A foster care and adoption license to discriminate measure was recently put into a health and human services funding bill in the House Appropriations Committee.

The “Aderholt Amendment” allows foster care and adoption service providers across the country to discriminate against children and prospective parents based on sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and marital status.

We need your help to tell Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker:  NO ADOPTION DISCRIMINATION in the 2019 Appropriations bill!  We will deliver hard copies to their offices.

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring so the President will name a successor who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.  Sign to urge Senator Alexander and Senator Corker to speak up for the LGBTQ community during the confirmation process.  TEP will deliver a hard copy of the signatures to their offices.

Please, considering making your tax deductible contribution to the TEP Foundation.  Your investment supports programs like Voter Registration Drives, Advocacy 101 training sessions around the state, Boro Pride in Murfreesboro that more than doubled its attendance this year, and Tennessee Open For Business that encourages an inclusive business environment in our state.  We are grateful for all your support.

Nashville resident Jennifer Sheridan discovered some disturbing images among iStock/Getty's photographs that were tagged with anti-LGBTQ messages.  Out & About Nashville reports that one of them represented the lynching of LGBTQ people.

TAKE ACTION:  Go to this link and tell iStock/Getty to remove anti-LGBTQ images and tags from their collection.  AND add your name to the petition below.  Please, share with your friends. 

Sign your name and let us know your email address to pledge your ongoing commitment to the work for full equality in Tennessee after the marches and celebrations are over.  That will allow us to stay in touch with you about key training events around the state.

I pledge to work for equality and justice for LGBTQ people in Tennessee after the marches and rallies.  I will keep their spirit with me and find ways to resist discrimination and build power for the equality movement.  Please, contact me on June 26 for a special announcement about opening a new front in the fight for good public policy for LGBTQ people in Tennessee.

I want to join my efforts with equality advocates statewide to resist the Legislature's attacks.

Tell us your state senate and state house districts.  Note:  We are NOT asking for your U.S. Senate and U.S. House districts (the elected officials who meeting in Washington, D.C. ).  We are asking about your elected officials you meet in Nashville--your state senator and your state representative.  You can find them at this link by entering your street address.

So tell us your state senator and your state representative as well as your email address.  Thank you!

On January 27, Slate reported that the EEOC may withdraw from a case involving job discrimination against Amiee Stephens, a transgender woman.  New Commission chair Victoria Lipnic said "Administration-related changes" were the reason. 

TAKE ACTION!

1. Send your own email to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at [email protected] and urge the Commission to continue pursuing cases of LGBT job discrimination.

2. Sign the petition.  If we reach or exceed 1000 signatures, we will deliver them to the Nashville EEOC office.

Help us celebrate 12 years of the Tennessee Equality Project with YOUR tax deductible investment in the work of advancing equality.  We've seen so many gains over the years and yet the attacks are intensifying against Tennessee's LGBT community.  Your support fuels the fight and we are grateful for your contribution!

In April the owners of the Wild Cow and Graze restaurants added gender-neutral signs to their single occupancy restrooms, but they were later told that this move meant they were no longer in compliance with the Metro code.  They made the move to serve their customers and employees and to protest the Legislature's bathroom bill that was pending at the time.  You can read about the background here.

Metro Nashville Councilman Brett Withers has filed a bill allowing businesses the option of gender-neutral bathrooms.  You can read the bill at this link.  The bill is up for second of three readings on June 7 at the 6:30 Metro Council meeting in the Metro Courthouse.

Sign the petition to show your support.

The TEP Foundation is celebrating Give OUT Days NOW through 11:00 p.m. Central Time on May 20.  Make YOUR tax deductible investment in our programs that advance equality and inclusion and fight discrimination.  We are grateful for your support.

On the evening of May 17, The Tennessean and The Commercial Appeal reported that legislators are considering a special legislative session to take up a new effort to pass a statewide anti-transgender bathroom discrimination law.  Sign YOUR name to the statement below and we'll deliver your signatures to legislative leaders:

In late April the U.S. House Armed Services Committee voted to undo President Obama's non-discrimination executive orders for federal contracts via the Russell amendment.  This amendment is part of the National Defense Authorization Act. 

Removal of the President's executive orders on non-discrimination would be a disaster for LGBT people in states like Tennessee that lack employment protections covering sexual orientation and gender identity. 

Please, sign this petition to Tennessee's two U.S. Senators and nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives and we will make sure copies are sent to their offices.

Target's trans-inclusive policies are under attack in Tennessee.  A Mt Juliet pastor's rant went viral and this week at a Hendersonville Target, protesters shouted religious wrath at employees and customers.  But we know that Tennessee loves Target and it's time to show it!

As former TEP Board member Ellyahnna Hall (pictured) notes:  

"I support Target for trying to provide a safe space for all people. I'm a trans woman and I've faced the dangers of not having access to restrooms that corespond to my gender identity. If opponents are really concerned with safety then let's focus on tougher rape laws and enforcing those, not creating a fake danger that doesn't exist."

Sign the petition statement and show Target some love.  We'll deliver hard copies of the petition to select Target locations in Tennessee.

Please, take action about Senate Bill 1912 that defunds the University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

Call Governor Haslam at 615-741-2001 and ask him to Veto Senate Bill 1912 and defend diversity.  It's fine to leave a message.

OR

Tweet him @BillHaslam with #VetoSB1912 .

When you have called or tweeted, let us know you did it with this form.  NOTE:  You don't have to live in Tennessee to participate.