

2. HB2691, which allows people to change the gender marker on their birth certificate, is also on the House Health Subcommittee calendar, along with the items in the entry above. Noon Central Time.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Health Subcommittee.

*Attend the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event link is here.

*Make calls for the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.

3. HB2316, which bans transgender college student athletes, is back before the House Higher Education Subcommittee. Noon Central Time.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Higher Education Subcommittee.

*Attend the committee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.

4. HB800, which bans LGBTQ materials in our public schools, is up for a vote in House Finance. 3:00 p.m. Central Time.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Finance Committee.

*Attend the committee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.

5. HB2633, which allows school personnel to disregard student pronouns, is back before the House K-12 Subcommittee. 4:30 p.m. Central Time.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House K-12 Subcommittee.

*Attend the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.

6. SB2440/HB2569, which would would have many negative effects such as gutting local government programs for women and minority contracting, is up before Senate and House committees on the same day.

*Use this campaign from our partners at We Decide TN to contact the Senate State and Local Government Committee.

MARCH 9

1. SB2360, which represents itself as a parental bill of rights, is up in the Senate Education Committee. 1:00 p.m. Central Time in Senate Hearing Room 1 of the Cordell Hull Building.

2.HB233, which is a caption bill that will carry anti-marriage equality language, is up for a vote in the House Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee. 2:00 p.m. Central Time.

*Use this easy form to send a message to the subcommittee.

*Attend the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.

3. SB2696, the attack on gender-affirming care for trans youth, is back in the Senate Health & Welfare Committee. 3:00 p.m. Central Time.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee.

*Attend the committee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.

4. HB1944, which attempts to label school library materials as obscenity, is before the House Criminal Justice Committee. 3:30 p.m. Central Time.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the Criminal Justice Committee.

*Attend the committee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.

MARCH 10 at 4:30 p.m. Central Time

Happy Hour Advocacy Social at Alchemy in Memphis. Facebook event is linked here.

Discriminatory bills are moving the week of February 28. Take action with these campaigns and events. More campaigns may be added on February 24 and 25.

FEBRUARY 28

*Zoom phone bank against discriminatory bills at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Facebook event with Zoom link here.

MARCH 1

1. HB2835 by Rep. Ragan in House Health Subcommittee at Noon Central Time.

*Send a message to the members of the subcommittee using this easy form.

*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and phone numbers at the link.

2. HB2316 by Rep. Ragan in House Higher Education Subcommittee at Noon Central Time. Update: The bill is being deferred for one week. So we will redo the campaigns for next week.

*Send a message to the members of the subcommittee using this easy form.

*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and phone numbers at the link.

3. HB2633 by Rep. Cochran back in the House K-12 Subcommittee at 4:30 p.m. Central Time.

*Send a message to the members of the subcommittee using this easy form.

*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and phone numbers at the link.

MARCH 2

1. HB800 by Rep. Griffey in House Finance Subcommittee at 11:00 a.m. Central Time.

*Send a message to the members of the subcommittee using this easy form.

*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.

2. SB2696 by Sen. Bowling in Senate Health and Welfare Committee at 1:00 p.m. Central Time.

*Send a message to the members of the committee using this easy form.

*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.

*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and phone numbers at this link.

3. HB1895 by Rep. Ragan in House Education Administration Committee at 3:30 p.m. Central Time.

*Send a message to the members of the committee using this easy form.

*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.

Several discriminatory bills are up for a vote the week of February 21. Here are some ways to fight back.

February 21: Phone bank against discrimination. We provide the scripts and the phone numbers. You leave messages with legislators on key pieces of legislation. 6:30 p.m. Central Time on Zoom. Find the Facebook event with Zoom link here.

February 22:  Two bills are up for a vote in the House K-12 Subcommittee. One would allow school personnel to disregard a student's pronouns. The other directs the TN Education Commissioner to withhold funds from school districts that do not discriminate against transgender student athletes.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House K-12 Subcommittee.

*Make phone calls to members of the subcommittee using the office numbers and scripts at the link.

*Attend the subcommittee meeting at 4:30 p.m. Central Time in the Cordell Hull Building. Facebook event linked here.

February 23: 

1. The bill attacking gender-affirming care for transgender youth is up for a vote in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

*Attend the committee meeting at 1:00 p.m. Central Time in the Cordell Hull Building. Facebook event linked here.

*Make phone calls to members of the committee using the office numbers and scripts at this link.

2. HB1944, a bill that attempts to label materials in school libraries obscene, is up for a vote in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee.

*Use this campaign from the Tennessee Library Association to urge the subcommittee to oppose the bill.

2022 may set a record for the number of discriminatory bills affecting Tennessee's LGBTQ community. There are also some positive bills to track this year. For questions, additions, or corrections, contact us at [email protected] . This list is a first draft; bills may be added or removed as the legislative session continues.

Note: The language used to describe each bill comes from the General Assembly's legislative summary.

Bills from 2021 that could move in the 2022 session

SB562/HB233 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Leatherwood

As introduced, deletes statutes on marriage licensing and ceremonies; limits the jurisdiction of circuit courts and chancery courts in cases involving the definition of common law marriage to the principles of common law marriage. Deferred to summer study.

SB193/HB372 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Casada

As introduced, prohibits a government entity from requiring an employee of the entity to attend or participate in a training, seminar, or continuing education which the employee objects to on the basis of the person's morals, ethics, values, or religious beliefs. Taken off notice on March 17, 2021.

SB657/HB578 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Ragan

As introduced, prohibits the provision of sexual identity change therapy to prepubescent minors; prohibits the provision of sexual identity change therapy to minors who have entered puberty unless a parent or guardian has written recommendations for the therapy from at least three physicians; punishes violations as child abuse; designates violations by healthcare professionals as professional misconduct.  Deferred to Special Calendar to be Published with Final Calendar in Health Committee.

SB1216/HB800 by Sen. Niceley and Rep. Griffey

As introduced, prohibits the state textbook and instructional materials quality commission from recommending or listing, the state board of education from approving for local adoption or from granting a waiver for, and LEAs and public charter schools from adopting or using textbooks and instructional materials or supplemental instructional materials that promote, normalize, support, or address lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender issues or lifestyles. Assigned to Senate General Subcommittee on March 23, 2022.

SB1238/HB1177 by Sen. Pody and Rep. J. Sexton

As introduced, specifies, for the offense of observation without consent, that a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy from members of the opposite sex in a single-sex multi-person use bathroom, locker room, dressing room or shower; defines a person's sex as the sex listed on the person's birth certificate and makes other related changes. Has not moved in 2022.

SB659/HB1535 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Weaver

As introduced, prohibits teachers from using supplemental materials that are not approved by the state board. Failed in Senate Education Committee on February 23, 2022.

New constructive bills in the 2022 session

SB2066/HB2257 by Sen. Campbell and Rep. Harris

As introduced, authorizes an applicant who files a petition for a name change and who reasonably believes that publication of the petition would result in harassment, embarrassment, or abuse of the applicant to file the petition under seal and use a pseudonym for publication purposes. Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee on March 22, 2022.

SB2603/HB2691 by Sen. Campbell and Rep. G. Johnson

As introduced, allows amendments of birth certificates to reflect the individual's gender identity. Failed in House Health Subcommittee on March 22, 2022.

New bills in the 2022 session that are directly discriminatory or could have discriminatory implications

SB2696/HB2835 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Ragan

As introduced, enacts the “Youth Health Protection Act.” Assigned to Senate General Subcommittee on March 9, 2022.

HB1758 by Rep. Ragan

As introduced, prohibits healthcare providers from providing medical treatment to minors without parental consent; provides exceptions for minors seeking treatment under certain conditions. WITHDRAWN

SB1861/HB1895 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan

As introduced, requires the commissioner of education to withhold a portion of the state education finance funds that an LEA is otherwise eligible to receive if the LEA fails or refuses to determine a student's gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student's sex at the time of birth; exempts an LEA that fails or refuses to determine a student's gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student's sex at the time of birth if the LEA's failure or refusal to do so is required by a court or other legally binding order. Signed into law by the Governor.

SB2153/HB2316 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan

As introduced, prohibits males from participating in public higher education sports that are designated for females; creates a cause of action for violations that deprive a student of an athletic opportunity or that cause direct or indirect harm to a student at the middle school, high school, or postsecondary level. Passed by both House and Senate, heading to the Governor for his action.

SB1862/HB1894 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan

As introduced, prohibits males from participating in public higher education sports that are designated for females; creates a cause of action for violations that deprive a student of an athletic opportunity or that cause direct or indirect harm to a student at the middle school, high school, or postsecondary level. WITHDRAWN

SB2777/HB2633 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Cochran

As introduced, specifies that a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA is not required to refer to a student using the student's preferred pronoun if the pronoun does not align with the student's biological sex; insulates a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA from civil liability and adverse employment action for referring to a student using the pronoun aligned with the student's biological sex instead of the student's preferred pronoun. Passed House on April 25, 2022, on notice in Senate Finance on April 26.

SB2006/HB1723 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Casada

As introduced, requires an LEA's policy on the inspection of school instructional materials by parents and legal guardians of students enrolled in the LEA to allow a student's parent or legal guardian to check out from the student's school one set of the instructional materials used in the student's classroom for a period of no less than 48 hours to allow the parent or legal guardian time to inspect the materials. Assigned to Senate General Subcommittee on March 23, 2022.

SJR862 by Sen. Bowling 

Constitutional Amendments - Proposes an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of Tennessee to protect fundamental parental rights. No action since January 2022.

SB1944/HB1944 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Cepicky

As introduced, excludes local education agencies, public schools, and employees and private contractors of LEAs or public schools from the exception to certain obscenity offenses if the LEA, public school, employee, or private contractor possesses obscene material that is harmful to minors on public school premises; prohibits an LEA or public school from making obscene materials or materials harmful to minors available to students in the school libraries controlled by the LEA or public school. Deferred to summer study on April 6, 2022.

SB2407/HB2154 by Sen. Johnson and Rep. Lamberth

As introduced, enacts the "Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022"; requires each public school to maintain, and post on the school's website, a list of the materials in the school's library collection; requires each local board of education and public charter school governing body to adopt a policy to establish procedures for the development and review of school library collections. Signed by the Governor.

SB2360/HB2451 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Weaver

As introduced, enacts the "Parent Bill of Rights Act," which requires LEAs to permit parents to have access to certain information, including the names of instructors, titles available in the school library, teacher manuals, and curriculum; requires parents to provide written consent before a student can participate in any extracurricular activity, family life lesson, field trip, school assembly, or guest speaker event; prohibits certain healthcare practitioners from providing medical treatment to a minor without parental consent or an appropriate court order. Assigned to Senate General Subcommittee on March 23, 2022.

SB2292/HB2454 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Weaver

As introduced, redefines "obscene" to include material that has educational value; makes various changes to the internet acceptable use policy LEAs are required to adopt; requires providers of digital and online resources to ensure that users cannot access certain obscene material; requires a local board of education to establish a mechanism for parents, legal guardians, or students to report failures of the technology selected by the LEA to filter, block, or otherwise prevent access to pornography or obscenity through online resources and to submit an annual report to the state board of education regarding same. Transmitted to the Governor for his action on April 26, 2022.

SB2283/HB2417 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Smith

As introduced, prohibits employees of, and courses of instruction or units of study at, public institutions of higher education from compelling or addressing certain tenets; creates a cause of action and loss of state funding for violations. Taken off notice on February 22, 2022.

SB2290/HB2670 by Sen. Bell and Rep. C. Sexton

As introduced, prohibits a public institution of higher education from taking certain actions with regard to divisive concepts and the ideologies or political viewpoints of students and employees; revises the duties of an institution's employees whose primary duties include diversity; requires each institution to conduct a survey of its students and employees to assess the campus climate with regard to diversity of thought and the respondents' comfort level in speaking freely on campus and to publish the results on the institution's website. Signed by the Governor.

SB2440/HB2569 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Ragan

As introduced, prohibits the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, an individual or group based on the individual's or group's race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of any aspect of public employment, public education, or public contracting. Assigned to General Subcommittee on March 23. 2022.

SB2298/HB2313 by Sen. Pody/Rep. Griffey

As introduced, prohibits a person from requiring an individual, employee, or applicant for employment to complete or participate in training, orientation, or any other instructional or informational program that promotes certain discriminatory concepts. Deferred to summer study on February 23, 2022.

HB2584 by Rep. Leatherwood

As introduced, redefines secondary education from including grades seven through 12 to including grades nine through 12. This bill has no Senate sponsor at this time. We are tracking it because of the effect on GSAs in public schools.

Today Rep. Cochran filed HB2633. According to the legislative summary, the bill "specifies that a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA is not required to refer to a student using the student's preferred pronoun if the pronoun does not align with the student's biological sex; insulates a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA from civil liability and adverse employment action for referring to a student using the pronoun aligned with the student's biological sex instead of the student's preferred pronoun."

In other words, this bill protects school personnel who discriminate against transgender and non-binary students. Research shows that school policies that affirm a student's gender identity yield better health and academic outcomes.

There has been a growing effort to label content about race, sexuality, and gender in school libraries as obscene and remove it from the shelves. See this compelling piece from The 19th.

Tennessee now joins the ranks of states where these battles will rage in 2022. Rep. Scott Cepicky has filed HB1944, which, according to the official summary, "excludes local education agencies, public schools, and employees and private contractors of LEAs or public schools from the exception to certain obscenity offenses if the LEA, public school, employee, or private contractor possesses obscene material that is harmful to minors on public school premises; prohibits an LEA or public school from making obscene materials or materials harmful to minors available to students in the school libraries controlled by the LEA or public school."

We will have to watch to see how the discussion unfolds about what counts as obscene. But if action around the country is any guide, LGBTQ materials are among the targets.

January 31 update: Rep. Willaim Lamberth has filed HB2154. Here's the summary: "As introduced, enacts the 'Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022'; requires each public school to maintain, and post on the school's website, a list of the materials in the school's library collection; requires each local board of education and public charter school governing body to adopt a policy to establish procedures for the development and review of school library collections." 

The Tennessee General Assembly's new session has just started and, to no one's surprise, discriminatory bills are back.

There are a number of bills we are already watching, but there are two new anti-transgender student athlete bills that were filed today.

HB1894 and HB1895 by Rep. John Ragan would bar trans women and girls from participating in women and girls' athletics and would punish school districts that refused to comply. 

We will need everyone's help to fight discriminatory legislation this year. If you would like to volunteer as a district captain, use this quick form to let us know. District captains meet with their own legislators to advocate for the LGBTQ community.

February 1 update: Yesterday HB1894 was withdrawn. But it has been refiled as SB2153/HB2316 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan.

The following information was written by and is provided in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health:

World AIDS Day is observed on the first of December every year. Established in 1988, this day has been committed to raising awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and mourning those who have died of the disease. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the theme for the 2021 observance is “End inequalities. End AIDS”. WHO and its partners are spotlighting the many inequalities in access to vital HIV services. They are calling on global leaders and citizens to challenge the inequalities that drive the AIDS epidemic and to extend support to people who are not receiving essential HIV assistance. They are placing a special focus on “reaching people left behind.”

Inequalities are pervasive in our world, and WHO has a series of key messages for this year’s World AIDS Day observance to help focus on those which impact people living with HIV and their care significantly:

1. Re-commit to end HIV
2. Tackle HIV and COVID-19 together
3. Focus on equality
4. Concentrate on those left behind 

What does it mean to re-commit to ending HIV?

The public health community has reported that at every level (local, state, regional, and national) there are a constellation of obstacles to engagement in HIV care and treatment, substantially hampering the effectiveness of concerted efforts to improve health outcomes for those living with HIV. For individuals with HIV who experience poor access to comprehensive healthcare services, the benefits that come with undetectable equals untransmittable status (U=U) — a long life free from complications due to their HIV — are not in their reach. People need to be able to learn that they have HIV quickly after exposure, to be connected to treatment as soon as possible after learning their status, and to be securely engaged in a care regimen that will be lifelong. 

In Tennessee in 2019, only 61% of people diagnosed with HIV were linked to care within 30 days.  Being linked is just the beginning of the story; people living with HIV need ongoing access to care to achieve the undetectable status that will most benefit their health. For people diagnosed within a year, 59% had two sets of labs run by their HIV medical providers in 2019 and 65% achieved viral suppression (Tennessee Department of Health). 

When looking at who is getting into HIV care quickly and who is not, there are significant disparities. Non-Hispanic Black people and young people (ages 15-24 years old) had consistently lower rates of linkage to care compared with their peers living with HIV. While Hispanic people in 2019 who were diagnosed with HIV had higher rates of linkage to care, they were the least likely to stay engaged in that care (where engagement is measured by at least two visits to a provider with lab work in a year) and the least likely to achieve viral suppression within a year. And while newly-diagnosed men living with HIV who have sex with other men were the most likely to achieve viral suppression in 2019, Black people living with HIV (men included) were less likely to enjoy that positive health milestone (Tennessee Department of Health). 

This does represent modest improvement over the last five years. For Tennesseans in their first year living with HIV, there are higher rates of rapid linkage to care (within 30 days of diagnosis) and of viral suppression in the first year for people of every age, race, ethnicity, and gender as compared with 2015.  

Re-committing to ending HIV means refusing to be satisfied with progress and continuing to push for the rapid linkage to care, ongoing and active engagement in care, and viral suppression outcomes that demonstrate that Tennesseans living with HIV are able to enjoy long, healthy lives free from HIV-related health consequences and fear that they will pass it to their partners.

What does it mean to tackle HIV and COVID-19 together?

In Tennessee, 1.3 million people have contracted COVID-19 and ~17,900 people have lost their lives to it. Hospital systems in every part of the state have been overwhelmed with patients fighting COVID since the pandemic began, and health care systems have felt that impact from the hospital to the clinic level. The last three years have been marked by dramatic shifts in how people come together, and the changing social distancing recommendations and practices caused by the pandemic have impacted HIV prevention and care activities for better and worse. In 2021, more people living with and vulnerable to HIV have access to telehealth and virtual peer support than ever before — but this access is not universal; it is also true that there are fewer in-person opportunities for peer support, HIV testing, HIV prevention, and in some cases longer wait times for HIV care appointments now than pre-pandemic. According to the Tennessee COVID-19 Unified Command Data Dashboard, only ~50% of people in our state are vaccinated, leaving many Tennesseans at risk for the foreseeable future.

Some people living with HIV are at higher risk for severe complications from COVID-19 than others. If their HIV is poorly controlled, their weakened immune system puts them in this higher risk category. People living with HIV may also have one or more additional health concerns that puts them in this category. They might be at higher risk because of their age (65 and up), or because of where they live (in long-term care facilities or in incarcerated settings). CDC has more information about how COVID-19 impacts people living with HIV here. Everyone living with HIV needs ready access to the vaccine and to medical providers they trust who can answer their questions with accurate information. In Tennessee, HIV Centers of Excellence are all places where people living with HIV can get access to testing, information, and vaccinations. To best protect themselves from COVID-19, all people living with HIV should be fully vaccinated and receive the recommended additional dose. 

People who are not living with HIV have a role to play here as well. Regular testing, removing yourself from social situations when sick, vaccination, and masking in public spaces all help control the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate the harm it brings for people living with HIV. 

What does it mean to focus on equality in our efforts to end HIV?

Issues of equality outside of access to health care can and do create significant barriers to HIV prevention and success in HIV treatment. One obvious and well-demonstrated example is housing. A person who lacks stable housing is more likely to contract HIV if they do not have it and less likely to succeed in HIV treatment if they do. Recent homelessness doubles a person’s risk of contracting HIV, and groups of people who experience homelessness at higher rates (including LGBTQ youth, parenting youth, and transgender adults) also experience increased risk of contracting HIV. Housing instability is the most reliable predictor that a person will delay HIV testing, and that people will struggle at every step once diagnosed with HIV. For more information about all the research related to HIV and homelessness, click here. For information about the Tennessee Department of Health’s HOPWA Program, which provides federal housing assistance for people living with HIV, click here.

Beyond housing, poverty itself has a profound impact on what living with HIV is like for Tennesseans. According to the 2019 State of Tennessee HIV Epidemiologic Profile, the median household income in Tennessee is significantly less than the national average ($53,320 versus $62,843), and our state “continues to experience racial and ethnic disparities in household income, with white households reporting higher median income ($56,725) compared to Black and Hispanic households ($38,791 and $43,885, respectively).” 

Low-income Tennesseans are more likely to be diagnosed with HIV. Black and Hispanic households struggle with lower incomes and Black and Hispanic people living with HIV have poorer outcomes in HIV care. Young adults, parenting young adults, gay, bisexual, and same-gender loving men, and transgender people also often work with fewer financial resources and are more likely to struggle to attain HIV viral suppression. Aging Americans, and especially LGBTQ seniors, experience higher rates of poverty and homelessness, and people living with HIV are aging with it (SAGE, 2021).

People living with HIV who are impacted by poverty are more likely to make decisions about their health that reflect compromises due to their lack of resources. While people living with HIV in Tennessee who are enrolled in the Ryan White program are more likely to be in care by the end of the first year (99% compared with 80% for people with HIV outside the program), more likely to be engaged in their care (76% versus 41%), and more likely to be virally suppressed (80% versus 50%), for some this comes with a significant trade off: their HIV care under Ryan White is exceptional, but ~28% remain uninsured. 

One way to shift our efforts that address equality for people living with HIV is through the Ryan White Part B Insurance Assistance Program. People who are a part of the Ryan White Part B program can get comprehensive health insurance paid for, which greatly expands their access to medical services beyond just what is needed to treat and control their HIV. While most Ryan White clients have taken advantage of this benefit, more than one in five are still uninsured. Ryan White Part B clients can explore this option with their case manager. 

What does it mean to concentrate on those left behind?

We know that when it comes to HIV, different types of people are left behind in different ways. Young people still lack access to HIV testing, are taking longer to get connected to care, and are struggling to achieve viral suppression. Black and Hispanic people in Tennessee living with HIV are less likely to be engaged in care and virally suppressed. We know that transgender people living with HIV in Tennessee are a large group with significant challenges, but we do not have enough data to paint a clear picture about exactly what those challenges are. People aging with HIV need care that is focused on more than just their HIV, and often struggle with securing the basic daily needs (like housing and food) that contribute to their overall quality of life.  

As we move into 2022, concentrating on those left behind means increasing access to HIV prevention and care, working strategically with groups of people who have historically struggled to control HIV, and changing what it means for someone living with HIV to be supported in their healthcare. 

When it comes to HIV Prevention, Tennesseans can access free condoms, free rapid HIV testing, and free education about and support accessing PrEP. For people without health insurance, there are several resources that cover the prescription costs for PrEP (click here to learn more and/or contact your local PrEP navigator). For people with health insurance, PrEP’s grade A recommendation from USPSTF means that insurance providers must waive all costs including co-pays and deductibles associated with it. For Tennesseans struggling with opioid use, there are more syringe exchange and harm reduction support services now than ever before. There is a significant statewide effort to coordinate support for HIV, STIs, substance use disorder, and Viral Hepatitis that now includes new resources and new agencies funded to support the work. In Memphis, there are new resources and new agencies joining the fight to end HIV through the Ending the Epidemic Initiative. 

For people living with HIV, the option to use take advantage of Ryan White to obtain comprehensive health insurance is a game-changer. This allows people living with HIV to access the expert support of a Ryan White case manager, their local HIV Center of Excellence, and the resources to prioritize their health concerns beyond just their HIV. 

In 2022, it is time for all of us to recommit our efforts to ending HIV by expanding the fight beyond the narrow scope of the virus itself, making sure no one is left out of the work, taking the necessary steps to fight COVID-19 along the way, and using every available resource at our disposal.

The 10th Tennessee Equality Project Gumbo Contest was held on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Memphis Museum of Science and History (MoSH)/Pink Palace Museum. TEP's annual celebration brought together teams from near and far to compete for the best gumbo in Memphis. 

We are grateful to all the sponsors of this year's event. Special thanks to Green Paper Products who provided our environmentally friendly tableware.

This information in this post was written by and is provided through a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health:

For people living with, affected by, or working to fight HIV, June is a month of historical and personal significance. June 5, 1981 was the day when the first five cases of what would later be known as AIDS were reported in the United States. Every year on June 5th, people around the world celebrate HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day. On June 27, 1982 the first “safer sex” pamphlet in response to the AIDS epidemic was created by a gay activist group in San Francisco and distributed at the International Lesbian and Gay Freedom Day Parade. June 27th is now recognized as National HIV Testing Day, which is both a day when many people get their annual HIV test and when staff and volunteers gear up to run large outreach and testing events. 

June is a month when our HIV history and present collide, making it an ideal time to reflect on how far we’ve come and where we are going. This year, the theme for HIV Long Term Survivors’ Day was “What Now?” In four decades, a lot has changed. 

Treatment for HIV has certainly come a long way. What started as palliative care to make people comfortable with a disease without a name is now treatment that is so effective, people can live with HIV without symptoms and without fear of passing it to another person during sex. 

“The science is clear. Numerous studies have shown that people living with HIV who take their medications as prescribed and get and keep and undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV.” - Pamela Talley, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the HIV/STD/Viral Hepatitis section at Tennessee Department of Health, World AIDS Day 2019 Press Release

Treatment has evolved significantly, becoming easier to take over time. What was many pills a day in a complicated regimen is now one pill a day for many people. For people new to living with HIV, there is a network of professional case managers, health care providers, and community-based organization staff trained to help arrange medical appointments, assist in the transition to daily medication, and support people in sharing their status with friends and loved ones. 

Access to treatment has expanded dramatically in the four decades since we first discovered HIV. The Ryan White Care Act was first passed into law in 1990 and has grown significantly since then to include medical care and other services to help people living with HIV achieve and sustain an undetectable viral load for years at a time. Ryan White Part B funds the Insurance Assistance Program, which allows eligible people living with HIV access to medical coverage for their whole health---not just their HIV. Through the Insurance Assistance Program, people living with HIV who qualify for Ryan White can pick from a set of insurance coverage options and then Ryan White will help cover the costs of their premium, copays, and deductible. This allows people living with HIV to access their healthcare the same way other Americans do, supports other aspects of their health, and gives them additional privacy related to their health. For Tennessee residents who receive Ryan White Part B benefits, the special enrollment period for the Insurance Assistance Program runs until August 15th. Click here for more information or ask your Ryan White Part B case manager.   

As we approach National HIV Testing Day (June 27) we can all celebrate how much has changed when it comes to getting an HIV test. People who want to know their HIV status can find a provider in their area who will give them a no-cost rapid HIV test and support if the result is positive. Many of these providers are now able to give people the choice to either take a rapid test in the office, or to take a test with them to do in the privacy of their own home. While HIV tests used to mean weeks of waiting on a result, rapid tests can now tell a person their HIV status in 20 minutes or less. For those people looking to celebrate National HIV Testing Day with others at an event, signing up for the statewide HIV weekly email and following testing providers on social media are great ways to learn more about upcoming celebrations.

How we think about HIV has changed dramatically in the four decades since we named it. AIDS was an unknown syndrome, but is now known, screened for, and treated worldwide. HIV was once a death sentence but is now a chronic condition. HIV was an illness people were so afraid of sharing that receiving a diagnosis meant a fundamental life change. It is now a part of a person’s health that does not stop them from starting new relationships, having children, and making future plans. It was once the case that people living with HIV could receive world class treatment for it but still not have access to care for their other health concerns. It is now a health issue that people can manage while getting access to standard health insurance coverage. A person’s HIV status was a question that required searching through providers to make an appointment for a test that would take weeks to yield a result, but is now as easy as signing up for a rapid test at a local agency or picking up a test to take at home. 

This June as many of us get our vaccines and leave our homes to enjoy Pride events and gatherings with friends and family, we can all take some pride in the part we’ve played in changing what it means to live with HIV in Tennessee. 

The following information was written by and is provided through a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health:

On November 27, 2019, Tennessee Department of Health became one of the first state health departments in the Southern U.S. to join the “Undetectable Equals Untransmittable” (or “U=U”) campaign. The U=U campaign raises awareness about the fact that people living with HIV who stay on treatment and maintain an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the virus through sex and are much less likely to transmit it through needle-sharing. 

For a person living with HIV, being undetectable means that the amount of HIV virus in their blood is so small that it is “undetectable” to HIV viral load tests. When this happens, the person is incapable of transmitting HIV via sex. This has enormous health benefits for the individual as well. Staying undetectable can help a person living with HIV avoid the health complications from the virus and live a longer, healthier life.

Getting to undetectable status is a health goal for people living with HIV. To achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load, people need consistent access to treatment without fear. The fear that stigma creates can build barriers between medical providers and their clients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define stigma as “discrimination against an identifiable group of people, a place, or a nation.” This identifiable group of people can be a group of people who all share the experience of living with a health condition. For people living with HIV, stigmatization is a shared fear and, unfortunately, one grounded in reality.

According to Needs Assessment 2020 Special Study conducted by the Tennessee Community HIV/AIDS Partnership, one out of every three people living with HIV in Tennessee lives with the fear that their HIV status may be discovered by someone living in their community (Tennessee Community HIV/AIDS Partnership. "Needs Assessment Special Study). One in five experienced stigma related to their HIV status while receiving medical services. 

In deep dive interviews, people living with HIV in Tennessee reported choosing and staying with one provider and/or avoiding medical treatment altogether to avoid potential HIV stigma. Stories about stigma demonstrated that people living with HIV might be stigmatized because of their HIV status and because of their race, gender, and sexual orientation. 

One important dimension of stigma is that it provokes a fear response where fear is not needed or helpful. Study respondents described fear from people who lived in their community and from medical professionals in situations where HIV transmission was not possible. This fear made them more likely to limit their own options for treatment and in some cases served as a barrier to treatment itself. 

In 2021, we understand that treatment is a key cornerstone of prevention. Our state is healthier when everyone living with HIV has easy, uninterrupted access to treatment. Over the years, many barriers to such access have been dismantled in Tennessee; people living with HIV can get treatment even if they are uninsured and cannot afford it through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. To help people get access to HIV treatment early and stay in care, services like transportation, housing, and psychosocial support are in place. Expert case managers are available to help people new to this network of support navigate to the services they need. But even with all of those resources, stigma can make a person living with HIV think twice about taking advantage of them. 

Ensuring that all Tennesseans, not just people living with HIV, understand that HIV treatment substantially reduces the risk of transmission fights stigma. When people living with HIV take their medications as prescribed and maintain an undetectable viral load, their efforts benefit their personal health and protect their community. 

All of us, whether we live with HIV or not, can play a role in dismantling stigma. If you or someone you love is living with HIV, here are some resources you can use to help a person achieve undetectable and untransmittable status:

• Get into care (if you aren’t in care already) by connecting with a Ryan White Medical Case Manager. A case manager can tell you whether or not you qualify for Ryan White services and can answer any questions you have about your diagnosis and your options. Click here to find a case manager near you.

• Get back into care after a lapse, a move, or any other type of care interruption with the help of an Early Intervention Services (EIS) specialist or a Re-engagement specialist. Click here to read more about EIS services in Tennessee or here to connect with a Re-engagement specialist.

• Identify and overcome your barriers to daily medication. Maintaining an undetectable viral load requires people living with HIV to stay on a daily medication regimen. If that is something you haven’t had to do before, it can be challenging. Identify what makes it hard to take your medication daily and share your concerns with your case manager and/or medical provider. Click here to learn more about all of the supportive services Ryan White offers to help people maintain stable access to care. 

• Set up a system of social support. Living with HIV can be challenging, especially if you are living in fear that people will discover your health status. One way to fight this fear is by telling the people in your life about your health. Planning a disclosure can be difficult, but there are lots of professionals and peers in Tennessee that can help. Your Ryan White medical case manager can support you in planning a disclosure. For people new to living with HIV, Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Access to Services (ARTAS) linkage coordinators can help you get into care and plan a first disclosure. Healthy Relationships is a series of workshops for people new to living with HIV that uses a peer model to help people get comfortable and good at talking about their HIV status. Click here for more information about ARTAS and Healthy Relationships.

HIV stigma has its roots in a time when we didn’t know what HIV was, how it spread, or how to treat it. Stigma alienates people living with HIV and is often part of a person’s thought process when considering care. No one should be afraid to do something good for their health, especially when it will also benefit their community. We all have a role to play in eliminating HIV stigma in our communities. Spread the word about U=U, bring up HIV and educate your friends and family, and spread the word about all of the resources people living with HIV in Tennessee have to maintain their health.

As of May 18, Governor Lee has now signed all three of these anti-trans bills, in addition to his earlier signing of the anti-trans student athlete bill and the bill that allows parents to opt their children out of sexual orientation/gender identity curriculum in public schools.

HB1233 is an anti-transgender student bathroom bill that offers trans students separate and unequal accommodations in our public schools. Tennessee could be the only state this year to enact a bathroom bill this year. (signed into law)

HB1182 is the anti-transgender bathroom sign mandate bill that applies to businesses and organizations that have a trans-inclusive policy for multi-person restrooms. The bill requires them to put up a demeaning sign about biological sex. It could lead to increased policing of trans people in restrooms and aggression towards trans-inclusive businesses. (signed into law)

SB126 is a bill that puts into the Tennessee Code standards for gender-affirming care for trans youth. Why is that a bad idea? It is discriminatory because we don’t normally put standards of care into the law and if the standard of care changes based on research, we shouldn’t have to amend the law. It could also invite more restrictive amendments in future legislative sessions. (signed into law)

Contact Governor Lee today at 615-741-2001 and let him know your views on anti-transgender legislation.

Email Option:  You can also send him an email through his contact form at https://www.tn.gov/governor/contact-us.html .

Make your voice heard on bills moving the week of May 3 as the Legislature prepares to adjourn.

May 3

*HB1027, the bill regulating gender-affirming care for transgender youth, is on the House floor Monday evening.

-Use this easy form to contact your member of the Tennessee House of Representatives.  If you have already sent your message, share the link with friends.

-If you want to compose a personal email or voice mail for your state representative, but don't know who that is, be in touch at [email protected] any time before Monday at 10 a.m. Central Time.  We will help you with your message and with the contact information.  Put your street address and Zip code in the email. 

Near Future

-Calls to the Governor:  Several bills are heading to the Governor or on his desk.  Call Governor Lee at 615-741-2001, leave a message asking him to veto SB1229/HB529 (parent opt-out bill), SB1367/HB1223 (anti-trans student bathroom bill), and SB1224/HB1182 (anti-trans bathroom sign mandate bill).

-Letters to the Editor:  If you want to write a letter to the editor of your local paper (especially outside Nashville), and you need some guidance, reach out any time at [email protected] and let us know the name of your newspaper. We could use some letters urging the Governor to veto these bills. This weekend is a great time to start.

Discriminatory bills continue to advance. Take action and fight back with the steps below.

*If you want to have a phone meeting with your state senator and/or your state representative the week of April 26, contact us at [email protected] and we will help you get it set up and prepare you with an issue brief.

April 26

EVENT:  Quick Zoom Phone Bank on the Bad Bills

April 26 or April 27

*HB1027, the bill regulating gender-affirming care for trans youth, is up for a vote in House Government Operations Committee. Note: The information on the bill's page on the Legislature's web site says that it is up for a vote on April 27, but the House Government Operations Committee meeting is listed for April 26.  UPDATE:  The Government Operations Committee did approve the bill on April 26 and it is headed to the House floor soon.

-Use this easy form to contact your member of the Tennessee House of Representatives.

Indefinite Date

*SB1224, the anti-transgender sign mandate bill, will be on the Senate floor soon.

 -Use this easy form to send an email to your state senator and urge them to vote NO.

Note: There are additional bills that could be added to the calendar. If they are put on the calendar, we will add more campaigns.

More damaging bills are getting closer to passing. Take action on these bills moving the week of April 19.

Remember that the parent opt-out bill is heading to the Governor for his signature, so call him. Tell Governor Lee Veto SB1229/HB529 Parent Opt-out bill for LGBTQ curriculum at 615-741-2001.

Monday, April 19

Event:  Zoom phone bank against discriminatory bills at 6 p.m. Central Time.

*SB1367/HB1233, the anti-transgender student bathroom 2.0 bill, is up for floor votes in the Senate and House.

-Use this easy form to send an email to your own state senator and state representative. Feel free to add your own message.

Tuesday, April 20 (possibly Wednesday, April 21)

*SB1224, the anti-transgender bathroom sign mandate, is back in Senate Judiciary Committee.

-Use this easy form to send an email to all the committee members. Feel free to add your own message.

-Leave phone messages with the members of the committee using the scripts and office numbers at this link.

Indefinite Date

*HB1027, the caption bill amended to regulate gender-affirming care for trans youth, will be up for a vote in the House Government Operations Committee soon.

-Leave phone messages with the members of the committee using the scripts and office numbers at this link.

Note:  If you clicked on this link from the Times News Editorial, go to the new campaigns for the week of April 19 at https://www.tnep.org/take_action_on_dangerous_bills_moving_the_week_of_april_19 .  You can call Governor Lee and urge him to veto SB1229/HB529 by calling him at 615-741-2001 .

2021 has been the toughest legislative session in years. The week of April 12 is no departure as discriminatory bills continue their advance. Take action and fight back using the campaigns and events below.

If you are available to meet by phone or Zoom with your state senator and/or state representative in the next two weeks, be in touch at [email protected] and we will get you information to prepare you.

Monday, April 12

*EVENT: GLSEN TN phone bank

Tuesday, April 13

*SB1224, the anti-transgender bathroom sign mandate bill, is up in Senate Judiciary Committee.

-Leave phone messages with the members of the committee using the numbers and script at the link.

-Use this easy form to send a message to the committee and consider including your own message.

*HB1233, anti-transgender student bathroom bill 2.0, is up in House Finance Committee. The Senate companion bill has been delayed on the Senate floor and has been reset for April 19.

Wednesday, April 14

*EVENT: GLSEN TN's "Show Up for Trans Youth at Cordell Hull"

*HB578 and HB1027, bills attacking gender-affirming care for trans youth, are up in the House Health Committee.

-Leave phone messages with the members of the committee using the numbers and script at the link.

-Use this easy form to send a message to the committee and consider including your own message.

*HB529, the parent opt-out bill for sexual orientation/gender identity curriculum, is on the House floor.

-Use this easy form to send a message to your member of the Tennessee House of Representatives.

More discriminatory bills are getting dangerously close to passing. Take action on these bills moving the week of April 5.

Monday, April 5

*SB1229, the sexual orientation/gender identity curriculum opt-out bill, and SB1367, the anti-transgender school bathroom bill 2.0, are on the Senate floor.

-Use this easy form to contact your state senator. Consider including a short video message.

-EVENT: Call Out Discrimination Zoom phone bank at 6:00 p.m. Central Time.

Tuesday, April 6

*HB1027, the caption bill regulating gender-affirming care for trans youth, is back in the House Health Subcommittee.

-Make calls to the members of the subcommittee using the numbers and script at the link.

-Use the new email campaign under HB578 with Wednesday's action steps. It is a combined campaign that includes HB1027.

*SB1224, the anti-transgender bathroom sign mandate, is up in Senate Judiciary.

-Make calls to the members of the committee using the numbers and script at the link.

-Take action with this easy email campaign. Add your own written or video message.

Wednesday, April 7

*HB578, the bill attacking gender-affirming care for trans youth, is up in the House Health Committee.

-Make calls to the members of the committee using the numbers and script at the link.

-Take action with this easy email campaign. Add your own written or video message.

*HB800, the bill banning LGBTQ content in school textbooks and instructional materials, is up in House Education Instruction Committee.

-Use this easy email campaign for HB800 and the two bills below. It will go to members of Senate Education Committee and House Education Instruction Committee. Add your own written or video message.

*SB659/HB1535, a bill that would ban supplemental curriculum materials not approved by the state, is up in Senate Education and House Education Instruction Committees.

-Make calls to the members of the House Education Instruction Committee on HB800 and HB1535 using the numbers and script at the link.

-Make calls to the members of the Senate Education Committee on SB659 using the numbers and script at the link.

-See the email campaign above for HB800.

Thursday, April 8

*SB126, another anti-trans youth health care bill, is on the Senate floor.

-Take action with this new, easy campaign to contact your own state senator.

Many dangerous bills are still moving through the Legislature during the week of March 29. Here are some ways you can take action.

Monday, March 29

*HB1182, the anti-transgender bathroom sign mandate, is on the House floor.

-Take action by using this form to send a message to your member of the TN House. You can add a video message.

*EVENT:  Kill the killer bills phone bank at 6:30 p.m. Central Time with GLSEN TN.

Tuesday, March 30

*HB800, the bill banning LGBTQ content in school textbooks and instructional materials, is up for a vote in the House Education Instruction Subcommittee.

-Email the members of the Education Instruction Committee about this bill and HB529 using the easy form.

-Call the members of the subcommittee and urge them to vote NO with the scripts and numbers at this link.

*HB1027, the caption bill that could be amended to regulate gender-affirming care for trans youth, is up in the House Health Subcommittee.

-Make calls to the members of the House Health Subcommittee on the bill with the script and numbers.

-Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Health Subcommittee and the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

*EVENT:  TEP Rutherford County Zoom meeting at 6:30 p.m. Central Time.

Wednesday, March 31

*HB529, the sexual orientation/gender identity curriculum opt out bill, is up for a vote in the House Education Instruction Committee.

-Call the members of the committee using the scripts and numbers at the link.

-See the email form under HB800 on March 30 for the email campaign on this bill. It is a combined campaign.

*SB126, the caption bill that could be amended to regulate gender-affirming care for trans youth, is up in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

-Make calls to the members of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee using the numbers and scripts.

-See above under March 30 for the email campaign that sends an email to the House and Senate committees on the bill.

A record for discriminatory bills moving the week of March 22! Here are ways you can take action.

MARCH 22

*SB228/HB3, the anti-transgender student athlete bill, is up for a vote on the House floor.

-Use this form to send a message to your member of the Tennessee House about the bill.

-Online Event:  Call Out Discrimination Zoom Phone Bank at 6:00 p.m. Central Time.

MARCH 23

*HB1027 is a caption bill that would likely carry language regulating gender-affirming care for transgender youth. It is on notice in the House Health Subcommittee.

-Make calls on HB1027 with the scripts and phones numbers at this link.

-Use this easy form to email the House Health Subcommittee and the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

*HB1182, the anti-transgender bathroom sign mandate, is BACK ON NOTICE after being taken off notice. It is up for a vote in the House State Government Committee.

-Use the email campaign at this link if you have not already done so.

-If you would like to leave messages for the members of the State Government Committee, find the script with phone numbers here.

*HB800 would ban LGBTQ content from the public school curriculum.  HB529 would require schools to let parents opt their students out of sexual orientation/gender identity curricula in public schools. Both bills are up for consideration in the House Education Instruction Subcommittee.

-Make calls on HB800 and a related bill, HB529, with the script and phone numbers at this link.

-Use this easy form to send emails to the subcommittee. Feel free to add your own message in the blank space.

-Online Event:  People's Preview of the State presented by Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood. 6:00 p.m. Central Time.

MARCH 24

*HB578, the bill attacking gender-affirming care is up for a vote in the House Criminal Justice Committee.

-If you would like to leave phone messages with the members of the committee, find the scripts and phone numbers here.

-Email the members of the committee using the easy form at this link.

*SB126 is a caption bill that would likely carry language regulating gender-affirming care for transgender youth, is on notice in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

-Make calls to the members of the committee using the phone numbers and scripts at the link.

-The email campaign for this bill is combined with the March 23 campaign on the companion bill up in the House Health Subcommittee. See above.

*SB1229, the bill that would let parents opt their students out of sexual orientation/gender identity curricula in public schools, is up for a vote in the Senate Education Committee.  SB1367, which is an anti-transgender student bathroom bill 2.0 is up in the same committee on the same date.

-Make calls to the members of the committee using the phone numbers and scripts at this link.

-Use this easy form to email the Senate Education Committee on both bills. Add your own message in the blank space.

-Online Event:  TEP Knox, Anderson, and Blount Counties virtual meeting at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

-Online Event:  TEP Shelby County virtual meeting at 6:30 p.m. Central Time.

MARCH 25

-Virtual Event:  TEP Tri-Cities virtual meeting at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.