By Bronte Price, PoliticKING
More than 80 CEOs, including those of Facebook, Apple, Lyft, Google, Dropbox, and Tumblr, have joined forces urging the governor of North Carolina, Pat McCrory, to repeal a law that allows for the discrimination of LGBT people, most notably transgender people.
The CEOs sent a letter earlier today expressing their "disappointment" in the state’s decision to enact the law. They believe that it will cause North Carolina to face a “brain drain,” as it might cause some of its best professional talent to move elsewhere in light of the legislation. "Discrimination is wrong, and we believe it has no place in North Carolina or anywhere in our country," the letter says.
JUST IN: CEO's of IBM, Apple, Facebook and others asking NC to repeal #HB2 - @WFMYpic.twitter.com/Jx3Rs7FytS
— Chad Silber (@ChadSilber) March 29, 2016
The law, known as HB 2, which was passed last week, bars transgender people from using bathrooms and locker rooms that don’t match their birth sex. According to the New York Times, the law also supersedes ordinances protecting LGBT people from discrimination. Gay rights advocates in North Carolina challenged the legality of the law, filing a federal lawsuit on Monday.
Chris Brook, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina said on Monday, “Let’s be clear: The legislature and Governor McCrory have done nothing less than encourage discrimination.”
Proponents of the law argued that allowing transgender people to use bathrooms according to the gender they identify with would would endanger women and girls, as it would create easier access for predators. However, there has been no evidence that that is true.
@PatMcCroryNC It's now the law for me to share a restroom with your wife. #HB2#trans#NorthCarolina#shameonNCpic.twitter.com/4b4OdmfmeN
— James P Sheffield (@JayShef) March 24, 2016
Media Matters reported that experts from 12 different states who protect trans rights have found that there's not a single reported instance of this kind abuse occurring in states with legal protections for trans people.
In another investigation, Media Matters also found that 17 school districts around the country with protections for trans people, which altogether cover more than 600,000 students, had no problems with harassment after implementing their policies.
The Advocate reported the same findings following similar legislation in Texas last month. "There has never been a verifiable reported instance of a trans person harassing a cisgender person, nor have there been any confirmed reports of male predators 'pretending' to be transgender to gain access to women's spaces and commit crimes against them," it said.
"I am a North Carolina woman. #HB2 is not protecting me." https://t.co/IoRnlJv6po#WeAreNotThis
— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) March 29, 2016
Although advocates of the law cite the protection of women as their motive, this law ultimately means that trans women now legally have to use the men’s bathroom, which can be a dangerous place for women. Additionally, trans men will have to use the women’s bathroom.
According to the most recent National Transgender Discrimination Survey report, 63% of respondents "had experienced a serious act of discrimination" in their lifetime. According to Derrick Clifton of Mic, and the Williams Institute at UCLA, "roughly 70% of trans people have reported being denied entrance, assaulted or harassed while trying to use a restroom."
Here’s what Jesse Ventura has to say about the discrimination of the LGBT community:
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC, its affiliates, or its employees.
