North Carolina Governor Does Damage Control After Criticism Of Anti-LGBT Law

[herding cats]

In a press release Tuesday, McCrory announced he’d signed an executive order clarifying the language of HB2, a bill he signed in March that blocked cities and counties from passing anti-discrimination policies.

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The only real change is the expansion of the state employment policies. Beyond that, McCrory simply reaffirms the provisions in the new law.

According to the release, the executive order “maintains common sense gender-specific restroom and locker room facilities in government buildings and schools,” forcing trans individuals to use the restroom of the gender on their birth certificate, rather than the gender they identify with. (The president of the University of North Carolina suggested in an April 5 memo that the university system has no idea how to enforce that rule.)

The release also says the private sector can establish its own locker room policies and “establish non-discrimination employment policies for its own employees” — something they could have done anyway under the new law. His executive order still bars cities from enacting their own LGBT-friendly nondiscrimination policies.

Sarah Preston, the acting executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina, said in a statement McCrory’s executive order is not enough:

Gov. McCrory’s actions today are a poor effort to save face after his sweeping attacks on the LGBT community, and they fall far short of correcting the damage done when he signed the harmful House Bill 2 into law which stigmatizes and mandates discrimination against gay and transgender people. With this executive order, LGBT individuals still lack legal protections from discrimination, and transgender people are still explicitly targeted by being forced to use the wrong restroom.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pat-mccrory-anti-lgbt-law_us_570d3f18e4b0885fb50e6dff?ir=Queer+Voices§ion=us_queer-voices&utm_hp_ref=queer-voices

A pathetic attempt to assuage the outrage and economic blowback raining down on NC over HB2. Not enough, Governor, not even close!

[Jester Messiah]

1. This is the beginning of the collapse.

It's not nearly enough, but it's the break in the dam. I expect a mostly complete capitulation within a week.

[herding cats]

2. I want to believe you're right.

I've learned to not underestimate the raw hate these bigots can harbor, though.