NC Gov. Josh Stein Vetoes Anti-DEI, Anti-Trans Bill
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein Vetoes State GOP’s Anti-DEI And Anti-Trans Bills
Apparently, there are still democratic leaders who are willing to stand up to the MAGA machine, even if it means nixing harmful legislation passed by Republican lawmakers.
On Thursday, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein vetoed three anti-DEI bills passed by state GOP legislators as well as another measure that targets trans people.
Not only did Stein defy North Carolina Republicans by vetoing their big, bigoted bill, but he called them out for focusing on these highly politicized issues instead of doing useful things like enacting a budget for the fiscal year. According to the Associated Press, Stein accused state lawmakers of trying to “distract us by stoking culture wars that further divide us.”
“These mean-spirited bills would marginalize vulnerable people and also undermine the quality of public services and public education,” the governor continued.
Josh Stein is correct, if we’re being honest. Neither the MAGA-fied GOP’s war on LGBTQ people nor diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are about the issues themselves; Republicans just know they can keep their base revved up and distracted from their actual policies (or lack thereof) by blindly condemning and shouting about DEI and trans people in sports and bathrooms. (And if all else fails, throw in some anti-immigrant hate for a little white nationalist razzle-dazzle.) It’s the very brand of fear-mongering that gave President Donald Trump his second term and allows him to draw attention away from his disastrous economic policies, authoritarian conduct, and the way he has effectively ghettoized the federal government.
Republicans haven’t even made a substantial argument regarding DEI; they just attack the concept of diversity with hollow buzzwords like “merit” and “divisive,” and instead of proving their arguments, they avoid any real scrutiny by declaring their ideology to be “common sense.” Then they turn said ideology into law.
Here’s what the anti-DEI bills entailed, according to AP:
As for the anti-DEI measures, one bill would ban training, staff positions and hiring decisions that incorporate DEI in state agencies. The legislation also would outlaw those agencies or local governments from using state funds for DEI programs. Workers who violate the law could face civil penalties. The two other bills would bar “divisive concepts” and “discriminatory practices” across public education statewide.
In his veto message, Stein wrote that “we should not whitewash history” and “should ensure our students learn from diverse perspectives and form their own opinions.”
As for the anti-trans legislation, it came shoehorned into a bill that was initially unrelated to trans people or the LGBTQ community.
More from AP:
The other vetoed bill initially ran as a bipartisan measure curbing sexual exploitation of women and minors by implementing age verification and consent requirements for people who appear on pornography websites. But the final measure was loaded with several contentious provisions. One would prevent state-funded gender transition procedures or gender-affirming hormone therapy for prisoners. It also affirms the recognition of two sexes and requires the state to officially attach a transgender person’s new birth certificate to their old one if they change their sex assigned at birth.
So, North Carolina Republicans took bipartisan, common-sense legislation against the sexual exploitation of children and tried to use it as a Trojan horse for bigoted anti-trans laws that had nothing to do with protecting children.
Shout out to Gov. Stein for taking a stand. Hopefully, more democratic leaders will follow suit.
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