Tennessee lawmakers filing bill against same-sex marriage booed out of press conference

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Two Tennessee lawmakers were booed out of a press conference about controversial bills on Wednesday.

Sen. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) and Rep. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) held a press conference regarding the "bathroom bill" and a bill against same-sex marriage, that says Tennessee doesn't have to follow the Supreme Court's ruling.

Pody got in less than two minutes worth of speaking before the angry crowd that showed up at his press conference started making now.

"My marriage is just as good as yours," yelled one demonstrator.

Pody and Beavers initially called the press conference to answer media questions about two bills they're jointly sponsoring.

One would require transgender students to use the restrooms of their birth sex. The other voids the Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage in Tennessee.

So many opponents started disrupting the press conference both lawmakers ended it early only to be chased down the hall by those demonstrators.

"Some kind of Christian you are you won't allow someone else to have equal rights under God with you," one demonstrator said.

Among the people in the crowd were Ann and Darlene Jacobs-Anderson.

The same-sex couple told Fox 17 news they should not have to fight for their marriage that came after the Supreme Court decision..

"I pay my taxes and they say my marriage isn't valid," Ann Jacobs-Anderson said. "Who are they who are they to say my marriage isn't valid."

Sen. Beavers said the bathroom bill is needed to protect students at school. She also said the marriage bill is necessary to protect the Tennessee Constitution that prohibits gay marriage.

"I don't feel like this is something the Supreme Court should've even take up, and I believe in State sovereignty and I believe in the ability of Tennessee to write their own Constitution," Beavers said.

Protesters then chased Beavers and Pody to their offices.