NC Republicans Override Dem Governor's Vetoes of LGBTQ+ Bills

North Carolina Republican lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes Wednesday to pass six new laws, including three on LGBTQ+ issues.

The Details: The new LGBTQ+ laws will outlaw gender transition hormones, puberty blockers, and surgeries for minors, and prohibit transgender athletes from competing on girls’ sports teams. One also restricts discussions of gender identity in schools until fourth grade, and requires teachers in most cases to inform parents before referring to their child by a different name or pronoun.

Key Quotes: "These are the wrong priorities, especially when they should be working nights and weekends if necessary to get a budget passed by the end of the month," Cooper said of the vetoes. "Because of this new law in North Carolina, female athletes – my little sister, my cousins, and my teammates – will no longer be forced to risk injury at the hands of a male opponent," said a teen volleyball player who was injured last year by a spike from a transgender opponent.

How the Media Covered It: Right-rated outlets were more likely to explain the specifics of the laws higher up in coverage. Left-rated outlets tended to highlight the laws as "banning gender-affirming care for minors" and "restricting how gender identity can be discussed in schools," before mentioning specifics about grade levels and banned treatments later in their coverage. Read more about how different sides use the phrases "gender-affirming care" and "gender transition surgeries" differently.