Nothing is stopping a private business owner from installing a gender neutral bathroom, but a business owner’s choices must not be mandated by government.
Via WISTV:
Following the national fallout from North Carolina’s House Bill 2, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory has signed an executive order to protect the privacy and equality of all North Carolinians.
According to the governor’s office, Executive Order 93 “clarifies existing state law and provides new protections for North Carolina residents.”
The executive order comes in response to backlash from House Bill 2 (HB2), which was signed into law in late March.
HB2 repealed Charlotte’s non-discrimination ordinance, which was passed in February.
The Charlotte City Council voted 7-4 to add sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status as attributes protected from discrimination when it comes to public accommodations including restaurants, retail stores and other businesses. Public schools would not have been affected by the ordinance.
The ordinance quickly became controversial with the majority of the focus revolving around the bathroom.
Republican leaders in North Carolina, including Governor Pat McCrory, expressed concern over the ordinance. A special session of the North Carolina General Assembly was held in late March.
In a one-day vote, the NCGA repealed the Charlotte ordinance, which was slated to take effect on April 1.
The new law required transgender people to use public bathrooms that match their birth certificates. The law also makes clear local measures can’t expand anti-discrimination protections for sexual orientation or gender identity.
After listening to people’s feedback for the past several weeks on this issue, I have come to the conclusion that there is a great deal of misinformation, misinterpretation, confusion, a lot of passion and frankly, selective outrage and hypocrisy, especially against the great state of North Carolina,” said Governor McCrory. “Based upon this feedback, I am taking action to affirm and improve the state’s commitment to privacy and equality.”
According to the governor’s office, the executive order does the following:
Maintains common sense gender-specific restroom and locker room facilities in government buildings and schools
Affirms the private sector’s right to establish its own restroom and locker room policies
Affirms the private sector and local governments’ right to establish its own non-discrimination employment policies for its own employees
Expands the state’s employment policy for state employees to cover sexual orientation and gender identity
Seeks legislation to reinstate the right to sue in state court for discriminationThe governor’s office says North Carolina is now one of 24 states that have protections for sexual orientation and gender identity for its employees.