Senator Stacey Campfield’s infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill failed to pass in the Tennessee General Assembly before the legislative session ended on Friday. To celebrate, the Tennessee Equality Project is selling “We Say Gay” t-shirts.
For years, Campfield has been pushing “Don’t Say Gay,” which would prevent any discussion of homosexuality in kindergarten through the 8th grade in Tennessee’s public schools. The bill has become the butt of jokes in the national media, including this funny dissection of the bill by Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report.
In Campfield’s most recent version of the bill, teachers and counselors would be required to tell a student’s parents if they suspected that student to be gay.
Overall, the Tennessee Equality Project is declaring a legislative victory at the close of this session. Not only did “Don’t Say Gay” get defeated again, but a bill aimed at eliminating Vanderbilt University’s non-discrimination policy also failed to pass. A bill that would have prevented public universities from hiring or designating a diversity officer failed to gain a House sponsor.
One pro-LGBT bill, the “Dignity for All Students” Act, a bill that would add sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to the state’s school bullying policy, was sent to summer study.
To order a “We Say Gay” t-shirt, click here.
