United Methodist Women is standing with members and mission partners in North Carolina to protest the state’s HB2 law, known as "the bathroom bill," which actually discriminates against workers in a number of ways.
The UMW protest will be held Monday, Jan. 30, 2017, 12 p.m. at Marshall Park, 300 South McDowell Street, Charlotte, NC 28202.
“People don’t understand the bill is hurting more people through the inclusion of statutes that limit workers’ rights. The present political climate … is misleading people to believe that HB2 is about bathroom choices only. It is much more than that,” said Tonya Lanier, president, Western North Carolina United Methodist Women, in a UMW press release distributed by Religion News Service.
Eight North Carolina area United Methodist bishops have also said, “We urge all United Methodists to engage in prayer, in study of the issues, in patient listening and persevering conversation with others who hold differing opinions and in courageous advocacy for what is right, just and good for all people in North Carolina.”
United Methodist Women stands in solidarity against HB2
United Methodist Women is rallying with members and allies in Charlotte to resist HB2’s:
- Elimination of any state law claim for discrimination in the workplace on the basis of national origin or ethnicity.
- Elimination of all existing state law remedies for women from being demoted, transferred, or terminated from their job because of their sex.
- Overturn and elimination of all existing local authority to enact minimum wage standards for public-sector contractors in their community.
- Overturn and elimination of all existing local ordinances and any ability to enact family leave policies, child welfare protections, limits on the number of consecutive hours an employee may be required to work without a break or health insurance standards for any contractors in their community.
- Overturn of all existing local ordinances and protections for LGBTQ citizens in North Carolina and ban any communities from ever enacting any such protections again.
Take action today
- Contact your North Carolina senators and representatives to demand the repeal of HB2 in its entirety. Find out who represents you here: www.ncleg.net/representation/ WhoRepresentsMe.aspx.
- Contact Senate President Pro-Temp Phil Berger (919-733-5708) and House Speaker Tim Moore (919-733-3451) to repeal HB2.