Nike, Amazon, the NFL's Tennessee Titans and the NHL's Nashville Predators are among 142 businesses warning Tennessee lawmakers that if they ban trans athletes from competing on the teams of their gender identity, the state could suffer economically. These organizations know precisely what they're talking about: they're the ones threatening the state's economy.
This is nothing new. We've seen this well-worn playbook used a few times before. Businesses doing the dirty work of the LGBT agenda use threats of boycotts and the loss of major sporting events to punish virtually every state considering legislation opposed by LGBT interests.
In 2016, North Carolina suffered from the heavy hand of the LGBT and its corporate lackeys, having lost the NBA all-star game and NCAA basketball tournament games for passing a law to keep males out of female restrooms.
At the threat of losing a Super Bowl, Arizona's badly intimidated Republican governor vetoed a religious freedom bill in 2014. Texas, in 2017, and Indiana, in 2015, also surrendered to the combined might of corporate interests and LGBT forces over fears of boycotts based on proposed bathroom and religious freedom bills respectively.
Tennessee's Senate Bill 2077 was introduced and passed on first consideration Monday. The House Bill hasn't reached a vote yet. A legislative summary of the bill reads, in part:
"This bill requires elementary and secondary schools that receive public funding to ensure that student athletes participate in school-sanctioned sports based on the student's biological sex as indicated by the athlete's original birth certificate issued at birth. This bill prohibits a school from accepting revised or amended birth certificates for the purposes of athletic participation.
"A school that fails to comply with these requirements will be immediately ineligible to continue receiving state and local public funds."
In Tennessee, 35 corporations and 107 small businesses jointly signed a letter "opposing discrimination against LGBTQ Tennesseans and calling upon lawmakers to not pursue any further harmful bills this legislative session." The fascist letter was organized by the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce and supported by the groups Freedom for All Americans, GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign. And of course the 142 businesses threatening economic destruction.
Joe Woolley, Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer, says "regular" Tennessee business leaders want to move on from division: "Only a forward-looking Tennessee will continue to attract the world’s best talent, and the vibrant tourism and entertainment industries that help make this state so special, and that help sustain big and small communities alike.”
The letter states that policies signaling the state is not inclusive, not welcoming to everyone pose risks to its collective economic success:
"We ask that lawmakers not pursue any further legislation that would target or exclude LGBTQ people, which would do harm to Tennesseans and create unnecessary hurdles to economic competitiveness. We urge policymakers to remain committed to the values of innovation and growth that we all share."
More accurately stated, the passage of the transgender athletes bill would mobilize those signing the letter to exact economic retribution against Tennessee.
Preventing boys from gaining an unfair advantage by allowing them to dominate girls' sports competitions relegates them to second-class citizenship, says Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President and CEO.:
“These bills legitimize discriminatory practices against LGBTQ people and will define Tennessee as a state where LGBTQ citizens are second-class citizens. Companies that do business in the state should not sit idly by.”
As explained above, the track record of states withstanding this kind of economic blackmail is not a good one, so Tennessee could set a new standard of courage and protect the integrity of girls' sports by standing strong.
