Make your year-end tax deductible contribution to the TEP Foundation to put us in a strong position to advance the values of equality and inclusion in Tennessee in the new year.  Your contribution helps us expand the work of our regional committees to address discrimination throughout Tennessee.  Your contribution helps us register voters and engage the media.  Your contribution helps us raise the profile of the issue of state preemption of local solutions for equality.  Your contribution helps us monitor discriminatory legislation.  We are grateful for your support.

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.

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. 

New threats to Tennessee's LGBTQ community mean we must organize as many people in the state as we can so that we can speak more effectively against discrimination.  Thousands of people attend Pride celebrations in Tennessee every year.  We expect many newly out members of the community and allies to attend for the first time in 2017.  Please, make a tax deductible investment in our work to engage all the people who attend Pride celebrations in Tennessee.

TEP plans to be a strong presence at regional Pride celebrations in Tennessee so that we can actively sign people up and connect them to organizing against discrimination.  YOUR support makes it possible to afford booth space, materials to hand out during Pride, and travel to Pride celebrations around the state.

For us, Pride is a celebration of the community AND a critical opportunity to grow the movement for equality in Tennessee.  Thank you for your investment in our work.

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!

An anonymous donor has offered us a $2000 challenge.  Make your tax deductible investment in any amount to help us meet the challenge for National Coming Out Day.  We will run the challenge until October 18. 

Regardless of whether you can give, consider posting a National Coming Out Day video and tag us on Facebook or on Twitter.  Let's show Tennessee the vibrancy and diversity of our community and allies.

Your contribution helps fund educational programs around the state.  For example, in November we are offering training sessions for clergy throughout Tennessee to help them advocate more effectively for the LGBT community.

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.

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:

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.

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.

Moving the Message--it's a critical part of fighting back against hateful legislation in Tennessee.  When we reach more people, more voices rise against discrimination.  That means we have a fighting chance of winning. 

Help TEP invest in new communication tools to bring more allies into the fight so we can win more battles!

Let's see how much we can raise by April 15.

Please, join us in encouraging Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to fight against this attack on transgender students.

Sign on as a co-sponsor of the People's Resolution Opposing Tennessee House Joint Resolution 529 on Marriage Equality.

WHEREAS, Rep.  Susan Lynn has introduced a resolution urging the members of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee to express their disagreement with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges; and

WHEREAS, the Tennessee Constitution affirms "That the citizens have a right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together, for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances or other proper purposes, by address or remonstrance;" and

WHEREAS, the State of Tennessee ought to be focused on the legal equality of all its people rather than attacking the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community; and

WHEREAS, "the equal protection of the laws" is a cherished principle in American jurisprudence; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, that we oppose House Joint Resolution 529 and urge the members of the 109th General Assembly of the State of Tennessee to uphold the entire Constitution of the United States, including the Fourteenth Amendment, and cease their legislative attacks on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.

As a monthly supporter of Tennessee Equality Project, your contribution funds the advancement of policies through direct and grass roots lobbying which protect the rights of LGBT people and their families here at home in Tennessee. Contributions to TEP (a 501(c)(4) organization) are not tax deductible.

If you prefer to make a ONE-TIME donation to Tennessee Equality Project, click here.  

If you would prefer to make a tax-deductible contribution to Tennessee Equality Project Foundation, click here.

Other Giving Options

Some supporters prefer to write a check or make monthly donations to Tennessee Equality Project through automatic bank drafts. Consider creating “Tennessee Equality Project” as a regular payee with your bank’s online service.

Checks and automated bank drafts may be mailed to the following address:

Tennessee Equality Project | P.O. Box 330875 | Nashville, TN 37203 

Thank you for supporting Tennessee Equality Project.