We're shaking our head so much it might just fall off.

North Carolina Says It Will Repeal HB2—But Only If Charlotte Stops Protecting Gay People

North Carolina governor Pat McCrory says state legislators would call for a special session to consider repealing HB2, but only if the city of Charlotte repeals its LGBT-rights ordinance first.

HB2, which bans trans people from using facilities that match their gender identity, also prohibits local municipalities from enacting anti-discrimination laws protecting groups not already covered by state law.

Al Drago/CQ Roll Call

It was created to invalidate an LGBT-inclusive ordinance passed in Charlotte in February, but its broad strokes also protects discrimination against veterans and other unprotected classes.

“If the Charlotte City Council totally repeals the ordinance and then we can confirm there is support to repeal among the majority of state lawmakers in the House and Senate, the governor will call a special session,” said a McCrory spokesman.

We can’t help but feel like this is a grownup version of “Stop hitting yourself.”

“This is the same cheap trick the North Carolina General Assembly has attempted all along, asking Charlotte to repeal crucial protections for the LGBTQ community and trust they will hold up their end of the bargain on a full repeal of HB2,” said HRC’s JoDee Winterhof. “This arrangement would create problems, not solve them.”

The General Assembly isn’t set to reconvene until January. A special session was called earlier this year to rush HB2 into law.

Al Drago/CQ Roll Call

Since its passage, the NBA and NCAA have moved major tournaments out of the state, musical acts have canceled tour dates there and even Republican legislators who voted for it have made an about-face.

McCrory is currently down in the polls in his re-election bid against Democratic challenger Roy Cooper, the North Carolina Attorney General who has gone on the record saying he won’t defend HB2 in court.