Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> BUNCOMBE COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE SUSAN FISHER
IS HERE.
REPUBLICANS SAY NO ACTION ON ANYTHING UNTIL THE FEDERAL
COURTS DECIDE ON HOW HB2 MESHES.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT GOING ON UP UNTIL NOW.
WE'VE LOST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN BUSINESS.
WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EDUCATION
FUNDING AS WELL AS TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.
AND I THINK THAT THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE MORE, YOU KNOW,
DRASTIC THINGS BECOME FOR THE STATE.
NOT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE, BUT FOR OUR BUDGET AND OUR ABILITY TO
TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
>> IS THE DEBATE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT
BUSINESSES THAT SAY THEY WON'T EXPAND HERE AND PERFORMERS IS A
I THEY WON'T SING HERE, IS IT ABOUT THE BATHROOM ISSUE OR ANY
OF THE OTHER ELEMENTS?
NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT UNLESS YOU'RE A POLICY PERSON,
WHICH IS MINIMUM WAGE CAPS, THE NO ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWSUITS
AND STATE COURT.
IS THE BATHROOM SIDE OF THIS THING JUST DOMINATING IT AND
KNOCKING EVERYTHING ELSE OFF?
>> I'D SAY THAT IT'S CERTAINLY A POINT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WANT
TO KEEP FEAR IN FOLKS' MINDS WILL, YOU KNOW, GO
TO THE BATHROOM ISSUE.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BATHROOMS.
IT IS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION OF ALL SORTS.
AND WHAT THE BILL THAT WE INTRODUCED TODAY WILL DO IS MAKE
SURE THAT IN OUR STATUTES IS WRITTEN NONDISCRIMINATION LAW.
SO THAT FOR ANY NUMBER OF CATEGORIES, PEOPLE CANNOT BE
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.
>> I ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.
ON THE ISSUE OF BATHROOM AND REST ROOM FACILITIES, PUBLIC
ONES, CAN SOMEONE SAY I SUPPORT TRANS-GENDER ISSUES AND SELECT
WHICH MATCHES CLOSELY WITH THEIR IDENTITY, BUT I STILL WANT
SEGREGATED BATHROOMS IN TERMS OF MALE/FEMALE BATHROOMS?
IT SEEMS THE DEBATE IS OVER GENDER NEUTRALITY AND ALL
BATHROOMS ARE BAD IF THEY ALLOW ONE SEX OR THE OTHER.
>> I THINK YOU CAN.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND WHAT YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN AS WELL ARE
BATHROOMS THAT ARE FOR FAMILIES, FAMILY BATHROOMS, MALE, FEMALE,
LOTS OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BATHROOMS THAT ARE NO GENDER
SPECIFICITY AT ALL.
AND WHAT I THINK HAS TO HAPPEN IS THAT PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE
THAT TRANS-GENDER PEOPLE ARE MALE OR FEMALE.
IT'S NOT -- THAT SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE FOR PEOPLE.
WHAT SHOULD BE THE ISSUE IS WHY ARE THERE NOT PROTECTIONS FOR
EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS STATE?
NOT -- AND TO TRY TO KEEP FROM SEGREGATING PEOPLE?
THIS IS SO REMINISCENT OF PRECIVIL RIGHTS TIME.
I WILL NOT BEGIN TO COMPARE THE SUFFERING, BUT I WILL TELL YOU
THAT THE TRANS-GENDER COMMUNITY IS ONE COMMUNITY THAT HAS A LOT
OF SUICIDE.
LOTS OF CALLS CAME IN TO THE TRANS-HOTLINE, THE SUICIDE
HOTLINE, AND THEY ARE FEELING JUST AS THREATENED AS ONE MIGHT
HAVE FELT BACK IN THE 60s OR THE 50s BEFORE -- WHEN WE HAD SIGNS
ABOVE THE DOOR THAT SAID "WHITES ONLY" OR ABOVE THE WATER
FOUNTAIN THAT SAID "WHITES ONLY."
THIS IS A SIMILAR THING AND IT'S ALL FEAR-BASED.
>> WE'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
THIS LAWSUIT IS JUST GETTING STARTED ON BOTH SIDES.
BUT THE STATE HOUSE BILL IS THERE, THE ANTI-HB2.
I APPRECIATE YOU COMING ON.
>> THANK YOU.