PFLAG Meeting on HB2: TUESDAY APRIL 12

UPDATES ON HB2

Few issues have mobilized the state, and even the nation, than North Carolina’s hastily crafted legislative action known as HB2. This action by the NC Legislature and immediately signed by Governor McCrory writes into state law discrimination against all our citizens, especially LGBTQIA citizens.

The session, which was abruptly convened by Republican lawmakers on March 23, came in response to an anti-discrimination ordinance approved by the state’s largest city, Charlotte, last month. That ordinance provided protections based on sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity, including letting transgender people use the public bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

The N.C. House Bill 2, put together so quickly that many lawmakers had not seen it before it was introduced Wednesday morning, specifically bars people in North Carolina from using bathrooms that do not match their birth gender, and goes further to prohibit municipalities from creating their own anti-discrimination policies. Instead, it creates a statewide anti-discrimination policy – one that does not include gay and transgender people. The bill also prohibits local governments from raising minimum wage levels above the state level – something a number of left-leaning cities in other states have done.

Known popularly as the “Bathroom Bill,” this newly passed Legislation prevents N.C. cities, towns and counties from passing anti-discrimination rules beyond this new N.C. State standard. And N.C. public schools, public college campuses and government agencies must require bathrooms or locker rooms be designated for use only by people based on their biological sex as stated on their birth certificate.

What has followed is a host of educational institutions, organizations and industries from across the nation expressing disapproval of this action. Listed below are a number of statements of particular importance. Open these attachments and see what many are saying about this unwise law.

Katie Couric’s “Now I Get It” video: Be sure to look at this short video

Dr. Leo Lambert, Resident of Elon University – click to see his letter

Dr. Richard McBride, Retired Chaplain of Elon – read Richard’s powerful letter

Life Journey’s United Church of Christ, Alamance County NAACP and Alamance Pride – read about local citizen’s protest