Feb 13, 2017

NCGOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse’s Comment Underscores the Need for a Full Repeal of HB2 and Non-Discrimination Protections

RALEIGH - Today, Equality NC, the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) advocacy group, expressed grave concern over the actions of NCGOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse, who this weekend retweeted an article that calls transgender youth mentally ill and sexual perverts. Woodhouse went on to claim that he did not read the article, but simply shared it. Of significant note, the headline of the article reads “Justice Department Kills Obama’s Pervs-In-The-Girls-Bathroom Rule”. The article shared by Woodhouse sends a dangerous message to transgender youth across North Carolina. Furthermore, the sharing of the article shows the dangerous messaging that is behind the support of HB2 and shows the real need for statewide LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination protections. The apology issued by Woodhouse does little for transgender students who are exposed to this dangerous rhetoric by the Executive Director of the party that holds a supermajority in the General Assembly and is responsible for crafting and signing the worst anti-LGBTQ law in the nation.

“Dallas speaks for the North Carolina GOP, and the article he touted creates a direct risk of discrimination and violence for transgender North Carolinians,” said Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro, ”Our leaders should not be tearing down those they are meant to lead - especially our young people. This incident underscores how detrimental HB2 has been to our state, and why it is crucial that we immediately enact statewide protections against hate and discrimination. Will Tim Moore and Phil Berger denounce this action, and commit to the full repeal of HB2?”

“Mr. Woodhouse’s retweet of this article sends a message to transgender kids that their government views them as criminals and deviants who are not deserving of the same protections that others take for granted,” said Equality NC Director of Transgender Policy Ames Simmons, “How could any trans or gender-questioning child hear that message and believe that they are going to be okay or that they have a viable future in our state? We say to those youth, we see you; we value you, and we are going to fight for you”.

Dallas Woodhouse has been an outspoken supporter of HB2. Woodhouse continuously repeats the same tired and unfounded tropes that opponents of equality have trotted out in different states across the country. Transgender people should not and must not be conflated with sexual predators.