GLSEN Responds to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's Executive Orde

Media Contact:

Kari Hudnell Media Relations Manager press@glsen.org 646-388-6575

GLSEN Responds to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory’s Executive Order 93 

WASHINGTON (April 12, 2016) – GLSEN Director of Public Policy Nathan Smith condemned North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory’s issuing of Executive Order 93 in response to the backlash against his signing of HB 2.

"Governor McCrory’s Executive Order is a weak attempt to diffuse the backlash against the General Assembly’s passing and his signing of HB 2. The Executive Order does nothing to help transgender students in North Carolina who will continue to be denied the dignity of accessing restrooms that correspond with their gender identity. It also does nothing to remove the ban on city-wide nondiscrimination ordinances that protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

“Instead, the Governor is attempting to distract the public by offering minor protections for the state’s lesbian, gay and bisexual employees and completely hollow ‘protections’ for the state’s transgender employees, who will still not be able to access restrooms in their workplaces. We thank all those who have opposed HB 2 and call on them to remember the impact the law will continue to have on the students of North Carolina despite Gov. McCrory’s thinly veiled attempt to save face. We also continue to call on the North Carolina General Assembly to repeal HB 2 in its entirety.”

The latest edition of GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey found that LGBT students who experienced discrimination and bullying and harassment at school were more than three times as likely to have missed school in the past month as those who did not, had lower GPAs than their peers, and had lower self-esteem and higher levels of depression. GLSEN has created model laws and policies for schools, districts and states to ensure LGBT students are safe and affirmed at school, including a model district policy for accommodating transgender and gender nonconforming students that complies with Title IX.  

About GLSEN

GLSEN is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students. GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For information on GLSEN's research, educational resources, public policy advocacy, student organizing programs and educator training initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.