North Carolina undertook a veto override session to pass a gender-affirming care ban, a don't say gay or trans bill, and a sports ban for trans youth all in a single day.
I literally just moved here (from an even worse state) three weeks ago. Love the area, figured it would be my forever home. Now, maybe I'll have to move along again.
I am thinking the courts will squash this. But considering how vicious these legislators are, they certainly could have plans to extend their wrath. Been eyeing Maryland myself. I do like soft shell crabs 🦀
I am an NC native and it's sad to see Republicans who have moved here over the course of my life chip away at my rights; it feels completely unfair and I already feel deeply uncomfortable going in public, so this is just another emotional blow.
I love North Carolina, but today I am ashamed of our government. Our governor tried his best, but couldn’t overcome the gerrymandered Congress. As you may know, a deceitful closet Republican somehow won a Democratic seat, and then changed parties. Neither political party is perfect, but only one party is trying to destroy democracy, eliminate whole blocks of voters in order to retain power. Only one party has tied themselves to a pathological liar and terminal grifter, who is so transparently malignant that only the most sadly ignorant or partisan could possibly support him. What really saddens me is that most of my extended family, who used to pay aggressive lipservice to tolerance and love, now are just full of hate and bigotry, all in the name of a religious belief that requires faith, that is, belief without or against all evidence. It is a sad reality that people believe the strongest the things they have the least evidence for. My generation has largely sold out, but I am counting on the youth of this country to come together to protect their own future.
Just keep jamming up the courts. But the L for them keep piling up too. They truly are approaching this as a “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks”.
We need cis people to step up harder. If the right can dent bud light, imagine what actual good people could do. Yes I know it takes coordination, but dammit we have to start taking stances against this clear abuse of power to affect a minority of a minority of people.
This. Uplifted a thousand times. As a cis white mother, I may actually puke on the next “friend” who tells me to “take a break,” “you can’t listen to the news all the time,” “there’s no use talking about it,” “they won’t listen anyway,” etc. The degree of malaise or denial or shock or whatever this illness is amongst cis white people who are my “peers” is alarming and stressful. It feels like there are pockets of folks willing to organize and protest, but the Movement is splintered into literally hundreds of groups and dozens of issues while, on a local scale, there is very little activity happening. It is very, very frustrating. Literally dozens of organizations I follow ask for money every week or to sign “online petitions” of Meaninglessness while none of them are organizing or yelling on a national level. I mean, shit. Thank you, Zoe, and Chase and all the transgender reps and lawyers and activists, but there are only so many of them, only so much time, and state laws and court cases keep them overworked. Where is a Harvey Milk or an MLK Jr when we need one?
I feel you sister. We are with you. I too am hyper vigilant about the news. How can we not? Those that tell you to stop are blinded by their privilege.
I've been wondering if, as courts continue knocking down these laws as "potentially unconstitutional", as you say, they are "throwing everything at the wall" just to get points with their base so they can maintain as much power as they can and say they are "doing" something.
Sadly, and dispicably, they are legalizing abuse and trauma as they go.
The moment I heard that the NC House had acquired a GOP veto-proof majority, I knew that this awful outcome was inevitable and was only a matter of time. Such is the ferocity and intractability of the culture wars. It is deeply disappointing. Maybe the courts will offer some solace. Two other conclusions to perhaps be drawn:
- This is yet another example of how futile it’s been to place any hope in a southern state that it will do the right thing. First the disappointment in Louisiana, and now this. There seems to be no stopping point. In fact, I wonder if it’s time to declare the entire southeastern quadrant of the country, from Texas east and Virginia south, as a no-go zone for trans people on Erin’s map - if it isn’t already.
- This - and worse - is what WILL (not maybe or probably) be done by the GOP at a national level if given the chance. The only glimmer of hope in that case would be whether large blue states (especially CA, IL, WA, NY) would try to resist such legislation.
This stemmed from the overturn of voting rights act. It’s clear that the south can’t handle the responsibility and power of government office. They haven’t learned and will do anything in their immediate power to keep it.
The John Lewis Voting rights act, while weak, would be a better way to stem this from happening. Good luck passing it now though.
Yes! I think Dems need to keep talking very loudly about persistently introducing legislation and amendments to address all the open corruption and anti-democratic maneuvers.
The courts might help in the near future, but the SCOTUS is more porous and corrupt than it has ever been. It's clear that this won't end until we have a constitutional amendment that specifically protects women and gender/sexual minorities, with language clear enough that even rotten judges cannot weasel their way around it.
I live in NC. I am a little surprised, but only a little. I hope this translates into them getting shellacked at the polls next year. This state is purple and trending blue, so I am dumbfounded how they think this will help them.
worth noting that the map you have shows georgia does not have a sports ban. this is actually untrue. we don't have one in legislation, rather the sports authority banned them. so we have one and it might not have the same legal recourse as those passed through legislation.
I live North Carolina -- the Asheville area -- and or queer/gay/trans population is huge. Talking to personnel folks at UNC-Asheville where I teach part time, they say as much as 40% of the student population identifies as being in the community. The hearings for these bills were a complete joke, with the usual trolls showing up, backed and financed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, an ironic title if there ever was one. Like a number of my neighbors and friends, we are leaving this state. Its not just folks in the community either; republicans here are doing their best to destroy public schools and limit social services. Infrastructure is an afterthought to this legislature. Gerrymandered to the max,, it is hard to make any progress in the polls. Many good people are doing good things, but the odds are against us. Discouraged and angry.
I remember the debate over the late Dr. Martin Luther King's theoretical position on same-sex/gay marriage - and his widow, of course, thinks he'd have been for it, and reasonable people would intuit that he would, but the times we're now in, where transgender people are treated so cruelly, where laws are passed only to hurt others, this is what shows why MLK would absolutely have wanted LGBTQ rights, across the board. It is in every way and sense consistent with his view for tolerance and equality.
I'm so sorry for this, NC folks.
I do think the courts will be good in the short term, hopefully.
This is my state and today I am very sad. Now we look to the courts. It just should never have come to this.
I literally just moved here (from an even worse state) three weeks ago. Love the area, figured it would be my forever home. Now, maybe I'll have to move along again.
I am thinking the courts will squash this. But considering how vicious these legislators are, they certainly could have plans to extend their wrath. Been eyeing Maryland myself. I do like soft shell crabs 🦀
I am an NC native and it's sad to see Republicans who have moved here over the course of my life chip away at my rights; it feels completely unfair and I already feel deeply uncomfortable going in public, so this is just another emotional blow.
I've been getting numb at this point.
Sending hugs and hope from this Momma Dragon.
I love North Carolina, but today I am ashamed of our government. Our governor tried his best, but couldn’t overcome the gerrymandered Congress. As you may know, a deceitful closet Republican somehow won a Democratic seat, and then changed parties. Neither political party is perfect, but only one party is trying to destroy democracy, eliminate whole blocks of voters in order to retain power. Only one party has tied themselves to a pathological liar and terminal grifter, who is so transparently malignant that only the most sadly ignorant or partisan could possibly support him. What really saddens me is that most of my extended family, who used to pay aggressive lipservice to tolerance and love, now are just full of hate and bigotry, all in the name of a religious belief that requires faith, that is, belief without or against all evidence. It is a sad reality that people believe the strongest the things they have the least evidence for. My generation has largely sold out, but I am counting on the youth of this country to come together to protect their own future.
Just keep jamming up the courts. But the L for them keep piling up too. They truly are approaching this as a “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks”.
We need cis people to step up harder. If the right can dent bud light, imagine what actual good people could do. Yes I know it takes coordination, but dammit we have to start taking stances against this clear abuse of power to affect a minority of a minority of people.
This. Uplifted a thousand times. As a cis white mother, I may actually puke on the next “friend” who tells me to “take a break,” “you can’t listen to the news all the time,” “there’s no use talking about it,” “they won’t listen anyway,” etc. The degree of malaise or denial or shock or whatever this illness is amongst cis white people who are my “peers” is alarming and stressful. It feels like there are pockets of folks willing to organize and protest, but the Movement is splintered into literally hundreds of groups and dozens of issues while, on a local scale, there is very little activity happening. It is very, very frustrating. Literally dozens of organizations I follow ask for money every week or to sign “online petitions” of Meaninglessness while none of them are organizing or yelling on a national level. I mean, shit. Thank you, Zoe, and Chase and all the transgender reps and lawyers and activists, but there are only so many of them, only so much time, and state laws and court cases keep them overworked. Where is a Harvey Milk or an MLK Jr when we need one?
I feel you sister. We are with you. I too am hyper vigilant about the news. How can we not? Those that tell you to stop are blinded by their privilege.
Great points!
I've been wondering if, as courts continue knocking down these laws as "potentially unconstitutional", as you say, they are "throwing everything at the wall" just to get points with their base so they can maintain as much power as they can and say they are "doing" something.
Sadly, and dispicably, they are legalizing abuse and trauma as they go.
Switching parties should be grounds for immediate removal from office.
The moment I heard that the NC House had acquired a GOP veto-proof majority, I knew that this awful outcome was inevitable and was only a matter of time. Such is the ferocity and intractability of the culture wars. It is deeply disappointing. Maybe the courts will offer some solace. Two other conclusions to perhaps be drawn:
- This is yet another example of how futile it’s been to place any hope in a southern state that it will do the right thing. First the disappointment in Louisiana, and now this. There seems to be no stopping point. In fact, I wonder if it’s time to declare the entire southeastern quadrant of the country, from Texas east and Virginia south, as a no-go zone for trans people on Erin’s map - if it isn’t already.
- This - and worse - is what WILL (not maybe or probably) be done by the GOP at a national level if given the chance. The only glimmer of hope in that case would be whether large blue states (especially CA, IL, WA, NY) would try to resist such legislation.
This stemmed from the overturn of voting rights act. It’s clear that the south can’t handle the responsibility and power of government office. They haven’t learned and will do anything in their immediate power to keep it.
The John Lewis Voting rights act, while weak, would be a better way to stem this from happening. Good luck passing it now though.
Yes! I think Dems need to keep talking very loudly about persistently introducing legislation and amendments to address all the open corruption and anti-democratic maneuvers.
The courts might help in the near future, but the SCOTUS is more porous and corrupt than it has ever been. It's clear that this won't end until we have a constitutional amendment that specifically protects women and gender/sexual minorities, with language clear enough that even rotten judges cannot weasel their way around it.
I live in NC. I am a little surprised, but only a little. I hope this translates into them getting shellacked at the polls next year. This state is purple and trending blue, so I am dumbfounded how they think this will help them.
worth noting that the map you have shows georgia does not have a sports ban. this is actually untrue. we don't have one in legislation, rather the sports authority banned them. so we have one and it might not have the same legal recourse as those passed through legislation.
I live North Carolina -- the Asheville area -- and or queer/gay/trans population is huge. Talking to personnel folks at UNC-Asheville where I teach part time, they say as much as 40% of the student population identifies as being in the community. The hearings for these bills were a complete joke, with the usual trolls showing up, backed and financed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, an ironic title if there ever was one. Like a number of my neighbors and friends, we are leaving this state. Its not just folks in the community either; republicans here are doing their best to destroy public schools and limit social services. Infrastructure is an afterthought to this legislature. Gerrymandered to the max,, it is hard to make any progress in the polls. Many good people are doing good things, but the odds are against us. Discouraged and angry.
I remember the debate over the late Dr. Martin Luther King's theoretical position on same-sex/gay marriage - and his widow, of course, thinks he'd have been for it, and reasonable people would intuit that he would, but the times we're now in, where transgender people are treated so cruelly, where laws are passed only to hurt others, this is what shows why MLK would absolutely have wanted LGBTQ rights, across the board. It is in every way and sense consistent with his view for tolerance and equality.