In a special session on Wednesday, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed the controversial "Bathroom Bill," a sweeping law that eliminates anti-discrimination protection for all gays, lesbians, transgender and bisexuals in the state. The law also prevents transgender individuals from using bathrooms that correspond to the gender they identify with.
Within 12 hours, North Carolina became the focal point of the ongoing national struggle to grant equal and fair rights for LGBT individuals. With the state becoming ground zero in the LGBT debate, the lines were drawn very clearly in North Carolina's government.
Due to the volatile nature of the law, Democrats, who make up the minority of the General Assembly, promptly walked out. Ultimately, the lawmakers in the House voted 83-25 to pass the bill and the Senate reached a clean 32-0 vote.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory took to Twitter to announce the signing of the bill, echoing the sentiments of the bill's proponents.
I signed bipartisan legislation to stop the breach of basic privacy and etiquette, ensure privacy in bathrooms and locker rooms.
— Pat McCrory (@PatMcCroryNC) Marso 24, 2016
Of course, such as bill was promptly condemned by many, with opponents of the legislature turning to social media to express their sentiments. Prominent business owners in the state, some of whom happen to be gay, have also strongly condemned the bill.
Mitchell Gold, who is gay and is the chairman of Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams Home Furnishings, has expressed his disappointment at the passing of the law. Gold's firm is one of the last furniture companies that are still manufacturing their products in the state.
"It's so un-American, and it's so shortsighted. The folks that want this passed, when you look at who are these people, they are the people who are using their outdated, misguided ill-informed religious teachings to discriminate," he said.
Nevertheless, McCrory has announced that the passing of the law was all but common sense. Such words, of course, only served to fuel the sentiments of the bill's critics.
Ordinance defied common sense, allowing men to use women’s bathroom/locker room for instance. That’s why I signed bipartisan bill to stop it — Pat McCrory (@PatMcCroryNC) Marso 24, 2016
Other prominent firms, such as Apple, Dow Chemical, PayPal, Red Hat and Biogen, have also announced their disappointment at the bill.
"Our future as Americans should be focused on inclusion and prosperity, and not discrimination and division. We were disappointed to see Governor McCrory sign this legislation," Apple said.
Chris Brook, legal director of ACLU of North Carolina, also expressed his disappointment at the passing of the bill. Brook further stated that the ACLU's N.C. Chapter, Lambda Legal and Equality North Carolina, is in the process of reviewing possible legal actions to repeal the controversial law.
"Today was a devastating day for LGBT North Carolinians and particularly our transgender community members who have been subjected to months of distorted rhetoric culminating in today's display of bias and ignorance by North Carolina lawmakers. We are disappointed that Governor McCrory did not do right by North Carolina's families, communities, and businesses by vetoing this horribly discriminatory bill, but this will not be the last word," Brook said.
With the bill fully passed and now enacted into law, the state is at risk of losing as much as $4.5 billion in federal funding. The risk of investors that support the LGBT cause pulling out of the state has become very real as well.
The law is set to go into full effect by April 1.
