The Tennessee Titans have issued a statement opposing a series of anti-LGBTQ bills in the state, nicknamed the “Slate of Hate.”
These bills would target LGBTQ individuals in multiple ways. One bill would allow adoption agencies to reject same-sex parents on the basis of religious beliefs. Another bill would prevent government agencies from considering a business’s nondiscrimination policies before selecting a contract and another bill would ban gay marriage in Tennessee.
The statement was released on NFL Draft Day three.
“The Tennessee Titans oppose discrimination in any form. We are long-standing supporters of Tennessee Thrives. Discriminatory legislation hurts all of us. It also impacts our ability to secure events like the 2019 NFL Draft, major conventions, major athletic contests and other events that benefit our local and state economy. It also weakens our ability to recruit new business and industry to Nashville and to Tennessee. We would encourage our elected officials to keep us on a path that protects all our citizens, our growth and our economy,” the statement reads.
The Titans also signed an open letter, issued through the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce, addressed to state legislators urging them to oppose the bills. Major corporate businesses such as Amazon, Bridgestone Americas, Dell Technologies, Warner Music Group and 50 Tennessee small businesses also signed the letter.
Taylor Swift also recently showed her support by donating $113,00 to the Tennessee Equality Project, an LGBTQ advocacy group fighting against the bills.
