The sign for a gender-neutral restroom is in the new library on the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.NASHVILLE – Top executives at 60 major corporations, including Hilton Worldwide, T-Mobile and Williams-Sonoma, urged Tennessee lawmakers Wednesday to reject controversial legislation requiring students at public schools and colleges to use restrooms and locker rooms matching their gender at birth.
“Discrimination is wrong, and we believe it has no place in Tennessee or anywhere in our country,” said the letter listing the executives’ names. “As companies that pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming to all, we strongly urge you to not pass this bill.”
Advocates with the Human Rights Campaign and other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups delivered copies of the letter to House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, and Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville. LBGT advocates held a news conference to denounce the legislation, which was still in House and Senate finance subcommittees late Wednesday afternoon.
Ramsey backs the legislation and reissued a comment from last week saying so. Late Wednesday afternoon, Harwell told a reporter she had not yet read the letter, but promised to do so.
Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery issued a legal opinion Monday saying the bill, if enacted, puts at risk $1.1 billion or more in federal funds for K-12 schools and higher education.