House Bill 2 has and will continue to cost North Carolina and its taxpayers money. This conclusion appears to have stymied support for the bill, as Gov. Pat McCrory recently withdrew the lawsuit he filed against the federal government over HB2, citing litigation costs.
While the rising costs of maintaining HB2 will hopefully lead to it being overturned, this consideration should not come at the expense of forgetting the enormous moral imperative that inspired such backlash against the bill when it first passed.
At its crux, HB2 is a discriminatory piece of legislation and an assault against the agency and humanity of gender nonconforming people. Furthermore, all N.C. voters who choose to not vote or support candidates who do not endorse repealing the bill are complicit in upholding an unjust system.
That is not to say economic considerations are not valid or necessary — leaders in other progressive causes like the civil rights movement recognized the power of punishing ignorance through economic means.
When weighing metrics that are easily calculated, like decreases in state GDP, to levy arguments against HB2, we must also recognize the emotional burden borne by those facing discrimination.
It was not the financial ramifications of HB2 that led to public outcry, but the fact that democracy was bypassed in an attempt to seek political retribution while categorically undermining civil liberties of citizens.
When stepping into the voting booth, North Carolinians should not merely look at the hole in their wallets. They must also consider the cost of dehumanization.
