Two weeks ago, PayPal announced plans to build a big global facility in North Carolina. PayPal has now withdrawn these plans after North Carolina enacted a ridiculous anti-LGBT law, HB2. They are the biggest company to boycott the state so far. The bill requires transgender people to use the bathroom that aligns with the gender on their birth certificate, not the gender that they identify as.
PayPal is not the only company boycotting the state. Braeburn Pharmaceuticals has also decided not to build their big research facility there. Lionsgate Films and the A&E television network will no longer film anything in the state either.
Trans people are fighting back though. There has been a lawsuit filed against this new bill. HB2 doesn’t just single out trans people in bathrooms, it also prevents cities from passing anti-discrimination ordinances or rules. They basically passed a law because THEY are uncomfortable with trans people.
They filed the lawsuit on the violations of LGBT people’s Equal Protection rights.
The governor of New York even banned all state-funded travel to North Carolina.
Charlotte was also supposed to be hosting the NBA All-Star Game in 2017, but Atlanta is trying to get it moved there. Hopefully, North Carolina will repeal the law before they lose the $100 million that the event was projected to earn the city.
There is another issue with this bill that isn’t getting as much attention. HB2 also contains provisions to prevent cities in North Carolina from setting a minimum wage any higher than the federal $7.25.
The Obama administration is looking into this bill. This discriminatory law could lose North Carolina BILLIONS of dollars of funding for roads and schools.
What does the Governor do? He blames the media for “smearing our state.” Seriously, dude! Is it really worth it to discriminate against the LGBT community this badly?! To quote a friend of mine: “These Republicans need to stop obsessing over our “bathing suit parts.” We do not need the government policing where we pee.
