NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Two bills targeting transgender and LGBT students passed Monday through chambers of the Tennessee legislature.
The first — HB2633, which passed through the state House — is a rule to allow teachers to ignore the preferred pronouns of students in schools.
The second,SB2153, prohibits transgender girls from participating in girls sports through the college level. It would also add a cause for an athlete to pursue a lawsuit if a transgender person won in competition. This bill has now passed through both sides of the legislature.
The bills are controversial because opponents said it would allow for discrimination in school classrooms and against a small minority of athletes in Tennessee.
Supporters of the bill to ban transgender people from sports said their goal is to protect women.
The ACLU of Tennessee quickly released a statement following the passage of the pronoun bill, calling it dangerous.
"This bill raises serious statutory and constitutional concerns by singling out trans students for worse treatment than their peers," it said. "[Legislators] made a choice to reject and ignore the needs of a vulnerable population in our schools, and instead protect those who perpetrate bullying, stigmatization, and potentially trauma and violence."
SB2153 will soon head to Gov. Bill Lee's desk for signature.
