Virginia Solomon

  • Urge Gov. Haslam to protect LGBTQ state government employees

    Outgoing Ohio Governor John Kasich recently signed an executive order barring discrimination against state government employees on the basis of gender identity.  Discrimination based on sexual orientation was already banned. 

    Outgoing Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam could do the same for our state government employees.  Sign the petition and urge him to protect LGBTQ state government employees by executive order.  If we get 1000+ signatures, we will deliver them to the Governor's office. 

    647 signatures

    Dear Governor Haslam,

    We urge you to sign an executive order protecting Tennessee state government employees from job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, the same protections that Ohio state government employees enjoy thanks to the recent executive order signed by outgoing Ohio Governor John Kasich.

    Employees of our public colleges and universities already enjoy these projections as do the public employees in Metro Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Knox County.  Everyone deserves the opportunity to work without the fear of discrimination. 

    Thank you for considering our views.

    Add signature

  • NO to Adoption Discrimination in Congress

    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.

    1,052 signatures

    Dear Senators Alexander and Corker:

    We urge you to act to oppose the Aderholt amendment allowing discrimination in foster care and adoption services in the FY19 House Labor-HHS appropriations bill and ensure that the measure is NOT included in any Senate or final appropriations bill.

    It would allow taxpayer-funded foster care and adoption service providers to discriminate against children in care and against prospective parents, based on sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and marital status.

    The measure breaks the cardinal rule of child welfare services: to act in the best interest of the child. This amendment would actually HARM CHILDREN.

    This amendment would greatly harm the 440,000 children in foster care, particularly the 117,000 who are waiting to be adopted into loving, forever homes.  There is a crisis in foster care due to the huge shortage of available families for children. Each year, over half the children waiting to be adopted do not find a loving home, and most devastatingly, over 17,000 foster youth age out of care without a forever family.  Those youth are at greater risk of involvement with the criminal justice system, homelessness, unemployment, and being trafficked.

    Speak out against this poison pill amendment,; let your leadership know you will not support a funding bill with the measure included, and vote against any appropriations measure that includes such discriminatory provisions.  Thank you for considering our views.

    Add signature

  • commented on YOUR Districts 2017-06-05 10:35:12 -0500
    Rep. Raumesh Akbari

    Rep. [email protected]

    House District 91


    Sen. Lee Harris

    Sen. [email protected]

    Senate District 29

    YOUR Districts

    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!

    Send feedback

  • donated 2019-04-09 05:34:01 -0500

    Resisting Discrimination All Year

    1397 donors
    50 donors

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    The signs are clear.  We will face challenges to the legal and social equality we have achieved in the coming years.  The forces of reaction at the national and state level are strong.  But YOU can help us fight back all year with a sustaining, monthly investment in our work.  Monthly giving is the best option for most budgets and it provides TEP with a reliable source of revenue for the battles we face throughout the year.

    Although your gift is not deductible for purposes of federal income tax, it has the advantage of supporting direct lobbying and legislative organizing to protect Tennessee's LGBT community.  Please, consider starting your monthly investment today.  We are grateful for your support.

    If you prefer to make a ONE-TIME donation to TEP, you can do so here.

    Donate

  • Demand EEOC pursue LGBT job discrimination cases

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    On January 27, Slate reported that the EEOC may withdraw from a case involving job discrimination against Amiee Stephens, a transgender woman.  New Commission chair Victoria Lipnic said "Administration-related changes" were the reason. 

    TAKE ACTION!

    1. Send your own email to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at [email protected] and urge the Commission to continue pursuing cases of LGBT job discrimination.

    2. Sign the petition.  If we reach or exceed 1000 signatures, we will deliver them to the Nashville EEOC office.

    388 signatures

    Dear Commissioners,

    We urge you to continue viewing job discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people as sex discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  In particular, you must continue to pursue the case of Amiee Stephens and other cases like it. 

    Your own report indicates there were 1768 charges of anti-LGBT job discrimination in 2016.  In many states, there are no explicit protections for LGBT workers.  Without your efforts, LGBT people are often defenseless against job discrimination.  You must continue to pursue these cases.

    Thank you for considering our views.

    Add signature

  • donated 2016-12-23 12:06:39 -0600

    Push to the deadline: Make a tax deductible investment in the TEP Foundation

    $655.19 raised
    GOAL: $2,017.00

    Help us end the year strong with your tax deductible investment in the work of the TEP Foundation.  Your support grows programs like legislative tracking, Tennessee Open For Business, and Tennessee Equality Voice that shapes a media message for equality in our state.  Now more than ever we need to speak out!

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    Donate

  • LGBTQ open letter to our fellow Tennesseans

    667 signatures

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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.

    Add signature

  • donated 2016-05-25 07:30:57 -0500

    Outworking Discrimination

    $2,000.00 raised
    GOAL: $2,000.00

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    The forces of discrimination aren't just hanging on; they're actually working harder after marriage equality was won in all 50 states.  New attacks on transgender people, efforts to give counselors the ability to turn away LGBT people, increasingly hateful rhetoric from the religious Right, and more are just a few of the challenges.

    We can win by OUTWORKING DISCRIMINATION!  When you make a tax deductible contribution to this TEP Foundation campaign, we can invest in new, innovative efforts to engage the faith community including those in socially conservative denominations.  We can develop a business network in Tennessee that can be a counterbalancing voice when attacks come.  We can do more to shape a media message for equality. 

    YOU make it possible.  Put us to work.

    Donate

  • donated 2016-05-19 15:15:50 -0500

    Give OUT Days in Tennessee

    $880.00 raised
    GOAL: $3,000.00

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    The TEP Foundation is celebrating Give OUT Days NOW through 11:00 p.m. Central Time on May 20.  Make YOUR tax deductible investment in our programs that advance equality and inclusion and fight discrimination.  We are grateful for your support.

    Donate

  • signed No special legislative session for bathroom discrimination! 2016-05-18 11:16:13 -0500
    Significant numbers of trans women experience violence at the hands of cis men. There is no documentation of cis women experiencing violence at the hands of trans women. This addresses a made up problem by putting already marginalized people in more danger. I’m embarrassed to say I’m from Tennessee.

    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:

    1,074 signatures

    Dear 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.

    Add signature

  • endorsed 2016-04-23 19:18:22 -0500

    Stop using religion to discriminate in Tennessee

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    On April 18, 2016 about 30 pastors shamefully stood in Legislative Plaza and spoke in favor of the anti-transgender student bathroom bill.  And religion was used to advance the counseling discrimination bill.  Many more clergy across Tennessee publicly opposed both bills.

    Whether you're religious or not, aren't you tired of religion being used to support discrimination in our laws?  If so, endorse this statement:

    We oppose the use of religion to justify discrimination in Tennessee law.  To use religion to divide us in our public life violates the spirit of the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions, does harm to the people of Tennessee, and brings scandal to religion.

    Endorse

  • 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.

    2,097 signatures

    Governor 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.

    Add signature

  • endorsed 2016-04-23 19:14:29 -0500

    I asked Governor Haslam to veto HB1840, the counseling discrimination bill

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    Take a minute to contact Governor Bill Haslam by phone message or on Twitter and then let us know you did it using this form.  Let's get to 500 or more!

    I called or Tweeted Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and urged him to veto HB1840, the counseling discrimination bill.  I'm asking you to do the same this week.

    Endorse

  • signed VETO Hate Bill 1840, the Counseling Discrimination bill 2016-04-13 11:51:36 -0500
    This legislation does nothing more than demonstrate state support for bigotry, as no mental health licensing organization supports this kind of discrimination. The message that you are sending not only to the LGBT community but to all minorities with the passage of this bill is clear. It says that Tennessee condones hatred. That is not a Tennessee that I want to live in.

    VETO Hate Bill 1840, the Counseling Discrimination bill

     

    Please, add your voice and urge Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to veto this discriminatory bill.

    4,242 signatures

    Dear 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.

    Add signature

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