In a haze of post-election anxiety, Laura Huff needed to find a way to support her community of fellow LGBTQ Nashvillians. She found her answer in an unusual place — her notary license.
Tennessee is one of six states that allow notaries to officiate weddings. During the most recent legislative session, the state passed and Gov. Bill Lee signed House Bill 878 — which grants officiants the power to refuse to officiate a marriage based on moral or religious objections. Even with federal protections in place for same-sex marriage, many advocates fear that the incoming conservative-led House, Senate, White House and Supreme Court could spell danger for those protections.
Huff decided to put her license to work.
“That was the easiest thing that I could think of that could, like, actually help ease people’s anxieties or give them options,” Huff says.
And so Huff did what many people looking to reach a large group would do: She posted about it on TikTok. On Nov. 8, she used 45 seconds to introduce herself, validate a post-election fear in the queer community and explain what this piece of legislation could mean for local LGBTQ couples.
Cassidy Etue and Stecher Timmons
“I will notarize your marriage for free,” Huff says in her TikTok video. “Let’s all share our resources and protect each other. Reach out to me, let’s get the girls married.”
With only a small following on social media, Huff didn’t know what to expect when she posted her video. But within hours, other notaries flooded the post with hundreds of supportive comments. Others chimed in by offering their property for wedding ceremonies, or to serve as witnesses for couples who don’t have a support system.
“I feel like it has reached people beyond where I could physically reach them, and now I’m helping connect people,” Huff says. “It’s very overwhelming, but in a really beautiful, collaborative, community way.”
Huff was motivated in part by her personal desire to one day marry her own long-term girlfriend. But as she read through the comments, she developed a personal mission — to provide the same kind of comfort and support she received from her own family as a queer woman in the South.
A native of Meridian, Miss., Huff was raised by a conservative family in the heart of the Bible Belt. Even though her parents supported her coming-out journey, it was ultimately the acceptance of her 95-year-old grandmother — a woman raised with strict religious values — that most impacted her. The moment proved to her that conservative Southern Christians can be accepting of same-sex relationships.
“I don’t take that luck for granted either, because I know so many people have had such a difficult time,” Huff says. “If you don’t have a family that’s gonna support you, there are so many other people that will. … It’s really inspired me to keep the love going.”
Within days, Cassidy Etue found Huff’s TikTok video and sent it to her partner Stecher Timmons. Following the election, the queer couple wanted to expedite their wedding for fear of possible policy changes. The couple moved to Nashville from Florida in June, a month after getting engaged. Before stumbling across Huff’s explanation of HB878, Etue and Timmons felt anxious about facing discrimination on what should be the best day of their lives.
Cassidy Etue and Stecher Timmons
“It was just a huge relief,” Etue says. “Laura obviously is just such an amazing, kind, warm person and just somebody that instantly gave us both such a feeling of safety. And kind of brought the magic back into being able to go and get married.”
Days of planning led to friendship between the couple and Huff, and resulted in Huff’s first time solemnizing a marriage. On Nov. 29, Etue and Timmons stood at the top of the Warner Park steps with loved ones by their side — Etue wearing a flowing white gown and Timmons in a studded leather jacket.
Huff read the vows written by Etue, and the couple signified their commitment with a kiss. Passersby and Huff cheered the newlyweds.
“I feel like I had nerves going into it just because we were in a public space and we are very obviously not a straight couple,” Timmons says. “I didn’t know [if] people in passing ... were gonna say anything, but people were wonderful. It was just better than I could have hoped for.”
“Obviously all of us are part of our own communities, and we all want to try to do something to help,” Etue says. “But it’s not super often that you get to have a real, direct and personal impact on somebody in your community’s life. We’re going to hold Laura in our hearts forever.”
Those interested in becoming notaries can find more information via sos.tn.gov.
