TJ Osborne
Republican lawmakers in the Tennessee state legislature blocked a resolution honoring TJ Osborne, the Osborne Brothers country music singer, who declared himself gay earlier this year.
NBC reports that Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 609 would have commemorated Osborne, noting that “although TJ Osborne is not the first country music artist to come out as gay, he is the first and currently the only openly gay artist signed on a great country label. He further adds that “although this may have been simply a consequence of being true to himself, he has nonetheless become a pioneer and a symbol of hope for artists and country music fans who may have become ostracized from a genre close to their hearts. “
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SJR 609 had already passed the Tennessee Senate by a unanimous vote before encountering a roadblock at the State House. Rep. Jeremy Faison, Chairman of the Republican House Caucus, blocked the measure. Faison has a long history of sponsoring laws to attack LGBTQ people.
“We have concerns about this RLS, and I would like to refer it back to naming and naming,” Faison said of his actions. “It was not heard in committee and I think it should be.”
The Osborne Brothers, for their part, expressed their dismay at Faison’s move.
We have lived in this state for more than half of our life. @ JeremyFaison4TN honored Ben Shapiro who doesn’t even live here. Jeremy, let’s have lunch someday. On us. Would really like to know more about you as a person. https://t.co/00w2rdwCec
– Osborne Brothers (@brothersosborne) May 4, 2021
“We’ve lived in this state for more than half of our lives,” the Osborne brothers said in a tweet. “@ JeremyFaison4TN honored Ben Shapiro who doesn’t even live here. Jeremy, let’s have lunch someday. On us. I would really like to know more about you as a person. “
Other country music singers also weighed in on the SJR 609 dropout.
“@ JeremyFaison4TN and the @tnhousegop are blocking a resolution to honor @brothersosborne gay country music star TJ Osborne for no other reason than blatant bigotry and meanness,” singer Maren Morris said (the tweet appears to have been deleted since). “He passed the Senate 30-0. So much hatred in our state.
“Massively disappointed with TN House Republicans for blocking my friend @TJOsborne for being honored for being gay !?” echoed singer Kasey Musgraves.
The move is just the latest in a long history of anti-LGBTQ legislative tactics by Jeremy Faison. In 2012, he famously said that suicides among queer youth are not the result of bullying, but of young people lacking “proper principles.”
“Horrible things have happened in America and in our state, and there are children who have committed suicide, but I will submit to you today that they did not commit suicide because someone bullied them”, Faison said. “They committed suicide because they weren’t taught the principles that their self-esteem came from at home.”
In 2019, Faison also backed a bill that would allow adoption agencies to deny service to same-sex couples.
As a state, Tennessee has also increasingly targeted the rights of LGBTQ people. Last month, State House passed a bill requiring transgender-friendly businesses to post signs warning customers of their bathroom policies. In March, Gov. Bill Lee passed a law prohibiting transgender youth from participating in sports teams in accordance with their gender identity. Republicans across the state have also introduced bills prohibiting teachers from teaching LGBTQ history.
