North Carolina: Governor Cooper vetoes bill banning trans men from participating in women's sports competitions

Three bills were vetoed Wednesday by North Carolina's Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, who is stuck between a rock and a hard place because of the Republican majority in the North Carolina House.

Cooper vetoed HB574, also known as the Women's Sports Equity bill; HB808 which deals with gender transitions in minors; and SB49, highlighting parental rights when it comes to their children's education.

The bills that Cooper vetoed addressed many issues that the LGBTQ+ lobby is trying to uphold in North Carolina. Despite the veto, Republican legislators will likely override the governor's veto and push the bills through.

Contrary to Cooper's claims that Republicans are trying to "inflame" society and promote "political culture warfare," the majority of Americans support the issues presented in the legislation. A Washington Post and KFF poll revealed that 62% of Americans believe trans athletes should compete in the categories of their birth gender. The same study also showed that 68% of Americans are against gender reassignment treatments for minors.

House Republicans protested the governor's veto. Senator Vickie Sawyer pointed out that "there are inherent biological differences between men and women (...) Cooper has no interest in supporting female athletes, only his far-left donors that want to erase women by refusing to acknowledge biology."

Thanks to their majority in the House and Senate, Republicans will be able to override Governor Cooper's veto.