North Carolina transgender bathroom law faces federal court test

A man waves an LGBT equality rainbow flag at a celebration rally in West Hollywood, California, United States, June 26, 2015. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

By Colleen Jenkins WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - Transgender people barred under a new North Carolina law from choosing bathrooms consistent with their gender identity filed a federal lawsuit on Monday, arguing the measure is discriminatory and threatens their personal safety. North Carolina last week became the first state to enact a measure requiring people to use bathrooms or locker rooms in schools and other public facilities that match the gender on their birth certificate, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The state's Republican-dominated legislature passed the law during a one-day special session called to repeal a Charlotte city ordinance that would have allowed bathroom choice based on gender identity versus sex at birth. State lawmakers also voted to prohibit local governments from enacting anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The actions drew swift criticism from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy groups and companies including American Airlines, Apple and Google. "By singling out LGBT people for disfavored treatment and explicitly writing discrimination against transgender people into state law, (the state) violates the most basic guarantees of equal treatment and the U.S. Constitution," said the lawsuit, which was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal. Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore, both Republicans, said they were confident the law would be upheld in court. "This lawsuit takes this debate out of the hands of voters and instead attempts to argue with a straight face that there is a previously undiscovered ‘right’ in the U.S. Constitution for men to use women's bathrooms and locker rooms," they said in a joint statement. State lawmakers have warned of the dangers that could result from men sharing bathrooms with women and young girls. But transgender plaintiffs said they are now the ones at risk. "It is so more than a restroom," said Joaquin Carcano, a 27-year-old university employee. "It is about dignity. It’s about respect." Chase Strangio, a staff attorney with the national ACLU's LGBT Project, said on Monday the new law on bathroom access has "no clear enforcement mechanism." Opponents of the law criticized Republican Governor Pat McCrory, who is seeking re-election in November, for signing the sweeping legislation on the same day it was introduced. They noted the weeks of debate and review given to a Georgia measure that sought to strengthen legal protections for gay marriage opponents before Republican Governor Nathan Deal signaled on Monday he would veto it. "By contrast, what happened here in North Carolina was a farce," said Chris Brook, legal director for the ACLU of North Carolina. (Deletes extra quotation mark and word duplication in paragraph 10.) (Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Steve Orlofsky)