August 18, 2015

For immediate release

Contact:  Chris Sanders, (615) 390-5252 or [email protected]

TEP to honor Wynn, Rubenfeld as Champions of Equality at annual Olympus gala

Nashville, TN:  The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) will honor Davidson County Clerk Brenda Wynn and attorney Abby Rubenfeld as Champions of Equality at their annual Olympus gala at the Parthenon on November 14.

As Davidson County Clerk, Brenda Wynn was among the first clerks in the state to begin providing marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the June 26 Supreme Court decision striking down Tennessee's ban on same-sex marriage.  Wynn worked with equality advocates prior to the ruling to provide an orderly transition to marriage equality in the Nashville area.  Attorney Abby Rubenfeld has led historic legal challenges to discriminatory state laws in Tennessee for many years including a challenge to Tennessee's sodomy law, the Legislature's nullification of Metro Nashville's contractor non-discrimination ordinance, and most recently a successful challenge to the state's same-sex marriage ban. 

"We will look back on 2015 as a turning point for Tennessee's gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community," notes TEP executive director Chris Sanders.  "Celebrating the roles played by Brenda Wynn and Abby Rubenfeld inspires us to continue working for the full legal and lived equality of all members of our community."

The celebration begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Parthenon in Nashville on November 14.  Tickets are available at the link.  RSVP at the Facebook page for updates. 

The Tennessee Equality Project was founded in 2004 to work for the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in Tennessee.

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