ICYMI: American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, IBM all call for end to anti-LGBTQ agenda by Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick

NEW YORK – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today called on media to correct the record after Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick made misleading statements this afternoon that the Texas economy has not and would not be impacted if anti-transgender legislation is passed during a “special discrimination session” that’s expected to begin tomorrow. Patrick made the remarks during a policy orientation event hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Click here to watch the full video.

In his remarks, Patrick neglected to mention that cities like San Antonio have already lost conventions and millions of dollars in city revenue because of the ongoing and harmful anti-trans debate in the state. Further, Lt. Gov. Patrick today inaccurately portrayed North Carolina’s economy to be stable following the passage of the anti-transgender HB2, which caused an economic panic for North Carolina’s economy.

The nation’s top corporations, including IBM, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and AT&T, all have opposed Texas’ so-called “bathroom bill.” Not only has a so-called “bathroom bill” been opposed by the majority of Texans, but it could drain about $3 billion from the state’s economy while also putting the safety of transgender Texans in jeopardy. Even the Speaker of the Texas House, a Republican, voiced his opposition to the anti-trans bills – saying he was “disgusted by all this” and did not want “a suicide of a single Texan on [his] hands.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: HOW ANTI-TRANS BILLS HARM STATE ECONOMIES

Texas

• Texas tourism industry is slated to lose 3.3 billion a year due to the bill, a study commissioned by the San Antonio Area Tourism Council shows.
• Fourteen CEOs of companies, including American Airlines, AT&T, and Texas Instruments came out in opposition, saying “the so-called ‘bathroom bill’ that the Texas Legislature is considering would seriously hurt the state’s ability to attract new business, investments, and jobs.”
• IBM, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and other major national business sent a letter to Gov. Abbott expressing staunch opposition to legislation,  describing it as both discriminatory and bad for business. 
• The NBA and the NFL warned the legislation would harm Texas’ chances of hosting major games. 
• The push for anti-transgender legislation has earned Texas $216 million in unwanted negative publicity.
• Three major conventions have pulled city of San Antonio already, citing a 3 million dollar hit to city revenue. 

North Carolina

• According to PolitiFact, “HB2 probably cost the state [North Carolina] between $450 million and $630 million.”
• PayPal canceled plans for a new $3.6 million global operations center in Charlotte over passed anti-transgender legislation, costing the state 400 jobs. 
• Musician Bruce Springsteen refused to do business with North Carolina and canceled a planned concert. 
• Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) boycotted North Carolina, affecting 133 applications for college sporting events. 

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