{"id":36161,"date":"2016-04-07T18:00:51","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T22:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/south-carolina-legislature-targets-trans-people-with-new-public-accommodations-bill\/"},"modified":"2016-04-07T18:00:51","modified_gmt":"2016-04-07T22:00:51","slug":"south-carolina-legislature-targets-trans-people-with-new-public-accommodations-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/south-carolina-legislature-targets-trans-people-with-new-public-accommodations-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"South Carolina legislature targets trans people with new public accommodations bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Carolina legislature targets trans<\/a> people with new public accommodations bill<\/b><\/p>\n

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In South Carolina, Senator Lee Bright has introduced a bill, S 1203 to the Senate floor that seeks to limit the rights of the Palmetto state’s transgender community. A hearing before the Senate General Subcommittee on the bill has been scheduled for April 13<\/a>.<\/p>\n

South Carolina’s WISTV reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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An Upstate senator has introduced a bill largely mirroring North Carolina’s controversial law blocking local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinances covering the use of public bathrooms by gay<\/a>, lesbian<\/a>, bisexual<\/a>, and transgender individuals.<\/p>\n

Sen. Lee Bright brought S. 1203 to the Senate floor<\/strong><\/a> on Wednesday, which is says is essentially the same bill as North Carolina’s HB2<\/a>. <\/p>\n

“I’ve about had enough of this,” Bright said. “I mean, years ago we kept talking about tolerance, tolerance, and tolerance, and now they want men<\/a> who claim to be women<\/a> to be able to go into bathrooms with children. And you got corporations who say this is okay.” <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In the same speech, the elected official called trans<\/a> people “pedophiles” and said multi-gender bathrooms are “just beyond [him].”<\/p>\n

Think Progress<\/a> breaks down the bill’s reach, explaining:<\/p>\n

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S. 1203 would do three things: it would ban municipalities from establishing protections that would allow transgender people to use bathrooms, it would ban any state building from allowing transgender people to access sex<\/a>-designated restrooms, and it would ban schools from allowing transgender people to access sex<\/a>-designated restrooms.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"\"You can read the short but pervasively harmful bill here in its entirety here<\/a>, but this is not Senator Bright’s first outlandish proposal<\/a>. His public statements, authored bills, and voting record show a history of discrimination against women<\/a> and Muslims.<\/p>\n

Governor Nikki Haley (R) has spoken against bill S 1203, saying it is unnecessary. The state’s Democratic Party Chairman, Jaime Harrison, also released a statement about the bill’s discriminatory and unwelcome nature. Harrison also calls<\/a> on the South Carolina’s Republican Party to stand against discrimination. Hear their statements in the video<\/a> below:<\/p>\n

wistv.com – Columbia, South Carolina<\/a><\/p>\n

Zeke Stokes, GLAAD’s Vice President of Programs, spoke against S 1203 in a statement: “As a native South Carolinian, it’s disheartening to see my home state seek to discriminate against friends and family, about whom I care so deeply. Governor Nikki Haley is exactly right when she says this bill is <\/span>unnecessary. South Carolina legislators must protect all South Carolinians and stop this senseless attack on our LGBT neighbors.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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LGBT southerners and their allies have taken to social media as well to say “no” to S 1203:<\/p>\n

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Shame on @leebright<\/a> for introducing a mean & economically reckless #S1203<\/a> against #transgender<\/a> people #KeepSCfair<\/a> #WeAreNotThis<\/a> #SCtweets<\/a><\/p>\n

— Ryan C. Wilson (@EqualityPrius) April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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I’m ready to March against Lee Bright’s hate #s1203<\/a> #scstrong<\/a> t.co\/COCoIhOUik<\/a><\/p>\n

— Connie Bacon (@womandeville) April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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If you support #S1203<\/a> & are sitting in office now, the tide might change for you next term. #NOtoS1203<\/a> #SenatorLeeBright<\/a> #queervotescount<\/a><\/p>\n

— Chelle (@_runfatgirlrun) April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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@leebright<\/a> attempts to oppress our liberty and safety… again. Bc “family values.” #S1203<\/a> #TransLivesMatter<\/a><\/p>\n

— jay (@jayemery_) April 7, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

GLAAD has been speaking out against discriminatory laws in several states, including most recently Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Dakota. GLAAD’s resource, “Debunking the ‘Bathroom Bills Myth<\/a>‘” is a valuable resource for journalists and everyday people to understand the importance and impact of nondiscrimination bills, and ways to debunk falsehoods that often are raised in opposition to such bills. . GLAAD is calling on media, both in South Carolina and nationally, to ask media to hold promoters of such discriminatory bills as S 1203 accountable for false claims they have made.<\/span><\/p>\n

LGBT advocates and media figures can also find background information about the LGBT community in South Carolina through GLAAD’s guidebook on the state<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> GLAAD developed the resource with SC Equality<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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April 7, 2016<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Issues: <\/div>\n