Amazon and Dell among companies to confirm opposition to ‘Slate of Hate’ bills in Tennessee

27th April 2019

via Flickr

The companies were among over a dozen other businesses who were vocal in their opposition to the bills.

Tennessee is currently trying to push through three separate anti-LGBTQ bills, which have been dubbed by opponents as the ‘Slate of Hate’ bills.

The bills in question are Senate Bill 1499, House Bill 1151 and House Bill 836. The first of these bills wants to force the state’s Attorney General to back schools with anti-trans bathroom policies, which forces trans students to use the bathroom of their assigned gender.

House Bill 1151 also targets the trans community, aiming to expand the definition of indecent exposure in locker rooms and other facilities to include “a member of the opposite sex than the sex designated for use.”

And the final bill, 836, wants to allow foster care agencies to refuse LGBTQ couples from adopting because of their religious beliefs.

Taylor Swift donated $113,000 to to the Tennessee Equality Project, writing in a letter against the ‘Slate of Hate’ bills, and last week, actress Megan Fox urged her 6.8 million Instagram followers to join campaigns against the bills.

Ted Eytan via Flickr

And now, companies like Amazon and Dell have stated their opposition in a letter signed by over a dozen companies.

The letter, which was drafted by Freedom For All Americans, reads: “Legislation that explicitly or implicitly allows discrimination against LGBT people and their families creates unnecessary liability for talent recruitment and retention, tourism, and corporate investment to the state.

“We’ve seen time and again that discriminatory policies that negatively impact LGBT people and their families have drastic economic consequences, and such policies would surely put Tennessee at an economic disadvantage.”

Businesses signing the letter include Amazon, Dell, Postmates, Salesforce and the Warner Music Group. A full list of corporate and small businesses that have signed the letter can be viewed here.

In a statement given to Fox News, Conor Gaughan, the campaign manager for the LGBTQ group No Gay? No Way! said: “Thank you to Amazon, especially the Glamazons, for standing up for LGBTQ Tennesseans today by opposing this hateful and discriminatory legislation.

“It sends an important message to legislators here in Tennessee, and across the country, that Amazon – alongside America’s best corporations – are taking notice of laws and policies in the states where they do business; there will be consequences when states threaten LGBTQ rights.”