|
WINDY CITY TIMES
|
|
|
NBA All-Star Game moves to New Orleans due to North Carolina's anti-LGBTQ law
From a press release
2016-08-19
|
|
This article shared 458 times since Fri Aug 19, 2016
|
|
WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) responded to a report from the Associated Press that the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is moving the 2017 All-Star Game to New Orleans, Louisiana — a city with explicit LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination protections. Citing the hostile environment created by North Carolina's discriminatory HB2 law, and after repeated warnings the league would move the event if the law remained on the books, the NBA recently announced it was moving the game out of Charlotte after state lawmakers failed to repeal the measure.
"By moving the 2017 All-Star Game to New Orleans, the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver have sent a clear message to lawmakers in North Carolina and across the country that discrimination against LGBTQ people has consequences and will not be tolerated," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "New Orleans' explicit LGBTQ non-discrimination protections will ensure all NBA employees, players, and fans who participate in the All-Star Game are protected from discrimination. Governor Pat McCrory and state lawmakers should use this as an opportunity to halt their assault on the people, reputation, and economy of North Carolina, and work toward replacing HB2 with commonsense non-discrimination protections. We look forward to the day when all North Carolinians can live their lives free from discrimination, and Charlotte is able to welcome back the All-Star Game."
Recognizing the importance of creating a positive and conducive environment for business, in February, the Charlotte City Council passed city-wide non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. While city leaders sent a clear message that discrimination has no place in Charlotte, in response, Governor Pat McCrory and state lawmakers rammed HB2 into law and doubled down on discrimination.
Louisiana has no state law similar to North Carolina's HB2, which explicitly bars transgender people from accessing restrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity in government owned buildings, including many airports and sports facilities. Earning a score of 91 out of 100 on the HRC Foundation's 2015 Municipal Equality Index, New Orleans has non-discrimination protections that explicitly protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination in public and private employment, housing, and public accommodations.
In the nearly five months since North Carolina Gov. McCrory and state lawmakers rammed HB2 into law, the economic fallout has continued to grow as companies concerned with protecting their consumers and employees have moved conventions, trainings, operations, productions, and other events out of state. With the NBA's decision, the Tar Heel State will lose out on an estimated 100 million dollars in All-Star Game related profits, on top of the at least $329.9 million already lost in business and taxpayer funds used to defend the discriminatory measure. The economic consequences of HB2 continue to mount, and more than 200 major CEOs and business leaders have signed an open letter calling for full repeal of HB2, including many of North Carolina's largest employers.
Despite the widespread opposition to HB2, the North Carolina General Assembly adjourned its short session in July after refusing to repeal the law, and it is not scheduled to reconvene until January — leaving tens of thousands of people at risk of discrimination and harm over the months to come. Making only one tweak to the law, the General Assembly has been unwilling to even consider repealing the substance of HB2, including its provision targeting transgender people, and its removal of municipalities' ability to pass LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination laws and minimum wage ordinances. |
|
|
|
This article shared 458 times since Fri Aug 19, 2016
|
ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE |
---|
|
| | Red Stars to host family fan fest ahead of Wrigley Field match 2024-05-08 --From a press release - CHICAGO (May 7, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars are hosting a family fan fest at Gallagher Way, outside of Wrigley Field, ahead of the club's match Saturday, June 8, against Bay FC. Fans, family, friends ...
|
| | Chicago Red Stars edge expansion team Bay FC 2024-05-06 In their first meeting of the season, the Chicago Red Stars took down the expansion squad Bay FC 2-1 on May 5. Penelope Hocking and Ally Schlegel scored goals for Chicago. Hocking's score was her first ...
|
| | WORLD Australian law, soccer players, Grindr suit, South Korean situation 2024-05-03 In Australia, Queensland has updated its Anti-Discrimination Act to explicitly protect non-binary and gender-diverse people for the first time, PinkNews reported. The changes came into effect on April 29, and they impose tougher penalties for hate ...
|
| | Chicago Red Stars lose to the Washington Spirit 2024-05-02 In a midweek match, the Chicago Red Stars fell to the Washington Spirit 4-2. Red Stars rookie Leilanni Nesbeth scored her first professional goal tonight in the 92nd minute, while Ally Schlegel became the team's lone ...
|
| | Half of LGBTQ+ college faculty surveyed consider moving to another state due to anti-diversity, equity, inclusion laws 2024-05-01 --From a Williams Institute press release - Anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) laws have negatively impacted the teaching, research, and health of LGBTQ+ college faculty, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. As a result of ...
|
| | Iraq's parliament passes harsh anti-LGBTQ+ law 2024-04-30 Iraq's parliament has passed a law criminalizing same-sex relations with up to 15 years in prison, media outlets reported. The law aims to "protect Iraqi society from moral depravity and the calls for homosexuality that have ...
|
| | Male strip club replacing Berlin Nightclub is accused of body-shaming Chicago dancer 2024-04-29 Operators of a Florida-based strip club chain plan on filling the vacant storefront left by Berlin Nightclub's closure, but the business's policies regarding dancers and women visitors have some petitioning to stop it from opening. Johnson's ...
|
| | Basketball legend Candace Parker announces retirement 2024-04-29 Legendary basketball player Candace Parker has announced her retirement after 16 seasons in the WNBA that included three titlesone with the Chicago Sky, in 2021. "I promised I'd never cheat the game & that I'd leave ...
|
| | Red Stars fall to Portland 2024-04-28 On April 27, the Chicago Red Stars fell to Portland Thorns FC 0-2 in the clubs' first meeting of the season. Camryn Biegalski and Chardonnay Curran made their season debuts for the Red Stars. Biegalski was ...
|
| | Hundreds urge NCAA to not ban trans athletes from women's sports 2024-04-27 A group of more than 400 current and former Olympic, professional and collegiate athletes; more than 300 academics; and approximately 100 advocacy groups released separate letters urging the NCAA not to ban transgender women from competing ...
|
| | Biden administration strengthens Affordable Care Act protections, health coverage for LGBTQ+ Americans 2024-04-27 --From a press release - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Biden-Harris administration announced the finalization of a new regulation strengthening non-discrimination protections enforced by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The updated rule, implementing Section 1557 ...
|
| | ProudToRun poised to return in 2024, fighting through lack of resources 2024-04-24 Chicago's 42-year-old LGBTQ+ running event, ProudToRun, is so far set to return June 2024 following the cancellation of last year's race. The city's original Pride Week running event took a hiatus last year due to a ...
|
| | Tatumn Milazzo wins NWSL honor for second consecutive week 2024-04-23 --From a press release - CHICAGO (April 23, 2024) — Chicago Red Stars defender and Orland Park, Illinois, native Tatumn Milazzo earned National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Deloitte Impact Save of the Week honors for the second consecutive week, the leag ...
|
| | Red Stars beat Seattle Reign 2-1 2024-04-22 For the second time this season, the Chicago Red Stars took down the Seattle Reign FC, this time 2-1 on the road on April 21. Thanks to goals from Ally Schlegel and Mallory Swanson, the Red Stars have swept the Reign ...
|
| | Chicago Red Stars place forward Ava Cook on season-ending injury list 2024-04-21 --From a press release - CHICAGO (April 20, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars announced the following health update on forward Ava Cook: Cook sustained a knee injury during Red Stars training this week. After further medical evaluation, it was determined ...
| |
|
|
|
|