Carolina’s new bill shows tides are changing

Leave it to The Boss to make a stand for LGBT rights ‑ who would have thought it?

Bruce Springsteen recently canceled a show set in Greensboro, N.C., in protest of a recently approved North Carolina bill. If you’ve followed Springsteen for a while, this actually wouldn’t come as a surprise, despite the singer’s blue-collar, classic rock persona. He’s also known to kiss his (male) saxophone player on the lips during his concerts, seemingly just for shiggles.

What’s newsworthy about this development, though, is that major fallout in the wake of Carolina’s controversial “Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act,” which says transgender people who haven’t yet had surgery cannot use the bathroom of their gender identity, is the corporate backing of protests.

Even though federal courts have ruled against discrimination before and legalized gay marriage, there is no federal legislature saying states can’t discriminate against people in the LGBT community.

Springsteen’s protest sends a message, for sure, but it’s really just the icing on the cake: More than 100 large companies have publicly asked Gov. Pat McConroy to repeal the law, including Starbucks, Wells Fargo, eBay, American Airlines, and more.

Celebrities have the luxury of expressing their own opinion, but these companies answer only to the almighty dollar – which shows just how much public opinion is changing.

The Advocate staff thinks this scenario shows it’s clearly no longer a popular opinion to oppose transgender rights, and we’re glad – it’s been a long time coming.

Advocate Staff