Charlotte's LGBT ordinance fight moving to Raleigh

Saturday, March 19, 2016
LGBT ordinance
Keep NC Safe is a group planning a news conference Monday at noon to call on Gov. Pat McCrory to call a special session to get rid of the new Charlotte ordinance.

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- On Monday, the fight over Charlotte's new non-discrimination ordinance will come to Raleigh.

"This ordinance is based on feelings and not on facts, there's no way for law enforcement to be able to say you're in the right and you're in the wrong and that's a problem," said Kami Mueller, a spokesperson for Keep NC Safe.

Keep NC Safe is a group planning a news conference Monday at noon to call on Gov. Pat McCrory to call a special session to get rid of the new Charlotte ordinance.

In February, with a majority vote, Charlotte's city council passed an ordinance giving members of the LGBT community recourse if they feel they are denied rights, including what restroom or locker room to use.

RELATED: Charlotte passes controversial ordinance

Despite the majority vote of the council out of Charlotte, the ordinance is getting backlash from all across the state, while supporters continue to fight for it.

Opponents say it's about safety. They say women and children face being attacked in bathrooms because of this. Supporters argue against that and say the ordinance is working in other cities.

RELATED: Political activists fight to overturn LGBT ordinance

"Including Myrtle Beach and Colombia, South Carolina, that these laws have already been in effect for years without actual public safety problems," said Chris Sgro, Executive Director of Equality NC.

"It's not about love or hate and I think when you're looking at some of the things that are on television that's what it comes out to be portrayed as, but has nothing to do with love or hate, it has to do with common sense. Men should not be allowed in women's bathrooms period," Mueller said.

In a news release, organizers of the Keep NC Safe news conference planned for Monday say "esteemed law enforcement professionals, school administrators, community leaders, students and statewide policy groups" will be at that news conference. When asked, they did not want to elaborate on names as of Friday evening.

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