North Carolina’s HB2 Is Not Just a ‘Bathroom Bill’

North Carolina has a new state law protectin’ the buddin’ flowah of Southron Womanhood from having to share public restrooms with transgender women. But the school bathroom hysteria disguises other aspects of the law, which is really a catchall of conservative peeves.

HB2 doesn’t just forbid the Tarheel State’s cities and counties from protecting LGBT rights, it also bars them from adopting minimum wages above the $7.25 level, except for government employees. Must be a lot of cousins on those county payrolls.

The law also limits how people pursue claims of discrimination in state courts, forcing these into the federal court system. Previously, employees wrongfully terminated due to  race, sex, national origin, religion, age, or disability could file tort claims in state court. Now, if your boss fires you just because of your age — too bad.

The anti-LGBT stalking horse is being used by NC business interests to clamp down on employees, by rural politicians to spite their state’s cities, and by Republican candidates as a political wedge issue. North Carolina’s underpaid workers should think about that when they get their next skimpy paychecks, or when they’re wrongfully terminated.

More:

“Why North Carolina’s New Anti-LGBT Law is a Trojan Horse,” Nina Martin, ProPublica

“North Carolina’s ‘bathroom’ law is about more than who’s in the next stall,” Paul Woolverton, Fayetteville Observer

“Roundup of HB2 fact checks: North Carolina’s controversial new LGBT law,” Will Doran, Politifact

“The big political battle over transgender people in bathrooms, explained,” German Lopez, Vox

_____________

Short link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-nQH

Top image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine

Tags: Bathroom Bill, GOP, HB2, LGBT, North Carolina, politics, Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, Republicans, restrooms, wedge issues