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Herbert Slatery speaks to reporters about his appointment as attorney general in the Tennessee Supreme Court chamber in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. Slatery previously served as Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's chief legal counsel. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)
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LGBTQ Issues

Tennessee AG: Transgender people covered by hate crime law

Based on an opinion issued by Attorney General Herbert Slatery earlier this month, Tennessee became the only state in the South with a hate crime law protecting transgender people.

Feb 18, 2019 at 8:22 AM
Mayor David Briley
AssociatedPress
LGBTQ Issues

Nashville mayor signs order to help LGBT-owned businesses

NASHVILLE — Nashville Mayor David Briley has signed an executive order to help LGBT-owned businesses.

Feb 11, 2019 at 1:23 PM
Aislinn Bailey poses with a photograph of herself during her second year at the United States Military Acadamy at Westpoint.
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Military

Local reactions: Supreme Court to allow ban on transgender service members

The Supreme Court reverses an Obama Administration rule, with a 5-4 vote, to allow transgender service members. The decision overturns previous injunctions to the Trump Administration Policy change, and challenges law-suits made by current service members. 

Jan 27, 2019 at 12:21 AM
A report released Wednesday by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network said Tennessee schools “were not safe for most lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) middle and high school students.”
bpaykamian
education

Report: LGBTQ students feel need for inclusivity in Tennessee public schools

Public schools across Tennessee, including local school districts like Johnson City Schools and most recently, Hawkins County Schools, allow students to form Gay-Straight Alliances at high school campuses.

Jan 13, 2019 at 12:30 AM
AssociatedPress
LGBTQ Issues

Nashville Police name 1st full-time LGBT community liaison

NASHVILLE — The Metro Nashville Police Department has named its first liaison to the LGBTQ community.

Jan 11, 2019 at 4:30 PM
Despite what many have considered political setbacks, TriPride festival organizers said the local LGBTQ community is moving forward with resolve. Founder George Chamoun said the festival of more than 10,000 was only met with a handful of protesters.
bpaykamian
Spectrum

Local LGBTQ community members speak about discrimination

In the midst of a recent surge of “alt-right” ideology in today’s political climate, many members of the local LGBTQ community have had more than a few anxieties about what this means in terms of the community’s human rights and well-being in general.

Nov 26, 2018 at 5:03 PM
85 chairs filled Borchuck Plaza on ETSU’s campus Tuesday evening for the Transgender Day of Remembrance – an annual observation of the transgender people who die due to hate crime each year.
jfuller
LGBTQ Issues

Empty chairs filled with meaning for Transgender Day of Remembrance

Eighty-five empty chairs dotted Borchuck Plaza Tuesday evening. 

Updated Nov 20, 2018 at 8:23 PM
Dr. George Brown, Department of Psychiatry.
bpaykamian
ETSU

ETSU Quillen College of Medicine faculty receives Lifetime Achievement Award for transgender research

A faculty member in the East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine has received the highest honor in his field.

Oct 19, 2018 at 10:58 PM
Dr. Katie Baker, right, and doctoral student Anthony Peluso
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education

ETSU researcher to study reproductive health among lesbian, bisexual women in northeast Tennessee

Dr. Katie Baker, an assistant professor in East Tennessee State University’s College of Public Health, has received a grant award from the institution’s Research Development Committee to study reproductive health attitudes, beliefs and experiences among lesbian and bisexual women in northeast Tennessee.

Sep 21, 2018 at 6:04 PM
Left to right: TriPride Board Member Michael Metcalf, Fundraising Chairman Chris Dagenhart, President and Parade Chairman Kenn Lyon, Marketing team member Rob Batot, Founder George Chamoun, Treasurer Sandra Hagen and Secretary Ron Adkins.
bpaykamian
LGBTQ Issues

Citi sponsors upcoming LGBTQ pride parade and festival

TriPrideTN officially announced Monday that Citi Retail Services of Gray will be the main parade sponsor of the TriPride Parade and Festival — the first LGBTQ pride event of its kind in the region.

Jun 6, 2018 at 9:06 AM
Burned bits of multicolored nylon stick to Amber Floyd Lee's front walk. Someone set the rainbow flag attached to her front stoop on fire over the weekend.
nbaker
crime

'Our neighborhood is not going to be defined by a few bigots:' Tree Streets neighbor speaks out after rainbow flag theft escalates

Johnson City police are investigating an extreme case of vandalism outside a residence overnight Friday, an escalation after a series of petty crimes that some believe may be motivated by prejudice.

Updated Nov 13, 2017 at 6:36 PM
In this Oct. 8, 2017, photo, Jon Falstaff, left, shows Emily Lynch how to properly stand and hold a shotgun during a training session for the Trigger Warning Queer & Trans Gun Club in Victor, N.Y. A gay, lesbian and transgender group concerned that extremists have become more emboldened and dangerous have decided to take up arms. The gun club meets once a month to shoot long guns in a field in upstate New York.
AssociatedPress
New York

In response to far right, LGBTQ gun group hits firing line

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The former pacifist pumped a shotgun at the firing line.

Updated Oct 23, 2017 at 1:52 PM
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, in partnership with the Equality Federation Institute, released the results of their sixth annual Municipal Equality Index Thursday, which assessed LGBTQ equality in 506 cities across the nation, including eight in Tennessee. Johnson City scored an 18 out of 100.
bpaykamian
politics

Johnson City scores low on LGBTQ rights assessment

The Municipal Equality Index assesses each city on 44 different criteria, covering citywide nondiscrimination protections, policies for municipal employees, city services law enforcement policies, and the city’s relationship with the LGBTQ community. While the state average was 34 out of 100, Johnson City scored an 18 based on existing legal protections for members of the LGBTQ community.

Oct 22, 2017 at 5:47 PM
Johnson City citizen Kenneth Bonner gives a speech in Founders Park in front of a crowd of Black Lives Matter supporters in 2015.
bpaykamian
politics

Annual People's Unification Rally to be held Sept. 16

On Sept. 16, local NAACP member and CAUSE leader Kenneth Bonner will bring local social justice organizations together in Founders Park to rally for social justice and discuss ways to combine the efforts of local activists.

Updated Sep 12, 2017 at 6:48 PM
A year after promising to support the LGBTQ community, President Trump announced that he does not support transgender people serving in the military. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
bpaykamian
politics

Local transgender advocacy groups speak out on Trump's military trans ban

President Trump Tweeted that the United States “cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.” 

Updated Jul 26, 2017 at 11:39 PM
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