US Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s powerful speech on transgender rights
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch has stated that North Carolina has created “state-sponsored discrimination against transgender individuals” as the US Department of Justice announces the start of a federal lawsuit against the state.
The move comes after North Carolina passed the controversial House Bill 2, which requires people in schools and government buildings use the bathroom that corresponds to their sex on their birth certificate, not their gender identity.
It also block any other local ordinances protecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The Department of Justice originally notified North Carolina that House Bill 2 “violates federal Civil Rights laws”, giving them until the end of last week to strike down the bill. Instead of striking it down. However, yesterday the state’s governor responded by attempting to sue the federal government instead.
Responding to the news, Lynch stood in front of the press yesterday to speak out about what the government would do next, and delivered a rousing defence of transgender and civil rights.
Announcing a “federal Civil Rights law suit against the state of North Carolina, Governor Pat McCrory, the North Carolina Department of public safety and the University of North Carolina,” Attorney General Lynch went on to compare North Carolina’s bill to the Jim Crow Laws, which followed the freeing of slaves in 1863.
“This is not the first time that we have seen discriminatory responses to historic moments of progress for our nation,” she said.
“We have seen bill after bill in state after state taking aim at the LGBT community. Some of these responses reflect a recognisably human fear of the unknown, and a discomfort with the uncertainty of change. But this is not a time to act out of fear.”
She concluded with a direct and powerful message to transgender people from the US government.
“No matter how isolated, no matter how afraid and no matter how alone you may feel today, know this: that the Department of Justice and the entire Obama administration want you to know, that we see you, we stand with you, and we will do everything we can to protect you going forward. And please know, that history is on your side.”
More stories:
Nick Jonas explains why he decided to cancel his North Carolina shows.
Gay cyclist passes a homophobic street preacher – what he did next left the crowd cheering