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N.C. Gov. Signs HB 2 Compromise Despite Criticism From LGBT Groups

http://www.advocate.com/politics/2017/3/30/lgbt-advocates-oppose-hb-2-compromise-senate-prepares-vote (http://www.advocate.com/politics/2017/3/30/lgbt-advocates-oppose-hb-2-compromise-senate-prepares-vote)

Advocate.com
By Yezmin Villarreal
March 30 2017 4:39 PM EDT
Updated March 30 2017 6:30 PM EDT

Gov. Roy Cooper has signed a bill that partially repeals House Bill 2. Critics are labeling it a poor "compromise" because it includes a moratorium that prevents cities in the state from passing nondiscrimination ordinances until December 2020. While the bill repeals HB 2's provision mandating that transgender people use restrooms that match their birth certificate — rather than their gender identity — it still leaves control of bathroom access in the hands of the legislature; that means if a Republican governor is to be elected in the future, he or she, along with legislators, could decide to once again dictate what restrooms transgender people use.

Quote from: Asche on April 03, 2017, 08:15:44 AM

Gov. Roy Cooper has signed a bill that partially repeals House Bill 2. Critics are labeling it a poor "compromise" because it includes a moratorium that prevents cities in the state from passing nondiscrimination ordinances until December 2020. While the bill repeals HB 2's provision mandating that transgender people use restrooms that match their birth certificate — rather than their gender identity — it still leaves control of bathroom access in the hands of the legislature; that means if a Republican governor is to be elected in the future, he or she, along with legislators, could decide to once again dictate what restrooms transgender people use.

A compromise that achieves some of our goal, but leaves a sour taste in the mouth.  Roy Cooper defeated Gov. Pat "Bathroom Bill" McCrory, but the North Carolina Legislature is still under the total domination of ultra-right-wing Republicans.  So I guess this partial repeal is the most that can be achieved at present.

Looking at the prohibition against enacting municipal anti-discrimination laws (like the one that the Charlotte City Council had approved) until December 2020, the timing is everything.  This provision of the repeal is intended to cover Governor Cooper's entire term of office.  The Republicans clearly intend this plan: (1) Do everything within their power to frustrate Cooper's term as Governor; (2) defeat Cooper in the November 2020 election and replace him with a McCrory-style Republican; and then (3) re-enact Hate Bill 2 in its entirety immediately as soon as the new Governor takes office in January 2021.

Although this bill leaves all LGBT people generally in North Carolina without comprehensive anti-discrimination protection (at the municipal, state, and federal levels), there IS one thing to celebrate:  McCrory sought to derive political advantage by singling out trans people as scapegoats and focusing the fear and bigotry of the backwards elements of the state with the HB2 bathroom provisions.  And now, that particular part of his agenda has been defeated and that provision is GONE.

This is a rare political event: an instance where the interests of the LGBT community generally are stuck in neutral, but the one big achievement is something specifically favorable to the trans community.

The other bad part is that the NCAA is now dropping it's ban on holding tournaments in NC, and I suspect other organizations and companies might roll back their boycotts as well.

I lived in NC for awhile. People there in general don't care that much one way or the other about LGBT rights, but they really care about basketball. I think banning teams based in NC from competing would have been more effective, though perhaps not fair to the athletes.

This is going to be a long fight, though one we can win. I tend to think trans people being visible and successful in life does more to win people's hearts than legislation. I believe in NC, any type of sex except missionary position between married heterosexual couples is technically still illegal. No one enforces it though, along with all sorts of other archaic legislation.