Pro-LGBT groups on Monday petitioned a federal court to immediately halt the enforcement of North Carolina’s HB2 bathroom provision while the law is under review. From a joint release by Lambda Legal and the ACLU:

"HB 2 is causing ongoing and serious harm to transgender people in North Carolina and must be put on hold while it is reviewed by the court," said Chris Brook, ACLU of North Carolina legal director. "The Justice Department has made it clear that HB 2 violates federal law. Gov. McCrory and the North Carolina Legislature wrote into state law discrimination against transgender people who just want to be able to use public facilities safely and securely."

The groups originally filed a lawsuit two months ago challenging the anti-transgender bathroom provision. The Justice Department also sued North Carolina last week for refusing to comply with federal guidelines on the matter after Gov. Pat McCrory first sued the agency.

By week’s end, the Departments of Education and Justice had issued guidance nationwide telling public schools that they should allow transgender students to use the bathroom facility that aligns with their gender identity. That move has produced a predictable round of hysteria from right wingers across the country, with Texas doing its level best to steal the bigotry spotlight away from North Carolina by adding two anti-transgender planks to the party platform, reports John Wright.