DOJ Declares Tennessee's HIV-Related Prostitution Law Discriminatory

Justice Department calls for cessation of enforcement, removal of convicts from sex offender registry, and introduction of repeal legislation

The U.S. Department of Justice has declared Tennessee's aggravated prostitution statute, which imposes a lifetime registration as a 'violent sex offender' on those convicted of engaging in sex work while living with HIV, as discriminatory and in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Department of Justice has called on Tennessee to cease enforcement of the law, remove those convicted under the statute from the sex offender registry, expunge their convictions, and introduce legislation to repeal the law.
Tennessee is the only state in the U.S. that imposes such a penalty, which has been criticized by LGBTQ+ and civil rights advocates for making it almost impossible for those affected to find housing and employment due to the restrictions for violent sex offenders.
Earlier this year, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Transgender Law Center filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the law in federal court.
More than 80 people are currently registered for aggravated prostitution in Tennessee, and the law has been enforced most frequently in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis.