Even In Memphis, Progressive Change Happens!

Quick back-story. The other day, we were reading our Facebook news feed and saw a story about a gay couple with kids who tried to join the Germantown Athletic Club as a family and were told that family memberships were only open to husbands and wives with children. It was a bit outrageous, but it looks like this simply may have been a case of "we haven't encountered that question before!" The staff asked the couple to contact their membership director, and here's what happened, via the Tennessee Equality Project (whose Gumbo thingie we were just talking about!):

GAC staff urged the couple to speak with the Membership Sales Advisor on Monday. That's exactly what the couple did. After talking with the family and reviewing their policy, the GAC now defines a "family membership [as a] household membership which includes 2 adults living under the same roof, and the children in the household that one or both of those adults are legally responsible for. Couples membership will now become a joint membership for 2 people living in the same house that would like to join their facility." The old application was removed from the GAC website at http://www.germantown-tn.gov/index.aspx?page=699 at about 4 PM this afternoon. 

We'll update you when and if the new form and policy are made public by the GAC. Raising your voice in the face of discrimination can bring positive change.

Major Effin' Memphis kudos to the Germantown Athletic Club for quickly addressing the problem and moving to include ALL families. Little steps forward, y'all. Little steps.