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LEXIE CANNES STATE OF TRANS — Update-5 April, 20, 2016. McCrory responds to Fourth Court of Appeal decision. From WBTV-TV:

“North Carolina’s governor Pat McCrory says a federal appeals court ruling overturning a Virginia school district policy on restroom use by a transgender student “puts a whole new dynamic” on a state law he signed addressing bathroom use and limiting LGBT discrimination protections. . . .

McCrory anticipates the Virginia case will be further appealed, but says he’ll implement whatever the outcome is from the court rulings. He says the question will be whether North Carolina will have to comply with the policy during the appeal.

“My first reaction is that I very strongly disagree with both President Obama and, frankly, Attorney General Roy Cooper’s objection to force our high schools to allow a boy into a woman, or girl’s, locker room facility. I think that’s bad precedent and I don’t think it’s the traditional way we do things,” McCrory said to a group of reporters Tuesday. “The way I think we should have done them is to allow the high schools to make the appropriate arrangements for those students who have unique circumstances. But this is the federal government, very similar to the Charlotte government, forcing something – brand new standards that we’ve never seen before.”

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Update-4 April 20, 2016. A new Fourth Court of Appeals decision throws a wrench in McCrory’s plans. From Towleroad:

“The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals just ruled 2-1 in favor of Gavin Grimm, who sued the Gloucester County School Board, arguing that its policy requiring students to use facilities that correspond with their “biological gender” or gender-neutral single-person restrooms is a violation of Title IX of the Education Act of 1972, which bans discrimination based on sex. Since, North Carolina is part of the 4th Circuit, the ruling could have major implications in the battle against HB2 – including the threat of losing millions in federal funding if the law isn’t repealed.” ————-

Update-3 April 20, 2016. The United States Commission on Civil Rights Monday condemned the NC anti-trans law. From the New Civil Rights Movement:

“The hits on Gov. Pat McCrory’s anti-LGBT bill HB-2 just keep coming.

The United States Commission on Civil Rights Monday condemned the NC anti-LGBT law, along with Mississippi’s “religious freedom” law HB1523 and other, similar legislation, warning of “a larger, alarming trend to limit the civil rights of a class of people using religious beliefs as the excuse.”

“Religious freedom is an important foundation of our nation,” Commission Chairman Martin R. Castro wrote in a statement. “However, in the past, ‘religious liberty’ has been used to block racial integration and anti-discrimination laws. Those past efforts failed and this new attempt to revive an old evasive tactic should be rejected as well.”

“The North Carolina and Mississippi laws, and similar legislation proposed in other states, perverts the meaning of religious liberty and perpetuates homophobia, transphobia, marginalizes the transgender and gay community and has no place in our society.”

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Update-2 April 18, 2016. Pearl Jam pulls plug on North Carolina concert! From The New Civil Rights Movement:

“It is with deep consideration and much regret that we must cancel the Raleigh show in North Carolina on April 20th,” the group announced on Facebook minutes ago. “This will be upsetting to those who have tickets and you can be assured that we are equally frustrated by the situation.”

“The HB2 law that was recently passed is a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens. The practical implications are expansive and its negative impact upon basic human rights is profound. We want America to be a place where no one can be turned away from a business because of who they love or fired from their job for who they are,” they said in their statement . . .

“It is for this reason that we must take a stand against prejudice, along with other artists and businesses, and join those in North Carolina who are working to oppose HB2 and repair what is currently unacceptable.”

The band says they “have communicated with local groups and will be providing them with funds to help facilitate progress on this issue,” and “will be watching with hope and waiting in line for a time when we can return. Perhaps even celebrate. . . .”

Pearl Jam joins the group Boston, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Cirque du Soleil and Ani DiFranco in the boycott.

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Update-1 April 16, 2016 — Gov. McCrory remains defiant. Here’s the entire text of his letter to the Washington Post:

“Let me set the record straight: North Carolina proudly welcomes all people to live, work and visit our great state. We have long-held traditions of ensuring equality for all of our citizens and our visitors while respecting the privacy of everyone. We are also a state that strives to allow our people and businesses to be as independent as possible without overreaching government regulations.

These North Carolina values of privacy and equality came into conflict when the Charlotte City Council mandated that all local businesses and organizations allow men to use a woman’s restroom, locker room or shower facility.

Now the politically correct elite, such as Ms. Parker, may like this kind of policy. But as governor, I agree with the vast majority of people in North Carolina, the ninth-most-populous state, who don’t want this type of government overreach – especially in a place where most men, women and children have an expectation of privacy and safety. It is not the government’s job to mandate bathroom policies for private-sector businesses, and the government should not be in the business of forcing people to share the restroom with people of the opposite sex under the threat of potential fines – which is exactly what Charlotte’s ridiculous ordinance would have permitted.

Just five months prior to Charlotte imposing this overreaching law, voters in Houston overwhelmingly rejected a nearly identical regulation through a public referendum. Yet the men’s NCAA Final Four basketball games were played there under no threats of boycott, retaliation or demagoguery from the media, entertainment, business elite or special-interest groups.

Since the North Carolina legislature overturned this far-reaching Charlotte mandate, the Human Rights Campaign has led a coordinated assault and smear campaign. This national special-interest group, which is funded by anonymous donors, is attempting to bully companies, entertainers and anyone else who disagrees with its agenda. Our state is unfairly being used as its political pawn. Simply put, it is seeking to take jobs from hard-working men and women in the interest of self-serving, political theater and selective outrage.

However, the HRC remains silent while the same individuals and organizations sell their products, make their products or take entertainment dollars from countries like China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore – countries with deplorable human rights records, especially toward the gay and lesbian community. Earlier this week, this group’s hypocrisy reached new levels when it praised the Democratic governor of Louisiana for signing a “historic” executive order after criticizing my nearly identical executive order that expanded protections for state employees.

The facts are clear. North Carolina is now one of 25 states in the country to officially bar discrimination for state employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. We also allow private organizations to set their own restroom policies while maintaining common-sense, gender-specific restrooms, locker rooms and showers in our public schools, government buildings and highway rest stops.

These complex issues deserve real dialogue about common-sense solutions instead of threats and selective outrage from special interests, business elite as well as the media. In the meantime, I will continue to defend North Carolina from those who falsely malign our great state.”

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE: North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory suffered second major blow when rock artist Bruce Springsteen gave him and state legislators a lecture on prejudice and bigotry and cancels a NC concert scheduled just 2 days away. Springsteen is an icon with universal appeal and is deeply rooted in American culture as much as apple pie and baseball.

When McCrory bragged last week that no company, organization or person would follow-up with their threats to leave the state over the anti-trans bill, probably the last thing he expected was a scolding by an icon willing to throw away millions to make a point about, gasp, trans people! This is an even bigger black eye than the PayPal pullout.

Springsteen put his money where his mouth is and for that, we are extremely grateful. This very public action by Springsteen will reverberate elsewhere. Not too many legislators will want to face the wrath of angry Springsteen fans — many of them Republicans. Thank you Mr. Springsteen!

From Bruce Springsteen’s website:

As you, my fans, know I’m scheduled to play in Greensboro, North Carolina this Sunday. As we also know, North Carolina has just passed HB2, which the media are referring to as the “bathroom” law. HB2 — known officially as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act — dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use. Just as important, the law also attacks the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace. No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden. To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress. Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.”

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E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt also commented on the decision. From the Associated Press:

“. . . Bruce Springsteen and the band canceled their North Carolina concert because of the state’s new law blocking anti-discrimination rules for the LGBT community, the kind of legislation that’s like an “evil virus” spreading around the U.S. . . .



Springsteen and the band considered, but ultimately rejected, other options, said Van Zandt, . . . We always try to find middle ground, and we considered it,” he said. “Should we go there and make a statement from the stage? You consider those things, and then you realize that’s just playing into their hands. That’s not going to hurt enough — you need to hurt them economically.”

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Fallout from North Carolina’s trans-hate law: https://lexiecannes.com/2016/04/04/nc-gov-pat-blindside-mccrory-buried-under-political-sht-storm-for-anti-trans-law/

Bruce Springsteen on North Carolina: http://m.brucespringsteen.net/news/2016/a-statement-from-bruce-springsteen-on-north-carolina

Steven Van Zandt: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/cc5a604709ba4f34b3659b440d1f4344/springsteen-cancels-show-because-north-carolina-law

Update-1 Gov. Pat McCrory defiant: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/north-carolina-is-very-interested-in-protecting-rights/2016/04/15/ab7e1840-033d-11e6-8bb1-f124a43f84dc_story.html

Update-4 Fourth Appeals Court ruling: http://www.towleroad.com/2016/04/gavin-grimm/

Update-5 McCrory responds to Fourth Court ruling: http://www.wbtv.com/story/31765847/mccrory-appeals-court-ruling-brings-new-dynamic-to-hb2-law

Update-3 United States Commission on Civil Rights: http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/federal_civil_rights_commission_condemns_north_carolina_anti_lgbt_law_hb2

Pearl Jam cancels concert: http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/_breaking_pearl_jam_cancels_north_carolina_concert_over_despicable_anti_lgbt_law_hb2

Read Lexie Cannes in The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/courtney-odonnell/

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Categories: Discrimination, Equality, Civil Rights, Legislative, Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, Transphobia, exploitation, dehumanizing, violence, hate