North Carolina’s anti-LGBT bill has cost the state $560m
North Carolina’s new governor Roy Cooper wants discriminatory bill repealed
Research by economists in North Carolina has shown that its anti-LGBT legislation has the state $560m (£461m).
HB2 means that LGBT+ people are not protected by anti-discrimination laws, and prevents trans people from using bathrooms which match their gender identity. In addition, councils are prohibited from enacting local anti-discrimination laws.
But now, North Carolina’s new Democrat governor, Roy Cooper, has called for businesses in the state to help to repeal what has become known as the Bathroom Bill, after a previous attempt failed.
The bill, which was passed in March 2016 and signed into law by the-then governor, Republican Pat McCrory, still stands, but people are putting their money where their mouths are. In a show of solidarity, organisations such as PayPal, Deutsche Bank and Google scrapped plans to expand their businesses in the state, costing North Carolina approximately $300m (£247m).
.The sporting world added its voice of disapproval and a further $250m (£206m) in revenue was lost when the likes of the NBA chose to host basketball games elsewhere.
The entertainment world has historically been sympathetic to LGBT+ rights, and Maroon 5, Bruce Springsteen, Cirque de Soleil and Nick Jonas have all cancelled shows in Charlotte, the state’s capital.
The US Department of Justice has warned the bill violates federal law, including Civil Rights legistlation and the Violence Against Women Act. Ignoring this advice could see North Carolina fined $4.6bn.
McCrory lost his bid for re-election in November but attempted to hold on to power, alleging voting fraud. He finally conceded defeat the following month.
Watch Roy Cooper debate HB2 here:
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