There has been many a day when I have been scrolling through my news feed and happened upon an article or listicle that proclaims the awesomeness of my home state (generally these are titles 15 ways you knew you grew up *insert area here*). Nearly every time I have agreed with these articles and been proud to claim my home state of North Carolina. We have gorgeous views! I mean what could be better than being able to drive an hour and climb a mountain or go two hours the other way and be able to hang out at a gorgeous beach? We also have some rockin' BBQ! Well, just food in general! Don't get me started on our sweets...we are the home of Krispy Kreme and have some awesome homemade Moravian cookies in Old Salem!

Yet this feeling of pride quickly vanished for me earlier this week. If you haven't heard yet, our Governor, Pat McCrory signed a bill into legislation this week essentially saying that it is OK to discriminate against any member of the LGBTQ+ community. This prevents any new laws from protecting their rights as well as allowing jobs and certain services to be withheld. If this doesn't remind you of when there was racial segregation yet then listen to this: everyone has to go to the bathroom designated by their biological sex. Remember segregation? Can we say history is repeating itself?

First off, I have issues with this law for many personal reasons. But putting those aside (cause trust me I could rant your ear off about this) this law is scientifically silly as well. Imagine someone believing that they are a female, they look like a girl, they dress like a girl, they sound like a girl, overall they seem like a girl. Yet they are biologically a male. The catch? They have never known. What do you do with that? They are biologically a male yet they not only believe that they are female, but they look female! Which bathroom would you have them use McCrory? According to this new law it seems that they would have to use the men's restroom despite the fact that they are female.

If this senario seems unlikely let me give you a little bit of incredible science news: it's actually not that strange. This happens naturally when certain genes either get activated or do not activate normally in human development. During gender development specific hormones are released triggering either development of certain parts or degradation of certain parts (depending on if it will be a boy or a girl). If for some reason a hormone is activated and the complete sequence is not completed you could have a genetically male person that is female, or vice versa.

If you still don't believe that this happens then check out some research on the Olympics because this has been an issue they are trying to resolve for determining if it is OK for certain people to compete (generally women that have stereotypically male-like strength or qualities).

So I now ask you, does it really make sense to discriminate based on biological sex? What if you don't know what you actually are? If we really want to get philosophical I could ask if it is just a perception of our imagination or just a construct of what is socially acceptable but I bend your mind anymore. If you answered no, then why do we feel the need to have this law? McCrory makes the argument that he is just trying to protect us and all that but is he really? To me this sounds more like a hate law that is singling out a group of people based on a social construct.

If someone needs to go to the bathroom, does it really matter which one they use? Are we that particular about it? Sure, guys tend to be a little more messy but if the bathroom gets cleaned (as it should because those are some nasty little places) then it should all be water under the bridge. Yet it seems there might be something else at play. Fear. Why should we be afraid of giving everyone some basic rights, such as the right to use the bathroom that they think they match with, or health care, or job security, or any of the other things that are now up for debate? It is even so bad that several billion dollars are at stake for the state from Title IX because this law goes against so many of its rules.

Another issue I have with this logic is that it seems to suggest that if a girl identifies as being male and wants to use the male restroom it seems to say that the men would be distracted... I think we have all heard this argument before with the dress codes in school, but have we ever really stopped to think that if men can get distracted by a shoulder strap or short shorts, or even going so far back as ankles (that's why there are those stairs that split and meet back up), why do we let them drive when there are billboards with women on them? Sometimes with very tight or revealing clothing on? If they cannot control themselves in a classroom or in a board room why should we trust them on the highway going 80 mph? Not only does this not make any sense but it speaks poorly of society's perception of men and boys.

So before you accept this law please ask yourself this, if you found out you were biologically the other gender and found out that you had to now use that bathroom would you feel comfortable with that?

This law is now why I am ashamed to say I am from North Carolina, because my gorgeous home state, with the wonderful food and sweet people is not this. We are not hateful, or discriminate. We are loving. #Wearenotthis