539
submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

Republican lawmakers in the US are leaning into outdated definitions of obscenity to outlaw drag and ban books too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.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 88 points 9 months ago
[-] DemBoSain@midwest.social 49 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

“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'.

[-] IHadTwoCows@lemm.ee 19 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Morgan Freeman: "But there was no prayer in her thought..."

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

Yeah it’s famously fucked up

[-] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Cripes. Wtf Murfreesboroites?

[-] twisted28@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago

These are the religious fanatics attempting to overthrow democracy.

[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 65 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

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.

[-] havokdj@lemmy.world 35 points 9 months ago

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.

[-] Skanky@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago
[-] havokdj@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago
[-] rayyy@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago

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

[-] 18107@aussie.zone 51 points 9 months ago

There's no hate like christian love.

[-] raynethackery@lemmy.world 41 points 9 months ago

WE WILL NOT GO BACK IN TO THE CLOSEST!

[-] SendMePhotos@lemmy.world 37 points 9 months ago

THEN HOW WILL YOU GET CLOTHES

[-] Indie59@lemmy.world 35 points 9 months ago

THE BOUDOIR OR MAYBE A DRESSER

[-] stolid_agnostic@lemmy.ml 5 points 9 months 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.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] YeetPics@mander.xyz 35 points 9 months ago

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

[-] humorlessrepost@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago

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

[-] Supermariofan67@programming.dev 29 points 9 months 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.

[-] IHadTwoCows@lemm.ee 29 points 9 months ago

The christofascist Lemmy user PepeLivesMatter is gonna be sad

[-] kescusay@lemmy.world 33 points 9 months ago

They're still doing the Pepe thing? They do know Pepe's creator hates them and killed Pepe in his comic, right?

How embarrassing and stupid of them.

[-] havokdj@lemmy.world 16 points 9 months ago

Forechin doesn't care though

[-] girlfreddy@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

Honest to gawd I read that as "foreskin" and did a double-take.

Obviously I haven't had enough caffeine today.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] IHadTwoCows@lemm.ee 6 points 9 months ago

Yep. Seems to have been banned though. Yay!

[-] Metype@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago

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.

[-] Bathtubwalrus@lemmy.world 11 points 9 months ago

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

[-] Metype@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

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

[-] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago

Christianity going to Christian

[-] Pratai@lemmy.ca 16 points 9 months ago
[-] trash80@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 9 months ago

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.

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”.

Erin Reed also cited the appropriate part of the city code. You could learn something from her.

The ordinance in question is city ordinance 23-O-22. The ordinance states that the community “has the right to establish and preserve contemporary community standards.” It goes on to state that “indecent behavior” or “display” of “indecent materials” would be banned by the new provision. Importantly, the definitions of indecency link back to the city codes definition in section 21-71 of Murfreesboro city codes, which states that “sexual conduct” barred under the provisions includes “homosexuality.” The city ordinance further states that any “behaviors, materials or events that are patently offensive to the adult community” in Murfreesboro would also be banned. Finally, it gives police officers the right to enforce the provisions and states that anybody using city funds for the banned events or materials could be charged with further crimes.

https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/city-ordinance-banning-public-homosexuality?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

[-] agent_flounder@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago

Just once I wished I could snap my fingers for a role reversal for all these fucking asshole bigots. They probably still wouldn't learn anything but I at least would feel a little better for a while.

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 11 points 9 months ago

No they actively believe they are reversing roles. They think that their religion is oppressed for people like me being allowed to show our faces in public and for them to be legally mandated to treat us like people.

I don’t want revenge, I just want them to stop hurting people.

[-] agent_flounder@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

I don't want revenge either. More like forced empathy and perspective since they are usually incapable of experiencing either.

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[-] wick@lemm.ee 11 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

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.

[-] sunbytes@lemmy.world 11 points 9 months ago

Part of the authoritarian playbook is selective enforcement.

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

[-] Heresy_generator@kbin.social 10 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

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?

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

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

[-] badbytes@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

You reap what you sow Tennessee

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.

[-] Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world 33 points 9 months ago

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.

[-] agent_flounder@lemmy.world 9 points 9 months ago

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

[-] 18107@aussie.zone 7 points 9 months ago

Ten small warning shots to the back of the head.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2023
539 points (97.2% liked)

News

22831 readers
5605 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil


Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.


2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.


Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. We have an actively updated blocklist, which you can see here: https://lemmy.world/post/2246130 if you feel like any website is missing, contact the mods. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.


3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.


Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.


4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.


Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.


5. Only recent news is allowed.


Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.


6. All posts must be news articles.


No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.


7. No duplicate posts.


If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.


8. Misinformation is prohibited.


Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.


9. No link shorteners.


The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.


10. Don't copy entire article in your post body


For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS