US: Author of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill unseated in primary
A Republican Senator who authored a controversial anti-gay bill in Tennessee has been unseated in a primary.
Stacey Campfield, who has sat in the Tennessee Senate since 2010, was the author of a bill which prohibited discussion of sexual orientation and homosexuality in schools.
It read: “No public elementary or middle school shall provide any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality.”
He also submitted an amendment clause that would have ordered schools to report students’ “gay activity” to their parents.
He netted just 5,824 votes in this week’s Knoxville primary, losing out to cardiac surgeon Dr Richard Briggs, who managed 13,977 votes.
Campfield’s previous track record on LGBT issues includes comparing homosexuality to bestiality, and claiming that it is “virtually impossible” to contract HIV through heterosexual sex.
In February, he compared being gay to “shooting heroin”.
Dr Briggs said: “We really had a good campaign plan. We had a good team.
“I just think people were looking for change, a change from what we’ve had previously.”
