Last month, the city of Charlotte, N.C. passed a measure that prevented those identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender from being discriminated against by local businesses. North Carolina’s Republican-controlled General Assembly called a special session for Wednesday in response to the legislation, promptly introducing and passing a bill that allows business owners the right to refuse service to customers based on their religious beliefs.
If the abhorrent subtext behind House Bill 2 wasn’t clear enough, it opens by stipulating that all government-owned facilities designate bathrooms and locker rooms as single-sex only – and prevent anyone who doesn’t biologically align with that gender from using them. Bottom line, the bill strikes down all anti-discrimination statutes across the state.
As of now, 2017 All-Star Weekend is scheduled to be held in Charlotte. The league issued a statement on Thursday evening, though, that threatened to move the midseason festivities from North Carolina’s biggest city in wake of this new legislation.
The NBA is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for all who attend our games and events. We are deeply concerned that this discriminatory law runs counter to our guiding principles of equality and mutual respect and do not yet know what impact it will have on our ability to successfully host the 2017 All-Star Game.
We’ll keep you updated on this situation as it continues to develop.