Tennessee

In 2006, Tennessee voters passed an anti-marriage and anti-relationship recognition constitutional amendment. State advocacy groups continue to work to overturn such discrimination and move towards true fairness and equality for Tennessee's families.

WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE:

Tennessee Equality Project
Tennessee Equality Project is a statewide organization dedicated to promote and sustain the equality of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons in the State of Tennessee through the establishment of fair and equitable laws protecting these rights and the elimination of laws that would seek to counter this effort.

ACLU-Tennessee: LGBT Rights
For the last 25 years, ACLU-TN has focused on a wide range of civil liberty issues that directly affect the LGBT community. These include the right to privacy, equal protection and treatment under the law, and the freedom of speech and assembly.

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LEGISLATIVE STATUS IN TENNESSEE:

Your Community—Tennessee
Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
HRC presents resources, news, and the current marriage and relationship recognition laws in each state.

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PUBLICATIONS:

Tennessee Census Snapshot
Williams Institute
January 2008
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, this report provides demographic and economic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children in Tennessee.

Geographic Trends Among Same-Sex Couples in the U.S. Census and the American Community Survey
Williams Institute
November 2007
Gary Gates at the Williams Institute released groundbreaking research on the geographic trends among same-sex couples. The report finds the biggest increases in Southern and Mountain states and states barring legal acceptance of same-sex couples had larger percentage increases in same-sex couples from 2000 to 2006.

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NEWS:

BLOG: The little things that discrimination affects
Red State Exile
April 16, 2007
Back when I first posted on the effects of an anti-gay amendment within TN, I focused on the obvious problems such as being denied access to or the right to make medical decisions for a partner. Little did I consider at the time, that we wouldn't even be able to participate in a "vow renewal ceremony" at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival.

COLUMNIST: It's not the government's business
Knoxville News Sentinel
October 24, 2006
Somewhere along the line, conservatives began to equate religious belief with political doctrine. And the next thing you know, the very crowd that used to decry governmental meddling now encourages governmental meddling. Proving that, just like the weather, nothing stays the same in politics.

Blogger: Don't amend TN Constitution
Instapundit.com
July 15, 2006
"I'm going to try to figure out what I can do to oppose this measure, though it's a tricky political calculus as drawing attention to it may actually help its passage, since a failure to vote on the measure at all is tantamount to a 'no' vote. I suspect, though, that the anti-gay-marriage forces will make enough noise to ensure that it's not ignored."

A very personal issue
CNN
June 6, 2006
The fight for marriage equality is close to home for Joan and Nancy VanReese, partners for 18 years, who share a home in the Nashville suburbs.

Why we need to talk about marriage equality
Washington Blade
May 1, 2006
"Question your friend or your father about what they are saying make them actually think about their words. Don't let go unchallenged a flippant brush-off comment about 'there's no need for gay marriage.' Put up your dukes and fight back."

OPINION: A majority doesn't make bigotry right in Tennessee
The Chattanoogan
May 30, 2005
Whiteman discusses the pitfalls of following the 'majority' by recalling women's suffrage, slavery, the Holocaust and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He praises the 'minority' who refuse to support putting anti-gay bigotry in the state constitution.

Legislature kills anti-gay adoption ban but restrictive marriage amendment remains
365Gay.com
March 16, 2005
A House subcommittee voted down a bill that would have barred gays from adopting or serving as foster parents. Gay activists were pleased but are still apprehensive over an upcoming vote in the House on an amendment that would ban gays from marriage.

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