NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — LGBTQ+ and civil rights advocates on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit challenging Tennessee's aggravated prostitution statute, arguing that the law stems from the decades-old AIDS scare and discriminates against HIV-positive people.
The law was later reclassified in 2010 as a “violent sexual offense," requiring those convicted to face lifetime sex offender registration.
Another plaintiff has struggled for years to find housing that complies with Tennessee's sex offender registry requirements.
A separate plaintiff is currently incarcerated for violating a sex offender registry requirement and has chosen not to seek parole despite being eligible because complying with registry requirements has become so onerous.
According to the complaint, 83 people are currently registered for aggravated prostitution in Tennessee.
Persons:
”, Molly Quinn, OUTMemphis, Bill Lee, Jonathan Skrmetti, David Rausch, Frank Strada, —, Jane Doe
Organizations:
American Civil Liberties Union, Transgender Law Center, ”, of, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Memphis Police, Unit
Locations:
Tenn, Tennessee, United States, U.S, Memphis, Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Shelby County