North Carolina Anti-LGBT Bill Prompts Film And Television Studio Boycott, More Than 100 Major Corporations Take A Stand
A bill which can best be called controversial for targeting LGBT people was enacted last week in North Carolina, as previously reported by the Inquisitr, and the Internet has been up in arms. Prompting a hashtag movement, tourism boycotts and at least one lawsuit, the protest against the anti-LGBT House Bill 2 has largely been ignored by North Carolina legislators, or responded to with outright derision and bigotry.
Among other provisions, the bill bans anyone from using a bathroom which does not correspond with the gender they were assigned at birth. It also reverses anti-discrimination policies put into place by individual cities, and prevents them from enacting new ones. The anti-LGBT bill was enacted in a special session convened specifically in response to a nondiscrimination ordinance enacted by the city of Charlotte.
Outnumbered Senate Democrats walked out of the session in protest, and Republican Senators signed the bill into law, 32-0. Anti-discrimination groups have called the anti-LGBT bill “hateful.”
Lionsgate Home Entertainment and A+E Networks have already stated that they will be pulling out and relocating planned projects, costing the state both money and jobs. Lionsgate is relocating a planned comedy show from North Carolina to Canada, a move that takes a hundred jobs out of the state; although they have not yet made their plans for the film clear, they also have plans to film a remake of Dirty Dancing in the Asheville area – a project which the North Carolina Department of Commerce granted them $4 million for.
Meanwhile, A+E will finish filming of an eight-episode military drama, SIX, but has promised that North Carolina will not be considered for any future projects once filming has completed. A+E received a $7.2 million grant for SIX, as the N.C. Department of Commerce is very eager to bring filmmakers into the state.
Miramax, The Weinstein Company, Turner Broadcasting and 21st Century Fox have also voiced their opposition to the anti-LGBT bill. Turner stated that it would be “reevaluating” future projects in North Carolina, while Fox will “reconsider future filming commitments if the act is not repealed.”
And according to Fox 8, it’s not just filmmakers taking a stand against the anti-LGBT law. Bill Maris of Google Ventures has initiated a boycott of the state “until the voters there fix this,” and well over 100 major corporations have made statements condemning the law and signed a letter to Governor Pat McCrory demanding that the law be repealed. Gov. McCrory continues to state there is an “outpouring of support” for the hateful legislation.
PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi took the time to pen a personal letter to Gov. McCrory.
“I was taken aback by the legislature’s recent action in passing HB2, as well as your decision to sign it into law so quickly. […] (This bill) impedes our progress toward equality.”
Hopefully, the support of these companies can make a difference in the lives of those who have been endangered and humiliated by this legislation.
[Photo by George Frey/Getty Images]
