Yahoo Finance Governor Acts To Stem Transgender Law Backlash
North Carolina's governor has acted to stem mounting backlash over its law requiring transgender people to use public bathrooms matching their birth gender.
Pat McCrory said on Tuesday there had been a great deal of "selective outrage and hypocrisy" about the HB2 measure, which he signed last month.
The Republican stood firm on a provision restricting transgender bathroom access, but unveiled an executive order including anti-discrimination protections.
He said he would ask the statehouse to reinstate people's right to sue in state court for discrimination, which would roll back a portion of the new legislation.
Gov McCrory said his order would also encourage reasonable accommodations on bathroom policies in government buildings for families with unique or special circumstances.
It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) would expand the state's employment policy to cover sexual orientation and gender identity, he added.
Gov McCrory also affirmed what he called the private sector's right to make its own restroom and anti-discrimination policies.
He spoke after Deutsche Bank (LSE: 0H7D.L - news) announced it was shelving plans to create 250 jobs at its Cary offices because of the measure.
The bank unveiled plans in September for the new $85,600-a-year posts at its global technology centre, where the company currently has 900 employees.
Deutsche Bank said in a statement the bank would not reduce its existing presence in Cary.
Last week, PayPal dropped plans to build a new operations centre in Charlotte, which would have employed some 400 skilled workers, because of HB2.
Porn website xHamster has meanwhile blocked people in North Carolina from accessing its content because of the law.
Supporters of the measure say it is needed to keep women and children safe in restrooms and to protect religious freedom, but critics say it is a bigots' charter.
A raft of socially conservative measures have been passed or considered by Republican state lawmakers in southern states since the US Supreme Court legalised same-sex marriage last year.
Musicians Bruce Springsteen and Bryan Adams have cancelled concerts in North Carolina and Mississippi in recent days over such laws.
On Monday evening, Tennessee lawmakers approved a bill allowing counsellors to cite religious beliefs for refusing service to patients (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) .
