Three bills in North Carolina, referred to as the “Slate of Hate” by LGBTQ advocates, were just passed by overriding the Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s veto. Two Democrats joined Republicans in voting to override the veto, and I could go off on them, too. But I want to spend my energy on the reprehensible Republicans, as 100% of those present voted in favor of the override, pushing through three bills that primarily target trans youth.
Important votes were cast by Tricia Cotham, who gained notoriety for switching parties from Democrat to Republican earlier this year. This is so critical because the margins in North Carolina have been razor thin. Democrats had been holding on for dear life, and were lucky to have a Democratic governor. But with Cotham switching parties, she gave Republicans a super-majority in the legislature. She went on to boast about the votes, even though she has been very pro-LGBTQ in the past.
The hypocrisy of banning gender-affirming care
One of the bills bans gender-affirming care for transgender youth. While those who were receiving such care prior to August 1 can continue, no one can start receiving gender-affirming care now that this legislation has passed. Democratic Senator Lisa Grafstein, the only out senator in the state, said it “may be the most heartbreaking bill in a truly heartbreaking session.” As an LGBTQ+ North Carolinian myself, I know how hard it has been to live under the tyranny of such a bigoted legislature. Republican Senator Joyce Krawiec defends the bill, saying it was necessary because “the state has a responsibility to protect children from receiving potentially irreversible procedures before they are old enough to make their own informed medical decisions.” Interesting! These Republicans are surely pro-choice, then? Having a child surely seems irreversible. A 12-year-old who has been raped certainly doesn’t seem like they are old enough to make an informed decision. Yet here we are! In many of these people’s minds, forcing a child to give birth isn’t hypocritical at all!
Now back to the state’s responsibility to protect children: I agree. So these Republicans SURELY want to enact tougher gun laws to prevent the murder of more children, yes? Nope! In 2023, the Republican-led North Carolina legislature also overrode the Democratic governor’s veto to repeal background checks and permits for handgun purchases. North Carolina has the 22nd-highest gun death rate in the country. According to a report published in 2021, gun suicides increased by 3% and gun homicides increased 41% between 2010 and 2019. As for the children, the innocent humans that Republicans claim they want to protect—the 2021 report showed that guns are the SECOND-LEADING cause of death among teens and children in North Carolina. Should the state care? Apparently not.
Taking a page from Florida’s anti-trans playbook
Another bill in the “Slate of Hate” limits LGBTQ+ instruction in early grades. This law requires public school teachers to alert parents before they call a student by a different name or ask to use a pronoun that doesn’t align with the sex assigned at birth. It also bans instruction about gender identity and sexuality in K-4 classrooms. These rules and regulations seem to be inspired by Florida’s obsession with stopping anything deemed as “too woke.” I want to point out the extreme hypocrisies, yet again, from the Grand Old Party. Aren’t they all about small government? Legislating that teachers contact parents over a pronoun sounds like an overreach to me.
We already know that Republicans don’t really care about teachers. Many of us in North Carolina know that teachers haven’t exactly been cared for since Republicans took over the legislature. My sister is a public school teacher in this state, and she already has so many things on her plate; she has to contact parents and guardians all the time about basic things like grades and absences. She is a high school teacher, which isn’t an early grade, but I am sure pre-K and elementary school teachers face similar issues. And now they have an additional responsibility forced on them by the state.
“Actually, it’s about ethics in sports”
The third bill in the “Slate of Hate” focuses on trans girls and women in sports, and bans transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams from middle and high school through the college level. When have these people ever really cared about women’s sports? We hear so much rhetoric about protecting women’s athletes, but no explanation is given as to why it’s so important. Donald Trump recently gloated about the U.S. women’s soccer team losing early in the World Cup. Why? Because they are outspoken and dared to ask for fair pay.
The people pushing anti-trans legislation are total frauds. They know that banning trans girls in sports may seem like something the average person in North Carolina would find reasonable. They won’t tell you the incredibly small number of people this law would actually impact. I have played basketball my entire life. At many levels. I have never encountered this “problem.” And I don’t know anyone personally who has. Moral justification aside, this isn’t even something that impacts enough people to warrant legislation. This is just another one of the Republican party’s hateful tactics. They have no plans to help people economically. They have no plans to give healthcare to people; in North Carolina specifically, they have been ardently fighting against expanding Medicaid, though reluctantly giving in this year. They have been crushing our public schools for years under the guise of school choice. The “Slate of Hate” is a distraction from these facts and unfortunately, I believe too many people are falling for their propaganda.
Their hatefulness may be successful politically, at least in the short term, though I certainly hope it isn’t. But don’t let them gaslight us into thinking their actions are driven by anything other than hate and bigotry.
The state’s leading LGBTQ organization, Equality NC, released a statement on the “Slate of Hate”:
“Our heart breaks for the many people, particularly trans youth and their families, whose lives will be harmed by this cruel legislation. The General Assembly passed these bills in the face of vociferous and highly motivated opposition, including thousands of letters, phone calls, testimonies, and protests.” The organization went on to remind folks that gender-affirming care is scientifically recommended medical care. Equality NC is partnering with the Campaign for Southern Equality to bring the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project to North Carolina.
(featured image: Getty Images)
