Cheatham County High School dodges questions about anti-LGBT bullying

Will Cheatham County Central High School promote
a "No Bullying Zone" for all students?

Last night, parents, students, concerned citizens and TEP Board members gathered in Ashland City, TN to participate in a meeting about suicide and suicide prevention at Cheatham County Central High School. Representatives from the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network were on hand to provide information. TSPN shared an important resource for anyone who is contemplating suicide or knows someone who is. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is the number to call for anyone who needs help. Program this number on your mobile phone in case you ever need it.

During the meeting, a TSPN official shared that bullying had nothing to do with Jacob Rogers’ decision to end his life last week; other factors played a greater role. However, parents and students at the meeting were not satisfied with this assessment. Many parents and a student aware of anti-LGBT bullying at the school tried to ask questions about what the school was doing to address the issue. TEP Board member H.G. Stovall asked a pointed question to Principal Glenna Barrow during the brief time that was alloted::

I asked Principal Barrow if the school’s bullying policy included explicit protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. At first, she said it did. I asked her to check the policy which she happened to hold in her hand. She read aloud the protected factors from the Cheatham County Board of Education Policy 6.304 that prohibit discrimination, harassment, bullying, and intimidation that is “sexual, racial, ethnic or religious in nature.” When she realized that sexual orientation and gender identity/expression were not specifically included, she said she interpreted the policy to cover those areas.

The meeting ended abruptly before Stovall could ask Principal Barrow if the the rest of the faculty shared her interpretation of the policy. While Principal Barrow should be applauded for her broad interpretation of the school board’s anti-bullying policy, her response points out a real problem for Cheatham County Schools, including Central High School. Without specific protections for LGBT students, how are staff supposed to know when to intervene when they witness anti-LGBT bullying? What sort of training do school staff receive on bullying? How is intolerance of LGBT students among students and faculty addressed? What safeguards are in place to protect against anti-LGBT bias at the school?

These questions show no signs of going away. Many parents were frustrated by the unwillingness of officials to answer their questions about bullying. Parents and students at last night’s meeting expressed a willingness to continue casting a bright spotlight on an issue they feel is important for ensuring a safe school for students. The school must go further than sharing a 1-800 number to provide protective factors for students who may be bullied, feel depressed or isolated, or be contemplating suicide.

Anyone interested in being a part of this change is encouraged to contact Chris Sanders or H.G. Stovall. TEP stands ready to empower parents and students in Cheatham County in their quest to bring about specific protections. If you have not already done so, I invite you to participate in TEP’s petition to the Cheatham County School Board and District Director calling for policy reform. Then share this petition with your friends and family.


- Jonathan Cole

Take action to promote safer schools in Cheatham County

Our hearts go out to the family, friends, classmates and teachers of Jacob Rogers, a student at Cheatham County Central High School in Ashland City, TN who completed suicide on December 7, 2011. A news report alleges that Jacob Rogers complained of frequent bullying at school based on sexual orientation. A friend of Jacob reported that he dropped out of school before Thanksgiving after feeling ignored by school officials.

This terrible event serves as a reminder to all parents, teachers and school administrators that they share a responsibility for supporting the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Individuals, families, communities and the whole of society have a responsibility to promote a culture that welcomes, accepts and supports LGBT students for who they are.

During this difficult time, we encourage students, parents and teachers to take advantage of grief counseling offered by Cheatham County Central High School or other mental health resources in the community. Discussions that follow youth suicide deaths present an important opportunity to remind people — and families of LGBT youth in particular — of how important it is to love, embrace and accept their entire child for all of who they are.

Following this terrible event, Tennessee Equality Project calls upon the Cheatham County School Board to fully investigate this tragic incident and the school’s response to the bullying of Jacob Rogers. We also call upon the School Board to implement the following recommendations from GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) for addressing anti-LGBT bullying and harassment:

1. Revise district policy to explicitly prohibit student discrimination, harassment, bullying, and intimidation based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. The school district must establish an enumerated policy for unwelcomed conduct that focuses on sex, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. An enumerated policy is crucial to ensure that anti-bullying policies are effective for all students.
2. Require staff trainings to enable school staff to identify and address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying, and harassment effectively and in a timely manner.
3. Support student efforts to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment on campus, such as the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance or participation in events such as the National Day of Silence and Ally Week. GSAs in schools have proven effective in reducing violence and harassment of LGBT students.
4. Institute age-appropriate, inclusive curricula to help students understand and respect difference within the school community and society as a whole.

Send a message to the Cheatham County School Board to ask them to take positive steps in response to this tragedy.


- Jonathan Cole

The Impact of Secretary Clinton's Remarks in Recognition of International Human Rights Day

We at Tennessee Equality Project are still considering the full impact of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's speech on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people given at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on December 6, 2012 in anticipation of Human Rights Day. I can't help but think that this address will mark a turning point in the history of human rights. Secretrary Clinton adeptly captures this moment in time recognizing the reality and challenges we face as a global community in honoring and protecting the rights of LGBT people.

In her speech, the Secretary noted that while the world must address the human rights of LGBT people, the United States has much work left to do:

I speak about this subject knowing that my own country's record on human rights for gay people is far from perfect. Until 2003, it was still a crime in parts of our country. Many LGBT Americans have endured violence and harassment in their own lives, and for some, including many young people, bullying and exclusion are daily experiences. So we, like all nations, have more work to do to protect human rights at home. 

The Secretary is exactly right. Tennessee has actually taken steps backward in the last year with the advance of the "Don't Say Gay" bill and the anti-LGBT law that prohibits workplace protections for LGBT employees (HB600/SB632). It's why the Secretary's remarks are encouraging to hear only a few days after Tennessee Equality Project invited individuals and organizations to support the Tennessee Human Rights Petition. 

It can be difficult for those of us in Tennessee to affect  national or international policy toward LGBT people and their families. But influencing policy in our own community and state is within our grasp and power. Take a moment to read or watch Secretary Clinton's inspiring and historic speech below. May her remarks inspire us all to action at home and abroad.

- Jonathan Cole

THE SPEECH

Good evening, and let me express my deep honor and pleasure at being here. I want to thank Director General Tokayev and Ms. Wyden along with other ministers, ambassadors, excellencies, and UN partners. This weekend, we will celebrate Human Rights Day, the anniversary of one of the great accomplishments of the last century.

Beginning in 1947, delegates from six continents devoted themselves to drafting a declaration that would enshrine the fundamental rights and freedoms of people everywhere. In the aftermath of World War II, many nations pressed for a statement of this kind to help ensure that we would prevent future atrocities and protect the inherent humanity and dignity of all people. And so the delegates went to work. They discussed, they wrote, they revisited, revised, rewrote, for thousands of hours. And they incorporated suggestions and revisions from governments, organizations, and individuals around the world.


At three o'clock in the morning on December 10th, 1948, after nearly two years of drafting and one last long night of debate, the president of the UN General Assembly called for a vote on the final text. Forty-eight nations voted in favor; eight abstained; none dissented. And the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted. It proclaims a simple, powerful idea: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. And with the declaration, it was made clear that rights are not conferred by government; they are the birthright of all people. It does not matter what country we live in, who our leaders are, or even who we are. Because we are human, we therefore have rights. And because we have rights, governments are bound to protect them.


In the 63 years since the declaration was adopted, many nations have made great progress in making human rights a human reality. Step by step, barriers that once prevented people from enjoying the full measure of liberty, the full experience of dignity, and the full benefits of humanity have fallen away. In many places, racist laws have been repealed, legal and social practices that relegated women to second-class status have been abolished, the ability of religious minorities to practice their faith freely has been secured.


In most cases, this progress was not easily won. People fought and organized and campaigned in public squares and private spaces to change not only laws, but hearts and minds. And thanks to that work of generations, for millions of individuals whose lives were once narrowed by injustice, they are now able to live more freely and to participate more fully in the political, economic, and social lives of their communities.


Now, there is still, as you all know, much more to be done to secure that commitment, that reality, and progress for all people. Today, I want to talk about the work we have left to do to protect one group of people whose human rights are still denied in too many parts of the world today. In many ways, they are an invisible minority. They are arrested, beaten, terrorized, even executed. Many are treated with contempt and violence by their fellow citizens while authorities empowered to protect them look the other way or, too often, even join in the abuse. They are denied opportunities to work and learn, driven from their homes and countries, and forced to suppress or deny who they are to protect themselves from harm.


I am talking about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, human beings born free and given bestowed equality and dignity, who have a right to claim that, which is now one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time. I speak about this subject knowing that my own country's record on human rights for gay people is far from perfect. Until 2003, it was still a crime in parts of our country. Many LGBT Americans have endured violence and harassment in their own lives, and for some, including many young people, bullying and exclusion are daily experiences. So we, like all nations, have more work to do to protect human rights at home.


Now, raising this issue, I know, is sensitive for many people and that the obstacles standing in the way of protecting the human rights of LGBT people rest on deeply held personal, political, cultural, and religious beliefs. So I come here before you with respect, understanding, and humility. Even though progress on this front is not easy, we cannot delay acting. So in that spirit, I want to talk about the difficult and important issues we must address together to reach a global consensus that recognizes the human rights of LGBT citizens everywhere.


The first issue goes to the heart of the matter. Some have suggested that gay rights and human rights are separate and distinct; but, in fact, they are one and the same. Now, of course, 60 years ago, the governments that drafted and passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were not thinking about how it applied to the LGBT community. They also weren’t thinking about how it applied to indigenous people or children or people with disabilities or other marginalized groups. Yet in the past 60 years, we have come to recognize that members of these groups are entitled to the full measure of dignity and rights, because, like all people, they share a common humanity.


This recognition did not occur all at once. It evolved over time. And as it did, we understood that we were honoring rights that people always had, rather than creating new or special rights for them. Like being a woman, like being a racial, religious, tribal, or ethnic minority, being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.


It is violation of human rights when people are beaten or killed because of their sexual orientation, or because they do not conform to cultural norms about how men and women should look or behave. It is a violation of human rights when governments declare it illegal to be gay, or allow those who harm gay people to go unpunished. It is a violation of human rights when lesbian or transgendered women are subjected to so-called corrective rape, or forcibly subjected to hormone treatments, or when people are murdered after public calls for violence toward gays, or when they are forced to flee their nations and seek asylum in other lands to save their lives. And it is a violation of human rights when life-saving care is withheld from people because they are gay, or equal access to justice is denied to people because they are gay, or public spaces are out of bounds to people because they are gay. No matter what we look like, where we come from, or who we are, we are all equally entitled to our human rights and dignity.


The second issue is a question of whether homosexuality arises from a particular part of the world. Some seem to believe it is a Western phenomenon, and therefore people outside the West have grounds to reject it. Well, in reality, gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world. They are all ages, all races, all faiths; they are doctors and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes; and whether we know it, or whether we acknowledge it, they are our family, our friends, and our neighbors.


Being gay is not a Western invention; it is a human reality. And protecting the human rights of all people, gay or straight, is not something that only Western governments do. South Africa’s constitution, written in the aftermath of Apartheid, protects the equality of all citizens, including gay people. In Colombia and Argentina, the rights of gays are also legally protected. In Nepal, the supreme court has ruled that equal rights apply to LGBT citizens. The Government of Mongolia has committed to pursue new legislation that will tackle anti-gay discrimination.


Now, some worry that protecting the human rights of the LGBT community is a luxury that only wealthy nations can afford. But in fact, in all countries, there are costs to not protecting these rights, in both gay and straight lives lost to disease and violence, and the silencing of voices and views that would strengthen communities, in ideas never pursued by entrepreneurs who happen to be gay. Costs are incurred whenever any group is treated as lesser or the other, whether they are women, racial, or religious minorities, or the LGBT. Former President Mogae of Botswana pointed out recently that for as long as LGBT people are kept in the shadows, there cannot be an effective public health program to tackle HIV and AIDS. Well, that holds true for other challenges as well.


The third, and perhaps most challenging, issue arises when people cite religious or cultural values as a reason to violate or not to protect the human rights of LGBT citizens. This is not unlike the justification offered for violent practices towards women like honor killings, widow burning, or female genital mutilation. Some people still defend those practices as part of a cultural tradition. But violence toward women isn't cultural; it's criminal. Likewise with slavery, what was once justified as sanctioned by God is now properly reviled as an unconscionable violation of human rights.


In each of these cases, we came to learn that no practice or tradition trumps the human rights that belong to all of us. And this holds true for inflicting violence on LGBT people, criminalizing their status or behavior, expelling them from their families and communities, or tacitly or explicitly accepting their killing.


Of course, it bears noting that rarely are cultural and religious traditions and teachings actually in conflict with the protection of human rights. Indeed, our religion and our culture are sources of compassion and inspiration toward our fellow human beings. It was not only those who’ve justified slavery who leaned on religion, it was also those who sought to abolish it. And let us keep in mind that our commitments to protect the freedom of religion and to defend the dignity of LGBT people emanate from a common source. For many of us, religious belief and practice is a vital source of meaning and identity, and fundamental to who we are as people. And likewise, for most of us, the bonds of love and family that we forge are also vital sources of meaning and identity. And caring for others is an expression of what it means to be fully human. It is because the human experience is universal that human rights are universal and cut across all religions and cultures.


The fourth issue is what history teaches us about how we make progress towards rights for all. Progress starts with honest discussion. Now, there are some who say and believe that all gay people are pedophiles, that homosexuality is a disease that can be caught or cured, or that gays recruit others to become gay. Well, these notions are simply not true. They are also unlikely to disappear if those who promote or accept them are dismissed out of hand rather than invited to share their fears and concerns. No one has ever abandoned a belief because he was forced to do so.


Universal human rights include freedom of expression and freedom of belief, even if our words or beliefs denigrate the humanity of others. Yet, while we are each free to believe whatever we choose, we cannot do whatever we choose, not in a world where we protect the human rights of all.


Reaching understanding of these issues takes more than speech. It does take a conversation. In fact, it takes a constellation of conversations in places big and small. And it takes a willingness to see stark differences in belief as a reason to begin the conversation, not to avoid it.


But progress comes from changes in laws. In many places, including my own country, legal protections have preceded, not followed, broader recognition of rights. Laws have a teaching effect. Laws that discriminate validate other kinds of discrimination. Laws that require equal protections reinforce the moral imperative of equality. And practically speaking, it is often the case that laws must change before fears about change dissipate.


Many in my country thought that President Truman was making a grave error when he ordered the racial desegregation of our military. They argued that it would undermine unit cohesion. And it wasn't until he went ahead and did it that we saw how it strengthened our social fabric in ways even the supporters of the policy could not foresee. Likewise, some worried in my country that the repeal of “Don't Ask, Don’t Tell” would have a negative effect on our armed forces. Now, the Marine Corps Commandant, who was one of the strongest voices against the repeal, says that his concerns were unfounded and that the Marines have embraced the change.


Finally, progress comes from being willing to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. We need to ask ourselves, "How would it feel if it were a crime to love the person I love? How would it feel to be discriminated against for something about myself that I cannot change?" This challenge applies to all of us as we reflect upon deeply held beliefs, as we work to embrace tolerance and respect for the dignity of all persons, and as we engage humbly with those with whom we disagree in the hope of creating greater understanding.


A fifth and final question is how we do our part to bring the world to embrace human rights for all people including LGBT people. Yes, LGBT people must help lead this effort, as so many of you are. Their knowledge and experiences are invaluable and their courage inspirational. We know the names of brave LGBT activists who have literally given their lives for this cause, and there are many more whose names we will never know. But often those who are denied rights are least empowered to bring about the changes they seek. Acting alone, minorities can never achieve the majorities necessary for political change.


So when any part of humanity is sidelined, the rest of us cannot sit on the sidelines. Every time a barrier to progress has fallen, it has taken a cooperative effort from those on both sides of the barrier. In the fight for women’s rights, the support of men remains crucial. The fight for racial equality has relied on contributions from people of all races. Combating Islamaphobia or anti-Semitism is a task for people of all faiths. And the same is true with this struggle for equality.


Conversely, when we see denials and abuses of human rights and fail to act, that sends the message to those deniers and abusers that they won’t suffer any consequences for their actions, and so they carry on. But when we do act, we send a powerful moral message. Right here in Geneva, the international community acted this year to strengthen a global consensus around the human rights of LGBT people. At the Human Rights Council in March, 85 countries from all regions supported a statement calling for an end to criminalization and violence against people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.


At the following session of the Council in June, South Africa took the lead on a resolution about violence against LGBT people. The delegation from South Africa spoke eloquently about their own experience and struggle for human equality and its indivisibility. When the measure passed, it became the first-ever UN resolution recognizing the human rights of gay people worldwide. In the Organization of American States this year, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights created a unit on the rights of LGBT people, a step toward what we hope will be the creation of a special rapporteur.


Now, we must go further and work here and in every region of the world to galvanize more support for the human rights of the LGBT community. To the leaders of those countries where people are jailed, beaten, or executed for being gay, I ask you to consider this: Leadership, by definition, means being out in front of your people when it is called for. It means standing up for the dignity of all your citizens and persuading your people to do the same. It also means ensuring that all citizens are treated as equals under your laws, because let me be clear – I am not saying that gay people can’t or don’t commit crimes. They can and they do, just like straight people. And when they do, they should be held accountable, but it should never be a crime to be gay.


And to people of all nations, I say supporting human rights is your responsibility too. The lives of gay people are shaped not only by laws, but by the treatment they receive every day from their families, from their neighbors. Eleanor Roosevelt, who did so much to advance human rights worldwide, said that these rights begin in the small places close to home – the streets where people live, the schools they attend, the factories, farms, and offices where they work. These places are your domain. The actions you take, the ideals that you advocate, can determine whether human rights flourish where you are.


And finally, to LGBT men and women worldwide, let me say this: Wherever you live and whatever the circumstances of your life, whether you are connected to a network of support or feel isolated and vulnerable, please know that you are not alone. People around the globe are working hard to support you and to bring an end to the injustices and dangers you face. That is certainly true for my country. And you have an ally in the United States of America and you have millions of friends among the American people.


The Obama Administration defends the human rights of LGBT people as part of our comprehensive human rights policy and as a priority of our foreign policy. In our embassies, our diplomats are raising concerns about specific cases and laws, and working with a range of partners to strengthen human rights protections for all. In Washington, we have created a task force at the State Department to support and coordinate this work. And in the coming months, we will provide every embassy with a toolkit to help improve their efforts. And we have created a program that offers emergency support to defenders of human rights for LGBT people.


This morning, back in Washington, President Obama put into place the first U.S. Government strategy dedicated to combating human rights abuses against LGBT persons abroad. Building on efforts already underway at the State Department and across the government, the President has directed all U.S. Government agencies engaged overseas to combat the criminalization of LGBT status and conduct, to enhance efforts to protect vulnerable LGBT refugees and asylum seekers, to ensure that our foreign assistance promotes the protection of LGBT rights, to enlist international organizations in the fight against discrimination, and to respond swiftly to abuses against LGBT persons.


I am also pleased to announce that we are launching a new Global Equality Fund that will support the work of civil society organizations working on these issues around the world. This fund will help them record facts so they can target their advocacy, learn how to use the law as a tool, manage their budgets, train their staffs, and forge partnerships with women’s organizations and other human rights groups. We have committed more than $3 million to start this fund, and we have hope that others will join us in supporting it.


The women and men who advocate for human rights for the LGBT community in hostile places, some of whom are here today with us, are brave and dedicated, and deserve all the help we can give them. We know the road ahead will not be easy. A great deal of work lies before us. But many of us have seen firsthand how quickly change can come. In our lifetimes, attitudes toward gay people in many places have been transformed. Many people, including myself, have experienced a deepening of our own convictions on this topic over the years, as we have devoted more thought to it, engaged in dialogues and debates, and established personal and professional relationships with people who are gay.


This evolution is evident in many places. To highlight one example, the Delhi High Court decriminalized homosexuality in India two years ago, writing, and I quote, “If there is one tenet that can be said to be an underlying theme of the Indian constitution, it is inclusiveness.” There is little doubt in my mind that support for LGBT human rights will continue to climb. Because for many young people, this is simple: All people deserve to be treated with dignity and have their human rights respected, no matter who they are or whom they love.


There is a phrase that people in the United States invoke when urging others to support human rights: “Be on the right side of history.” The story of the United States is the story of a nation that has repeatedly grappled with intolerance and inequality. We fought a brutal civil war over slavery. People from coast to coast joined in campaigns to recognize the rights of women, indigenous peoples, racial minorities, children, people with disabilities, immigrants, workers, and on and on. And the march toward equality and justice has continued. Those who advocate for expanding the circle of human rights were and are on the right side of history, and history honors them. Those who tried to constrict human rights were wrong, and history reflects that as well.


I know that the thoughts I’ve shared today involve questions on which opinions are still evolving. As it has happened so many times before, opinion will converge once again with the truth, the immutable truth, that all persons are created free and equal in dignity and rights. We are called once more to make real the words of the Universal Declaration. Let us answer that call. Let us be on the right side of history, for our people, our nations, and future generations, whose lives will be shaped by the work we do today. I come before you with great hope and confidence that no matter how long the road ahead, we will travel it successfully together. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Compelling bullying video going viral, pre-emptive first strike against partner benefits, and Occupying equality in Nashville

Brave student posts video about bullying:  This weekend lots of people in Tennessee were posting this video by a boy named Jonah about the bullying he's facing every day:


Yes, this is happening to children every day around the country and, no, adults aren't doing enough.  Instead of passing the policies that need to be passed, adults are standing in the way because they're somehow afraid they might accidentally teach or validate homosexuality.  In the absence of policy, it's easy for adults to look the other way and dismissively say, "Kids."   These videos show, however, that bullied children refuse to be invisible.  We hope there's an adult at Jonah's school who intervenes and helps make it safe for him to get his education.

Casada launches first strike against partner benefits in labor bill restricting local governments: State Senator Brian Kelsey of Shelby County and State Rep. Glen Casada of Williamson County are targeting Tennessee's local governments again.  The Tennessean's Michael Cass reports on the bill: 

A bill the General Assembly will consider next year would prohibit local governments from imposing requirements on contractors doing business with them for health insurance coverage, minimum wage levels or family leave allowances beyond what state law requires.

But there's more.  The bill would also have the effect of preventing a city in county in Tennessee from requiring government contractors from adding domestic partner benefits:

Chris Sanders of the Tennessee Equality Project, which supported the Metro nondiscrimination ordinance and is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the state, said he’s worried about Republican efforts.
“All the lobbying interests that care about local government need to wake up,” he said. “If we don’t stop this train, local authority is going to be gutted in the next few years.”
Sanders said the legislation could prevent cities from requiring the extension of benefits to domestic partners of contractors’ employees. But he said he hasn’t heard anyone in city government talk about pursuing such an initiative.

Occupying equality this weekend:   Occupy groups from around Tennessee came to Nashville this weekend and are holding a series of events including a teach-in on the history of the movement for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender rights, according to Nashville's Newschannel 5. 

-Chris Sanders

Sign the Tennessee Human Rights Petition

Sign the Tennessee Human Rights Petition
today at http://bit.ly/HumanRightsStatement

Earlier this year, the proponents of the "Equal Access to Intrastate Commerce Act" (HB600/SB632) claimed that local governments should not be enacting workplace protections or other employment provisions that affect private employers. They complained that a patchwork of non-discrimination ordinances would create regulatory burdens for private companies doing business in communities across the state. Proponents of HB600/SB632 were successful in enacting the law which repealed Nashville's Contract Accountability Non-Discrimination Ordinance (CANDO) and prohibits all local governments in Tennessee from extending LGBT-inclusive workplace protections to employees of private businesses.

Tennessee Equality Project actively lobbied against what we more appropriately called HB600/SB632: the "Special Access to Discriminate Act." We continue to challenge the SAD Act on constitutional grounds along with many allies as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the State of Tennessee. Today, we challenge our supporters and allies to commit one step further.

We disagreed with supporters of the SAD Act on the burden it would create for business. So does big business. The majority of Fortune 500 companies lead the way in providing LGBT-inclusive workplace protections because they've realized that inclusive work environments promote creativity in the workplace, employee retention, and recruitment of the best job candidates.

While the supporters of the SAD Act didn't see it that way, they exposed a great need in our State. Tennessee DOES need a uniform standard for protecting people from workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In fact, such discrimination ought to be prohibited by law in employment, housing, education, financing and public accommodations in the State of Tennessee.

The Board of Tennessee Equality Project recently approved the following statement expressing this firm belief for our beloved state. In anticipation of Human Rights Day on December 10, 2011, we invite individuals and organizations across the state to review and sign our petition in support of equal rights for all Tennesseans: 

Equal access, equal opportunity, and equal protection are basic principles of American democracy reaffirmed again and again in our Constitution and laws. Discrimination against persons and groups based on factors irrelevant to merit runs counter to these traditions, hinders individual achievement, and produces social conflict.  

We support the principle of equal protection and oppose discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as well as any discrimination based on the current classes protected in federal and state law.

We call on the State of Tennessee to protect individuals and groups from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, education, financing and public accommodations.

We support the prerogative of local governments in Tennessee to adopt laws and policies that exceed the state in protecting individuals and groups from discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  

We can only move forward together in Tennessee. Discrimination is an obstacle on the path to individual prosperity and economic growth that benefits us all.  

According to our rights under the Tennessee Constitution, we “apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances,” and we call on all Tennesseans who value basic fairness and equal protection to join us.

Click HERE to sign the petition in support of the above statement.

Then invite your friends, family, minister, church, employer, union, local chamber of commerce, community organization, neighborhood association or other group to make their support official. Refer them to this easy-to-remember link to the statement at http://bit.ly/HumanRightsStatement.

- Jonathan Cole

Many thanks to Chris Sanders, TEP Nashville Committee Chair, for authoring this statement of belief.


Use this QR Code to post in areas frequented by equality advocates:

Australian marriage ad everyone's talking about, TN Tech students against bullying, another swipe at HB600

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  Here's your weekend roundup.

Australian marriage campaign ad moves the world:  You would have to have avoided Facebook for the last three days or not known any gay people to have missed this compelling ad for the campaign for marriage equality in Australia.  I can't tell you the number of people, straight and gay, who posted "It's Time" over the weekend:



TEP wishes the Australians the best of luck as they get closer to marriage equality!  Spreading the ad around Tennessee can't hurt our own chances for advancing some forms of relationship recognition around here, by the way, even if they don't amount to full marriage equality.

Tennessee Tech students take on bullying:  The Herald-Citizen out of Cookeville has a great piece on a conference being organized by some Tennessee Tech students coming up in January. The conference deals with bullying that targets the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community as well as other minority communities and the topic of cyber-bullying: 

Why should Putnam County be interested in bullying?

"Because it affects everyone," [conference co-organizer Justin] Sweatman said. "Even if you're not a student or parent, you are still in a community where students are being bullied, and it's your responsibility."

And the conference isn't just for locals -- it's a statewide affair.

"Problems don't stop at county lines," Sweatman said. "Bullying is everywhere. But if we can start at home, maybe awareness will spread."

It's always a major win when a local newspaper provides this kind of coverage of an equality issue in Tennessee.  It helps change the attitudes of citizens and it sends a great signal to lawmakers representing the area.

Francois takes swipe at HB600:  In today's Tennessean, former Metro Nashville Council candidate Renard Francois knocks the Legislature over HB600, the Special Access to Discriminate law that nullified Metro's Contract Accountability Non-Discrimination Ordinance, in the course of taking on another state bill that would usurp local control in the area of property taxes: 

This is not the first time the state government has attempted to interfere and undermine the collective will of Davidson County. Last year, the state government simply overturned Nashville’s anti-discrimination ordinance despite robust countywide debate.

Yep, we hope more people will continue to notice the pattern and realize we should have all been trying to stop that train sooner.  But there is still time to fight for legitimate local control.  I hope that all the lobbying interests that are supposed to protect local government--and not the four largest cities in state that did an admirable job this year--get more involved in 2012.

The issue lives.  The press has largely done its job of helping make the citizens of Tennessee realize that they are being usurped.  It's up to all of us to start defending our right to shape our own communities throughout Tennessee.

-Chris Sanders






 

Debating the South, Transgender Day of Remembrance, and GSAs

Southern questions:  There's a vigorous discussion going on today at our Facebook page about whether it's appropriate to generalize that the South is "ignorant" or "hateful" and so on.  Such a characterization ignores the countless people fighting back and working for change.  It also enables the tendency of many in the country to write off our region and not bother assisting with the change we readily acknowledge we need.  What do you think?  Log in and join the discussion.


Transgender Day of Remembrance:  It's so vitally important that there is a day to bring into focus all the members of the transgender community that we have lost to violence.  Maryville held its first event yesterday, the same day  Memphis held its annual event.  Nashville's observance at Vanderbilt was earlier last week.  Bianca Phillips makes it clear why it's such an important annual reminder in Tennessee:

Duanna Johnson. Tiffany Berry. Ebony Whitaker. These three transgender women were killed in Memphis over the past six years, and they're a small number in the hundreds of transgender homicide victims nationally.

Passing laws that include gender identity and increasing awareness are life and death matters in our state and around the world.

GSA of Greater Nashville kicks off:   WSMV covered the first meeting of the Gay Straight Alliance of Greater Nashville yesterday and its unique form of organization is likely to get some notice:

Organizers say this is the first community GSA in the United States, as most GSAs are only offered in schools.
While the group is open to everyone, they cater to Nashville residents under 25.

This development is another example of imaginative leadership from our youth.

-Chris Sanders

"Don't tell the Chamber or TEP," says Family Action PLUS the protest of a Morristown transgender woman

Worst kept secret:  The Tennessean delves into the Family Action Council's correspondence with state lawmakers uncovered in the court challenge to HB600, which overturned Metro Nashville Contract Accountability Non-Discrimination Ordinance.  They thought no one knew what they were up to:

Fowler wrote the group again on Jan. 29 after meeting with chamber officials.
“I felt it was pretty clear that they did not like the ordinance but didn’t want to come across as homophobes or send the country a signal that Nashville was not a great city for all people — was inclusive,” Fowler wrote. “In my opinion the Chamber is clearly trying to document ‘good reasons’ to oppose the bill that anyone with any common sense, regardless of where they stand on the ethic of homosexual conduct, could see are valid concerns.”
Again, Fowler concluded the email by asking recipients not to share it.
“We sure don’t need any loose lips getting word to the Chamber about what I think and for sure not (the Tennessee Equality Project)!” he wrote.

Let's bracket their interpretation of the Chamber's views for now.  The issue is that Family Action officials thought they were fooling people, even TEP, which is odd since everyone knew they were lobbying against the Metro ordinance when it was working its way through the Council.  The intent was clear from the beginning--to keep local governments from protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender employees in their jurisdictions throughout Tennessee.  Although it was no secret, it's clear that Family Action thought discrimination should remain a secret.  SAD!

Transgender woman protests double standard:   WATE is reporting that Andrea Jones, a transgender woman from Morristown, protested the refusal of the DMV to change the sex designation on her licesnse, by taking off her blouse for which she was arrested.

Of course, this puts officials in an odd position.  It's not considered indecent exposure for a male to go shirtless, but in arresting Andrea, they are treating her as a woman...until she tried to get the gender marker changed on her license when she was considered male.  I don't see how they can have it both ways, which is exactly the point of Andrea's protest. 

Secrets and doubles standards are the tools of discrimination in Tennessee!

-Chris Sanders

We are the 60%: Marriage inequality in TN and our options

ThinkProgress takes a look at a New York Times editorial lauding the recent Senate Judiciary Committee vote to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, which would overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.  The title of their post says it all:  "60 Percent of Americans Live in Places That Don't Offer Protections For Gay Couples."  29 states, including Tennessee, bar same-sex marriage via

Image from the Repeal Tennessee's Marriage

Amendment Facebook page

constitutional amendment.  They also include a map ominously called "The Geography of Discrimination."  Again, that's about as clear as it gets.

What can we do in Tennessee?  That's where things ain't so clear.   Here are our options for advancing marriage equality.  Nothing is easy or likely about any of them.

1.  Move our current Congressional delegation on DOMA.  We have a couple of Congressmen who might be persuaded to back repeal of DOMA--Cohen and Cooper.  I wouldn't take such a move for granted.  Our two U.S. Senators aren't fire-breathing Right wingers, but it would be an extremely heavy lift to move either one of them on DOMA.  Senator Alexander is starting to show more of his trademark moderation and independence.  And it's always good for more constituents to let him and Senator Corker, for that matter, know that they oppose DOMA, but don't hold your breath.

2.  Elect new anti-DOMA members to our Congressional delegation.  Defeating any of the decidedly pro-DOMA Senators or Congressmen with an anti-DOMA opponent also seems unlikely.  If Congressman DesJarlais goes down in defeat, it will likely be in the primary to another Right winger.  Tea Partiers talk about challenging Senator Corker, but we still don't know whether a viable Democrat will get in the race.  And even if one does, the odds are low that such a candidate would oppose DOMA--a lesson we learned in 2006.  Could the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community raise the $25,000+ in a House race or the $50,000+ needed to get the attention of a candidate in one of these races?  Yes, it could be done.  It seems unlikely to happen, though.  And even if it did, the anti-DOMA candidate has to win and stick to his or her position. 

3. Repeal Tennessee's amendment.  I'll offer the warning again:  Don't hold your breath.  To repeal a constitutional amendment is to amend the TN Constitution again.  That takes passing a resolution in two consecutive sessions and the second time you have to have two thirds of each House.  So we've got to elect, reelect, or persuade 33 Senators and 66 Representatives.  Are we willing to raise (and this is a conservative estimate) $10,000 for each of the 66 House races and $25,000 for each of the 33 Senate races?  First, I want to say that it could be done.  But I don't think it would happen because our community has shown more willingness to invest our political dollars out of state.  Additionally, all our candidates would have to win and then vote with us in two consecutive sessions.  If a miracle happened and the resolution passed, we would still have to win at the ballot.  Oh, and one last thing, we'd still have to repeal a state statute defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.  They spent over $3 Million in New York on ads designed to move Republicans in their legislative efforts.  Daunting!

4.  See you in court.  If DOMA is struck down in a court challenge, that would help ease another court challenge to Tennessee's state constitutional amendment and statute.  I'm not an attorney, but my hunch is that it is through the courts that Tennessee will achieve marriage equality.  But I'll let the legal experts weigh in on that one.

The deck is definitely stacked against us, but it's always up to us to decide what to do. There's no doubt in my mind that we could raise the money and volunteer army needed to make a move in 1 to 4 federal races.  That would increase the odds for desperately needed votes out of Tennessee's congressional delegation to pass the Respect for Marriage Act.  As I said, my doubts hinge on our ability to get that kind of agreement and focus statewide. 

I may very well have missed an option.  If so, let's get it out there on the table and discuss it.  Maybe that would help contribute to a statewide consensus so we could develop a plan of action to make our contribution to the movement for marriage equality in Tennessee. 

I'm in.  Are you?

-Chris Sanders

Weekend Roundup: Rutherford Rep urges purge; civic pride

Mercifully, as far as I know, no Tennessee public official did or said anything incredibly embarrassing when it comes to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community this weekend.  Sadly, though, that energy was used to attack another group.

Don't Ask, Don't Pray Five Times a Day?:  I believe ThinkProgress broke the story over the weekend of State Rep. Rick Womick of Rutherford County calling for a purge of Muslims from the military.  Here's the video: 



Every citizen should be concerned about this kind of rhetoric.  It inflames existing stereotypes and suspicions and it also inspires legislative proposals.  Do I think any kind of bill banning Muslims from the military would pass or, if it did, pass constitutional muster in the courts?  No, of course not.  But I wouldn't be surprised to learn that a resolution had been filed in the General Assembly urging Congress to administer loyalty tests and the like.

I also look at this issue through the prism of the recent Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal, which social conservatives fought for years (some still are fighting it).  If you can ban a whole class of people from the military, you can reinforce the argument that they aren't patriotic citizens and that some of their other rights can be taken away.  Circular logic, to be sure.

And that brings us to...

Civic Pride:  The constant stream of embarrassments emanating almost weekly from our red state officials is a strong inducement for many of us to retreat into the refuge of our cities.  Our cities aren't perfect by a long shot.  They have petty squabbles, minor scandals, budget woes, etc.  But they tend not to cause nearly the same level of angst in the area of human rights and human relations as our state officials.  At this point, it's far easier to get Tennessee's gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community involved in city politics than it is in state politics because we can see positive results flowing directly from our actions like the election of Lee Harris to the Memphis City Council.  We're not giving up on the state by any means, but it's nice to have a refuge from the storm.  Beyond politics what we are beginning to see in Tennessee's larger cities is that our open participation in the ordinary life of the city is not some revolutionary act.  It's just business as usual.  

Team TEP

Our Nashville committee participated in the Mayor's Challenge 5K Walk/Run this weekend.  The organizers didn't hesitate to invite us to form a team a few months ago and there were no gasps when we donned our TEP stickers at the event.  The word "equality" doesn't bring to mind the blood bath of the French Revolution to most city dwellers.  That's perhaps a fantasy of the suburbs.  It was just another day and we were just one of dozens of other groups showing our civic pride.  And that, my friends, is what the so called "gay agenda" is all about.  Equal rights, equal participation until it becomes no big deal.

-Chris Sanders

Memphis Council runoff today, Rogero talks inclusion, Vanderbilt's non-discrimination policy up for consideration?

Memphis:  The long campaign season comes to an end in Memphis today with the runoff for City Council district 7 between Lee Harris, endorsed by TEP PAC, and Kemba Ford.  Both campaigns are predicting a "nail-biter," according to the Commercial Appeal. If you live in this district, please, get out and vote.  The Commercial Appeal link provides you links with information on polling locations and hours.

Knoxville:  On the other end of I-40, the Metro Pulse says Mayor-elect Madeline Rogero was talking inclusion shortly after her victory: 

In her victory speech to hundreds of cheering supporters at the Foundry Tuesday night, Rogero emphasized again the reach of her campaign. “Tonight we come together, as we did throughout this campaign, representing a broad and deep cross-section of Knoxville residents,” she said. “We ran a campaign of inclusiveness, from white collar to blue collar, from labor to management, from every neighborhood north, south, east, west, and downtown. We welcome people of all races and colors, gay and straight, people of all abilities, people from the youngest to the oldest.
“From the youngest to the oldest,” she continued, “from the richest to the poorest, because all of us are Knoxville. And Knoxville will only become greater if all of us are involved.”

These are words that I wish everyone in Tennessee would hear from his or her mayor and, frankly, from Governor Haslam.  Unfortunately, you can count on one hand the number of executives in the state who are comfortable saying something like Rogero did on election night.  But what a great message to come out of East Tennessee! And in the end, it's really an easy message to share once a candidate or elected official decides to cross the mark.

Vanderbilt:  It's been no secret that Right wing groups like the Congressional Prayer Caucus and the Family Action Council have been putting pressure on Vanderbilt over its decision to apply its non-discrimination policy to all officially recognized and funded campus organizations.  What I'm hearing from some employees is that they believe that the Board of Trust, which is meeting this week, may consider scaling back the application of the policy.  If they do, it will be a step back and then the bad publicity will really begin. 

We have taken the step of urging people to contact Vanderbilt and offer support for the policy.  You can do so at this link. 

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

Another busy week for our work for equality in all three grand divisions of Tennessee!

-Chris Sanders

Morning brief: Perez, UK on West TN make up flap; Gay marriage play tonight; anti-gay bomb in Kelsey bill

Welcome to the first weekday morning under the new time change.  We've got the links and analysis you need to start your week.

Kasey Landrum story goes big:  The story of Kasey Landrum, the Lexington high school student suspended for wearing make up at school is going national, even international.  Perez Hilton has picked it up with lots of boos for the principal.  "Awful," says Hilton.   And, yes, the story has now crossed the pond.  The Daily Mail reported it over the weekend.  The Pink News (UK) has run a story this morning, discussing the sudden reversal of the principal's repressive make up policy after it was brought to the public's attention.  They quote the district superintendent:

Superintendent Wilkinson, of Henderson County, said: ‘I guess that the easiest thing to do would be to go to a standard policy but we have in the past given a little freedom to our children and their parents about what they choose the wear.’

Good move, Mr. Wilkinson.

image from The Nashville Scene

"Gay marriage" play comes to Nashville Church:   "Standing on Ceremony:  The Gay Marriage Plays" comes to First Church Unity in Nashville tonight only, according to the Nashville Scene.  7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Anti-gay bomb in Kelsey bill:  As we mentioned over the weekend, State Sen. Brian Kelsey has filed SB2149, which would prevent any city or county in Tennessee from passing an ordinance making family leave, wage, or health insurance requirements for the private sector.  While there are some such ordinances in Tennessee (not many), there is no flood of proposals in local governments around the state.  But I believe there may be some anti-gay bias in the bill.  I wonder whether it is really filed to prevent any city or county from requiring its contractors to provide health insurance for domestic partners, as Austin does.  The discussion came up in a public forum with a leader of Family Action on the eve of the third reading of the Metro Nashville Contract Accountability Non-Discrimination Ordinance.  The leader in question feared partner benefits was next.  Furthermore, the House companion bill to SB2149 will be carried by Rep. Glen Casada whose work against equality is notorious.  It's worth mentioning that Sen. Kelsey's voting record isn't exactly pro-equality.  We'll be watching this bill.

Have a great week!

-Chris

Lawsuits, Occupy Nashville, boys in make up, coalitions, Sheryl Crow--Fighting back in a red state

The majority of voters and the majority of elected state officials are decidedly right of center in Tennessee.  Whether a true majority of the state goes red is another question.  Every month Tennessee finds a new way to become famous in the national media for embodying this bent in our public policy. 

How do you fight back in a situation like this? 

Lawsuits:  If the Legislature and the Governor are trampling your rights, you can take ‘em to court.  That’s what a group of plaintiffs including TEP have done in our challenge to HB600.  The worst case scenario is that we put our opponents on the defensive as they have to reexplain and redefend their discriminatory actions.  In the best case scenario, we win and the law is struck down.  The Occupy Nashville movement is already seeing results from their court challenge to the administration’s efforts to shut down their protests.  

We will likely have a red majority for at least ten years, so I would assume court challenges to bad legislation and bad policy will become business as usual for the foreseeable future.

Occupy Nashville:  Three members of TEP’s Nashville Committee have been involved in the protests.  So it’s a topic we watch very closely.  By sustaining their protest over several weeks, the participants have forced the hand of the state thereby showing the public in a very concrete way how much our state government has been overreaching since January.  By ordering the arrest of peaceful protesters on public property, the state has generated more disgust with state government than all the negative legislation that has appeared this year.  Maybe it’s time more issue specific strands of the progressive community take a page from this example.

Kasey Landrum photo from WKRN

Make up:  If you really want to make some principals angry in Tennessee, all you have to do is wear a shirt supportive of a Gay/Straight Alliance, as a student in East TN did, or wear make up, as Kasey Landrum a student in West TN did.  Youth really are fighting on the front lines of equality.  It’s sad that some adults get angrier about self-expression than low tests scores and other real problems in our schools.  Self-expression is becoming a form of everyday fighting back in Tennessee.  Its value, besides just letting a person be comfortable in his or her own skin, is to make right wingers overreach in their response, which has the effect of clarifying everyone’s rights.  And that takes the issue beyond a mere expression of the self and into the realm of commonly held values relating to the First Amendment. 

Coalitions:  Sometimes organizations have to focus strictly on their own issues and sometimes it is beneficial to work in coalition and cast issues more broadly.  I believe it is time for equality advocates, labor advocates, and local government advocates to work together to advance SB2121 and fight SB2149 in the Legislature.  SB2121 would restore the right of cities and counties to add to their non-discrimination ordinances, a right taken away from them by HB600 that passed this year.  SB2149 prevents cities and counties from passing ordinances related to health insurance, family leave, and wages.  Labor, equality, and local government defenders ought to make a pact to work together on both bills for the common good.  Creative alliances make sense during these tough times.

Sheryl Crow:  But I’ve saved the real creativity for last.  Maybe we need to get more creative in candidate recruiting.  I think Sheryl Crow ought to run for the TN House of Representatives from Williamson County.  She’s getting more involved in philanthropic efforts in Franklin and she’s had a high profile as an activist on many issues. 

I know what you’re saying.  The Legislature isn’t big time enough for Sheryl Crow.  But I would say our state government is garnering a lot of media attention and it’s a good platform for someone to address the real hot button issues—attacks on teachers, voter disenfranchisement, nullifying local equality ordinances, guns everywhere, defunding family planning, and cutting unemployment benefits.  If Sheryl Crow entered the race, she could shine even more light on what’s going on in Tennessee.  And if she won, I suspect it would be a little bit harder to find a lead sponsor for some of the nut bar bills we’ve seen over the last year.  We might even get a song out of it.  So if you’re reading, Ms. Crow, give it a shot, give us a chance!

There’s no doubt we need to fight back.  I believe we will.  The only question is how we’ll do it. 

-Chris Sanders