Tennessee LGBTQ+ community facing over a dozen bills affecting them

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — LGBTQ+ advocates worry bathroom access for transgender people is under attack again, with a bill they call extremely vague.

The bill makes it illegal to observe someone in a private space (like a bathroom) if it ‘would offend or embarrass an ordinary person if the person knew the person was being viewed.’

You could also sue a business, if a business’s bathroom rules cause you to be embarrassed or offended.

“This law is vague and opening up entities to lawsuits and civil action, creating an environment of fear if they do not follow accordingly,” Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) Education Director Jace Wilder said. “What are these entities actually supposed to be doing? What are they supposed to be adding or subtracting from their policies? It is unclear.”

It isn’t just the bathroom bill that’s raising red flags in the LGBTQ+ community.

There are bills to ban pride flags in schools, prevent an adoptive agency from requiring prospective parents to support a child’s sexual identity, allow officiants to refuse to solemnize a wedding and allow county residents to petition for removal of LGBTQ+ books in a library.

“Maybe they should focus on passing constitutional legislation rather than unconstitutional legislation, and legislation that benefits the people of Tennessee rather than discriminates against the people of Tennessee or harms the people of Tennessee or continues to expose them to harm across the state of Tennessee,” House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) said.

But Republicans say the community has an opportunity to voice its concerns.

“I’m sure they would welcome those organizations that are opposed to those bills to come testify before committee and voice their concern and why they have concern, just like, I’m sure, there may be people who come in support of it,” said Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville).

During the committee hearing on the bathroom bill, advocates did just that. But the bill moved forward anyway.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge), all but admitted it’s targeting transgender people, among others.

“Is there an intent in this bill to protect minor children from adults of the other biological gender and them being intimidated or frightened or perhaps harmed?” Rep. Monty Fritts (R-Kingston) asked Ragan in committee.

“Straightforwardly, the answer is yes, but it’s not limited to that,” Ragan answered.

Not every Republican is against every LGBTQ+ bill.

As far as the potential ban on pride flags, the bill bans every flag that isn’t the United States flag, the Confederate flag or a handful of others (like an official school or university flag or the POW/MIA flag).

Some Republicans signaled some hesitation around that, saying it might be too broad.

“It appears it could prevent a school class that’s studying, say, Brazil from having a Brazil flag up there on the board or up there back the chalkboard, if they still have those things,” Lt. Gov Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) said.

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