House Bill 2 (HB2) was was passed last year, causing multiple ramifications in North Carolina. The bill states that people are required to go into the bathroom that is associated with the sex on their birth certificate. This bill has created an economical downfall due to concerts being cancelled and businesses repealing their contracts. Now, the NCAA is confiscating tournaments, post-season plays and March Madness in the state.
“It’s really a response to a law that was passed in Charlotte, a local law saying it was okay for people to go to the bathroom of their choice,” social studies teacher Skip Thibault said. “The state legislature didn’t like that—the city council in Charlotte was controlled by democrats and Raleigh was controlled by republicans. They wanted to shoot down that law.”
Thibault feels as if this bill is singling out that transgender community.
“They’re kind of singling out that transgender community and saying it’s okay to discriminate against them—it’s not okay to discriminate someone because of race or gender or religion, but for some reason, they kind of made this okay,” Thibault said. “As much as we like to think we are wonderful people holding hands and singing Kumbaya, gay people are victims a lot of the time by random acts from people, and so it almost makes you put a target on yourself.”
Senior Nick Cantin doesn’t have an issue with the bill.
“I think it’s totally fine for how HB2 is,” Nick Cantin said. “It just simply says that if you have male anatomy then you go into the men’s restroom and if you have female anatomy you go into the female’s restroom. It’s no more complicated than that.”
This bill has not only created social conflict, but has also created an economical downfall. The effect of HB2 is a nationwide protest, which includes artists not performing, businesses not expanding and the NCAA refusing to allow tournaments, post-season plays and March Madness to occur in North Carolina. Terri Maynor is a retired executive assistant to the athletic director at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I think it is an effective way of protest, but it’s a but it’s a very costly protest,” Maynor said. “It’s effective, but it’s hurting a lot of people in this state, because there are people who are losing jobs and money. Our economy is suffering because of it.”
Senior Kristen Viera believes that in protesting, you should stand up for what you believe in, even if it does hurt the state economically.
“Stand up for what you believe in no matter what, because I think it’s really important to make that difference in the world,” Viera said.
On the other hand, Maynor believes that the NCAA should look at the effects on the economy.
“I guess with the NCAA, they’re standing up for what they believe in, but for me, I would look at the economy first,” Maynor said. “Their stance that they’re taking makes such a major impact on the economy….If I were in this situation, I would put my personal feelings aside and look at the greater good of the state.”
According to Forbes, the loss of the NCAA, NBA and ACC residing in North Carolina is $197.4 million.
Thibault believes this is an effective way of protest.
“I think that protesting is effective if it has money behind it, because then you get people’s attention,” Thibault said. “If there was no financial impact with any of these protests, would anyone be considering a repeal of HB2? I don’t think so. I think the financial aspect makes a lot of people want to rethink HB2.”
Sports isn’t the only topic that’s causing economic downfall, many performers have cancelled because they don’t agree with this bill, some of which include: Mumford & Sons, Bruce Springsteen, Boston and Cirque du Soleil. According to Forbes, the loss of entertainment is $61 million.
“I think that is really great,” Viera said. “As much as it makes me really sad because I love Mumford & Sons, I do full heartedly support their decision on not coming.”
– By Carter Owings-Hurgronje