U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn headlines anti-transgender rally in Nashville

Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn joined several other Tennessee lawmakers at a rally to protest gender-affirming care for transgender youth, which drew more than 2,500 activists to Nashville’s War Memorial Plaza on Friday afternoon.

Billed as “The Rally to End Child Mutilation,” the event was hosted by The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh. Walsh started a political firestorm in September when he posted videos on social media of Vanderbilt University Medical Center physicians discussing care for transgender minors.

State Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin., was one of the featured speakers. He is flanked by, l-r, Sen. Ed Jackson, R-Jackson, Sen. Dawn White, R-Murfreesboro, and Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma. (Photo: John Patipilo)

Ayesha Khan, an employee of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is a transgender woman who attended the rally to show support for transgender rights. (Photo: John Partipilo)

An Antifa member. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Mark Meckler, co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, laughs at transgender allies confront him. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Matt Walsh of Nashville-based The Daily Wire hosted the rally. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Blackburn, who whipped the crowd into boos with the mention of Democratic Speaker of the U.S. House Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Shumer, was at times nearly drowned out by air horns and shouts from counter-protesters.

Blackburn and Walsh, who opened and closed the event, were joined by on the stage by State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson of Franklin, House Majority Leader William Lamberth of Portland, 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard, former Tennessee congressional candidate Robby Starbuck. Also speaking were 18-year-old Chloe Cole, who is de-transitioning after having taken puberty blockers and having “top surgery” — a double mastectomy— for several years while transitioning to male.

Lamberth referred to VUMC as “a certain hospital down the road” and said an “entire woke, medical industry has sprung up.”  Flanked by fellow Republican state senators Ed Jackson of Jackson, Tullahoma’s Janice Bowling and Dawn White of Murfreesboro, Johnson confirmed he and Lamberth will introduce legislation in the next Tennessee General Assembly session to ban any form of gender affirmation surgery on minors.

The legislature passed a law in 2021 that prohibits physicians from prescribing hormone treatment to “prepubertal minors.”

On October 7, VUMC announced the hospital’s Clinic for Transgender Care would temporarily halt all surgeries on minors, adding that no genital procedures are performed on minors.

The crowd was a mostly-white mix of the Walsh faithful, transgender rights allies, members of the white nationalists Proud Boys and vocal individuals preaching on Christianity and sin.

Andrea, a real estate broker from Chicago’s north side — she did not give her last name — attended the event with her boyfriend, both wearing t-shirts that said “Awake, not woke.”

“We heard about it from Matt Walsh,” she said. “We come to Nashville a lot. We’re trying to get out of Chicago.”

Odessa Kelly, Democratic nominee for the 7th Congressional District, confronts an anti-transgender protester. (Photo: John Partipilo)

"If you turn that microphone on, you're out of here," a Tennessee State Trooper told crowd member. The rally had a heavy law enforcement presence. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Middle and West Tennessee members of the white nationalist group Proud Boys. Several group members wore shirts with the words "Goon Squad" embroidered on the right sleeves. (Photo: John Partipilo)