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North Carolina Lawmaker: ‘Keep Our State Straight’

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Gay_pride_Istanbul_at_Taksim_SquareRhetorical skirmishes continued Tuesday in North Carolina over a law limiting protections for LGBT people, as Democrats criticized a Republican’s plea to “keep our state straight.”

The criticism came a day after dueling demonstrations drew thousands of protesters for and against the law, ending with the arrests of 54 people voicing their opposition to the law in the Legislative Building.

At a demonstration supporting the law earlier Monday, the state’s Republican nominee for attorney general, state Sen. Buck Newton, urged the crowd to “tell your friends and family who had to work today what this is all about and how hard we must fight to keep our state straight.”

The North Carolina Democratic Party issued a statement Tuesday calling the comments hateful and discriminatory toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. They called for Newton, who shepherded the legislation through his chamber, to apologize.

Newton told reporters on Tuesday that the phrase “keep our state straight” had nothing to do with sexual orientation. “It means keep men out of the ladies’ room,” he said. (Read more from “North Carolina Lawmaker: ‘Keep Our State Straight'” HERE)

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L.A. Woman Photographs What She Witnessed in a Target Restroom

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Target_Albemarle_Rd_Charlotte,_NC_(7579989322)[Editor’s note: Snopes – which is by no means authoritative – quotes a Target spokesman in suggesting that Target has not installed urinals in any of its stores’ transgender-friendly “women’s” bathrooms. However, as of the time of this post, no one has interviewed the woman who allegedly took the picture seen below. Whether the installation of any urinals in Target’s ex-female restrooms has begun or not, the fact that Target would allow any man in a woman’s restroom to then urinate on a woman’s toilet seat is despicable enough] Only days after the Target Corp. issued a release confirming its stance on the issue of transgender restrooms, a patron noticed something in the women’s restroom that she felt compelled to photograph.

A statement released by Target on April 19 called “inclusivity” a core value belief of Target that should be celebrated.

The statement said, “We welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.”

In a Facebook post, Karen Crawford said, “It’s true. ..I’m in the women’s bathroom at a Target north of LA…they actually took out a stall for women in order to accommodate the ones who have giblets…yes, these are urinals…for men…and so the war on women progresses. …” . . .

One follower posted: “Dear Target, thank you for being so ‘inclusive’ as to allow men who identify as women to use the rest room with women who identify as women. Some people believe safety, privacy, dignity, and reality are more important considerations than political correctness, but it’s wonderful to see you taking a stand against those bigots. Why should our wives and daughters be treated with decency when there are cross dressing dudes to appease? Again, thank you for your bravery.” (Read more from “L.A. Woman Photographs What She Witnessed in a Target Restroom” HERE)

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More Than 500,000 Boycott Target Over Transgender Bathroom Policy

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Target_store_Scottsdale_Centre_in_Delta,_BCA conservative Christian activist group has gained more than half a million signatures and counting from people pledging to boycott Target over its transgender bathroom policy.

The petition started by the American Family Association on Wednesday raises concerns that Target’s inclusive stance on transgender rights encourages sexual predators and puts women and young girls in danger, because “a man can simply say he ‘feels like a woman today’ and enter the women’s restroom.”

The boycott has more than 517,000 signatures as of Monday afternoon, marking it as one of AFA’s most popular campaigns.

“This is the best response we’ve ever had this quick,” says AFA President Tim Wildmon, attributing the protest’s viral nature to the fact that “everybody knows who Target is, and it’s an easy-to-understand issue” . . .

Target made its position public in a blog post last week, stating that the company welcomes “transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.” The announcement comes as legislation on transgender issues in multiple states has spurred several major corporations and businesses to take a stance on LGBT rights. (Read more from “More Than 500,000 Boycott Target Over Transgender Bathroom Policy” HERE)

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European Nations Join Transgender Jihad Against North Carolina, Mississippi Stand for Traditional Values

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Respect_and_Equality_for_All_Trans_People_(4764133272)_(2)The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for the United States, warning gay and transgender travellers to be careful in the US due to legislation in North Carolina and Mississippi.

Newly-passed laws in both states allow businesses to refuse service to LGBT people, and the so-called “bathroom law” – a ruling that transgender people must use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender on their birth certificate – has sparked waves of protest and business boycotts.

“The US is an extremely diverse society and attitudes toward LGBT people differ hugely across the country,” the update states. “LGBT travellers may be affected by legislation passed recently in the states of North Carolina and Mississippi. Before travelling please read our general travel advice for the LGBT community. You can find more detail on LGBT issues in the US on the website of the Human Rights Campaign.”

Ty Cobb of the Human Rights Campaign described it as “both frightening and embarrassing that one of our nation’s staunchest allies has warned its citizens of the risks” of travelling to the US.

He added: “It is now more clear than ever that these terrible measures are not only harming individuals and taking an economic toll on the states, but are also causing serious damage to our nation’s reputation, and the perceived safety of LGBT people who travel here.” (Read more from “European Nations Join Transgender Jihad Against North Carolina, Mississippi Stand for Traditional Values” HERE)

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U.S. Court Rules for Virginia Student on Transgender Bathroom Access

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maxresdefault (96)(Editor’s note: the author’s pronoun usage below does not reflect the views of RL) A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday ruled for a Virginia transgender student seeking access to the bathroom of his gender identity in a case that could impact the national bathroom wars playing out between gay rights activists and social conservatives.

The ruling by the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals sent back to a lower court the widely watched case that considered whether transgender students are protected by the 1972 Title IX Act, which prohibits sex-based discrimination by schools receiving federal funding.

Student Gavin Grimm was barred from using the boys’ bathroom at his local high school in Gloucester County, Virginia. Grimm was born a female but identifies as a male.

After drawing community complaints for allowing Grimm to use the boys’ bathroom, the school district approved a policy in December 2014 requiring students to use single-stall unisex restrooms or restrooms associated with their physical sex.

The appellate court reversed a district court’s dismissal of a Title IX claim by the student and said he could proceed with his lawsuit, which contends that the school board’s decision was discriminatory. (Read more from “U.S. Court Rules for Virginia Student on Transgender Bathroom Access” HERE)

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YouTube Transgender Bathroom ‘Experiment’ Results in Screams of Outrage

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Photo Credit, Serene Lau, Innovation Storyteller, Garfield Innovation CenterWhen YouTube sensation Joey Salads conducts what he calls a “social experiment,” you can bet there will be outrage amid the hilarity.

Such was the case in his most recent video, in which the dark-complexioned Salads donned a blonde wig and a dress, proclaimed himself as a transsexual and walked into a women’s bathroom.

Salads was prompted to stage the video after North Carolina caused a liberal outcry after passing legislation requiring men and women to use bathrooms that correspond with their biological birth genders.

It did not take long to find out that Salads was not welcome.

“You can’t be in here!” the first woman he followed into the bathroom yelled at him. “You can’t just say you’re a girl!”

The next two women he followed into the bathroom were also highly offended and equally vocal. (Read more from “YouTube Transgender Bathroom ‘Experiment’ Results in Screams of Outrage” HERE)

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NC Lt. Gov: If Bathroom Law Protects One Child From Being Molested, It’s Worth It

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In response to PayPal’s decision to not open an operations center in Charlotte, N.C. that would employ 400 people because of the state’s new law requiring people to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their biological gender, Lt. Gov. Dan Forest said if the new law protects one child or one woman “from being molested or assaulted, then it was worth it.” He added that despite the job losses, North Carolina does not put “a price tag on the value of our children.”

“If our action in keeping men out of women’s bathrooms and showers protected the life of just one child or one woman from being molested or assaulted, then it was worth it,” said Lt. Gov. Forest in a statement following PayPal’s announcement on April 5.

“North Carolina will never put a price tag on the value of our children,” he said. “They are precious and priceless.”

“If a corporation wanting to do business in North Carolina does not see the worth of our children in the same light, then I wish them well as they do business somewhere else.”

PayPal is a pro-LGBT company, and in an April 5 statement, CEO Dan Schulman said the North Carolina law “perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture. As a result, PayPal will not move forward with our planned expansion into Charlotte.” (Read more from “NC Lt. Gov: If Bathroom Law Protects One Child From Being Molested, It’s Worth It” HERE)

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California Man Dressed as Woman Busted for Videoing in Ladies Bathroom

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A Palmdale, California, man wearing women’s clothing was arrested in a Lancaster Macy’s store after he was seen in a women’s bathroom. The man was allegedly videotaping women in the bathroom.

Jason Pomare, 33, was arrested over the weekend after mall security officers learned he had been hanging out in a Macy’s department store women’s bathroom. The security guards contacted a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputy who found the cross-dressing man in a mall storage area, NBC Los Angeles reported.

When Pomare was contacted, he was wearing a wig and women’s clothing, including a bra, a statement from the LASD revealed. “The deputy noticed he was wearing a wig and appeared to have breasts,” LASD Sergeant Brian Hudson told the Los Angeles news outlet.

While searching the suspect, the deputy discovered a video camera in his purse. The camera allegedly contained hours of women using the bathroom inside the store.

Witnesses told police that Pomare would conceal the camera in bathroom stalls. The woman who contacted store security noticed the “recording light” on the camera. It appears Pomare was in the bathroom for around two hours, Hudson told the reporter. (Read more from “California Man Dressed as Woman Busted for Videoing in Ladies Bathroom” HERE)

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Time to Fight Back: Anchorage Businesses Forced to Allow Transgender Bathroom Use

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Under the ordinance the Anchorage Assembly passed recently regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, here’s what an employer or operator of a place of public accommodation is lawfully allowed to do –

“Maintain and enforce gender-segregated restrooms, locker rooms or dressing rooms, provided that persons are allowed to use such facilities consistent with their gender identity and nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to require the provision of special facilities to accommodate any person(s) based upon sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Many communities and States are taking proactive measures to protect women and girls. The South Dakota legislature just passed a common sense bill and they are now awaiting the Governor’s signature.

Residents of Anchorage. Residents of Alaska. It’s time to start up a conversation.

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Washington State Republicans Join Democrats to Uphold Transgender Bathroom Bill

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A bill to reverse a public accommodations law that allows transgender people to use opposite-sex bathrooms and locker rooms was blocked in the state Senate – in part thanks to three Republicans who voted with the minority Democrats.

The law took effect earlier this year and drew a backlash from Republicans concerned about men pretending to be transgender in order to harass and assault women. The GOP has a slim majority in the state Senate, but the three Republicans gave Democrats a 25-24 victory.

The sponsor of the repeal bill, Sen. Doug Ericksen, told his colleagues that business owners are helpless under the existing law to protect women from assailants. “Under this rule, practically, what can he do to be able to protect his members that are uncomfortable?” he asked, according to The Associated Press.

Sen. Cyrus Habib argued that the transgender law protects “a civil right to be included,” and Sen. Pramila Jayapal said, “There have been no sex offenders that have been posing as transgender people to get into bathrooms.”

Some Republicans took issue with how the law was implemented – not via the legislature or a ballot referendum, but through the state’s Human Rights Commission. Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Chairman Michael Baumgartner, who held hearings on Ericksen’s bill, said he “certainly was disappointed in the rule because it definitely put people at risk” and criticized the commission for involving itself. (Read more from “Washington State Republicans Join Democrats to Uphold Transgender Bathroom Bill” HERE)

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