{"id":51472,"date":"2017-03-23T14:01:07","date_gmt":"2017-03-23T18:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/glaad-to-americas-coaches-and-athletic-communities-its-time-to-publicly-reject-anti-lgbtq-bills-across-the-usa\/"},"modified":"2017-03-23T14:01:07","modified_gmt":"2017-03-23T18:01:07","slug":"glaad-to-americas-coaches-and-athletic-communities-its-time-to-publicly-reject-anti-lgbtq-bills-across-the-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/glaad-to-americas-coaches-and-athletic-communities-its-time-to-publicly-reject-anti-lgbtq-bills-across-the-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"GLAAD to America's coaches and athletic communities: it's time to publicly reject anti-LGBTQ bills across the USA"},"content":{"rendered":"

GLAAD to America's coaches and athletic communities: it's time to publicly reject anti-LGBTQ bills across the USA<\/b><\/p>\n

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Follow the lead of North Carolina\u2019s Roy Williams and \u2018Coach K,\u2019 says GLAAD\u2019s Sarah Kate Ellis<\/em><\/p>\n

NEW YORK<\/strong> \u2013 Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, released the following statement after some NCAA men<\/a>\u2019s basketball coaches, including Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski<\/a> and University of North Carolina coach Roy Williams<\/a>, reiterated their call<\/a> for North Carolina\u2019s political leaders to reject the failed HB2 law and the negative effects it has had on the state economy.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoaches in American towns are not just key leaders in their communities but they are mentors that set an example for our children. With numerous anti-LGBTQ bills popping up across this country, we need more leaders like coaches Krzyzewski and Williams who will stand up to political bullies while showing what\u2019s the right thing to do \u2013 protecting our nation\u2019s most vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: HB2\u2019s Harmful Impact to North Carolina Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coaches Reject HB2<\/em><\/p>\n

Duke\u2019s Mike Krzyzewski Rejects HB2 Numerous Times. <\/strong>\u201c\u2019It would be nice if our state got as smart and also would host not just basketball tournaments but concerts and other NCAA events. But maybe we’ll get there in the next century, I don’t know. We’ll see. Look, it’s a stupid thing. That’s my political statement. If I was president or governor I’d get rid of it. And I’d back up my promises. As unusual as that might be. Anyway, I don’t want to get too political.\u2019\u201d [Sports Illustrated<\/a>, 3.17.17], [USA Today<\/a>, 7.20.16]<\/p>\n

UNC\u2019s Roy Williams on HB2: \u2018What we have now is wrong.\u2019<\/strong> \u201cRoy Williams isn\u2019t shy when it comes to voicing his opinion about North Carolina\u2019s controversial \u2018bathroom bill.\u2019 Williams already spoke about House Bill 2 in Brooklyn during the ACC Tournament and again in Greensboro at the start of the NCAA Tournament. He kept up the commentary during a press conference in Chapel Hill on Tuesday ahead of the Tar Heel\u2019s NCAA Sweet 16 game against Butler in Memphis. \u2018It shouldn\u2019t just be about athletic events \u2013 that\u2019s the most important thing. It should be about what\u2019s right and wrong,\u2019 Williams said. \u2018And what we have now is wrong.\u2019 [The News & Observer<\/a>, 3.21.17]<\/p>\n

Former North Carolina State Mark Gottfried was \u201cAppalled\u201d by HB2.<\/strong> \u201cNorth Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried said he was \u201cappalled\u201d by the bill and is embarrassed when he goes on recruiting visits and parents ask about it. \u2018I\u2019m against any law that allows discrimination, whether that\u2019s based on race, gender, sexual orientation,” Gottfried told USA TODAY Sports. “I don\u2019t understand how someone can support this. I think the people at N.C. State, we believe in inclusion. Being a resident of the state, for me and my family, it\u2019s been frustrating.\u2019\u201d [USA Today<\/a>, 7.20.16]<\/p>\n

Elon University\u2019s Matt Matheny Against HB2, Said \u201cAs Coaches, We\u2019re Leaders.\u201d<\/strong> \u201c\u2019What I love about coaching is that I can sit down with players of different backgrounds,\u2019 Matheny said. \u2018It\u2019s important to expose players to what\u2019s going on outside the basketball court. It\u2019s important that they\u2019re aware of issues that our state and our country faces. As coaches, we\u2019re the leaders. It\u2019s important that we as coaches at programs \u2014 big or small \u2014 use our platform to promote a positive message.\u2019\u201d [USA Today<\/a>, 7.20.16]
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HB2 Impact on Economy<\/em><\/p>\n

HB2 Cost North Carolina $5 Billion a Year in Revenue. \u201c<\/strong>North Carolina\u2019s controversial House Bill 2 could cost the state almost $5 billion a year, according to a report Wednesday from the Williams Institute, a UCLA School of Law think tank that focuses on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. Most of the economic hit would come from the loss of federal funding, since the U.S. government has said HB2 is a violation of the U.S. Civil Rights Act and Title IX. The report, however, also took into account the loss of business investment, reduced travel and tourism, the costs of litigation and enforcement, as well as costs associated with high school dropouts, workplace discrimination, health disparities, productivity loss, retention and recruitment.\u201d [Charlotte Observer<\/a>, 5.11.16]<\/p>\n

HEADLINE: \u201cNCAA Will Pull More Events From North Carolina Unless HB2 Is Repealed, Sports Group Warns<\/strong>\u201d [Huffington Post<\/a>, 2.6.17]<\/p>\n

HB2 Cost North Carolina\u2019s Economy $630 Million<\/strong>. \u201cThe fate of North Carolina\u2019s controversial HB2 hangs in the balance of Tuesday\u2019s election. The \u2018Bathroom Bill\u2019 is the colloquial, if crude, name for the state\u2019s law that has cost the state at least $630 million in lost business since March, according to FORBES\u2019 estimates. And that number could go even higher.\u201d [Forbes<\/a>, 11.3.16]<\/p>\n

HEADLINE: \u201cPayPal cancels $3.6 million North Carolina expansion over state\u2019s anti-LGBT law\u201d<\/strong> [New York Daily News<\/a>, 4.5.16]<\/p>\n

Bruce Springsteen Cancels Concert Because of HB2<\/strong>. \u201cCanceled Bruce Springsteen concert to cost North Carolina arena $100K in lost revenue\u201d [MassLive<\/a>, 4.8.16]<\/p>\n

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March 23, 2017<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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