Murfreesboro removes term ‘homosexuality’ from ordinance defining sexual conduct

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WSMV) – The City of Murfreesboro has amended a city ordinance that once deemed homosexuality as indecent behavior.

During the city’s Oct. 19 council meeting, City Manager Craig Tindall made the recommendation to “clean up” an ordinance drafted more than four decades ago.

The ordinance dealt with defining what was considered inappropriate sexual conduct by law, which included “homosexuality.”

“The term homosexuality is an anachronism unenforceable under current law,” Tindall wrote in his report to the Murfreesboro City Council. “Therefore, it should be excised from the definitions used in these ordinances.”

Council members did not comment on the former ordinance’s language but unanimously voted for it to be removed on its first reading on Oct. 19 and second reading on Nov. 2. The new ordinance language became official on Nov. 17, or 15 days after its passing.

This comes after controversy with the city regarding their stance on Murfreesboro Pride, which led to an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit.

The suit alleges the city sought to restrict protected speech and expression after threatening to not approve the pride festival’s event permit. Tindall had claimed footage of the event showed sexual dancing, which he had deemed inappropriate for the kids there.

However, a federal court agreed to allow the event to resume in 2023, arguing Murfreesboro was unable to enforce its now outdated ordinance.

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