Legislation To Protect Individuals From Being Forced To Use Incorrect Honorifics Signed Into Law

Legislation that amends Tennessee’s pronoun law to protect individuals from being forced to use incorrect honorifics was signed into law on Friday by Governor Bill Lee.

HB1666/SB1665, sponsored by Representative Aron Maberry (R-Clarksville-District 68) and Senator Paul Rose (R-Lauderdale/Shelby/Tipton-District 32), aims to protect the rights of individuals who refuse to call a biological male “Miss,” “Ma’am” or “Mrs.” or a biological female “Mr.” or “Sir.”

In 2023, lawmakers passed legislation protecting the right of educators to choose not to refer to students by preferred pronouns in place of the pronouns that match a student’s biological gender.

That legislation was followed up with another bill last year to expand these protections to students as well.

This year’s legislation added honorifics to state statute currently protecting freedom of speech by not requiring teachers, public school employees or contractors, and students to use another person’s preferred pronouns or names that are inconsistent with their biological sex and protecting them from civil liability. The law also prohibits disciplinary action from being taken against students, or adverse action against educators, school employees or contractors for failure to use preferred pronouns if they don’t match an individual’s biological sex.

Having now been signed into law, it has gone into effect immediately.

The Tennessee Conservative has previously reported on instances of cross-dressing substitute teachers insisting that students address them with incorrect pronouns or honorifics.