A bill allowing marriage officiants to decline to perform weddings received final passage from Tennessee lawmakers, sparking a rally on Capitol Hill against a slate of bills targeting the LGBTQ community. Senate Bill 596, passed along party lines, will allow officiants to decline weddings based on moral objections. Advocates, including Tennessee Equality Project Director Chris Sanders, spoke out against the bill and others they deemed harmful to the LGBTQ community. The rally brought attention to bills such as one prohibiting display of ideological flags in schools and another restricting marriage licenses to heterosexual couples only. Business leaders warned of potential economic impacts, as investment decisions may be affected by discriminatory legislation. The Tennessee Equality Project is actively opposing several bills, including those targeting transgender minors and restricting support for LGBTQ adoptive and foster parents. State government reporter Vivian Jones covered the rally, calling for accountability from lawmakers and emphasizing the harmful impact of discriminatory legislation on LGBTQ individuals. Bills placed restrictions on LGBTQ rights and freedoms, drawing criticism from advocacy groups and raising concerns about the broader implications of such legislation in Tennessee.
Source
Photo credit www.tennessean.com
LGBTQ supporters protest as new marriage legislation progresses to Tennessee governor
