this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2023
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Republican lawmakers in the US are leaning into outdated definitions of obscenity to outlaw drag and ban books too

For five months this year, homosexuality was prohibited in a Tennessee college town.

In June, the city council of Murfreesboro enacted an ordinance outlawing “indecent exposure, public indecency, lewd behavior, nudity or sexual conduct”. The rule did not explicitly mention homosexuality, but LGBTQ+ people in the town quickly realized that the ordinance references 21-72 of the city code, which categorizes homosexuality as an act of indecent sexual conduct.

The ordinance was essentially a covert ban on LGBTQ+ existence.

Erin Reed, one of the first and only national journalists to cover the ordinance earlier this year, noted that Murfreesboro isn’t “the only community that has these old archaic bits of code that target homosexuality”.

Earlier this month, following a legal challenge from the ACLU of Tennessee, the government of Murfreesboro removed “homosexuality” from the list of acts defined as “public indecency” by the city code. The small victory came after officials repeatedly refused to issue permits for the BoroPride Festival, citing the new ordinance.

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[–] [email protected] 88 points 1 year ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 50 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

“After prayerful thought and talking with my family, I have decided not to run for re-election..."

WTF, why do these people always blame God when they get caught? God wasn't responsible for your own shady shit, and he's not responsible for you cuttin'-and-runnin'.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

Yeah it’s famously fucked up

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Cripes. Wtf Murfreesboroites?

[–] [email protected] 66 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Big, tough, strong, straight men too afraid to see other men kiss or hold hands. These men are weak. Gay men are much more manlier.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, if you think about it, gay men are so manly that they are literally into men as men. It's like double man.

It doesn't get manlier than that. Literally twice the men.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Tennessee needs this law because without it all the men there go gay.

[–] [email protected] 52 points 1 year ago

There's no hate like christian love.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 year ago (2 children)

WE WILL NOT GO BACK IN TO THE CLOSEST!

[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 year ago (2 children)

THEN HOW WILL YOU GET CLOTHES

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago

THE BOUDOIR OR MAYBE A DRESSER

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

THEY WILL SIT IN A PILE ON THE FLOOR AND I WILL SMELL THEM BEFORE PUTTING THEM ON, BUT ONLY IF THEY AREN'T TOO WRINKLED IN WHICH CASE I WILL USE THEM AS PAJAMAS OR WASH THEM AGAIN.

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A bit redundant to say "archaic" and "Tennessee" isn't it?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

Depends on the city. Chattanooga has amazing municipal internet, for instance.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago

Obscenity law needs to be eliminated entirely at this point. It's archaic entirely. Luckily, convicting under the Miller test is rare since pretty much everything has "serious artistic or political value", but these laws shouldn't be on the books at all. Needless violation of the first amendment to punish victimless crimes.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I lived scarily close to Murfreesboro to be reading this. Luckily I moved out of Tennessee back in August, and I hope my friends can get outta there soon.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I lived in Cookeville for a few years, glad I got the fuck outta TN, especially Cookeville. So many racists and homophobes there.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Yeah I went to TN Tech for a year so I know Cookeville :/

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

Christianity going to Christian

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

Wasn't this whole thing debunked as an obscure definition that was never enforced, and was changed weeks before a story about it ever made headlines?

Earlier this month, following a legal challenge from the ACLU of Tennessee, the government of Murfreesboro removed “homosexuality” from the list

Yep.

I'm cancelling my monthly donation to the guardian lmao. Ragebaiting like some fox news opinion piece.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

Part of the authoritarian playbook is selective enforcement.

So it's still scary, even if it never got used.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

In June, the city council of Murfreesboro enacted an ordinance outlawing “indecent exposure, public indecency, lewd behavior, nudity or sexual conduct”. The rule did not explicitly mention homosexuality, but LGBTQ+ people in the town quickly realized that the ordinance references 21-72 of the city code, which categorizes homosexuality as an act of indecent sexual conduct.
...
Earlier this month, following a legal challenge from the ACLU of Tennessee, the government of Murfreesboro removed “homosexuality” from the list of acts defined as “public indecency” by the city code. The small victory came after officials repeatedly refused to issue permits for the BoroPride Festival, citing the new ordinance.

So the city was using the ordinance to shut down a pride festival based on the new ordinance's reference to 21-72 of the city code until the ACLU got involved and they backed down rather than pay for lawyers to fight a battle they knew they couldn't win in the courts.

Murfreesboro made public homosexuality illegal and was enforcing it until the ACLU slapped them around. How is that "debunked"? You don't think it's newsworthy that a city government outlawed public homosexuality just because they rescinded it when challenged?

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

Isn’t this a blatant violation of the Laurence ruling?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

You reap what you sow Tennessee

[–] burntbutterbiscuits 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I feel like would be a great town to fuck in the park at midnight. Just more exciting because you could get a small ticket for it.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Uncertain if it'll be a small ticket from a police officer. I'm more confident it'll be a burning cross and a noose from a group of white hooded individuals. There's a history.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Maybe a small bullet (or ten) from the cop. :/

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Ten small warning shots to the back of the head.

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