N.C. Governor Signs Order That Clarifies Controversial ‘Gender Identity’ Bill
Responding to criticisms over his state’s controversial new law that voids cities’ anti-discrimination rules protecting members of the LGBT community, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has issued an executive order that “seeks legislation to reinstate the right to sue in state court for discrimination.”
The law, HB2, spawned a lawsuit by the ACLU and brought cancellations of high-profile events that were planned to take place in North Carolina — everything from a Bruce Springsteen concert to an expansion by PayPal.
The governor said he is acting “to protect the privacy and equality of all North Carolinians,” by both clarifying the law and adding new protections.
“I have come to the conclusion that there is a great deal of misinformation, misinterpretation, confusion, a lot of passion and frankly, selective outrage and hypocrisy, especially against the great state of North Carolina,” McCrory said in a video address Tuesday, citing feedback about the bill.
The North Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is calling McCrory’s order “a poor effort to save face,” with Acting Executive Director Sarah Preston saying that the governor’s actions “fall far short of correcting the damage done” by the bill. She added that legal protections are still lacking and that “transgender people are still explicitly targeted by being forced to use the wrong restroom.” (Read more from “N.C. Governor Signs Order That Clarifies Controversial ‘Gender Identity’ Bill” HERE)
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