Public officials in Tennessee can now refuse to grant a marriage license to anyone at their own discretion, for any reason.

Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed into law House Bill 878 on Wednesday, which took effect immediately. The bill — just a few sentences in length — only states that “a person shall not be required to solemnize a marriage.” Only state notary publics, government officials, and religious figures can “solemnize” a marriage in Tennessee, according to state code.

None of the sponsors behind the bill have been made public statements on its introduction or passage, nor have they given comment to media organizations. The only known remarks regarding the law from state Rep. Monty Fritts (take a guess), who sponsored it in the House, are from February of last year, when he spoke to the state Subcommittee on Children and Family Affairs.

  • IzzyScissor
    link
    fedilink
    10611 months ago

    The most terrifying aspect is that it isn’t just gay marriage at stake here - Interracial marriages, atheist marriages, inter-abled marriages… ALL marriages are at risk if a person you’ve never met won’t sign a piece of paper.

    • @HappycamperNZ
      link
      4811 months ago

      Find one who refuses to marry Republicans, or whites, or straight couples and watch the bitching fly.

      Be funnier if alot went along with it.

      • SatansMaggotyCumFart
        link
        711 months ago

        Hey I remember you, any luck on that feeding Taylor Swift Taco Bell to turn your wife bisexual thing?

        • @HappycamperNZ
          link
          711 months ago

          Not yet, not for lack of trying.

          Saying that, she’s flying out for a “girls weekend” and her friend is hot and slutty, and there will be wine.

          I can hope

      • @captainlezbian
        link
        611 months ago

        Moonies do have a religious argument against solemnizing same race marriages. They won’t, and they’re a cult, but they are the only religion to my knowledge to prioritize interracial marriage

      • @afraid_of_zombies
        link
        311 months ago

        Very well. Despite having no power to perform a wedding and certainly not in a state I have only been to one time in my life I am officially declaring that I will not marry a straight couple. It umm goes against my religion. The first church of anidiotsayswhat.

        Your love Tennessee, your move

    • Queen HawlSera
      link
      fedilink
      English
      23
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      I’m trans, that’s been the case for me… my entire gender identity at one point hinged on me making empty legal threats I had no way to back up to gaslight people at the DMV to sign off on something that I already had enough legal documentation to get signed off on.

      There was a time when I was federally Female and in my state Male.

      Thank God the bitch behind the register who kept using “It” and “They” to refer to me didn’t call my bluff about “Coming back with my Lawyer”… soon as I said that, she clammed up, used the correct pronouns and gave me an F on the gender marker.

      • @Drivebyhaiku
        link
        1811 months ago

        Fucking hells they called you “it”?! I am really sorry you had to experience that. Where I am she would be lucky to keep her job.

        • Queen HawlSera
          link
          fedilink
          English
          1111 months ago

          This was back in 2012/2011 the world’s changed a lot since then, today, the paperwork would likely be enough unless I was in an insanely red county

          • @assassin_aragorn
            link
            911 months ago

            That’s what’s sort of mind boggling about all of this. Society has already decided to support LGBT rights. Republicans are just reopening a war that’s already been lost.

            • Queen HawlSera
              link
              fedilink
              English
              211 months ago

              That’s what’s terrifying, they don’t see the writing on the wall, they can’t see it, their job depends on ignoring it completely…

              A stubborn enough can argue with a stop sign and win if he genuinely cares more about the victory than the consequences.

    • SatansMaggotyCumFart
      link
      1011 months ago

      Personally I think marriages should only be allowed if both people own a domestic vehicle.

    • @afraid_of_zombies
      link
      911 months ago

      Interracial marriage is safe until Justice Thomas hits a rough spot in his marriage.