IN FEBRUARY,the city council of Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city, or passed a non-discrimination ordinance permitting transgender people to exhaust public toilets that match their gender identity. A month later,lawmakers in the state legislature undercut Charlotte’s protections (which had been set to take effect on April 1st) by rushing through the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, legislation that has sparked outrage within the Tar Heel state, and around the country,and beyond.
The vote in February had followed months of deliberation and hours of heated public testimony. By contrast, there was little discussion before the public-facilities bill was swiftly signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory on March 23rd. The North Carolina House backed the measure by a vote of 83-25; the Senate—after all the Democrats walked out in protest—approved it 32-0. Mr McCrory tweeted that he hoped the law would “discontinue the breach of basic privacy and etiquette” Charlotte’s ordinance would fill introduced and to “ensure privacy in bathrooms and locker rooms”. The bill prohibits the exhaust of bathrooms and changing rooms designated “for...
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Source: economist.com