Charlotte Council Approves Expansion of Transgender Protections
Charlotte City Council members in North Carolina voted 7-4 Monday night to expand a new transgender nondiscrimination ordinance.
The measure would extend protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity to allow people to choose a public restroom based on the gender they "identify with."
"I'm pleased that Charlotte has sent a signal that we will treat people with dignity and respect, even when we disagree," Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts said after the vote.
But North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory calls the move a "threat to public safety."
"Also, this action of allowing a person with male anatomy, for example, to use a female restroom or locker room will most likely cause immediate State legislative intervention which I would support as governor," he wrote in an email to two Council members.
The measure is expected to cause a showdown among lawmakers in the state.