North Carolina’s new HB2 law has recently been a big topic on the news and various social media websites. The law, signed by Gov. Pat McCrory, has been praised by some, but dragged under the mud by many others. The HB2 law makes it illegal for cities in North Carolina to expand any laws regulating workplace discrimination, use of public accommodations, minimum wage standards and other business issues. The main issue that has been the center of attention in many arguments and debates is the discrimination against the transgender population. Transgender people who have not gone under any surgical procedures and legal processes to change their gender cannot use the bathroom of the gender they identify with.
I first heard about HB2 through Facebook. Many people began to post about it along with their critical commentary expressing their hatred of the law. I was shocked to have learned about it myself, especially since I will be moving to Greensboro very soon. Discrimination against transgender people, or anyone according to their race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, or sexual orientation, is not logically nor morally right. However, I still made an effort to understand, so I asked one very important question: Why?
The biggest response that was received deals with parents, businesses, and others across North Carolina having privacy concerns as well as safety concerns that the Charlotte ordinance, which had extended some rights to people who are gay or transgender, could be used by people who would take advantage of children and women in public restrooms (let’s not forget that males experience sexual assaults as well). That answer seems to make sense, right? However, all of the excuses are based on stretched hypothetical scenarios and “What if” themes. “What if a man comes into the female restroom disguised as transgender female?" This law was built on a foundation of irrational fear. It will not prevent another child from getting harmed by a pedophile and it will not prevent another man/woman from getting sexually assaulted. The kinds of people who do this kind of harm are called criminals. They break the law, therefore, this new law will not prevent them from doing what they please. A man could still enter a public restroom claiming to be a transgender female with the HB2 law still in place.
People who are transgender are greatly effected in a negative way by the HB2 law. It should not be acceptable to allow this kind of treatment on innocent people. Men, women, and children do get sexually assaulted very often and it is a huge problem, but how often does it happen where the predator disguises himself or herself as transgender to do this crime?
It is unclear whether HB2 will be repealed or not. The debates still continue as many people work hard to protest against the law while others use their strong support for the law to stand their ground. Unfortunately, for the United States, the conflict continues to divide its people.
