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LGBTQ open letter to our fellow Tennesseans
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An open letter from Tennessee's LGBTQ community to our fellow Tennesseans
As members of the LGBTQ community, we write to our fellow Tennesseans a month after the election and a month before the upcoming state legislative session.
In recent weeks members of our community have experienced grave assaults on our safety and dignity. A gay, gender nonconforming man was murdered. A transgender woman’s car was burned. The signs and doors of a church that affirms our community have been vandalized. A gay couple received a package with a knife sticking out and a message attached urging them to leave the state.
These attacks upon individuals and institutions have put our lives and safety at even greater risk than usual. They contravene the welcoming traditions of hospitality for which Tennessee is known.
The time we have entered is critical. Many are calling for healing in the wake of a divisive election. Healing is difficult while fresh wounds are being inflicted such as discriminatory state legislation.
So we are speaking out for our safety, dignity, and equal rights under the law.
Our struggle is not against your values, unless you value discrimination. LGBTQ Tennesseans are your neighbors, your family members, your health care providers, firefighters, grocery clerks, teachers, elected officials, and we fill many other roles vital to the life of small towns and large cities. Many of us grew up and continue to be active in the same faith communities as you.
In the long story of our community’s struggles, we have relied on our own strength to sustain us. We have also experienced the joy of working with countless allies. Now is a time for allies to speak out with us and we invite people of good will throughout the state to build a stronger, inclusive, welcoming Tennessee to meet our state’s common challenges together.
If you share these values and priorities, we invite you to add your name to this letter.
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Mark Brown posted about Tennessee clergy oppose SB1, the expanded counseling discrimination bill on Facebook 2016-12-07 20:57:02 -0600Tennessee clergy oppose SB1, the expanded counseling discrimination bill
Tennessee clergy oppose SB1, the expanded counseling discrimination bill
Tennessee clergy are signing the following statement against Senate Bill 1:
"As clergy serving the people of Tennessee, we oppose Senate Bill 1 that retains the discriminatory provision of a law passed in 2016 and expands it to include discrimination based on beliefs. In addition, the law completely abandons the American Counseling Association's code of ethics and requires the state board to write its own. This puts all Tennesseans seeking counseling at risk because we cannot know whether the new ethics code and standards will include, delete, or add to the existing provisions of the code. For these reasons, we urge the Tennessee General Assembly to reject SB1."
If you are active or retired clergy serving people in Tennessee and would like to sign the letter, contact us at [email protected] .
Rev. Chris Buice, Knoxville
Rev. Viki Matson, Nashville
Rev. Bruce Spangler, Knoxville
Rev. Ken Edwards, Nashville
Chaplain Jon Coffee, Knoxville
Rev. Dave McIntyre, Normandy
Rev. Judi Hoffman, Nashville
Rev. Ken Carroll, Chattanooga
Rev. Steve Wolf, Clarksville
Rev. Laura Bogle, Maryville
Rev. Jason Shelton, Nashville
Rev. Mark C. Pafford, Cookeville
Rev. Tim Kobler, Knoxville
Rabbi Philip "Flip" Rice, Brentwood
Rev. Gordon Gibson, Knoxville
Rev. Carolyn Dipboye, Oak Ridge
Rev. Larry K. Dipboye, Oak Ridge
Rev. Judith Meyer, Knoxville
Rev. Mark Brown, Memphis
Rev. Greg Bullard, Madison
Rev. April Baker, Nashville
Rev. Dr. Amy L. Mears, Nashville
Rev. Sandy Prigmore Lewis,
Rev. Amy R Probst, Kingsport
Rev. Howard Bowlin, Maryville
Rev. Cynthia Andrews-Looper, Memphis
Rev. Denise Yeargin, Nashville
Rev. Jonathan Jeffords, Memphis
Rev. Ray White, Greeneville
Rev. Dr. Katherine White, Greeneville
Rev. Jay Voorhees, Nashville
Rev. Dr. Tim Stewart, Nashville
Rev. Mike Wilson, Nashville
Bishop Melvin Talbert, Nashville
Rev. Kimberly Rodrigue, Nashville
Rabbi Shana Goldstein Mackler, Nashville
Rev. Mary Louise McCullough, Nashville
Rev. Kevin E. Mitchell, Murfreesboro
Cantor Tracy L. Fishbein, Nashville
Rev. Lillian H. Lammers, Nashville
Rev. Sharon Temple, Nashville
Rev. Andrew B. Ward, Nashville
Rev. Ingrid McIntyre, Nashville
Rev. Brandon Gilvin, Chattanooga
Rev. Mark Flynn, Chattanooga
Rev. Jake Morrill, Oak Ridge
Rev. Robert B. Coleman, Nashville
Rev. Lisa Gwock, Nashville
Rev. Michael Williams, Nashville
Rev. Hope Hodnett, Nashville
Rev. Dr. L. Susan Bond, Jackson
Rev. Dr. Janet L. Wolf, Nashville
Rev. Kira Schlesinger, Lebanon
Rev. Pamela Hawkins, Nashville
Rev. Deven Hazelwood Johnson, Johnson City
Rev. Shane Smith, Kingsport
Rev. Autumn Dennis, Nashville
Rev. Peter van Eys, Nashville
Bishop Patrick Potts, Johnson City
Rev. R.J. Powell, Knoxville
Rev. Chris Harpster, Kingsport
Rev. Matthew Kelley, Brentwood
Rev. Paul Slentz, Nashville
Rev. Jeannie Alexander, Nashville
Rev. Josh Beeler, Knoxville
Rev. Nancy Speas Hill, Franklin
Rev. Floridia Jackson, Memphis
Rev. Barbara P. Garcia, Nashville
Rev. Debbie Shield, Johnson City
Rev. Eric Minton, Knoxville
Rev. Rob Van Ess, Memphis
Rev. Joseph R. Woodfin, Gallatin
Pastor Michael Alford, Goodlettsville
Rev. Becca Stevens, Nashville
Rev. Thomas Kleinert, Nashville
Rev. Beth Lefever, Cordova
Rev. Lauri Jo Cranford, Kingsport
Rev. Tim Bath, Murfreesboro
Rev. Katie Woodard, Clarksville
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Governor Haslam, Keep listening and oppose HB2414
Sign this NEW petition urging Governor Bill Haslam to keep listening to the voices opposed to the anti-transgender student bathroom bill!
Add signatureGovernor Haslam, please continue to oppose HB2414 and listen to the voices of transgender students and the business community speaking out against the bill. Thank you for considering our views.
