NC Gov. Warns Charlotte Protecting LGBT People Will Bring ‘Immediate’ State Consequences

Pat McCrory Says Expanding Charlotte’s Nondiscrimination Ordinance to LGBT People Would ‘Most Likely Cause Immediate State Legislative Intervention’

Republican North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory on Sunday warned the Charlotte City Council that plans to include basic protections in public accommodations laws for LGBT people would “most likely cause immediate state legislative intervention,” the Charlotte Observer is reporting. 

“It is not only the citizens of Charlotte that will be impacted by changing basic restroom and locker room norms but also citizens from across our state and nation who visit and work in Charlotte,” McCrory told two city council members, and issuing a veiled attack on LGBT people. “This shift in policy could also create major public safety issues by putting citizens in possible danger from deviant actions by individuals taking improper advantage of a bad policy.”

McCrory, who is 59 and used to be the mayor of Charlotte, opposes the legislation, which is slated for a vote Monday evening at 6:00 PM. The ordinance would be expanded to allow transgender people to use the restroom that most closely conforms to their gender identity.

McCrory claimed “this action of allowing a person with male anatomy, for example, to use a female restroom or locker room will most likely cause immediate State legislative intervention which I would support as governor.”

The expanded protections would not apply to employment, housing, credit, or education – only to public accommodations, like restaurants and stores.

The Observer notes that “at least eight of 11 council members said they would support the expanded ordinance. Mayor Jennifer Roberts also supports it.”

Some responses via Twitter:

 

Image by NCDOTcommunications via Flickr and a CC license