The Tennessee Equality Project is an LGBTQ organization in the United States state of Tennessee.[1]
The Tennessee Equality Project was founded on June 15, 2004, in Nashville, Tennessee.[2][3]
The organization has lobbied against a 2006 referendum to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage,[4] the dismissal of a lesbian soccer coach by Belmont University in 2010,[5] the Don't Say Gay bill sponsored in 2011 by Sen. Stacey Campfield and Rep. Bill Dunn,[6][7] and other public issues. It endorsed Nashville mayor Karl Dean for re-election in 2011.[8]
In December 2015, TEP attempted to open an LGBT center in Maryville, the county seat of Blount County in partnership with local stakeholders, but this effort was ultimately unsuccessful.[9]
The Project has received funds from the Human Rights Campaign[6][10] and has partnered with the California-based Courage Campaign to develop political advertising based on the life story of an LGBT Tennessee resident.[11] The organization is a member of the Equality Federation.[12]
In April 2019, the TEP received a $113,000 donation and a handwritten letter of support from singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.[13][14]
