{"id":52796,"date":"2017-05-03T16:00:42","date_gmt":"2017-05-03T20:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/glaad-calls-on-nashvilles-music-industry-to-speak-out-on-discriminatory-legislation-awaiting-governors-decision\/"},"modified":"2017-05-03T16:00:42","modified_gmt":"2017-05-03T20:00:42","slug":"glaad-calls-on-nashvilles-music-industry-to-speak-out-on-discriminatory-legislation-awaiting-governors-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/glaad-calls-on-nashvilles-music-industry-to-speak-out-on-discriminatory-legislation-awaiting-governors-decision\/","title":{"rendered":"GLAAD calls on Nashville’s music industry to speak out on discriminatory legislation awaiting Governor’s decision"},"content":{"rendered":"

GLAAD calls<\/a> on Nashville’s music industry to speak out on discriminatory legislation awaiting Governor’s decision<\/b><\/p>\n

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Stokes to Haslam: \u201cYou can avoid becoming the next North Carolina\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

NASHVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Today, GLAAD joined Tennessee Equality Project and other local LGBTQ groups and civil rights organizations in Nashville to call<\/a> on Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to veto HB 1111\/SB 1085, an anti-LGBTQ bill which would require all words in the Tennessee state code to be defined as their so-called \u201cnatural meaning\u201d \u2013 ushering in an era that would delegitimize of LGBTQ couples<\/a> and trans<\/a> people in the state of Tennessee. If signed into law, HB 1111\/SB 1085 could invalidate LGBTQ families in everyday life and deny legal documents that would affirm a transgender person\u2019s true identity.<\/p>\n

In addition to being wrong, dangerous, and discriminatory, this \u201cLGBTQ Erasure Bill\u201d could have a negative impact on Tennessee\u2019s economy and Nashville\u2019s music industry. Just yesterday, The Music Business Association spoke out<\/a> and asked for Governor Haslam to veto what would be a dangerous bill for the LGBTQ community.<\/p>\n

Backlash from the music industry could have devastating effects to Tennessee\u2019s\u2019 economy. According to Nielson<\/a>, LGBTQ fans spend an average of $248 per year on music. That\u2019s 48% more than non-LGBTQ fans. In addition, LGBTQ fans spend 55% more on concerts, three times as much on digital albums, two times as much on digital tracks, and 88 percent more on paid streaming.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Governor Haslam doesn’t veto House Bill 1111\/Senate Bill 1054, the backlash could be devastating to the state of Tennessee,\u201d said Zeke Stokes, GLAAD Vice President of Programs<\/strong>. \u201cThe music and entertainment\u00a0industry is the heartbeat of Tennessee’s economy with the LGBTQ community among the industry\u2019s most influential consumers. The Tennessee Legislature has already attacked this massive fan base that keeps their own state economy alive and thriving when they passed this hateful bill, but Gov. Haslam as the opportunity to change course with his veto. If he does not, Gov. Haslam only needs to look to the hundreds of millions lost by North Carolina in the wake of HB2 to see what is at stake for Tennessee.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Lacy Atkins\/The Tennessean <\/em>
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION: TENNESSEE\u2019S REMAINING #SLATEOFHATE<\/strong><\/p>\n

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SB30\/HB33<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Requires words \u201cfather,\u201d \u201cmother,\u201d \u201chusband,\u201d and \u201cwife\u201d be \u201cbased on the biological distinctions between men<\/a> and women<\/a>,\u201d thereby targeting LGBTQ parents and couples<\/a>.<\/p>\n