NFL's Tennessee Titans Urge State Not to Pass Anti-LGBTQ Bills

The Tennessee Titans, working in collaboration with the Nashville LGBT Chamber, released a statement urging the state not to move forward with several anti-LGBTQ bills.

The General Assembly and Senate will consider multiple homophobic and transphobic pieces of legislation this week, including a bill allowing foster agencies to reject same-sex couples as parents and another that would require Tennessee's attorney general to defend schools that mandate which bathrooms trans youth use. Another bill would increase penalties for indecent exposure in public restrooms that was initially written as an anti-trans "bathroom bill." Yet another proposed bill would undermine antidiscrimination measures passed in Tennessee's cities and towns.

The Titans, the state's only NFL team, responded to what's called Tennesee's "Slate of Hate" by releasing the following statement on Saturday, in the midst of the NFL Draft.

"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 Titans also signed onto an open letter criticizing the anti-LGBTQ proposals; companies that do business in Tennessee, including Amazon, Dell, and Warner Music, previously signed the letter.