Jen Richards

Jen Richards is a transgender activist, writer, actress, and producer. Richards was born in Mississippi and resides in North Carolina. She graduated from Shimer College with a BA in Philosophy, and studied at Oxford University.

When Will They Ever Learn?

RALEIGH, North Carolina --

Despite Republican assurances that North Carolina's "bathroom bill" isn't hurting the economy, the law limiting LGBT protections will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen years, according to an Associated Press analysis.

Over the past year, North Carolina has suffered financial hits ranging from scuttled plans for a PayPal facility that would have added an estimated $2.66 billion to the state's economy to a canceled Ringo Starr concert that deprived a town's amphitheater of about $33,000 in revenue. The blows have landed in the state's biggest cities as well as towns surrounding its flagship university, and from the mountains to the coast.

North Carolina could lose hundreds of millions more because the NCAA is avoiding the state, usually a favored host. The group is set to announce sites for various championships through 2022, and North Carolina won't be among them as long as the law is on the books. The NAACP also has initiated a national economic boycott.

The AP analysis - compiled through interviews and public records requests - represents the largest reckoning yet of how much the law, passed one year ago, could cost the state. The law excludes gender identity and sexual orientation from statewide antidiscrimination protections, and requires transgender people to use restrooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates in many public buildings.

Still, AP's tally is likely an underestimation of the law's true costs.

For more, go here:

The Gift That Keeps on Coming Back

In another major slam to North Carolina's economy, the NCAA is pulling it's events from the state. Check this story from the News&Observer:

"Since the North Carolina legislature last March passed House Bill 2, a controversial law restricting transgender bathroom access and limiting the civil rights and bathroom usage of the LGBT community, the state has lost the NBA All-Star Game, Bruce Springsteen and other concerts and conventions and millions of dollars in revenue.

Now North Carolina is losing the NCAA tournament. The NCAA announced on Monday that the seven championships scheduled in the state during this academic year, including NCAA men’s basketball tournament games in Greensboro, would be relocated because of House Bill 2, better known as HB2."

If you are not especially into sports, this list should give you a look at the economic impact this move should have:

"The Greensboro Coliseum had been scheduled to host first- and second-round NCAA men’s basketball tournament games next March. Those games, scheduled for March 17 and 19, will now be played at yet-to-be determined location.

In addition to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, North Carolina is also losing:

▪ The 2016 Division I Women’s Soccer Championship, which had been scheduled for Dec. 2 and 4 in Cary.

▪ The 2016 Division III Men’s and Women’s Soccer Championships, which had been scheduled for Dec. 2 and 3 in Greensboro.

▪ A 2017 Division I Women’s Golf Championships regional, which had been scheduled for May 8-10 in Greenville.

▪ The 2017 Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships, which had been scheduled for May 22-27 in Cary.

▪ The 2017 Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship, which had been scheduled for May 26 and 28 in Cary.

▪ The 2017 Division II Baseball Championship, which had been scheduled for May 27-June 3 in Cary.

The Town of Cary was hit especially hard by the NCAA’s decision. Harold Weinbrecht, the Cary mayor, released a statement expressing his frustration that HB2 had cost the town the opportunity to host four NCAA championships.

“I am extremely disappointed with this news,” he said. “We are no longer viewed as a progressive state but a backwards one which is a disservice to the citizens of North Carolina. We will lose millions of dollars in economic benefit locally."

When will they ever learn?

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article101457472.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/article101457472.html#storylink=cpy

The Almighty Dollar!!!

WYFF, SC, USA


Conventions leaving Charlotte, citing House Bill 2

UPDATED 6:50 AM EDT Apr 09, 2016


CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) —Controversy over North Carolina's new law blocking anti-discrimination rules covering the LGBT community has made national headlines and now the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA) says conventions are pulling out of Charlotte.

The CRVA says four conventions that were booked in Charlotte have now canceled the event in the Queen City over House Bill 2. WBTV broke the story Friday afternoon after a source gave WBTV's Molly Grantham the information. The CRVA later confirmed the numbers.

HB2 repealed Charlotte's non-discrimination ordinance, which was passed in February. The Charlotte City Council voted 7-4 to add sexual orientation, gender identity and marital status as attributes protected from discrimination when it comes to public accommodations including restaurants, retail stores and other businesses. Public schools would not have been affected by the ordinance.

The ordinance quickly became controversial with the majority of the focus revolving around the bathroom.

Republican leaders in North Carolina, including Governor Pat McCrory, expressed concern over the ordinance. A special session of the North Carolina General Assembly was held in late March.

In a one-day vote, the NCGA repealed the Charlotte ordinance, which was slated to take effect on April 1.

The new law requires transgender people to use public bathrooms that match their birth certificates. The law also makes clear local measures can't expand anti-discrimination protections for sexual orientation or gender identity.

According to the CRVA, four conventions have officially canceled their dates in Charlotte, citing House Bill 2. Officials say that translates to 1,137 room nights gone for hotels in Charlotte.

On top of the four canceled conventions, nine other conventions who were looking at Charlotte are saying they will no longer be looking at the city to be the host. That's considered a "lost opportunity" and translates into a potential 12,231 room nights not used.

WBTV also learned that 29 other groups have now said they are "hesitant" about bringing their convention to Charlotte. If all these groups pulled out, that's 89,723 room nights that will be lost."

In addition (you may have heard) Bruce Springsteen has cancelled his concert in North Carolina.

At the least, all of this activity lays the framework of what can/could happen to one of the other states considering going down such an unfair discriminatory route.

Are We Having Any Fun Yet?

It seems to me every blog post I have done since the ones when I went through changing my legal gender markers have been really serious. 

But then again, don't they have to be? Take the restroom issues for example. For once we "T's" in the LGBT family jumped the line from last to first mainly on the back of using the restroom of our chosen gender. All of the sudden discrimination became very real in this country to more than racial minorities.

I believe what disturbs me (more than I already am) are in a couple Facebook groups I look at from time to time, the members are cluelessly going off on using the women's room at will. That's cool of course, but I wonder some day if they are not careful traveling in let's say North Carolina and they get busted.

You see, I can only get some sort of attachment to my Ohio birth certificate saying my gender has been changed, The only other fool proof way around the rest room problem is to pass-well, which some of us struggle to do.

Fortunately, some of the rightest rednecks are bitchin' about the "leftest corporate" bullies. It's about time and it's true. 

But like the Facebook cuties who think unlimited rights (or even limited) are forever, all of this has a long way to go. Much farther than Jenner's Black Party Bus or blogs like mine. The governors in recent "battle ground states" have different stories which could set us back or forward. In Georgia, Governor Deal made the right call and shot down the LGBT discrimination bill in his state, but he is outgoing. In North Carolina though, Governor McCrory is in a more difficult spot, trying to frame the new North Carolina law in his favor while his Democratic general election opponent, state Attorney General Roy Cooper, does the same. Both rivals must placate their party bases — gay-rights supporting liberals for Cooper, social conservatives for McCrory — while appealing to the independents who hold sway in the closely divided state.

So, as you look for that run in your hose or reflection in the mirror, you may want to really consider what it means to be transgender, and is it more than just lactating?

Busted in North Carolina?

From the "EdgeMediaNetwork" in Boston: "It didn't take long for the folks at Funny or Die to skewer North Carolina's new anti-LGBT law. On Thursday, less than 24 hours after Republican Governor Pat McCrory signed the sweeping homophobic legislation into law, the comedy website published a faux commercial from North Carolina's tourism board that reminds potential travelers of "all the fun straight things you can do in their beautiful, intolerant state."


"Now you can experience the beautiful outdoors, cityscapes and incredible ignorance by hang-gliding backwards in time, racing to the wrong side of history in a kayak, teaching your children to judge others while frolicking in the waves and enjoying our waterfalls without fear of gay people falling on you," says a voice over the requisite video montage of the Tar Heel state's natural landscapes.

The video is on You Tube only. It's  been interesting to Liz and I since we WERE considering a possible trip to North Carolina this summer. I won't go where I am not wanted.

The North Carolina peeps should close their borders before Caitlyn Jenner's Black Bus gets there.

The Devil Stopped in North Carolina on His Way to Georgia

LEXIE CANNES STATE OF TRANS — I (Lexie) put together this list of major NC businesses and organizations for everyone to contact and voice your concern about yesterday’s sneak attack by the North Carolina legislature and governor banning trans people from using bathrooms. Urge them to press the NC state Republicans legislators into repealing their unjust law.

Some companies make it harder to contact them than others.

American Airlines (large presence in NC) 1-877-390-3077 Email: https://www.aa.com/contact/forms?topic=CR

Bank of America —  1-800-432-1000, 1-888-550-6433 Email:https://www.bankofamerica.com/contactus/contactus.go

Carolina Panthers (NFL team) — 704-358-7000 Email:  feedback@panthers.nfl.com

Carolina Hornets (NBA team owned by Michael Jordan) 1-704-688-8600 FAX: 1-704-973-9411 Email:info@hornets.com

Charlotte Chamber of Commerce — 1-704-378-1300, Email: Staff directory (click on staff name to email)http://charlottechamber.com/about-the-chamber/staff-listing/

Disney (large presence in NC) — 1-818-560-1000, 1-855-553-4763

Dow Chemical (large presence in NC) —  1-989-636-1000, 1-800-636-331-6451 Fax: 1-989-832-1456 Email:http://www.dow.com/en-us/contact-us

ESPN — (large presence in NC) 1-860-766-2000, Email: (for press media, but may still work)espnpr@espn.com

Food Lion — 1-800-210-9569 Email: https://www.foodlion.com/customer-service/contact-us/

Haines — (Michael Jordan is spokesperson) Email: http://www.hanes.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/contactus_13751_-1_14001  and http://c6.crm.xpon.us/hydra?id=49

Krispy Kreme — 1-800-457-4779 Email: KKGuest@krispykreme.com  orhttp://krispykreme.com/about/Contact-Us

Lowes — 1-800-445-6937 Email: customercare@lowes.com

NBA (All Star game may be held in Charlotte) — 1-212-407-8000 Fax: 1-212-832-3861 Email:http://contact.nba.com/contact-nba/

NCAA — (College basketball tournaments in NC) — 1-317-917-6222, Fax: 1-317-917-6888 Email:memmert@ncaa.org

PayPal (plans hiring blitz) 1-888-221-1161

Sealy Corp (Mattresses) — 1-800-697-3259 Email: ConsumerSupport@sealy.com

——

This is a working document. Please post suggestions in the comments section below so I can update this page.

This method will work in North Carolina: Trans men should invade the ladies room at the capitol building and the governor’s office: http://lexiecannes.com/2015/11/04/call-for-trans-men-to-invade-public-womens-bathrooms-in-houston/

——

NC’s new anti-trans law: http://lexiecannes.com/2016/03/23/north-carolina-state-republicans-blows-a-gasket-kills-charlottes-trans-rights-ordinance/

Watch LEXIE CANNES right now: http://www.amazon.com/Lexie-Cannes-CourtneyODonnell/dp/B00KEYH3LQ Or get the DVD:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0963781332   

Read Lexie Cannes in The Huffington Post:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/courtney-odonnell/

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‹ North Carolina state Republicans blows a gasket, kills Charlotte’s trans rights ordinance

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Categories: Discrimination, Equality, Civil Rights, Everything else, Legislative

Tags: north carolina

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   Lexie Cannes