Nashville official faces ethics complaint for opposing sex change surgeries based on religious beliefs.
Two Nashville Officials Face Ethics Complaint After Voting Against Coverage for Transgender Surgeries
Last month, Edna Jones and Harold Finch, both members of the Nashville Metro Benefits Board, voted against providing insurance coverage for transgender surgeries on city workers. This decision has sparked an ethics complaint filed by activist and Metro Human Relations Counsel chair Maryam Abolfazli, who accuses them of discriminatory behavior as city officials.
Abolfazli is calling for an investigation by Nashville’s Ethical Conduct Board following the failed proposal to provide coverage, which was voted down 5-3. Democrat Mayor John Cooper had strongly advocated for the coverage, arguing that it would enhance employee recruitment and retention.
One of the main points of contention for Abolfazli is Jones’ religious beliefs and her opposition to transgender surgeries, particularly when performed on children. Jones stated during the debate, “My God does not make mistakes. He creates each of us as he chooses. I will vote no. Thank you.”
Finch, on the other hand, questioned the necessity of the coverage for recruitment purposes, stating, “I still question what is the skill set of this subgroup that Nashville is lacking that we don’t find in the other 99%.”
I filed this complaint simply to raise the bar in our government and city that neither religion nor biases can impact our hiring, care and promotion of employees.
We are not a city for some, we are city for all. https://t.co/BQKEtIoVvd
— Maryam Abolfazli (@maryack) July 27, 2023
Abolfazli strongly condemned the statements made by Jones and Finch, emphasizing that discrimination should have no place in any workplace, especially within a government body. She expressed concern that board members can make such discriminatory remarks without facing consequences.
R.J. Robles, a transgender woman and director of DEI for the city’s Human Relations Counsel, threatened to resign from her position if the coverage was not expanded. She highlighted the impact of the decision on her mental health and the delay it would cause in accessing gender-affirming surgery.
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Mayor Cooper, who is not seeking re-election, expressed disappointment with the board’s decision. He stated, “Working closely with the LGBTQ caucus, our Administration pushed hard to enact this life-saving change to our health care coverage. As a result of this vote, our trans employees will have to wait at least another year for their rights to be affirmed by their peers on the Benefits Board.”
Tennessee has been at the center of the debate over transgender surgeries, with the state government passing a law banning such procedures, cross-sex hormones, and puberty blockers for children. Left-wing groups have sued to stop the law, but a federal judge allowed it to take full effect after the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling.
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