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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Bans All Non-Essential State Travel to North Carolina After Anti-LGBT ‘Bathroom Bill’ Introduced

Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo

Andrew Cuomo is saying no thanks to North Carolina. The New York state governor signed an executive order on Monday, March 28, banning nonessential government travel to North Carolina after its governor, Pat McCrorysigned an anti-LGBT law about bathroom usage last week.

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The bill, which was suddenly fast-tracked on Wednesday, March 23, an hour before the North Carolina House voted — and coincidentally before many policy makers even caught wind of it — bans transgender people from using the bathrooms appropriate for their gender identities.

The new law has proven to be controversial with the public, and now Gov. Cuomo and NYC mayor Bill de Blasio have both issued the same travel bans to North Carolina.

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"In New York, we believe that all people — regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation — deserve the same rights and protections under the eyes of the law," Gov. Cuomo said in his statement on Monday. "From Stonewall to marriage equality, our state has been a beacon of hope and equality for the LGBT community, and we will not stand idly by as misguided legislation replicates the discrimination of the past. As long as there is a law in North Carolina that creates the grounds for discrimination against LGBT people, I am barring non-essential state travel to that state."

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The governor of Georgia has promised to veto a similar bill if it makes its way to his desk, and De Blasio separately added on Monday: "In the event that the governor’s veto in Georgia is overridden, we will do so for Georgia as well."

The ban means that all state departments and government organizations will need to review any requests made for travel to North Carolina. In response, McCrory called the travel bans "political theater" during an interview with NBC News on Monday.

"This political correctness has gone amok," he said. "Would you want a man to walk into your daughter's shower and legally be able to do that because mentally they think they are of the other gender? I happen to disagree with that, but I'll allow business to make that decision themselves."

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