Jail Time

I don’t know about you but as a trans woman I fear jail time and with a Tennessean.

Watered down ‘indecent exposure’ bill passes in Tennessee. It still endangers trans people.
LGBTQ Nation
By Nico Lang
April 10, 2019

A controversial “indecent exposure” bill passed the Tennessee House this week after lawmakers removed elements targeting transgender people. However, LGBTQ advocates in the state say the trans community isn’t out of the woods just yet.

On Monday, the Tennessee House voted 69-25 in favor of House Bill 1151, a measure opponents claim is a thinly veiled anti-trans bathroom bill. Sponsored by State House Rep. John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge), it would redefine the list of “public places” where indecent exposure can occur to include restrooms, locker rooms, and other facilities designed “for single-sex, multi-person use.”

The original version of the bill appeared to single out transgender people by claiming “gender dysphoria” and “gender confusion” couldn’t be used as a “defense to the offense of indecent exposure.”

Because HB 1151 uses the low bar of an “ordinary person standard” to define what constitutes a credible fear of harm, that language could have had a devastating impact on trans lives in Tennessee. Someone could have a transgender person arrested for indecent exposure simply because they feel uncomfortable sharing a bathroom with them or changing next to them.

And the bill has sharp teeth… up to six years in jail!

The bill also includes,

Other proposals would encourage the state to defend school districts that engage in anti-trans discrimination and allow adoption and foster care agencies to turn away same-sex couples on the basis of “sincerely held religious beliefs.”

Let’s face it the Republicans hate our guts and will do everything in their power to criminalize us and force us back in the closet.

There are some who that Connecticut Republicans are different and they couldn’t be more wrong.

Here are some of the amendments and laws they tried to pass.

• In 2015 they tried to block insurance health coverage for us the bill was introduced by Rep. Rob Sampson (R 80th): HB 5193, An Act Concerning Health Insurance Coverage for Gender Reassignment Surgery.
• In 2011 when we were trying to pass the gender inclusive non-discrimination bill;
• An amendment requiring trans people to register with the Department of Motor Vehicle 
• Increased penalty of a crime that was committed while crossdressed.
• Exclusions for dorms rooms, showers, locker rooms, bathrooms
• Teachers: upon a majority vote of the board, reassign an elementary school teacher for the remainder of the school year if such teacher exhibits a change in gender identity or expression during a school year
• Birth gender bathrooms
• Requires a person to be diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria to be covered by the law