NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) – The Tennessee tourism industry could be affected by a bill banning transgender athletes from playing on a team that does not match their gender at birth.

The final Senate vote on the bill is scheduled for Monday, March 1st.

Joe Woolley, president of the Nashville LGBT Chamber, spoke out against the bill on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. In his remarks, he included that tourists may not be allowed to visit the state because the bill does not send an inclusive message.

When North Carolina passed its controversial bathroom bill, the state reportedly had billions of dollars in economic success.

“We saw it in the industry,” said Jeremy Bishop of the Fairfield Inn & Suites Marriott in the Gulch. “We saw it in Charlotte when they passed the laws there. The business began to pull away from the cities and states that put such laws into law.”

Jeremy Bishop said after the year the hospitality industry was in operation, another hit could be damaging.

“I fear that discriminatory laws could lead to more boycotts and have a serious negative impact on an industry that is already suffering,” said Bishop.

In the other states, anti-transgender bills also resulted in canceled sporting events, concerts and congresses.

“Something like that would cripple us in our potential to do business, reach out and be drawn. In many ways, not just accommodation. They spend money in restaurants, they go to retail stores. It affects us all,” he said.

The final Senate vote on the Transgender Athletes Act will take place on Monday.

Eight other transgender bills have been passed by Tennessee lawmakers.

Continue reading:

ACLU, Democratic LGBTQ Caucus, Issues Statements on Bill on Transgender Students and Athletes

Governor: Transgender athletes will destroy women’s sport

Forcing transgender athletes to engage in gender-based sports at birth

GOP gay lawmakers are pushing for the anti-trans athletes’ law to be defeated

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR