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Joanne Boyd signed No special legislative session for bathroom discrimination! 2016-05-19 08:08:55 -0500This is political pandering when the Legislature should be attending to the real business of the state. There are very few Transgender individuals in the country and if you went to the bathroom and there was a transgender person in the same room you would not know it. I worked at ETSU for years and shared a bathroom with a person who identified as Transgender. She had served in the military and won several medals. I knew how she identified herself because she was kind enough to come out to our classes to educate people about their bias. Although I worked at the university for many years (which was a safe area to come out) there was only the one person who identified as transgender. So, while I can’t make people stop hating people for being different than them, I can reassure you that the chances of you sharing a bathroom with someone of a different gender in negligible.I should also address the issue of harm to children. There is no harm to children and no history of harm. Being a transgender individual has nothing to do with being a pedophile or being a sex offender.
No special legislative session for bathroom discrimination!
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:
Add signatureDear Speaker Ramsey and Speaker Harwell:
We oppose a special legislative session to consider an anti-transgender bathroom discrimination law. It is never justified to spend the state's time and money to advance discrimination. Thank you for considering our views.
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Defend Diversity at UT-Knoxville: Veto SB1912
The Legislature passed SB1912/HB2248 that removes funding from the Office for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Sign this petition that we will deliver to Governor Haslam asking him to veto the bill.
Add signatureGovernor Haslam, we call on you to veto SB1912/HB2248 and protect the University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Office for Diversity and Inclusion. The office plays a vital role in making the university competitive for the best students, faculty, and staff and it makes campus life welcoming for all. Thank you for considering our views.
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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.
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Joanne Boyd signed VETO Hate Bill 1840, the Counseling Discrimination bill 2016-04-08 09:06:56 -0500Joanne Boyd
VETO Hate Bill 1840, the Counseling Discrimination bill
Please, add your voice and urge Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to veto this discriminatory bill.
Add signatureDear Governor Haslam,
We urge you to veto HB1840, which allows counselors to turn away clients based on the counselor's biases and values. This bill puts the focus on the desires of counselors rather than on the needs of clients, damaging the counseling profession and putting clients at risk.
An anti-bullying amendment was stripped from the bill in the House Health Committee leaving youth vulnerable in areas where mental health services are not widely available.
Thank you for considering our views.
