Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Trans-Tennessee


Looks like Tennessee might be moving very slowly into the 21st century -- YEA. This week, two separate bills were introduced in the state legislature to increase protections based on gender identity and expression:
  • HB0335 -- Introduced by Rep. Richardson (and the similar bill, SB 0253 introduced by Sen. Marrero) which adds gender identity and expression to hate crimes statutes. 
  • HB0334 -- Also introduced by Rep. Richardson (and the similar bill SB 0252 introduced by Sen. Marrero) which allows people to change the gender on their birth certificates if sworn to in affidavit by a medical doctor.
Is there a chance in hell these are going to pass? The local paper -- Out & About (really, can we come up with more creative names for gay papers, folks?) -- doesn't really have more information on likelihood of passage. I'm going to guess the possibility is low. 

In similar news, SB0078 in Tennessee seeks to disallow adoption by unmarried cohabitating individuals.  This, also, seems unlikely to pass.

And so we are in Tennessee much as we are in the rest of the world...

...at a statlemate.

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