The United States Justice Department issued a warning to the State of North Carolina on Wednesday, stating that their new “HB2” law violates the rights of transgender people according to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They have given the state until Monday to explain how the law will not violate Title VII of the act by confirming that the State will not comply with or implement the law. The state now faces a possible lawsuit from the Federal Government and could lose what would possibly amount to billions of dollars in Federal funding.
“Denying such access to transgender individuals, whose gender identity is different from their gender assigned at birth, while affording it to similarly situated non-transgender employees, violates Title VII.”
Principal Deputy Attorney General Vanita Gupta, issued a letter to the state claiming that they are “engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination against transgender state employees.” The letter goes on to say, “Denying such access to transgender individuals, whose gender identity is different from their gender assigned at birth, while affording it to similarly situated non-transgender employees, violates Title VII.”
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory issued a statement to the press. “We have not taken away any rights that have currently existed in any city in North Carolina,” insisted McCrory. ‘(This is) a basic common sense bill that allows businesses to determine their own restroom and shower and locker room facilities, and not Government. “McCrory went on to blame the media for “distorting the facts” of the law. But the facts are that HB2 allows businesses to discriminate against transgender citizens. McCrory also cited the city of Houston, Texas, which has its own discriminatory law, as getting away with the same legislation. Ultimately McCrory seemed more concerned about a Tar Heels Basketball game rather than the controversial law.
Several businesses including Paypal and Deutsche Bank have already threatened to pull their operations out of the state. Governor McCrory has gone on record claiming the businesses have not made any formal notifications that they would be doing so. In addition to the businesses, many performing artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam have canceled recent performances in North Carolina.
You can watch the Governor’s statement in the video below.
Mila Madison – | Twitter | Instagram | Email
I have said it many times that North Carolina is becoming ground zero in the battle for transgender rights. What bothers me the most is that Governor McCrory still doesn’t realize that HB2 discriminates against anyone. What bothers me even more was his being more concerned about basketball than the civil rights battle that is going on in his state. North Carolina stands to lose a lot on Monday should McCrory not come to his senses. The state will be the first domino to fall in the fight for transgender rights.
