The Justice Department Just Told North Carolina Their Anti-Gay Bill Violates the Civil Rights Act

In March, North Carolina passed House Bill 2, better known as the “Bathroom Bill.” In addition to requiring everyone in the state to identify as the biological sex on their birth certificate when using a public restroom, the bill effectively overturned “every local LGBT anti-discrimination measure in the state.” Within days, large-scale boycotts of the state began—many of which had immediate economic effects. And now, less than two months later, the US Justice Department has decided to slide in, wag their fingers, and say, “Not so fast, ya bigots!”

On Wednesday—the very same day Beyoncé protested HB2 by wearing this shirt—the department sent a letter informing state officials that HB2 violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act 0f 1964, and that they would have “until Monday to address the situation ‘by confirming that [North Carolina] will not comply with or implement HB2.’”