Action Alert: Tennessee In Vitro Bans

COLAGE is appalled to learn that as early as this week, the Tennessee House and Senate are likely to take action on two very bad bills: House Bill 2159 and Senate Bill 2136. These bills seek to ban all unmarried people from using in vitro fertilization. Single women and LGBT couples are being targeted with these bills.
Last Week, Rep. Joey Hensley (R) chose not to present his bill banning anyone but straight married couples from using embryo donation as a way to have a child. He rescheduled the bill for this week. Meantime, Sen. Diane Black (R) has placed the companion bill on notice to be heard this week in committee.
How Does the Bill Impact You?
The bill would allow only straight, married couples to “adopt” an embryo for transfer to the “adoptive” birth mother. This can get pretty complex and personal given the number of reasons why one chooses in vitro as a way to have a child. Passage of this legislation would mean that single women and gay and lesbian couples would be banned from using in vitro. The bill is obviously an attack on families such as COLAGE families and is founded on homophobia and sexist ideas that LGBTQ and single parent homes don’t need equal access to family formation.
Our colleagues at the Tennessee Equality Project are organizing a quick response to HB 2159 and SB 2136 this week. Go here now to learn how you can join efforts to defeat the bill.
If the Embryo Ban Bill passes, the cost to the State would be around $56,000.00. This may not sound like much, but it is a whole lot in a year when budget cuts are the norm.
If you are a youth or adult with LGBTQ parents who lives in Tennessee, and you might like to speak out against these bills, contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director by email or 415-861-5437 x102.
Please forward this email to all of your contacts in Tennessee. Thanks!