Just days after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was sighted walking in NYC’s Pride Parade, the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets released a statement stating that the current Anti-LGBT law up for passage in the North Carolina legislature is still too restrictive despite recent changes.
In response to reports regarding the NBA’s involvement in amended HB2 legislation currently before NC legislature pic.twitter.com/YSDETM7UyV
— NBA (@NBA) June 30, 2016
Currently, the NBA is scheduled to host the 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte next year, but the creation of this bill, known as House Bill 2 (HB2) has put that in jeopardy. Among other items, the law is most well-known for requiring transgender people to use the restroom associated with the gender on their birth certificate, though it also excludes many from state anti-discrimination protection based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The NBA has reached out through several lobbying groups in North Carolina to express their displeasure with the bill, but from what they hear, the changes that have been made so far don’t go far enough.
“We have been engaged in dialogue with numerous groups at the city and state levels, but we do not endorse the version of the bill that we understand is currently before the legislature.”
It’s a continued tough stance from the league, which is doing the right thing by standing up for equality and inclusion. It’s pretty easy to hate lobbying, especially when it’s done by multi-billion dollar organizations like the NBA, but sometimes it’s for the best.
That said, both the NBA and the Hornets franchise have said there’s “no new decision” regarding the 2017 All-Star Game.
