Members of the Chicago City Council's LGBT Caucus, on March 29, wrote to Mayor Rahm Emanuel and asked that he implement a ban on non-essential travel to North Carolina for city-related business while anti-LGBT laws signed there last week are in effect.
The proposed ban would join Chicago with New York City, San Francisco and Seattle, which also banned non-essential travel to North Carolina for city business. Governor Andrew Cuomo also implemented such a ban for New York State.
The LGBT Caucus was joined by 14th Ward Alderman Ed Burke in signing the letter, which reads, "As you are aware, the state of North Carolina has enacted legislation which bars transgender persons from using bathrooms and changing facilities corresponding to such person's gender identities, excludes sexual orientation and gender identity from its anti-discrimination protections, and prohibits units of local government from extending such protections to LGBT citizens. …Chicago is on record supporting efforts to promote mutual understanding and respect among all people who live and work in our great City.
"…You have been a tireless leader on LGBT issues in Chicago and we are hopeful that you will lead us again in standing in solidarity with New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle, which have taken similar actions to condemn North Carolina's discriminatory law."
A number of businesses have also joined the LGBT community in speaking out against the North Carolina law, which was rushed through both legislative houses and signed by Governor Pat McCrory in the same day. American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and Equality North Carolina are now suing the state over the matter.
In an interview with NBC News, at nbcnews.to/1Ss6u5q, McCrory dismissed the complaints. "There is politically correct blackmail being directed toward some of our businesses," he said. "They are caught in a very coordinated political theater."
Members of the LGBT Caucus include Alds. Raymond Lopez (15th), Deb Mell (33rd), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), Tom Tunney (44th) and James Cappleman (46th).