On April
12, 2016, North Carolina's LGBT community had taken to the streets after North
Carolina Governor Pat McCrory (R) announced Executive Order 93.
The state
passed an anti-discriminatory law that excluded protections for discrimination
based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Now, this
had left LGBTs the inability to use public restrooms that match the gender on
their birth certificate.
Even with
the executive order, which was meant to explain the situation, everyone was
still left confused.
This was
what the original House Bill 2 would implement
- Created a mandatory statewide anti-discrimination policy with protections based on “race, religion, color, national origin, age, biological sex or handicap.” Biological sex is defined as “the physical condition of being male or female, which is stated on a person’s birth certificate.” It excluded protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Required people to use bathrooms and changing facilities in government buildings and public schools that correspond with their biological sex. Agencies could provide other accommodations, such as single-occupancy bathrooms. This did not affect private businesses, companies or universities.
- Banned local governments from requiring private contractors to have anti-discrimination employment policies that include sexual orientation or gender identity, or to impose restrictions such as minimum wage or paid sick leave.
- Prohibited private individuals from suing the state over discriminatory firing, according to employment attorneys in the state. Residents can still file federal discrimination lawsuits.
The
provisions had arcane definitions that rooted from discrimination.
McCrory
received an open letter from 80 corporation CEOs who said:
“We are
disappointed in your decision to sign this discriminatory legislation into law.
The business community, by and large, has consistently communicated to
lawmakers at every level that such laws are bad for our employees and bad for
business.
This is not a direction in which states move
when they are seeking to provide successful, thriving hubs for business and
economic development. We believe that HB 2 will make it far more challenging
for businesses across the state to recruit and retain the nation’s best and
brightest workers and attract the most talented students from across the
country.”
