The Human Rights Campaign, or HRC, has released their 5th annual State Equity Index, a report which categorizes states by how well LGBTQ citizens are protected through legislation.

Out of the four categories, North Carolina falls into the lowest, which is “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality.”

State Legislative Director for HRC Cathryn Oakley says the primary reason for this low categorization is HB142, the replacement for the infamous HB2, which Oakley calls discriminatory and anti-transgender.

“That discriminatory law is really going to hold back protections for LGBTQ people, particularly the transgender community in North Carolina,” says Oakley.

While HB142 was seen as a compromise by the General Assembly, many say the bill fails to reverse the damage done by HB2.

When legislation like HB142 goes after the rights of LGBTQ people, according to Oakley, there are no federal protections to fall back on.

“Unfortunately there are currently no comprehensive civil rights protections for LGBTQ people at the federal level,” says Oakley. “That means that the rights of millions of LGBTQ people and their families depend on which state they live in.”

Despite this, Oakley says 71 percent of Americans support non-discrimination laws for the LGBTQ community such as the Equality Act which, if passed, would extend the protections offered by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity across many areas of life.

Oakley says that bill and others on the state level such as New York’s Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act offer hope in the area of LGBTQ protections.

“We’re seeing bills already that are passing in 2019 that are really exciting and that continue this chain of proactive, non-discrimination, and other protections for the LGBTQ community,” says Oakley.

More that 130 major employers in all 50 states are part of the HRC’s Business Coalition for the Equality Act.

You can get more information on the equity index here.

Related Stories
‹
#GDTBATH: Social Media Reacts to Wins From UNC Baseball And Women's Lacrosse
Tar Heel fans and members of the college sports community took to social media to share their reactions to wins from UNC baseball and women's lacrosse.
Holding Court: 5 Angles to the 2022 NBA Draft
Kansas, Duke, Banchero, Williams, Manek Among Intriguing NBA Draft Storylines By David Glenn   (Part Six of a Six-Part NCAA/NBA Draft Series leading up to the 2022 NBA Draft, following Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four and Part Five.) Here are five angles worth following in Thursday’s nationally televised NBA Draft (8 pm, […]
Former North Carolina Gov. McCrory Enters U.S. Senate Race
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON Former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory on Wednesday announced he’ll run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, shaking up the calculus in the expanding field to succeed retiring Sen. Richard Burr with the entrance of a veteran of statewide politics. McCrory, who served as governor for four years through 2016, revealed […]
Carrboro Mayor Condemns Bill Aiming to Prevent Trans Students in Sports
The “Save Women’s Sports Act” or House Bill 538 introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly last week would prevent trans youth and women from competing in sports which do not align to the gender on their birth certificate. North Carolina is the 30th state to introduce the bill.
Carrboro, Chapel Hill Governments Pass Anti-Discrimination Ordinances
In second and third consecutive nights, local governments in Orange County unanimously passed new ordinances that prohibit discrimination in employment and places of accommodation. Both the Carrboro Town Council and the Chapel Hill Town Council adopted a set of ordinances that now prevent businesses or organizations from denying people services and jobs purely because of […]
Settlement Expands Transgender Restroom Rights in N Carolina
A federal judge approved a legal settlement Tuesday affirming transgender people’s right to use restrooms matching their gender identity in many North Carolina public buildings. The consent decree between the state’s Democratic governor and transgender plaintiffs covers numerous state-owned buildings including facilities run by executive branch agencies that oversee the environment, transportation and Medicaid, among […]
NC 'Bathroom Bill' Sponsor Wins GOP Redo of Tainted Election
North Carolina’s most infamous political story lines of recent years are merging into a congressional race this summer that pits the architect of the state’s “bathroom bill” against a Democrat who was granted an electoral do-over after evidence of ballot fraud tainted his prior opponent’s campaign. State Sen. Dan Bishop topped nine other Republican candidates […]
Bills Opposing "Conversion Therapy," HB2 Remnants Filed
Gay rights advocates and their supporters at the legislature said Thursday that expanding antidiscrimination laws and repealing remnants of the North Carolina “bathroom bill” will make clear that LGBT people in the state aren’t second-class citizens. Democratic lawmakers unveiled three new pieces of House legislation, one of which also would prohibit so-called “conversion therapy” for minors. It […]
Ban on North Carolina Trips Cramps NY State College Swimmers
A ban on New York state-funded travel to North Carolina is complicating matters for state college swimmers heading south for an NCAA championship. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order in 2016 banning non-essential state-funded travel to North Carolina after lawmakers there voided a Charlotte ordinance that would have enabled transgender people to use […]
NC's LGBTQ Protections Rank Low in Human Rights Campaign's Annual Index
The Human Rights Campaign, or HRC, has released their 5th annual State Equity Index, a report which categorizes states by how well LGBTQ citizens are protected through legislation. Out of the four categories, North Carolina falls into the lowest, which is “High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality.” State Legislative Director for HRC Cathryn Oakley says […]
›