Who can explain what the deal in NC is and why everyone is pulling their events out of there? I haven't followed it at all and a dumbed down version is preferred.
Short version:
1. The city of Charlotte passed an ordinance allowing transgender people to use the restroom of their choice. There was legal precedence for this, since 12 states and 200 cities across the US have similar ordinances.
2. The Republican legislature of NC called an emergency session on the day this happened (they were out of session at the time), and hastily drafted a bill to counter the Charlotte ordinance. Within 24 hours, the governor passed a bill that did the following things:
---Took away the rights of cities in NC to pass ordinances about this subject
---Took away the rights of cities in NC to pass ordinances related to minimum wage (some cities have higher min wages than others)
---Stated that all people must use the restroom corresponding to the gender on their birth certificate
---Disallowed trans, ***, or ******* folks from being included in state non-discrimination policies
---Disallowed cities from making their own non-discrim policies that would include trans/***/******* folks
---Disallowed anyone from bringing a discrimination lawsuit in state court--discrim suits would need to go to the federal courts.
3. Businesses began to boycott because they consider the legislation to be based in bigotry.
4. Repub legislature and governor try to pass off the bill as a "safety measure" that will protect women and children from being molested by straight men posing as trannies to get access to women's restrooms.
5. The Dept of Justice basically condemns the bill and commands the governor/legislature to nullify it.
6. Legislature/governor digs in their heels and refuses to budge.
Pretty much where we are now. I think the legislation is under review at the federal level now.
