North Carolina Lawyers Weekly
CHARLOTTE (AP) — Officials in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are allowing transgender people to use the bathrooms of their gender identity in city and county-owned facilities.
The Charlotte Observer reports the move comes after Charlotte City Council earlier this year refused to adopt a policy that would have required such an approach by private businesses.
Opponents said such a policy could endanger women and children.
City Council members had removed the bathroom provision from the nondiscrimination ordinance before the vote. But the entire policy was still rejected. It would have prohibited private businesses that provide public services from discriminating based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
The newspaper reports both the city and the county are allowing transgender people to use the bathroom they are comfortable with in city and county-owned property, although neither government has adopted a formal policy.
Councilman Kenny Smith said he does not approve of that approach. But Smith said he does not think City Manager Ron Carlee has acted improperly because he did not create a policy on the matter.
“My personal opinion is, whether it’s a city-owned facility or a privately owned facility, you should use the bathroom based on your biological makeup,” Smith said.
