North Carolina Governor Signs Repeal of LGBT Protections

[traci_k]

North Carolina Governor Signs Repeal of LGBT Protections

http://www.advocate.com/politics/2016/3/23/north-carolina-house-strikes-down-lgbt-protections-statewide

The Advocate.com
By Sunnivie Brydum
March 23 2016 4:09 PM EDT Updated March 23 2016 11:03 PM EDT

In the span of a single day, North Carolina lawmakers introduced and passed a bill through two houses and got it signed by the governor. That seemingly urgent bill strikes down all existing LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances across the state.

North Carolina lawmakers voted overwhelmingly today during a special legislative session that was called in response to Charlotte, N.C. passing a transgender-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance.
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Soooooooooooooooooo extremely short-sighted. Discrimination laws may be fine when you are in the majority, but if you become the minority they can be used against you. Let's say there is a religious group that says Christians have the right to convert or die, where does it go? Nazis started with discrimination well before killing people.  This is a VERY DANGEROUS slippery slope these lawmakers and their Christian supporters have taken the first ride on. Unless they realize that ALL people are deserving of protection, they or their children will rue this day in the future.

[suzifrommd]

This is one of the most horrible news items ever posted in our news area. An entire U.S. state has actually enacted a law that outlaws us. A very dark day.

Heaven help us.

[Dee Marshall]

Between North Carolina and Georgia driving down the East Coast to Florida is becoming problematic. I may need to invest in some catheters or, ugh, fly!

[Lauren Nicole]

It's sad that our state passed this!

[Eva Marie]

In their zeal to pass this law North Carolina has opened themselves up to lawsuits and a loss of federal funding - the new law runs afoul of federal laws and title IX. Money talks, and when the results of this law starts hitting them squarely in the pocket book I'll bet that the politicians will be hearing from their constituents and will be having second thoughts about what they've done.

Hopefully the cost from lawsuits and lost funding is so painful that North Carolina rescinds this law quickly. States keep flirting with these discriminatory laws and to stop them from being proposed a state needed to be made an example of - and North Carolina just stepped up for the job.

Hopefully after North Carolina pays the price other states will quit entertaining these kinds of proposals.

[RobynD]

Yes the pain is just beginning for them. It is like the time where some states fought stubbornly to maintain segregation. Wrong side of history and will set them back.

[stephaniec]

Dozens protest North Carolina Governor's mansion after anti-LGBT bill passed

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/03/25/dozens-protest-north-carolina-governors-mansion-after-anti-lgbt-bill-passed/

Pink News/By Joseph Patrick McCormick   03/25/2016

"After he signed into law a bill outlawing local LGBT ordinances, protesters have taken to the Governor North Carolina's mansion.

Last night the US state of North Carolina passed the law which voids all local ordinances protecting LGBT rights. "

[suzifrommd]

Dozens protest North Carolina Governor's mansion after anti-LGBT bill passed

Too little, too late. The time to educate people about our bathroom needs is before they start making laws against us.

[Tysilio]

They introduced and passed this particular bill, and the governor signed it, in one day; it was a deliberate tactic to prevent opposition. There was no time to organize protests, contact NC businesses, or educate legislators on why it was a bad idea.

Here is a handy list of contact information for some of the big businesses in NC. They can be our allies in getting this overturned.

http://lexiecannes.com/2016/03/24/contact-list-of-major-north-carolina-businessesorganizations-easy-to-use-and-please-share/

[RobynD]

18 States including my own have specific protections for gender expression.

When i asked management at my Gym if it was ok for me to start using the women's locker room. Their response was "of course its ok " and the look on the manager's face was like...what took you so long?

We need an ERA more than ever at the Federal level. State's Rights is just code for preserving bigotry and reactionary politics.

[AnonyMs]

Its made the New York Times

Transgender Law Makes North Carolina Pioneer in Bigotry
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/opinion/transgender-law-makes-north-carolina-pioneer-in-bigotry.html

[itsApril]

Governor McCrory had to do this on a hurry-up basis.  He's running for re-election in November, and his public support has fallen steadily over his first term in office, to the point where it looked like he could very well lose his re-election bid.

Once again, LGBT people are thrown under the bus by a Republican office holder pandering to bigotry of his political base.

[Emjay]

Congratulations North Carolina, you've taken title of least welcoming state from us here in Indiana.

I for one am getting awfully tired of being treated like public enemy #1.  Sad.....  really sad.......

[OCAnne]

Its made the New York Times

Transgender Law Makes North Carolina Pioneer in Bigotry
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/25/opinion/transgender-law-makes-north-carolina-pioneer-in-bigotry.html

'Under the law, people in North Carolina are required to use public restrooms that match the gender on their birth certificate. Transgender people in the state can request to have their birth certificate changed only if they have had gender reassignment surgery.'

Apparently this law appears to target the broader transgender (umbrella) community.  Not necessarily transsexual folks.  Also out of states individuals that have changed their gender on birth certificate would not run afoul of the law.

What I still don't get, is how does enforcement work, what is man or woman looking enough to get a bathroom pass?  Are they going to look under skirts and in pants to make sure things match up?

This really opens up a witch-hunt for anyone that does not meet social expectations on what a man or woman should look like.

Thought: Perhaps companies on record in protest of the new law and our Federal Government can help with an exodus of our community from North Carolina to avoid human right violations and persecution.   Lets get our people out of there until the bigots new law is repealed or defeated.

This law flys in the face of individuals constitutional right to pursue happiness.

Thank you,
Anne

EOM

[tgchar21]

Here's another dirty secret about North Carolina that few know (which has existed for many years), but could have a dramatic impact on a certain few members of the trans* community: You are allowed only ONE legal name change your whole adult life that is not marriage-related^ - no ifs, ands, or buts (some other states may call for greater scrutiny on multiple name changes, especially within a short time, but NC is the only one that I know of with an absolute restriction of just ONE legal name change ever).

^Name changes due to marriage/divorce (or to restore a former name) don't count, and if your name was changed when you were a minor that doesn't count towards the one allowed name change either.

That means for trans* people in NC who have previously legally changed their name (outside of marriage/divorce and as an adult) the only way to get a gender-appropriate legal name is to move to another state and change it there.

[Amy1988]

They introduced and passed this particular bill, and the governor signed it, in one day; it was a deliberate tactic to prevent opposition. There was no time to organize protests, contact NC businesses, or educate legislators on why it was a bad idea.

Here is a handy list of contact information for some of the big businesses in NC. They can be our allies in getting this overturned.

http://lexiecannes.com/2016/03/24/contact-list-of-major-north-carolina-businessesorganizations-easy-to-use-and-please-share/

The company I work for in NC is global and one of the largest companies in the world and probably the largest in NC.  I guess they had their say against this law by allowing, actually telling me to use the ladies room and I'm going to continue using it.

[Amy1988]

Here's another dirty secret about North Carolina that few know (which has existed for many years), but could have a dramatic impact on a certain few members of the trans* community: You are allowed only ONE legal name change your whole adult life that is not marriage-related^ - no ifs, ands, or buts (some other states may call for greater scrutiny on multiple name changes, especially within a short time, but NC is the only one that I know of with an absolute restriction of just ONE legal name change ever).

^Name changes due to marriage/divorce (or to restore a former name) don't count, and if your name was changed when you were a minor that doesn't count towards the one allowed name change either.


That means for trans* people in NC who have previously legally changed their name (outside of marriage/divorce and as an adult) the only way to get a gender-appropriate legal name is to move to another state and change it there.

I had my name legally changed in South Carolina but I was born in Louisiana so I'm trying to get the name change executory in Louisiana so I get my birth certificate updated.  They don't make it easy.

[Amy1988]

'Under the law, people in North Carolina are required to use public restrooms that match the gender on their birth certificate. Transgender people in the state can request to have their birth certificate changed only if they have had gender reassignment surgery.'

Apparently this law appears to target the broader transgender (umbrella) community.  Not necessarily transsexual folks.  Also out of states individuals that have changed their gender on birth certificate would not run afoul of the law.

What I still don't get, is how does enforcement work, what is man or woman looking enough to get a bathroom pass?  Are they going to look under skirts and in pants to make sure things match up?

This really opens up a witch-hunt for anyone that does not meet social expectations on what a man or woman should look like.

Thought: Perhaps companies on record in protest of the new law and our Federal Government can help with an exodus of our community from North Carolina to avoid human right violations and persecution.   Lets get our people out of there until the bigots new law is repealed or defeated.

This law flys in the face of individuals constitutional right to pursue happiness.

Thank you,
Anne

EOM

The difficulty in policing the bathrooms makes this law unenforceable.  By the time some idiot called the cops on someone they suspect was transgendered the person would have done their business and be gone. 

[Sydney_NYC]

'Under the law, people in North Carolina are required to use public restrooms that match the gender on their birth certificate. Transgender people in the state can request to have their birth certificate changed only if they have had gender reassignment surgery.'

I read this transcript of the proceedings. Not everyone can change their birth certificate even with surgery since 3 states (including TN where I was born) and yet some states like CA and NY you can change it without surgery. This fact makes the law unconstitutional since it's not possible for someone to meet this criteria for some people. It was even mentioned by a women in the proceedings of a woman who stated her partner is trans, has had surgery but can not change her birth certificate since she is from a foreign country, but they totally ignored her on that point.

Apparently this law appears to target the broader transgender (umbrella) community.  Not necessarily transsexual folks.  Also out of states individuals that have changed their gender on birth certificate would not run afoul of the law.

What I still don't get, is how does enforcement work, what is man or woman looking enough to get a bathroom pass?  Are they going to look under skirts and in pants to make sure things match up?

This really opens up a witch-hunt for anyone that does not meet social expectations on what a man or woman should look like.

Thought: Perhaps companies on record in protest of the new law and our Federal Government can help with an exodus of our community from North Carolina to avoid human right violations and persecution.   Lets get our people out of there until the bigots new law is repealed or defeated.

This law flys in the face of individuals constitutional right to pursue happiness.

Thank you,
Anne

EOM

This law is next to impossible to enforce. Who carries their birth certificate with them? I just learned today I may need to go down to NC for a client of mine for a meeting. I'm still going to use the women's bathroom since no one knows unless I tell them and my ID and Passport say Female. ( I never changed my name on my birth certificate.) If I do get fined (it's 2nd degree trespass which is a minor misdemeanor charge with a fine only) I would fight it as discriminatory.

[Amy1988]

From my interpretation the law only repeals the city ordinance but does not contain language actually prohibiting transgendered people from using bathrooms consistent with their gender identity.