Statement:  As clergy serving people of faith in Tennessee, we oppose HB2414/SB2387. This legislation is detrimental to transgender students by exposing them to violence and increasing the likelihood that they will drop out of school or take their own lives.  Faith teaches us to cherish all people, especially those targeted by legislation that fails to recognize them as they are and subjects them to harm.  We respectfully call on the Tennessee General Assembly to reject this bill.

Signed by

Rev. Laura Bogle, Maryville

Rev. Janet Wolf, Nashville

Rev. Dr. Diana L. Hynson, Nashville

Rev. Beth A. Richardson, Nashville

Rev. Pamela Hawkins, Nashville

Rabbis Philip and Laurie Rice, Brentwood

Rev. Lisa Gwok, Nashville

Rev. Emily Reeves Grammer, Madison

Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, retired, Nashville

Rev. Billy Vaughan,

Rev. Jim Hughes, Forest Hills

Rev. Deven Hazlewood, Johnson City

Rev. Bryan Currie, Nashville

Rev. Kevin Mitchell, Murfreesboro

Rev. Dave McIntyre, retired, Coffee County

Rev. J. Peter van Eys, Nashville

Rev. Judi Hoffman, Nashville

Rev. Heather Harriss, Nashville

Rev. Cynthia Andrews-Looper, Memphis

Rev. Adam Kelchner, Nashville

Bishop Patrick Potts, Johnson City

Rev. Heather Godsey, Knoxville

Rev. Kira M. Schlesinger, Lebanon

Rev. Thomas Kleinert, Nashville

Rev. Jacqueline Luck, Johnson City

Rev. Mark C. Pafford, Cookeville

Rev. Tim Kobler, Knoxville

Rabbi Joshua Barton, Nashville

Rev. Paul Slentz, Nashville

Rev. Chris Buice, Knoxville

Rev. Elaine Blanchard, Memphis

Rev. Robert Coleman, Nashville

Rev. Ken Carroll, Chattanooga

Rev. Ted McEachern, Nashville

Rev. Susan A. Gray, Nashville

Rev. Dr. Bruce W. Spangler, Knoxville

Rev. Mary Louise McCullough, Nashville

Rev. Robert L. Early, Middle TN Presbytery, retired

Rev. Michael Williams, Nashville

Rev. Barbara Garcia, retired, Nashville

Rev. Theodore McKnight, retired, Pleasant Hill

Rev. Scott M. Williamson, Cookeville

Rev. John Feldhacker, Nashville

Rev. Will Berger, Franklin

Rev. Dr. Rik Rouquie, Nashville

Rev. Susan Groseclose, Nashville

Rabbi Joshua Kullock, Nashville

Rev. Slade Kyle, Memphis

Rev. Floridia Jackson, Memphis

Rev. Allison Hancock, Memphis

Rabbi John Kaplan, Memphis

Rev. Ken Edwards, Nashville

Rev. Ingrid McIntrye, Nashville

Rev. Dr. Susan Bond, Jackson

Rev. Greg Bullard, Madison

Rev. Christine Grace, Chattanooga

Rev. Amy Roberts, Memphis

Rev. Gordon D. Gibson, Knoxville

Rev. Stacey Hamilton, Murfreesboro

Rev. Viki Matson, Nashville

Rev. Don Steele, Elizabethton

Rev. Joseph Dowlingsoka, Chattanooga

Rev. Patrick Handlson, Cookeville

Rev. Brandon Gilvin, Chattanooa

Rev. Nancy Speas Hill, Franklin

Rev. Judith Meyer, Knoxville

Rev. Annie McClure, Middle TN Presbytery

Jon Coffee, Ministerial intern, Knoxville

Kate Fields, Minister in training, Old Hickory

Rev. Jill Sizemore, Knoxville

Rev. Mark Flynn, Chattanooga

Rev. Margaret Prigmore Lewis, Goodlettsville

Rev. Phildora Prigmore Lewis, Goodlettsville

Rev. Beth Lefever, Cordova

Rev. Schaap Freeman, Johnson City

Rev. Jake Morrill, Oak Ridge

Teresa Kim Pecinovsky, Nashville

James Waldrop

Rev. Steve Wolf, Clarksville

Rev. John Gill, Knoxville

Rev. Dr. Dan Rosemergy, Nashville

If you are a member of the clergy serving people in Tennessee and would like to sign your name to this statement, contact us at [email protected] .