The North Carolina Legislature has made headlines by voting to override Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s veto on three controversial bills. These bills involve prohibiting gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors, restricting transgender women and girls from participating in female sports teams, and limiting classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Governor Cooper had previously vetoed all three bills, criticizing them as part of “political culture wars” initiated by Republicans.
House Bill 808, which now becomes law, prevents medical professionals in North Carolina from providing puberty blockers, hormones, and surgeries to transgender minors. However, those who were already undergoing treatment before August 1 can continue with their parents’ consent. The law also puts a stop to state funding for health plans that offer gender transition procedures to minors.
The North Carolina House, which witnessed Republicans securing a veto-proof majority in April, voted 74-45 to override Governor Cooper’s veto. The Senate also voted 27-18 in favor of the override, making North Carolina the 22nd state to ban gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth.
Moreover, the Legislature overrode the Governor’s veto of House Bill 574, which prohibits transgender women and girls from participating in female sports teams from middle school through college. Republicans argue that this bill maintains the fairness of women’s sports, whereas Democrats criticized it as targeted abuse against transgender youth.
Democratic Representative Marcia Morey, a former Olympic swimmer, voiced her opposition to the bill, emphasizing that it unfairly targets young athletes. She remarked that governing sports bodies should handle regulations, as they possess greater expertise in ensuring fairness in sports.
Furthermore, the Legislature successfully overrode Governor Cooper’s veto of the Parents’ Bill of Rights, a bill that prohibits teachers in kindergarten through fourth grade from addressing matters of gender identity and sexuality in the classroom.
Notably, North Carolina had refrained from passing anti-LGBTQ policies after backlash and financial consequences resulting from the 2016 “bathroom bill.” While the controversial House Bill 2 was partially repealed after Governor Cooper took office, it faced a legal challenge that was settled in federal court in 2019.
Overall, these recent legislative actions in North Carolina have sparked controversy and debate surrounding the rights and access to healthcare and sports for transgender individuals.
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