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Support the Work of TEP Foundation
As a supporter of Tennessee Equality Project Foundation, your contribution funds much needed educational projects and programs which advance the well being of LGBT people and their families here at home in Tennessee. Unlike other organizations that advance equality, every dollar contributed to TEP Foundation is spent here in Tennessee.
If you prefer to make contributions to TEP Foundation without using PayPal, click this link.
Other Giving Options
Some supporters prefer to write a check or make monthly donations to TEP Foundation through automatic bank drafts. Consider creating “TEP Foundation” as a regular payee with your bank’s online service.
Checks and automated bank drafts may be mailed to the following address:
TEP Foundation | P.O. Box 330875 | Nashville, TN 37203
Thank you for supporting TEP Foundation.
Donate
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TEP Giving Tuesday 2019
Giving Tuesday, an annual international day of giving, is December 3. Please, include Tennessee Equality Project in your giving plans. When you support TEP, you make it possible for us to fight back against adoption discrimination bills, anti-transgender student bathroom bills, and attacks on marriage equality. You give us the capacity to organize throughout Tennessee, and that allows us to defend the LGBTQ community. We are grateful for your support.
If you prefer to make a tax-deductible contribution to the TEP Foundation, you can do so at this link.
Donate
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Julie Erwin signed Censure Commissioner Hurst, make Sevier County policies inclusive 2019-10-29 01:06:26 -0500
Censure Commissioner Hurst, make Sevier County policies inclusive
The racist and homophobic comments of Sevier County Commissioner Warren Hurst have shocked people across the country. Please, add your name to protest his divisive words and call for policy change in Sevier County, Tennessee. We will deliver your signatures to the Sevier County Government in November at the next county commission meeting.
To the Honorable Larry Waters, Mayor of Sevier County, and to the honorable members of the Sevier County Commission:
Calls have gone out across the country for Commissioner Warren Hurst to resign over his racist and homophobic comments. While that decision is in his hands, we call on you to censure him by resolution of the Sevier County Commission and to update the employment non-discrimination policy of Sevier County Government to protect county employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. We urge you to make this policy change by executive order immediately, to be followed by a confirming ordinance or resolution of the County Commission.
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Julie Erwin signed Call on the Coffee County DA to Resign 2019-06-14 09:29:30 -0500He had admitted that his bigotry factors into his job and that should not be allowed. This is a no- brainer. Fire him now.
Call on the Coffee County DA to Resign
Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcott has made anti-Muslim statements and said that he does not treat LGBTQ people experiencing domestic violence the same as other survivors. He can no longer effectively serve the people of Coffee County or the thousands of people who visit Coffee County each year for Bonnaroo.
We call on Craig Northcott to resign the office of District Attorney for Coffee County. His anti-Muslim statements and his admission that he does not treat LGBTQ domestic violence cases with respect are disqualifying for office. He must step down so that the people of Coffee County can be served by a District Attorney who will apply the law according to the principle of equal protection.
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Julie Erwin signed The People's Petition Against the Slate of Hate 2019-03-18 08:53:11 -0500We oppose all of these hateful bills. Stop the hate.
The People's Petition Against the Slate of Hate
The people of Tennessee are speaking out against bills that result in discrimination against LGBTQ people in our state. Here is our statement with a summary of the bills.
"As residents of Tennessee, we oppose these bills in the Tennessee General Assembly. They promote discrimination rather than justice and demean the worth of LGBTQ people in our state. We call on people of good will to join us in speaking out for basic fairness."
The bills are:
SB848/HB1152 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan and SB1304/HB836 by Sen. Pody and Rep. Rudd. These bills promote state-sanctioned discrimination by private adoption agencies against prospective parents on the basis of religious and moral objection.
SB364/HB563 by Sen. Gardenhire and Rep. Zachary. The Business License to Discriminate bill. The bill casts businesses rather than the LGBTQ community as possible victims of discrimination and opens the door to taxpayer funded discrimination.
SB1297/HB1151 by Sen. Pody and Rep. Ragan. While the bill seems to be about indecent exposure, its original text is a devious attempt to criminalize transgender and gender nonconforming people in restrooms and locker rooms. The bill has been amended in a House subcommittee to remove the portions targeting the transgender community. We want to make sure the amendment remains on the bill.
SB1499/HB1274 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Holt. This bill requires the Attorney General to defend school districts that engage in anti-transgender bathroom discrimination.
SB1282/HB1369 by Sen. Pody and Rep. J. Sexton. The Tennessee Natural Marriage Defense Act is an attack on marriage equality.
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Julie Erwin signed Urge Gov. Haslam to protect LGBTQ state government employees 2018-12-29 16:31:59 -0600
Urge Gov. Haslam to protect LGBTQ state government employees
Outgoing Ohio Governor John Kasich recently signed an executive order barring discrimination against state government employees on the basis of gender identity. Discrimination based on sexual orientation was already banned.
Outgoing Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam could do the same for our state government employees. Sign the petition and urge him to protect LGBTQ state government employees by executive order. If we get 1000+ signatures, we will deliver them to the Governor's office.
Dear Governor Haslam,
We urge you to sign an executive order protecting Tennessee state government employees from job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, the same protections that Ohio state government employees enjoy thanks to the recent executive order signed by outgoing Ohio Governor John Kasich.
Employees of our public colleges and universities already enjoy these projections as do the public employees in Metro Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Knox County. Everyone deserves the opportunity to work without the fear of discrimination.
Thank you for considering our views.
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Julie Erwin signed Urge Senators Alexander and Corker to speak up for LGBTQ people when the next Supreme Court justice is appointed 2018-07-10 17:31:30 -0500Help us uphold the rights of ALL our citizens.c
Urge Senators Alexander and Corker to speak up for LGBTQ people when the next Supreme Court justice is appointed
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring so the President will name a successor who must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Sign to urge Senator Alexander and Senator Corker to speak up for the LGBTQ community during the confirmation process. TEP will deliver a hard copy of the signatures to their offices.
Senator Alexander and Senator Corker:
When the President announces his choice to replace Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, we urge you to speak up for the rights of LGBTQ people. It is vitally important that members of the Supreme Court support the principle of "equal protection" and that Justice Kennedy's successor uphold the existing rights of LGBTQ people and oppose discrimination against LGBTQ people. We respectfully ask you to raise these concerns publicly and not to vote for any nominee who supports discrimination.
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Julie Erwin signed Tell iStock/Getty to remove violent, anti-LGBTQ images via Roger Schecter 2017-09-21 14:37:48 -0500
Tell iStock/Getty to remove violent, anti-LGBTQ images
Nashville resident Jennifer Sheridan discovered some disturbing images among iStock/Getty's photographs that were tagged with anti-LGBTQ messages. Out & About Nashville reports that one of them represented the lynching of LGBTQ people.
TAKE ACTION: Go to this link and tell iStock/Getty to remove anti-LGBTQ images and tags from their collection. AND add your name to the petition below. Please, share with your friends.
We call on iStock/Getty to remove anti-LGBTQ images and anti-LGBTQ tags from images in their collection. At a time when hate crimes against LGBTQ people are rising in Tennessee and other states, companies have a responsibility to take steps to promote respect. It is outrageous that a major collection of images used by the public would contain pictures and tags that demean and attack the LGBTQ community.
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Julie Erwin commented on Condolences to Mayor Megan Barry and her Family 2017-08-04 08:42:10 -0500May God bless and comfort you during this most sad and difficult time.
Julie and Johnny ErwinCondolences to Mayor Megan Barry and her Family
Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and her husband Bruce recently lost their son Max. Members of the LGBT community and allies can leave their condolences here and we will deliver them to the Mayor. Please include your city in your comments. Thank you for showing your love for Mayor Barry and her family.
Send feedback
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Julie Erwin commented on YOUR Districts 2017-05-11 09:42:09 -0500House:Beth Harwell
Senate: Steve DickinsonYOUR Districts
Tell us your state senate and state house districts. Note: We are NOT asking for your U.S. Senate and U.S. House districts (the elected officials who meeting in Washington, D.C. ). We are asking about your elected officials you meet in Nashville--your state senator and your state representative. You can find them at this link by entering your street address.
So tell us your state senator and your state representative as well as your email address. Thank you!
Send feedback
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Julie Erwin signed Give Nashville businesses a gender-neutral bathroom option 2016-06-03 13:30:06 -0500
Give Nashville businesses a gender-neutral bathroom option
In April the owners of the Wild Cow and Graze restaurants added gender-neutral signs to their single occupancy restrooms, but they were later told that this move meant they were no longer in compliance with the Metro code. They made the move to serve their customers and employees and to protest the Legislature's bathroom bill that was pending at the time. You can read about the background here.
Metro Nashville Councilman Brett Withers has filed a bill allowing businesses the option of gender-neutral bathrooms. You can read the bill at this link. The bill is up for second of three readings on June 7 at the 6:30 Metro Council meeting in the Metro Courthouse.
Sign the petition to show your support.
We ask that the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County adopt BL2016-238 by Councilman Brett Withers and give Nashville businesses a gender-neutral bathroom option. This bill comes at the request of a local business and it is the right legislation for customers and employees. Thank you for considering our views.
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Julie Erwin signed No special legislative session for bathroom discrimination! 2016-05-19 06:48:15 -0500Don’t waste our time and money to pursue your hateful agenda.
No special legislative session for bathroom discrimination!
On the evening of May 17, The Tennessean and The Commercial Appeal reported that legislators are considering a special legislative session to take up a new effort to pass a statewide anti-transgender bathroom discrimination law. Sign YOUR name to the statement below and we'll deliver your signatures to legislative leaders:
Dear Speaker Ramsey and Speaker Harwell:
We oppose a special legislative session to consider an anti-transgender bathroom discrimination law. It is never justified to spend the state's time and money to advance discrimination. Thank you for considering our views.
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I asked Governor Haslam to veto SB1912 and defend diversity at UT-Knoxville
Please, take action about Senate Bill 1912 that defunds the University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Office for Diversity and Inclusion.
Call Governor Haslam at 615-741-2001 and ask him to Veto Senate Bill 1912 and defend diversity. It's fine to leave a message.
OR
Tweet him @BillHaslam with #VetoSB1912 .
When you have called or tweeted, let us know you did it with this form. NOTE: You don't have to live in Tennessee to participate.
Endorse
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Julie Erwin signed Tennessee Loves Target 2016-05-03 08:51:28 -0500So very proud of Target! We will continue to shop with you.
Tennessee Loves Target
Target's trans-inclusive policies are under attack in Tennessee. A Mt Juliet pastor's rant went viral and this week at a Hendersonville Target, protesters shouted religious wrath at employees and customers. But we know that Tennessee loves Target and it's time to show it!
As former TEP Board member Ellyahnna Hall (pictured) notes:
"I support Target for trying to provide a safe space for all people. I'm a trans woman and I've faced the dangers of not having access to restrooms that corespond to my gender identity. If opponents are really concerned with safety then let's focus on tougher rape laws and enforcing those, not creating a fake danger that doesn't exist."
Sign the petition statement and show Target some love. We'll deliver hard copies of the petition to select Target locations in Tennessee.
Tennessee loves Target. I support the company's transgender-inclusive policies and I will continue to shop at their stores.
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Defend Diversity at UT-Knoxville: Veto SB1912
The Legislature passed SB1912/HB2248 that removes funding from the Office for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Sign this petition that we will deliver to Governor Haslam asking him to veto the bill.
Governor Haslam, we call on you to veto SB1912/HB2248 and protect the University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Office for Diversity and Inclusion. The office plays a vital role in making the university competitive for the best students, faculty, and staff and it makes campus life welcoming for all. Thank you for considering our views.
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Stop using religion to discriminate in Tennessee
On April 18, 2016 about 30 pastors shamefully stood in Legislative Plaza and spoke in favor of the anti-transgender student bathroom bill. And religion was used to advance the counseling discrimination bill. Many more clergy across Tennessee publicly opposed both bills.
Whether you're religious or not, aren't you tired of religion being used to support discrimination in our laws? If so, endorse this statement:
We oppose the use of religion to justify discrimination in Tennessee law. To use religion to divide us in our public life violates the spirit of the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions, does harm to the people of Tennessee, and brings scandal to religion.
Endorse