As I am sure everyone is painfully aware, Election Day is next week and early voting in Tennessee is well underway. Something that we are not discussing nearly enough is the impact this election will have on LGBTQ+ rights and equality and just how much we have been under attack here in Tennessee. Our state has infamously passed laws restricting drag performances, denying trans people gender affirming care, removing queer books from libraries, and making LGBTQ+ people (especially trans people) into a political scapegoat.
This has led to our state being ranked among the worst for LGBTQ+ people. This article from journalist Erin Reed shows a disturbing map of the nation’s anti-trans laws and Tennessee is among the states where legislators “... have passed deeply troubling legislation targeting transgender adults in extremely harmful new ways.” While anti-trans legislation has been able to make it into law more often for the past few years in Tennessee, conservative elected officials have also put forth bills that affect marriage equality, education, reproductive healthcare, and more that would impact all LGBTQ+ Tennesseeans.
It has become imperative that LGBTQ people and our allies who vote in this state are aware of what the people we are voting for think about our community and what they plan to do to either protect us or cause us further harm. Unfortunately, most of our candidates have not explicitly stated what their platform is regarding these issues. With the numerous existential and legal threats looming around us, that is highly concerning for those of us with skin in this game.
Transparency should be a front-runner among presidential candidates, but just in case, here are a couple of handy accountability trackers from GLAAD regarding Trump and Harris. Both are worth a thorough read as they reflect not just the candidates but the direction of their respective parties overall.
So here I’ll hit the highlights of where candidates who are on ballots in Hamilton County stand regarding the LGBTQ+ community as best I can. As previously stated, the information is sparse and irregular among the candidates. This information is pulled from the candidates’ own websites, social media accounts, and coverage in the press where available. Those for whom I could not cite specific statements or actions will be noted as “Unknown Stance”, but it means their positions on LGBTQ+ issues are simply not easily found. While it shows that these concerns may be low priority for them, it is not necessarily an indicator of their beliefs or how they would be in office.
I’ll start at the federal candidates and work our way down to the state level races.
U.S. Senate
Gloria Johnson ( D ): PRO-LGBTQ+
She has shown up at Pride events, publicly spoken out for our community, and consistently votes to protect LGBTQ rights. Gloria Johnson is a proud ally and is a great example of how a politician should carry their support of LGBTQ constituents. Especially in an era where we are under near constant attack.
Marsha Blackburn ( R ): ANTI-LGBTQ+
Blackburn’s record on LGBTQ+ issues is so bad that she has her very own accountability tracker on the GLAAD website. Which includes such notable highlights as voting against the Violence Againt Women Act specifically because it had provisions that were LGBT inclusive.
Tharon Chandler ( I ): Unknown Stance
Pamela Jeanine “P.” Moses ( I ): Unknown Stance
Hastina Robinson ( I ): Unknown Stance
U.S. State House, District 3
Chuck Fleischmann ( R ): ANTI-LGBTQ+
Fleischmann has been in office since 2011. In that time he has opposed same sex marriage, supports criminalizing gender affirming care, and consistently objects to any LGBTQ+ inclusive langauage in legislation. Some of his record can be found HERE.
Jack Allen ( D ): LIKELY PRO-LGBTQ+
Allen’s campaign had a presence at several Pride events this year in Tennessee, which is a sign of his possible allyship. However overt statements on the issues coud not be located and it is not indicated through his website, social media, or endorsements.
Jean Howard-Hill ( I ): Unknown Stance
Stephen “Scooter” King ( I ): ANTI-TRANS
King responded negatively to an already biased question about trans atheletes in sports with “Pat is rolling in her grave. She fought her entire career to give women an equal laying field and this administration wants to take it back. Biological males should not be competing against biological females.” Illustrating a lack of understanding of how biological sex and gender actually work and repeating boiler plate arguments often used to further anti-trans sentiment far beyond the arena of sports. You can read the full survey here.
TN State Senate, District 10
Todd Gardenhire ( R ): ANTI-LGBTQ+
Gardenhire has sponsored and supported various anti-LGBT bills throughout his tenure in the state senate. This includes legislative efforts allowing clerks to refuse marriage ceremonies and restrictions on trans students in Tennessee schools.
Missy Crutchfeld ( D )
PRO-LGBTQ+ - Crutchfield has received endorsements from organizations with LGBTQ+ inclusive values and aligns her campaign with the Democratic Party platform and messaging.
TN House of Representatives, District 26
Greg Martin ( R ): ANTI-LGBTQ+
Martin consistently votes against LGBTQ equality and has been in favor of forcibly outing trans students to their parent under a newly enacted law that is leading to confusion among teachers, administrators, and students.
Allison Gorman ( D): PRO-LGBTQ+
Gorman is among the few candidates to explicitly state on her website in blog posts and on her social media that she supports the LGBTQ community.
TN House of Representatives, District 27
Michele Reneu ( R ): ANTI-LGBTQ+
Reneu has explicitly anti-LGBTQ+ messaging on her website that includes language such as “the lie of gender ideology”.
Kathy Lennon ( D ): Likely PRO-LGBTQ+
Lennon has received endorsements from LGBTQ+ inclusive organizations and aligns herself with the messaging and platform of the Democratic Party.
TN House of Representatives, District 28
Yusuf A. Hakeem ( D ): PRO-LGBTQ+
Hakeem has a record of usually voting in favor of the LGBTQ+ community dating back to the many years he served on the Chattanooga City Council. This trend has continued as he has served in the TN House.
Thomas J. Brooks ( I ): Unknown Stance
TN House of Representatives, District 29
Greg Vital ( R ): ANTI-LGBTQ
Vital has sponsored discriminatory bills and reliably votes in favor of discriminatory legislation.
Ryan Scofied ( D ): PRO-LGBTQ+
Scofield is a member of our community and puts both his identity and his support for equality on his website.
TN House of Representatives, District 30
Esther Helton-Haynes ( R ): ANTI-LGBTQ+
Helton-Hayes has opposed LGBTQ+ equality in every vote she has participated in. She features some of the discriminatory policies she has voted for with biased sanitized langage on her website.
Heather McClendon ( D ): LIKELY PRO-LGBTQ+
McClendon has received endorsements from inclusive organzations. She has spoken out in ads about the damage being done by extreme conservative policies in our state.
This only scratches the surface of these candidates, their stances, and how elected officials have been far too comfortable using attacks on queer people’s rights and safety for political clout. I’m not here to tell you who to vote for, and there are many issues that affect us beyond those regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. However, if elected officials don’t see us as worthy of respect, dignity, health, and safety; then we risk losing everything.
For more information about legislation and elected officials in regards to rights, equity, and equality - check out these organizations:
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