Toilets of Terror/NC
North Carolina's recent HB2[1] is perhaps the gold standard of awful legislation, regardless of topic. It not only ignores multiple facts and contradicts both itself and stated Republican positions, but it's also written so ambiguously that local governments have been left scratching their heads as to what their obligations under the law actually are now -- which, of course, is consistent with the general tendency of Republicans to destroy effective government wherever and however they can.
The vote for HB2 was unanimous in the NC Senate because all of the Democrats walked out in disgust – every single Republican supported it. It was signed by Governor Pat McCrory (R). State Representatives Paul Stam (R)[2] and Dan Bishop (R) (co-sponsor)[3] described the bill as "common sense".
These idiots not only don't understand what "sense" means, they apparently don't realize that they don't understand it -- and it doesn't matter, because people keep voting for them anyway.
NC Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest (R) called the Charlotte ordinance (overturned by HB2) "amazingly discriminatory"[4] -- an amazingly stupid thing to say, and definitely against "common sense". He finished the sentence by digging himself in even further, claiming that this supposed discrimination was victimizing "women and girls who no longer basically had the freedom to walk into a restroom and know that they were gonna be safe and secure in that restroom, without a man walking in or a pedophile or a predator walking into that bathroom." (Wait, I thought Republicans don't believe in victims...)
Apparently he wasn't aware of the fact that HB2, the law he supports, requires certain men to use the women's room -- a fact which has been widely pointed out[5], so his unawareness is either feigned or a sign of incompetence. Further, this is sheer hypocrisy coming from any Republican, as their party (and probably they as individuals) have actively supported many measures that harm women and girls (see The War on Women).
NC Representative John Blust (R-Greensboro), who voted for the law, spoke in its defense in Greensboro, repeating one of the more popular canards: "As a parent of a young daughter, I'm not willing to have her and her friends and her teammates have to undress in front of someone with male anatomy."
Looking primarily at the "bathroom safety" part of the bill, we see the following problems:
- Fact-blindness: Allowing people to use the bathroom of their identified gender, and defending their right to do so, does not in any way pose a public hazard. On the other hand, people not being allowed to do so does pose a public hazard. The lawmakers are well aware of this, from extensive testimony.
- Fact-blindness: They don't even make an exception for those who have had corrective surgery. While such a law would still be abusive, it would at least be a bit more consistent with the idea that physical differences need to be accommodated via separate bathrooms. As it is, the implication is: however you are identified at birth (correctly or otherwise) is what you will always be, with no room for error or change.
- Fact-blindness: Claiming that the protective law enacted by Charlotte "defies common sense and basic community norms by allowing, for example, a man to use a woman’s bathroom, shower or locker room." (This is absolutely factually untrue -- and the law he signed now requires transmen to use the women's room.)
- Hypocrisy: quashing local ordinances using the "big government" of state authority -- while claiming to oppose "big government" (a principle they also use to cut social safety programs).
- It should be noted that the "big government" aspects of HB2 go far beyond trans protections: "The law also prevents cities from regulating in areas like living wage laws, benefits and hour regulations for workers in the city, city contracting, and even child labor regulations."[6] This was basically a "big-government" power-grab by the GOP, propelled by the hatred and ignorance of their supporters.
- Hypocrisy: Citing "basic privacy and etiquette" while denying those things to a particular group that actually needs them, and not actually making any improvements on those things for anyone.
- Hypocrisy: Claiming that "The basic expectation of privacy in the most personal of settings [...] was violated by government overreach and intrusion by the mayor and city council of Charlotte" while promoting that exact same violation himself.
- Lack of compassion for the many trans people who will now be forced to use the wrong bathroom or else risk legal consequences. Laws like this also serve to reinforce the popular (but wrong) idea that trans people are somehow a threat, which leads to increased violence and discrimination against them.
- Terrible for business: Companies and organizations too numerous to count, large and small, have announced plans to scale down their North Carolina operations or withdraw their involvement with state initiatives.
- PayPal cancelled their plans to open a new center in Charlotte which would have employed over 400 people, after it had been announced as a done deal two weeks earlier.[7]
- In further blatant defiance of objective fact, House Speaker Tim Moore (R) and Senate Leader Phil Berger (R) blamed Charlotte for this, and described the Charlotte ordinance as "far-left Political Correctness". They also continued to describe HB2 as "common sense".[8]
- More than 80 large-business CEOs and other upper-level executives signed a letter to Pat McCrory urging the repeal of HB2.[9]
- Bruce Springsteen cancelled a performance scheduled for April 10 in Greensboro, in solidarity with those fighting HB2.[10]
- Google Ventures CEO Bill Maris has pledged not to make any new investments in NC until the law is repealed.[11]
- Mayors and governors of other states, including New York, Vermont and Washington, have banned most state-sponsored travel to NC.[11]
- The High Point Market Authority said that HB2 has already hurt business, and furniture industry boycotts over HB2 are leading to what could be hundreds or even thousands of customers not attending the semi-annual High Point Market, the largest furnishing industry trade show in the world and the largest economic event in the state each year.
- Deutsche Bank "said on [April 12] that it would freeze its plans to add jobs in North Carolina, a response to the passage last month of [HB2]"... "Deutsche Bank had planned to create 250 positions at its technology development center in Cary..."[12]
- Musical performers Ani DiFranco, Ringo Starr, Cirque du Soleil, and Boston have all cancelled performance dates in an expanding boycott of the state.[13]
- PayPal cancelled their plans to open a new center in Charlotte which would have employed over 400 people, after it had been announced as a done deal two weeks earlier.[7]
- North Carolinians don't support it:
- NC's FullSteam Brewery has completely withdrawn its involvement in state promotional efforts until HB2 is repealed.[14]
- Durham restaurant Watts Grocery posted a sign on their door opposing HB2.[15]
- Durham's Carolina Friends School, a PreK-12 private school, posted and emailed a statement opposing HB2.[16]
- It overrides the wishes of most Charlotte citizens.
- 2016-03-26 In a special session, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen approved a resolution vowing that Carrboro will partner with other local jurisdictions and advocacy groups to take legal action against HB2, calling it "discriminatory and arguably unconstitutional."[17][18]
- 2016-03-28 In another special session, the Chapel Hill Town Council unanimously passed a resolution affirming the dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and calling for the repeal of HB2, while also praising Charlotte for adopting the anti-discrimination ordinance overturned by HB2.[19]
- 2016-04-05 The Greensboro City Council passed a resolution against HB2, after more than an hour of heated discussion, with a final vote of 8-1.[20] (The lone opposing vote was Tony Wilkins, whose affiliation is not known but whose website[21] contains testimonials describing him in terms favored by dysconservatives, so he is almost certainly a Republican.)
- 2016-04-07 The Durham City Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the repeal of HB2.[22]
- Poorly written:
- There is significant ambiguity regarding who has to enforce the new law, what parts are mandatory and what parts optional, etc.
- Although this may not have been intentional, language in the new law prevents public school teachers from using the same bathrooms the students use -- even in schools where there are no staff-only bathrooms.
In the face of the intensive backlash against the law, McCrory issued an executive order reversing a small part of HB2.[23] His statement regarding the order once again denied the need for the Charlotte ordinance it overruled, implicitly emphasizing the idea that it's "common sense" to mistreat trans people.[24]
- ↑ Wikipedia: Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act
- ↑ 2016-03-24 Aol NC governor signs bill repealing Charlotte transgender bathroom law (warning: autoplay video) “"This is a common sense bill that protects the privacy expectations of our citizens while clarifying local authority," said Republican Representative Paul Stam.” -- this bill does the exact opposite of what "common sense" would suggest, and local authorities are now left with major ambiguities to deal with. In short, what Stam said is exactly wrong.
- ↑ 2016-03-27 Watch NC GOP Lawmaker Dan Bishop LIE Through His Teeth About the Anti-LGBT Law: "What we did was restore common sense, and we did it on a statewide basis."
- ↑ http://www.indyweek.com/news/archives/2016/04/04/dan-forest-the-charlotte-ordinance-was-amazingly-discriminatory
- ↑ 2016-03-24 U.S. Uncut Trans Man Destroys North Carolina's Anti-LGBT Law in One Brilliant Tweet (via)
- ↑ http://www.hrc.org/blog/five-things-to-know-about-north-carolinas-newest-radical-anti-lgbt-law
- ↑ https://www.paypal.com/stories/us/paypal-withdraws-plan-for-charlotte-expansion
- ↑ 2016-04-05 philberger.org MAYOR ROBERTS’ RADICAL BATHROOM SHARING ORDINANCE COSTS CHARLOTTE PAYPAL
- ↑ 2016-03-29 Human Rights Coalition BREAKING: More than 80 Major CEOs, Business Leaders Urge North Carolina Repeal Discriminatory Law
- ↑ 2016-04-08:
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 2016-04-06 Anti-Gay Laws Bring Backlash in Mississippi and North Carolina
- ↑ New York Times: Deutsche Bank Freezes North Carolina Expansion, in Protest of Bias Law
- ↑ 2016-04-18 Independent Weekly: Boston Cancels May Dates in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Greensboro Over HB 2 (via)
- ↑ http://www.indyweek.com/food/archives/2016/03/31/fullsteam-brewery-to-withdraw-from-state-promotional-programs-over-hb-2
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208359556327705&set=a.2038492923143.124509.1268872909&type=3&theater It seems worth noting that the owner of Watts is a woman with two daughters.
- ↑ http://www.cfsnc.org/page.cfm?p=1475
- ↑ 2016-03-27 The Independent Weekly Carrboro Passes 'Model Resolution' Against HB2, Condemns State Lawmakers
- ↑ 2016-03-27 The Herald-Sun Carrboro passes anti-HB2 resolution; Chapel Hill, Durham look to similar measures
- ↑ 2016-03-28 The News & Observer Chapel Hill Town Council urges repeal of House Bill 2
- ↑ 2016-04-05 Greensboro News & Record After long debate, Greensboro council passes resolution opposing HB2 (Update)
- ↑ http://tonywilkins.com/testimonials.html
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesAlliance/posts/1084593711582082
- ↑ 2016-04-12 UPDATING: North Carolina Governor Issues Executive Order in Response to Anti-LGBT Law Backlash
- ↑ 2016-04-12 HB2 faux "compromise"