RICHMOND, VA — The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit will begin hearing oral arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s House Bill 2.
According to a release, three judges will be considering a request to block the the anti-transgender provisions of the law, which bar transgender people from using restrooms and locker rooms matching their gender, from being enforced. UNC was blocked from enforcing such provisions back in August 2016 by a lower court.
Officials with the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal, who are challenging the bill on behalf of four North Carolina LGBT residents and members of the ACLU of NC, released a joint statement regarding Wednesday’s appearance:
βWe look forward to being back in court to fight to ensure that all transgender people in North Carolina are treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve and that is required by law. House Bill 2 represents an egregious attack on transgender people and their ability to participate in public life. While we continue to urge North Carolina legislators to repeal the law entirely, without still sanctioning discrimination, particularly against transgender people, we cannot wait for lawmakers to do the right thing. We will continue to fight for the rights of LGBT North Carolinians in court and beyond.β
