Showing Out for North Carolina

North Carolina’s leadership moved forward to effectively legalize discrimination of LGBTQ communities- including particularly heinous policing of Trans and Gender Non-Conforming folks- with the passage of House Bill 2 (HB2).

We know HB2, and its similar bills across the US, are not actually about bathrooms or safety. These bills are about controlling peoples’ movement, spaces and communities. When people cannot use bathrooms it is almost impossible to be in public. 

Such policing makes sense because these bills are about a fight for who can be in public with safety and dignity. Bills such as HB2 are also about scapegoating Trans and Gender Non-Conforming people to attack workers rights and organizing wins. May we be emboldened to come out against closets, against shadows, against the controlling and rolling back of organizing wins across the country.

A portrait of Micky Bradford, TLC@SONG Regional Organizer, voguing in “beautiful resistance“ next to police during a recent protest against #HB2. Art by Micah Bazant

As communities continue to face these daily assaults and humiliation, we are supporting a call from folks in North Carolina to mobilize next week. And though North Carolina is not the only state facing battles, we consider it a key state with both the momentum and ability to win. We need to take a firm stance against against hateful legislation that only further polices and invisibilizes our Trans and Gender Non-Conforming family.

Forceful strategies to repeal are emerging from folks leading on the ground including calls for non-compliance, direct actions and boycotts by industry and entertainment. Important and powerful organizations on the ground including Southerners on New Ground (SONG), NC NAACP, Equality NC, Ignite NC, Queer People of Color Collective (QPOCC) and Transgender Law Center are leading the call.

We at Standing on the Side of Love hope you’ll join the call- in person or in spirit- next Monday, in Raleigh, NC as people gather for the NC NAACP’s Mass Sit-In Against HB2 & Moral Monday 3rd Anniversary Rally. You can also add your name here calling on North Carolina's legislature to repeal HB2.

With love and faith,

Caitlin Breedlove

Campaign Director, Standing on the Side of Love