Gavin Newsom Claims City “Banned Being Gay In Public”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom claimed a Tennessee city “banned being gay in public.”

“A city in Tennessee has banned being gay in public. This is just the beginning. We have to call this out,” Newsom said Thursday.

However, it’s a complete lie.

The ordinance bans “indecent exposure, public indecency, lewd behavior, nudity or sexual conduct.”

It applies to everyone.

X Community Notes fact checked Newsom’s comments.

“The linked article refers to an ordinance passed in June 2023. This ordinance prohibits ‘Sexual conduct’ as defined in the city code. At the time the city code did include ‘homosexuality’ in this definition. However, in November 2023 ‘homosexuality’ was removed,” the Community Note read.

A city in Tennessee has banned being gay in public.

This is just the beginning. We have to call this out. https://t.co/0G1i7dKTgp

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) November 16, 2023

Social media users blasted the California governor for spreading the lie.

“No Gavin, they actually recently ended a 70 year old ordinance that banned public homosexuality but they passed a ban on indecent exposure, nudity, public indecency, lewd behavior and sexual conduct. This ban came after my wife and I exposed a public pride event where drag queens simulated sex for kids and lamented their ‘tits falling out,'” Robby Starbuck explained.

“The ban applies for all sexual orientations. What’s telling is that you consider a ban on all indecency, nudity and sexual conduct to be a ban on being gay. Says a lot about you. We’re proud to have helped make this new ordinance a reality,” he continued.

No Gavin, they actually recently ended a 70 year old ordinance that banned public homosexuality but they passed a ban on indecent exposure, nudity, public indecency, lewd behavior and sexual conduct. This ban came after my wife and I exposed a public pride event where drag queens…

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) November 17, 2023

“Gavin Newsom thinks being gay means exposing yourself in public,” Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon said.

Gavin Newsom thinks being gay means exposing yourself in public. https://t.co/5xZ8Wuuqow pic.twitter.com/Wu2ohUM6lX

— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) November 17, 2023

Read additional reactions:

Tennessee banned nudity, sex in public, and indecent exposure and the Left is claiming it bans being gay. Interesting… Why is that? https://t.co/TI6KNsYI0k pic.twitter.com/C1OZyTHjqr

— Chaya Raichik (@ChayaRaichik10) November 17, 2023

Commiefornia Governor @GavinNewsom is spreading the lie that "being gay in public" has been banned in the state of Tennessee. That is NOT true.

The Tennessee law regulates against indecent exposure and lewd behavior in public, in the presence of minors, for ALL people —… https://t.co/6xguRHFrzL

— Gays Against Groomers (@againstgrmrs) November 17, 2023

You realize the law prohibits "indecent exposure, public indecency, lewd behavior, nudity or sexual conduct" for EVERYONE, right?

Tell us what you really think about the gay community without telling us, Newsom. Communist propaganda to spark illegitimate outrage https://t.co/QbP0TPatcU

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) November 17, 2023

So…

1) Newsom just lied about the law

But also (2) it is telling that when Newsom reads “indecent behavior,” he immediately labels it as “gay.” Bigot! https://t.co/8mwzAB93kV pic.twitter.com/gEvivSpP4F

— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) November 17, 2023

The Daily Wire reports:

The ordinance passed in June stated:

This ordinance shall be implemented and interpreted to promote public decency and maintain a family-friendly environment in public places and protect against potential harm to minors from public expressions that appeal to prurient interests and are patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material for minors.

“No person shall knowingly while in a public space engage in indecent behavior, display, distribute, or broadcast indecent material, conduct indecent events, or facilitate any of the foregoing prohibited acts, or otherwise subject minors to a prurient interest or to behaviors, materials, or events that are patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material for minors,” it added.

“The ordinance Newsom was referring to was passed by the Murfreesboro City Council in June and amended in October to eliminate the term ‘homosexuality’ from the code’s definition banning inappropriate sexual conduct,” the outlet noted.