The Point Behind Pointless Bills
The TN Supermajority likes to propose bills to solve nonexistent problems, and there's a reason behind it.
This session we’ve seen the GOP Supermajority pass bills with no purpose, bills that create a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. It seems pointless and in some ways harmless, given that these policies won’t actually affect any change. It’s tempting to dismiss this type of legislation, especially when there are bills being pushed through that *do* cause a lot of damage to our communities. But I urge us all to pay attention and to recognize the more nefarious purpose behind this type of theatrical legislation.
The GOP Supermajority relies on creating legislation to essentially invent a problem that doesn’t exist. To the average Tennessean not watching the General Assembly closely, it would be logical to assume legislators are creating bills to address very real problems or concerns that exist in the community. In theory, a constituent or group comes to a lawmaker with an issue they see in their community or a problem with existing law, and the lawmaker brings that to the legislature in the form of a bill. But that isn’t what is happening here. This isn’t about solving a problem to better the state of Tennessee; this is about distracting from the very real issues facing our state by controlling the narrative about what - or who - are the biggest threats to be conquered by the legislature.
For example - the Flag Ban bill purports to be solving the issue of indoctrination within schools. We know this isn’t happening. Teachers, even those with Pride flags in their classrooms, are focused on teaching and developing young minds, not recruiting an army of queer preteens. And honestly, I don’t think this legislation can do anything meaningful - teachers can still plaster their rooms in rainbows & have signs saying “all are welcome” in rainbow colors. People will find a way to signal support for LGBT kids. This bill on its own seems meaningless, but when we view it as part of a larger coordinated effort to craft an anti-LGBT, and especially anti-trans, narrative, its danger becomes more visible.
Another example - the Bathroom Ban bill, which thankfully was killed in the Senate, is the “response” to the nonexistent problem of men dressing up as women to gain entry into women’s restrooms with the intent to assault. This is not a genuine problem that currently exists, and there are already laws against assault and harassment, rendering this bill unnecessary. This legislation was obviously unconstitutional and unenforceable, but it achieved its aim of painting Trans women as dangerous and deceitful.
One last example I’ll offer is the Gender Affirming Care (GAC) Minor Trafficking bill - which creates criminal & civil consequences to taking a minor out of state for GAC without a parent’s consent. Friends, that is called kidnapping, which is already illegal. I already cannot take someone else’s kid out of state for medical care without their consent. The point of this bill is to create a narrative wherein rogue groomers are convincing kids to go get their genitals cut off willy-nilly. Anyone who knows anything about GAC access (or has half a brain cell) can tell you that there are endless hoops to jump through to access GAC for minors! (I do believe this bill could pose a risk to youth with an affirming family member who is not their parent, but again the narrative is about parents’ kids being groomed and “trafficked”.)
When you look at these three bills together, along with the host of other anti-LGBT bills proposed this session, it becomes obvious how they work together to tell a larger story - a story where transness is inherently bad, where affirming adults are dangerous “groomers” attempting to manipulate & recruit kids into LGBT identities, where cis women & girls need protecting from Trans women & girls, where Trans people are not to be trusted as narrators of their own stories. Regardless of how many of these bills actually pass, they have already done their job in further stigmatizing and scapegoating the trans community.
This is why it’s important to pay attention to even the most asinine of bills. If it seems obvious to fail, or obvious to be challenged on grounds of constitutionality, there is a reason the sponsors are still choosing to run the bill. I fear the supermajority is playing a long game - anti-trans fear mongering is likely to play a large role in their upcoming elections & in the next legislative session. As a community, it’s our job to make sure they see that we are paying attention & see what they’re doing. We can play a long game too, but ours is rooted in justice and love, and I believe that ultimately that is the narrative that will win out.
Well said Becca! It's clear to those of us paying attention that the TN Republican supermajority isn't passing bills of substance that would actually help tackle issues important to the majority of Tennesseans. They're playing culture wars to rile up their base in an election year. I hope it backfires on them as more and more people are able to see through the BS .