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Tennessee Legislature Introduces Transphobic ‘Bathroom Bill’

If it weren’t discouraging enough that the Tennessee legislature will consider a “license to bully” bill and reconsider the “don’t say gay” bill, the new session has opened with the introduction of a blatantly transphobic bathroom bill. Sponsored by Sen. Bo Watson (R), the bill (SB 2282) would institute a $50 fine for anybody who does not use the public restroom or dressing room that matches the sex identification on his or her birth certificate:

(b)  Except as provided in § 68-15-303, where a restroom or dressing room in a public building is designated for use by members of one particular sex, only members of that particular sex shall be permitted to use that restroom or dressing room.

(c)  A violation of subsection (b) is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a to a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00).

If passed, this bill would make Tennessee a particularly unfriendly place for people who are transgender. Tennessee law does not allow for the sex to be changed on birth certificates, which means this law would make it illegal for transgender people to utilize any public accommodations that match their gender. It would also impose on any businesses — such as Macy’s — that have transgender-inclusive policies.

Last year, the Family Action Council of Tennessee ran transphobic ads to support a bill that banned all municipal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people. The ads rehashed the “bathroom meme,” the fear that all transgender people are sexual predators trying to use the wrong restroom to find children to abuse. In reality, there has never been a case of someone using a transgender identity to molest children, nor is there anything to suggest that this bill would do anything to make children safer from actual predators. (HT: Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition.)

  1. the-face-of-broe reblogged this from sherlocked-inside-the-tardis
  2. sherlocked-inside-the-tardis reblogged this from thecryforjustice
  3. thecryforjustice reblogged this from subconciousevolution and added:
    well a great big “fuck you too”. This is ignorant in so many ways. Transphobic and classist to name the most obvious....
  4. alienanthropologist reblogged this from sinidentidades and added:
    WOW. FUCK TENNESSEE.
  5. sinidentidades reblogged this from violentopinions
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  11. optimisticduelist reblogged this from caffeineandcarpaltunnel
  12. listofnow reblogged this from bohemianarthouse and added:
    I also would like to add that there have been several cases of trans folks getting attacked in public restrooms. they...
  13. violentopinions reblogged this from bohemianarthouse
  14. countryintellectual reblogged this from bohemianarthouse
  15. collectingthekid reblogged this from bohemianarthouse
  16. deerie reblogged this from strawberreli and added:
    Goddammit Tennessee.
  17. strawberreli reblogged this from bohemianarthouse
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  22. ferrets-are-awesome reblogged this from subconciousevolution and added:
    Guess who’s never visiting Tennessee now.
  23. inter-locution reblogged this from subconciousevolution
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  27. daily-hell-n-brim reblogged this from onlytowardschaos and added:
    http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/tennessees-transphobic-bathroom-bill-loses-senate-support
  28. onlytowardschaos reblogged this from andyouhavetogivethemhope and added:
    Oh. Oh good. Good job, TN.
  29. andyouhavetogivethemhope reblogged this from subconciousevolution
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