O&AN | February 2020

There are many great places to visit in Tennessee. There’s Nashville, of course. For the Elvis devotee and the fan of jazz and blues, Memphis and Beale Street are a must. In Eastern Tennessee, there’s the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Dollywood. These are just a few of our state’s largest tourist draws. Tennessee is a beautiful state with a lot going for it.

Unfortunately, for the LGBTQ community, Tennessee is also a state that needs a lot of work on LGBTQ rights and protections. Tennessee’s largest cities are LGBTQ friendly, by and large, but this is less universally true in smaller cities and rural communities. Anti-LGBTQ state legislation has prevented even Nashville and Memphis from achieving what would have been otherwise high marks on the HRC Municipal Equality Index.

However, a vibrant community of independent activists, advocacy networks, and organizations is working diligently to make Tennessee a better place for LGBTQ people to live, work, and play! There are so many, we could not possibly mention them all. You can read more about those primarily working in health and human services on page 26!

Aside from those health organizations, the Tennessee AIDS Advocacy Network (TAAN) is one of the organizations focused on the rights and protections of those living with HIV/AIDS. They work “to create a Tennessee that is free from stigma and discrimination and provide mutual support for people living with HIV/AIDS and affected communities through outreach and public education, policy advocacy, and community-building.”

Some of Tennessee lawmakers most dangerous efforts are aimed at our LGBTQ children, and there are many organizations working to protect them from the harmful intentions of such bills. One of the most active voices on behalf of LGBTQ young people in Tennessee is GLSEN Tennessee, a chapter of GLSEN, a national organization fighting for every student’s right to a safe, supportive education. This mostly-volunteer chapter supports students and educators locally, organizes around LGBTQ-affirming public policy, plans teacher trainings, and hosts events for students, educators, parents, and allies.

Perhaps the most prominent, and broadest scoped, activist group in the state is the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP). TEP fights every anti-LGBTQ bill that hits the state legislature, as well as local governments, and works to promote legislation to protect the LGBTQ community. They also educate locals about political threats and train citizens in pro- LGBTQ activism.

Along with TEP, two other groups are particularly involved in political activism: the local chapter of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber voices the concerns of businesses over anti-LGBTQ sentiment in legislation and its negative impacts on industry, and HRC broadly supports national and local efforts.

There are many other LGBTQ and adjacent organizations working to make Tennessee better for everyone, so get out and explore where. We are sure you’ll find a group that you can support!