Taking Action in Tennessee

Subscribe to OutNEWS and get priority access in your inbox. This edition of OutNEWS was originally published on March 17th, 2023.

Dear Leaders,

My shero (why doesn’t auto-correct have that word?)?Dolly Parton?has dedicated her life to protecting the most vulnerable. During the pandemic, she donated $1 million to fund the development of a COVID vaccine. She supported marriage equality, raises money for victims of natural disasters, and funds a scholarship for high school seniors every year. And in 1995, she had the brilliant idea of sending every single newborn child in Tennessee —?her home state —?a book every year for the first six years of their life. Because Dolly knows that reading is fundamental.

Since then, her?Imagination Library?has gifted more than 200 million books to inspire a love of reading, regardless of income or background. The program has expanded to ten other US States, to the UK, Ireland, and —?as I just learned last week — Australia! It’s no stretch of the imagination to say that Dolly Parton is clearly Tennessee’s (and in my opinion America’s) greatest ambassador.

In fact, when I spoke at the?American Chamber of Commerce?at?Australia’s International Women’s Day event, the representative from?United Way?(which administers Imagination Library in Australia) heaped praise on Dolly’s initiative for the light and joy it brings to countless children across the continent. Spreading a love of literature worldwide – now that’s a good look for Tennessee.?

But with the headlines Tennessee is making today, I’m not so sure Dolly’s extraordinary work can counter the state’s swiftly diminishing cache of goodwill and reputation. Tennessee – and any state following suit – will lose money, alienate top talent, and crater its reputation (globally) by continuing to pursue anti-LGBTQ+ laws that use our community to advance a craven political agenda.

In 2016, my home state of North Carolina passed HB2 – the “bathroom bill” — a discriminatory and unnecessary piece of legislation whose sole purpose was to malign and ostracize members of the trans community. Its effects were devastating. Out Leadership member firm?PayPal?canceled plans to open a new?global operations center.?Deutsche Bank, one of Out Leadership’s founding members,?halted hirings at its?software centers. And I’m incredibly proud that Out Leadership partnered with our member firm?Trillium Asset Management?(now a part of?Perpetual Group) to convene nearly 60 investors,?representing over $2.1 trillion, to draft a statement calling for the law’s repeal. The letter clearly stated that the discriminatory law created risk in the marketplace and decreased the return on their investment in NC. We even funded research by the amazing?Williams?Institute?to calculate exactly what the economic impact would be. Beyond the profound financial loss, North Carolina’s reputation suffered too.?Brian Moynihan, CEO of member firm?Bank of America, noted that many business leaders?told him they had gone elsewhere?with new projects to steer clear of the controversy. All in, estimates show that?North Carolina’s discriminatory law cost the state $3.76?billion, thousands of jobs, and a soiled name. I had never been more embarrassed to call myself a North Carolina boy.

Now, Tennessee runs the same risk. Its LGBTQ+ community —?3.5% of its population —?accounts for?$11.1 billion of personal income in the state, a market so large the Volunteer State cannot afford for it to flee elsewhere. And that doesn’t account for friends, family, and colleagues of LGBTQ Tennesseans — what I call the Ally Market — 90% of whom will not purchase products or services from anti-LGBTQ companies.

And yet, there are also states who get it, who see the economic and talent (and perhaps human rights) opportunity of inclusion. Look at Minnesota?Governor Tim Walz, who signed an executive order protecting trans?refugees who enter the state for gender-affirming care and preventing state agencies from complying with other states’ orders to arrest trans people. Minnesota lawmakers plan to enshrine the governor’s order into law, and?California lawmakers passed?a similar bill last year.?Out Leadership’s data shows that in the last two years,?26% of LGBTQ+ Americans have left anti-gay states to move to more welcoming environments.?Minnesota and the states at the top of our?LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index?are planning for a bright future — something Tennessee is clearly not.

The choice for business leaders could not be more clear: protect your employees by employing them in a state where they feel safe to live, work, and love.?Or discriminate, and lose.?And if you’re already operating in a state —?like Tennessee — you have an opportunity to use your voice (you’re an economic power!) to make it clear that the risks created by these anti-LGBTQ+ laws are unacceptable, and if they aren’t repealed you will move elsewhere. After all,?54% of Millenials and Gen Z consumers say they’re more likely to choose an LGBTQ+ inclusive brand over a competitor, and 85% of LGBTQ+ consumers agree that corporate support for the community is more important than ever.

I had the pleasure of spending a great deal of time in Knoxville a few years ago and got to see how warm and welcoming Tennesseans are. The Tennessee I saw was Dolly’s (I got to finally go to DollyWood!!)– full of love, compassion, and yes, music. A place that gives a new book to every newborn child — including every trans kid. Any Dolly fan knows there is richness in diversity – a box of rags can become a beautiful coat of many colors —?but only if you choose to sew them together, rather than tear them apart.?

Proudly,

Todd Sears

Founder & CEO

Out Leadership

Here’s what you need to know...

#1 - We're supporting the community in Tennessee by engaging business leaders to act for?equality.

Love Rising.?We supported our partners at the Ally Coalition to help produce Love Rising, a benefit concert featuring Sheryl Crow, Hayley Williams, Hozier, and countless other superstars to raise money for a number of outstanding organizations in Tennessee.

You can also provide support?directly to the beneficiaries:?Tennessee Equality Project,?Inclusion Tennessee,?Out Memphis, and the?Tennessee Pride Chamber.

Equality Rising.?Out Leadership convened an emergency conference to educate and equip the business community with the tools, data, language, and resources they need to galvanize support for local and grassroots LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and the Love Rising benefit concert. Out Leadership has issued a comprehensive call-to-action guide business leaders can leverage to make a difference for?the LGBTQ+ community in Tennessee immediately. Sponsored by?BMI.

Standing strong against attacks on our friends, families, community members & co-workers in Tennessee’s LGBTQIA+ communities requires tangible, meaningful action.?Advancing equality in Tennessee, and around the nation, also requires a regular, sustained commitment to working with individuals and organizations, both local and national, who have the experience necessary to make change in Tennessee.?

#2 - You can make an immediate impact by donating to local organizations?and speaking out

We invite you to join Out Leadership in our efforts to advance equality across the globe and we suggest the following action items for you take, today, to impact equality in Tennessee.?

Donate & provide support?directly to organizations led by LGBTQIA+ people and working to advance LGBTQIA+ Rights in Tennessee:

• Tennessee Equality Project:?TEP advocates for the equal rights of LGBTQ+ people in Tennessee through legislative advocacy. They lobby the Tennessee General Assembly and local governments around the state. When there is an important federal issue, like anti-LGBTQ adoption issue language in legislation, they help amplify LGBTQIA+ voices to federal officials.
• Inclusion Tennessee:?Inclusion Tennessee’s mission is to connect people, opportunities, and resources to enrich and enhance the lives of the multi-faceted LGBTQIA+ community in Tennessee.
• OUTMemphis:?OUTMemphis has been serving the LGBTQ+ Community of the Mid-South for over 33 years, working to empower, connect, educate and advocate for our vibrant community. They provide dynamic, high-quality, life-enhancing programs and services that meet the diverse needs of the LGBT community of all ages.
• Tennessee Pride Chamber:?The TN Pride Chamber of Commerce advances common business interests, economic growth, and equality in the workplace and society for its LGBTQ+ members, businesses, and allies by providing educational, networking, and community building opportunities.
• Nashville Launch Pad:?Nashville LAUNCH PAD is a volunteer-based initiative striving to provide street-free sleep to displaced young adults in Davidson County between the ages of 18-24 with a focus on being affirming and welcoming to LGBTQ+ guests.

Let your elected officials know that you support LGBTQIA+ people & policies, and oppose attacks on trans youth, art & expression, and health care.

• Identify your Senator & Representative in the Tennessee General Assembly here.?
• Identify your U.S. Senator and Representatives in Congress here.

See our full?Equality Rising Guide?for more information on how to get involved in our work in Tennessee.

#3 - We're uniting #OutLEADERS and allies to stand up for justice in Tennessee

Sara Ramirez.?Bob the Drag Queen. Frankie Grande. They've all joined our coalition for progress in Tennesee. Here's what they have to say:

From White House?Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre?to Supermodel of the World RuPaul (who is arguably the most famous drag queen alive today), leaders slammed Tennnessee's bans on drag performance and gender-affirming care.?RuPaul called the laws a "classic distraction technique"?distracting us from "the real issues that [politicians] were voted into office to focus on: jobs, healthcare, keeping our children safe from harm at their own school."

Watch?MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart interview drag queen Ben DeLa Creme on the importance preserving freedom, liberty, First Amendment rights, and LGBTQ+ rights.

#4 - The brain drain in Tennesee is imminent. LGBTQ+ and ally talent will go to welcoming states.

With attacks against LGBTQ+ people on the rise —?especially against trans individuals —?businesses and lawmakers must recognize the acute threat that these laws pose to their reputation, talent retention, and economic future. By continuing to ostracize the LGBTQ+ community today, leaders in states hostile to the LGBTQ+ community are selling out their futures.

According to research from the?Williams Institute,?one-third (34.2%) of LGBT employees said that they have left a job because of how they were treated by their employer based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.?

Where they remain in their jobs, over?40% of LGBTQ+ employees waste valuable time and energy “covering” their identity?to avoid discrimination and harassment, including:

• 24.4% who said they have changed their physical appearance
• 24.6% who said they changed the way they dress
• 16.1%?who said they changed where, when, or how frequently they used the bathroom
• 25.8% who said they changed their voice or mannerisms

These numbers were higher for transgender employees as compared to their LGB counterparts.?

LGBTQ+ students are also?changing their college plans to avoid anti-LGBTQ+ states?like Florida and Texas, citing concerns about their safety and future employment prospects. By alienating potential students, these states are sacrificing top talent and valuable future economic contributions for discriminatory laws that do not materially improve the lives of their citizens.?

Subscribe to OutNEWS and get priority access in your inbox. This edition of OutNEWS was originally published on March 17th, 2023.