It appears the attacks on equality are coming soon at the federal level.  We need you to speak out this week to defend equality before protections are taken away.  Given the speed at which the new Administration works, preemptive action now is wise.

1.  EEOC.  Word came last week that the EEOC may pull back from a job discrimination case filed by a transgender woman.  Contact the EEOC at info@eeoc.gov and urge the commissioners to continue pursuing cases of LGBT job discrimination.  Sign our petition here.  If it reaches 1000 signatures, we will deliver it to the Nashville EEOC office.

2. Turning a non-discrimination executive order into a pro-discrimination executive order.  Former President Obama issued an executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity by federal contractors.  Reports indicate that the current President is considering an executive order that would allow religious-based discrimination in many areas and it would also undo the existing contractor non-discrimination executive order.

UPDATE:  On Monday night, The New York Times is reporting that the Obama executive order protecting LGBT works will remain.  But there could still be an executive order allowing religious-based discrimination against LGBT people.  See the piece here.  So we should still contact the President.

If you are on Twitter, consider sending a Tweet like this:  @POTUS @realDonaldTrump : I oppose #LGBTQ #discrimination in executive orders.

You can use this form to contact the White House with the same message.  Note:  Because of the new "splash" page on the White House site, you may have to hunt for the contact form.  It can be found under the "PARTICIPATE" tab.

*For Tennessee residents, there is a survey on sexual orientation discrimination issues being conducted by a graduate student.  If you would like to participate, click here.
Thanks for all you do to advance equality.

Chris Sanders

Executive Director

Updated Activist Calendar

Fighting back against discriminatory bills takes more than a one-time hit.  We have to sustain our opposition throughout the legislative session.  We have a strong program of events coming up in Memphis, Knoxville, Murfreesboro, Sewanee, Clarksville, and Nashville starting next week.  I hope that you'll join us for some of these events:

*January 17 in Murfreesboro.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here.
*January 18 in Nashville.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here.
*January 19 in Clarksville.  TEP Montgomery County Committee meeting.  RSVP here. 
*January 21 in Nashville.  "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" An East Nashville Revue of Elton John to Benefit Tennessee Equality Project.  RSVP here.
*January 24 in Memphis.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here.
*January 26 in Knoxville.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here. 
*February 2 in Sewanee.  TEP Franklin County Committee exploratory meeting.  RSVP here. 
*February 7 in Nashville.  Advancing Equality Days on the Hill Part 1.  RSVP here.
*February 19 in Memphis.  TEP Gumbo Contest.  RSVP here. 
*March 7 in Nashville.  Advancing Equality Days on the Hill Part 2.  RSVP here.
*April 4 in Nashville.  Advancing Equality Days on the Hill Part 3.  RSVP here. 

I am hopeful we will add February or March events in Franklin, Johnson City, and Chattanooga.  If you would like to help with scheduling events in those cities or others, be in touch at chris@tnequalityproject.com .

You can help support our legislative work with a small, monthly investment at this link or a one-time contribution at this link.

Thank you for all your support.

Chris Sanders

Executive Director

As we reported at 4:00 p.m. Central Time in the Tennessee Equality Project Facebook group, thanks to a tip from a friend in the Tennessee House, Rep. John Ragan filed HB33 today.  The companion bill in the Senate is SB30 by Sen. Janice Bowling.

Here's what it does, according to the Legislature's website:

As introduced, requires that the words "husband," "wife," "mother," and "father" be given their natural and ordinary meaning, without forced or subtle construction that would limit or extend the meaning of the language and that are based on the biological distinctions between men and women, except when a contrary intention is clearly manifest. - Amends TCA Title 1, Chapter 3.

Such a bill would cause problems for same-sex parents, same-sex couples adopting children, and transgender and gender non-conforming people--basically anyone who doesn't fit more traditional meanings of husband, wife, mother, or father in a variety of situations in which the words are used in the law.  The bill at worst erases our community and at best makes life difficult as we attempt to live our true gender identities and have our family relationships recognized.

It is similar to a bill that was filed last year, but never really acted on. 

Many will remember Rep. Ragan's involvement in the last gasp of the Don't Say Gay bill a few years ago.  You can find articles on that here. 

Given the continuing wave of anti-LGBT legislation, we need your help now more than ever.  Please, consider attending one of the events at the link that includes Lobbying 101 sessions and Advancing Equality Days on the Hill. 

Also consider signing up to make a small monthly investment in TEP's work at this link.

The first bill filed in the State Senate expands last year's counseling discrimination law. We are fortunate that Rep. John Ray Clemmons will be with us on January 12 to help us understand more.  Please, join us at 5:30 p.m. at Clyde's located at 1700 Church Street in Nashville to discuss it.  RSVP and learn more at the link.

Kroger Community Rewards:  Did you know that you can link your Kroger PLUS card to the Tennessee Equality Project Foundation?  You can at this link.  When you do, you fuel the work of equality in Tennessee.

More great events:  January is a busy month as we prepare for this important legislative session.  I hope we'll see you at some of these events.

*January 17 in Murfreesboro.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here.
*January 18 in Nashville.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here.
*January 21 in Nashville.  "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" An East Nashville Revue of Elton John to Benefit Tennessee Equality Project.  RSVP here.

Gratefully yours,

Chris Sanders

2016 was one of the toughest years for the LGBTQ community in Tennessee.  And we predicted it would be. 

Marriage resolutions:  The year began with a continuation of the battles of 2015.  From October 2015 through March 2016 battles raged across the state in county commission meetings over anti-marriage equality resolutions.  You can see the map at this link. 

State legislation:  What intensified the level of hostility was the Legislature's reaction to the Supreme Court's 2015 marriage ruling and growing bathroom controversies.  The result?  A record number of anti-LGBTQ bills filed.  You can see a list here.  Most of them didn't pass, of course.  But a few did.

There were also hate incidents just before and after the Election, as we note in the LGBTQ Open Letter. 

It has been a horrible year.  And yet our community endures and achieves victories. 

Generally speaking, we were able to win against anti-marriage equality resolutions around the state where we could draw larger numbers than our opposition--Blount, Knox, Washington, and Rutherford Counties, for example. 

And when you think about it, showing up in large numbers is one of the few factors we can really control.  We decide whether to show up individually and we decide whether to invite friends and family into the struggle. 

2017 promises to be another tough year and now we will no longer have any certain hope of help from the federal government. 

Will YOU show up?  Will you help us bring in more people to fight discrimination and advance equality?  Here's a calendar of events for the coming 3 months.  And here's a quick way for you to invest in our organizing work around the state.  Give $20.17 for a better 2017.

We remain grateful for all you do!

Chris Sanders

Executive Director

Those who oppose equality believe we will be vulnerable in 2017 and they have been making their moves across the country and in Tennessee. But we are not waiting around.  You will find a growing list of events to engage your passion to make a difference.  So I hope you will join us.

But even before you think about the new year, you can make a difference now.

*Speak out for equality in Tennessee by signing the LGBTQ open letter at this link.  Consider making a year-end tax deductible investment in the TEP Foundation at this link.

Events in 2017 so far

*January 12 in Nashville.  Counseling Controversies Update:  Conversation and Cocktails with Rep. John Ray Clemmons.  RSVP here.
*January 17 in Murfreesboro.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here.
*January 18 in Nashville.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here.
*January 21 in Nashville.  "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" An East Nashville Revue of Elton John to Benefit Tennessee Equality Project.  RSVP here.
*January 24 in Memphis.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here.
*January 26 in Knoxville.  Lobbying 101.  RSVP here. 
*February 7 in Nashville.  Advancing Equality Days on the Hill Part 1.  RSVP here.
*February 19 in Memphis.  TEP Gumbo Contest.  RSVP here. 
*March 7 in Nashville.  Advancing Equality Days on the Hill Part 2.  RSVP here.
*April 4 in Nashville.  Advancing Equality Days on the Hill Part 3.  RSVP here. 

We will add more events, but I hope you will plan to join us for many of the items already on the schedule.  We need you now more than ever.

Gratefully yours,

Chris Sanders
Executive Director

There's another bill to watch for this legislative session.  Senate Bill 4 prevents the State Board of Education from adopting standards for social and emotional learning.  The sponsors are Senators Gresham, Beavers, Crowe, Bell, Roberts, and Tracy. 

You can find contact information for each Senate sponsor at the link underlining their name and let them know your view of the bill.

So is the bill anti-LGBT?  Let's have some recent history first.

It was announced over the summer that Tennessee would become a national leader in social and emotional learning standards in our public schools.  See this piece by Chalkbeat.  But then in September, Tennessee backed out in the face of resistance. 

So who could possibly be against social and emotional learning in schools?  Socially conservative organizations.

See this piece by Family Action Council, these pieces by Tennessee Eagle Forum, and this one by The Federalist. 

So what are the objections?  The objections seem to fall into two areas--authority for the program and content.  In terms of authority, the argument against the standards seems to be that parents should set such standards.  There is also a question of whether Tennessee should be collaborating with other states.  In terms of content, the argument isn't as clear, but some of the polemic seems to focus on the idea of safe spaces. 

But is the bill anti-LGBT?  There is a strong probability.  Given who is opposed to these standards (the same crowd that is always against LGBT equality) and attacks on safe spaces, which often serve as an oasis for LGBT students, we should watch this issue carefully. 

In fact, the piece in The Federalist goes so far as to say:

Promoters are already discussing how to use social-emotional learning to root out students’ “bias” and “discrimination” to achieve “social justice”: “We know that giving students skills and knowledge in bias and bullying are not enough–empathy and understanding are critical to get young people to want to make change, help other people or inspire them to be an ally,” says Jinnie Spiegler, director of curriculum at the Anti-Defamation League (link original). The “ally” language is code for “agree in lock-step with the liberal social agenda on race and sexuality.” In other words, this is all about psychologically and emotionally manipulating children in order to push a certain political agenda.

Yes, wouldn't it be a disaster if our children had to show respect to one another!  It seems that any time the state tries to take steps against bullying, this kind of backlash arises.  We'll keep you posted as more bills are filed.

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 chris@tnequalityproject.com .

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

We are grateful to friends in the Senate who brought this to our attention.

An expanded version of the Counseling Discrimination law that passed in the 109th General Assembly has been filed.  The very first bill filed in the Senate prevents state boards from referencing national codes of ethics in their rules such as the ethics standards of the American Counseling Association.

The bill also removes the word "principles" from the law and substitutes the much broader and more vague word "beliefs." 

The impact is that the bill would allow counselors under even more circumstances to turn clients away.  The proposed bill still requires counselors to make a referral, but in many areas that is a hardship on the client.

Support TEP's legislative work to fight back against SB1 at this link. 

TEP has 3 Advancing Equality Days on the Hill planned for 2017.  Sign up for Feb. 7, March 7, or April 4. 

Like many of you, I stayed up late watching the election returns.  We've faced many tough nights in Tennessee, in this country, and tonight has been one of the toughest. 

Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States.  The country has lurched to the Right, and our Tennessee General Assembly moved further in that direction. 

We need to prepare to defend ourselves and those we love. 

What becomes of the legal and administrative advances that have taken place over the last eight years at the federal level?  It remains to be seen.

What kind of discriminatory legislation will we face in Tennessee?  A possible expansion of the counseling discrimination law, the return of the bathroom bill, regulation of hormone therapies to the detriment of trans youth, and more attacks on marriage equality.

What will we do?

First, I hope you will take care of yourselves.  You may need a break--time alone or time with family and friends.  When you're ready to be engaged, there is work to do.

Today we will be in Chattanooga working with clergy allies.  Next week we'll be in Memphis doing the same, and then in Knoxville at the end of the month.  They will be critical in shoring up support.

We have scheduled 3 days of Advancing Equality Days on the Hill for next year--Feb. 7, March 7, and April 4 so we can fight back in the Legislature.  I hope you will plan to attend one or more of those days.  

We will have to fight harder at the local level by beefing up our TEP regional committees around the state and by adding new ones.

We need you.  If you would like to support our legislative work with a contribution, click here.  If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution to support the educational work of the TEP Foundation, click here. 

Over the coming two months, we will be refining more strategic ways for you to get involved.  If you're in a "we won't back down" frame of mind, you will not be alone.  We will work with you and fight on in Tennessee.

Gratefully yours,

Chris Sanders
Executive Director