Statement
MomsRising Condemns North Carolina Legislature, Governor for Passing and Enacting “Nondiscrimination Ordinance” in Emergency Session
March 25, 2016
Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996
STATEMENT OF Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner,Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising, on North Carolina’s Law Prohibiting Cities from Passing Anti-Discrimination Laws Protecting Gay and Transgender People
“The speed with which the North Carolina legislature and Governor McCrory passed and enacted the state’s new so-called “nondiscrimination ordinance” is a sign they knew what they were doing was wrong. This stealth legislation is clearly discriminatory and intended to marginalize the LGBTQ parents, families, and community across the state.
“Today, MomsRising stands with the LGBTQ community in North Carolina and nationwide in condemning the cowardly and homophobic actions of the legislature and Governor McCrory.
“It is clear that this law was written and enacted in response to the measure passed in the city of Charlotte intended to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination. Not only does this backwards ordinance strip away local jurisdictions’ ability protect to LGBTQ people from discrimination, it also exposes transgender students to government-condoned harassment and exclusion, denying them the equal treatment they have a right to.
“The new ordinance does more than reverse the advances we have made in fighting discrimination, though, it also restricts the ability of local governments to raise wages and ensure basic job standards in public contracts. And it will prevent North Carolina citizens who are the victims of any type of discrimination—race, religion, sex, national origin—from going to state court to fight that discrimination.
“This ill-conceived and poorly vetted ordinance undermines local governments’ authority and the rights of the people to be free of discrimination. It’s a sad day for North Carolina, LGBTQ rights and all North Carolinians when the backwards and prejudiced views of a few are allowed to overrule the most basic civil rights and basic humanity.”