The NBA has announced that it’s pulling the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte in light of House Bill 2, commonly known as the “bathroom bill.” An alternate city has not been named yet, but Charlotte will be re-eligible in 2019.
Beyoncé speaks out against North Carolina’s Anti-LGBQT bill
You’ll recall that in May, a letter on Beyoncé’s website condemned the bill as well. House Bill 2, or the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, bans transgender people from using bathrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities that do not match the “biological sex” listed on their birth certificate. The law applies only to bathrooms in government buildings, public schools and universities, and private companies can implement any policy they choose.
Insider Access | NBA All-Star Weekend
The league said they do not believe they can successfully host All-Star festivities in Charlotte in “the climate created” by HB2. In a statement, the league said that they had been trying to work things out since the bill passed:
“Since March, when North Carolina enacted HB2 and the issue of legal protections for the LGBT community in Charlotte became prominent, the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets have been working diligently to foster constructive dialogue and try to effect positive change. We have been guided in these discussions by the long-standing core values of our league. These include not only diversity, inclusion, fairness and respect for others but also the willingness to listen and consider opposing points of view”.
Hornets chairman Michael Jordan and the team responded to the decision by writing:
“We understand the NBA’s decision and the challenges around holding the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte this season. There was an exhaustive effort from all parties to keep the event in Charlotte, and we are disappointed we were unable to do so. With that said, we are pleased that the NBA opened the door for Charlotte to host All-Star Weekend again as soon as an opportunity was available in 2019.”