The Progressive Pulse: “The Charlotte City Council unanimously approved new non-discrimination protections Monday, completing the work state lawmakers blocked with the passage of HB2 and its ensuing national controversy five years ago.
A ban on such local non-discrimination ordinances expired last year. On Monday, Charlotte became the tenth community — and by far the largest — to pass new protections.
“It’s now our time,” said Mayor Vi Lyles in a speech before the vote. “Charlotte, like many other North Carolina cities, is stepping up to provide equal justice.”
State law still prevents local governments from regulating access to bathrooms or changing rooms through local ordinances, the piece of Charlotte’s ordinance on which Republican lawmakers seized five years ago when passing HB2. But the new protections create a new definition of “protected class” that includes race, color, gender, religion, ethnicity, disability, familial and veteran status, pregnancy and natural hairstyles. It also includes sex, and expands its definition to include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
The expanded protections include sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and familial status to passenger vehicles for hire, the city’s commercial non-discrimination policy, public accommodations and employment.”