Here for Mississippi.

North Carolina buttholes

And now one Alabama town has joined in on the 'fun'.

I don't know how this isn't already a topic.

Ew, why is this a thing.

Yeah, it's "Freedom of religion" in America but it's not "Here, we're gonna force ours on you!"

It honestly really upsets me. I'm bisexual my parents know this. But they still tell me that gay marriage is wrong, even though they would still love me.

It's like saying: We don't agree that you have this genetic cancer, but we still love you. Well gee thanks shit tards, yeah no because I definitely chose to get cancer even though I was born with my immune system screwed up. It's my lifestyle choice.

My parents reaction to this? "Good!"

It's okay to give people the right to openly act on their hate, potentially causing psychological harm, even physical harm, treating a minority like they are diseased and highly contagious.

Here's a tip: The bible? Written long after, even at the time Jesus was supposedly alive, marriage had already become a custom. Who gave you the right to decide that it was only allowed for heterosexual people? Yeah, and that whole cursed book: fable. Myth, all of it. Just like the Roman and Greek religions. We scoff at how they thought about the world... but were not any better.

Oh but it's different if I'm in the equation, they would tell them off and sue them all the way to the Supreme Court. WHAT THE HELL IS SO FUCKING DIFFERENT???

I'm sorry, I am just so troubled by this. I already suffer from mental illness and this isn't making it better. But how can I not think about it, when I'm part of a minority?

And I actually feel bad for anyone who practices this and are suffering for it financially. Not the companies, I mean the workers. How many people need a job but can't get work because companies are backing off the state?

And if I honestly caused someone psychological harm with how I am, I would feel absolutely terrible. But I can't help it.

I'm panromantic asexual and my parents say the same thing. "You're ace? Cool, you'll meet the right person some day and want to settle down." I am so glad that they know me better than I know me. It's not like I haven't felt this way the vast majority of my life.

I take the Bible at face value, tbph. There's so much evil done in the name of God anymore, this being one of them, that it's a case of how much do I necessarily want to be associated with a bunch of backwards heaps of steaming crap? Answer - not at all.

Maybe that's what it'd take but there's so much money in politics that the normal American can't do shit though we can see something needs done.

Don't apologize. I completely understand the anger, I don't blame you at all. America was founded on religious freedom, yes, but this is taking it to the extreme. (I can't find work because it's Walmart or go home where I live if I want to remain fairly local.)

Psychological harm over being bi? I think they would need to grow up and get over themselves.

I just hate that something that was a tool long ago (though also used for suppression, murder, torture, etc.) as a guidance to do good and turn it into something despicable and twisted. I do know that while much of the bible is not only outdated, nonfactual, and quite honestly brutal, there are some core values that should be the front of such a religion, never the background. It's the same with Islam-- some people are extreme and twist the Qu'ran into something it shouldn't be. Not that everyone does it, or even the majority--but it is the extremists that hurt people, whatever the religion or moral belief.

And that's another thing--it doesn't even have to be a religious belief for this law to be legal! It can be a moral thing! And they can fire you, choose not to hire you, or punish you in a way they deem fit if they don't like it!

Therapists and doctors don't have to see you, which is just bs because 1.) Hippocratic Oath, 2.) Ethically wrong, 3.) Can lead to even more psychological and/or physical distress which may result in death.

This is just a way to not only express your opinion, but express it in a way that denies others their unalienable right to feel safe, protected, and included.

It is utterly vile and disgusts me to no end.

Also:

I like how my mom said 'I'd tell them off and take them to court for you!' if that happened to me and they were with me, because obviously I'm the only one exempt from this law.

FFS, it's like my parents have no compassion or empathy, and when I try to explain to them the issue they just don't care. It's private matters, no need to get into it, no need to fight it because I don't live there.

And BTW I did read the bill in its entirety and no where does it specify how people can determine if someone is gay, transgender, or having sex outside of marriage. Not only that, but they can sue them for monetary damages. They can also evict people based on this! It only says, and I quote:

"...for any purposes under state law but for a determination against such person wholly or partially on the basis that the person believes, speaks or acts in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction described in Section 3 of this act."

"This act applies to, and in cases of conflict supersedes, each statute of the state that impinges upon the free exercise of religious beliefs and moral convictions protected by this act, unless a conflicting statute is expressly made exempt from the application of this act. This act also applies to, and in cases of conflict supersedes, any ordinance, rule, regulation, order, opinion, decision, practice or other exercise of the state government's authority that impinges upon the free exercise of religious beliefs or moral convictions protected by this act."

North Carolina has always been a pretty conservative state so the fact that a law like this passed doesn't really surprise me at all.

[edit] Mississippi, but again still not surprised since Mississippi is also a pretty conservative state. [/edit]

I actually do think that religious institutions, churches, religious institutions, private institutions should have the right to refuse. I see it as them simply exercising their religion, in much the same way that I think gay marriage should be legally attained but that churches should still have the right to refuse as long as it's possible to get married at the legal level.

That said, I do think the part about public businesses being allowed to refuse being discriminatory.

Public businesses are exactly that, public, and whether or not they're considered private businesses they're still serving the public. Private businesses in CA, where I'm originally from cannot discriminate based on religious, gender or racial grounds so I don't see how this differs. It's businesses specifically discriminating based on the fact that they disagree with how select people live their lifestyles. It's one thing to do that in a religious organization which has a specific religious background, but a business is a business. I don't think religion should be in the equation.

Exactly that. This law, though, was passed in Mississippi. North Carolina was a while ago. I have absolutely no problem with religious charities and churches exercising their religion in excluding certain people, as other institutes also use specific minority sects as their charities.

I do not agree that, at the state level, citizens of this country should be refused for something they cannot control, or even if they engage in premarital sex. It's already federal law that you cannot discriminate against sexual orientation or identity. I know that there is an investigation ongoing for both states to see if they have violated the federal laws (which they have).

As I said, people can kick you out if they suspect you are gay or transgender or having sex when unmarried. They don't even have to verify, just say 'I think you're this and get out.' That is pure discrimination and hate. It sickens me, honestly, and I worry so much for the people who may be suffering physical and/or psychological effects of this.

They can fire you. They can kick you out of your apartment. They can enforce dress codes that conform to their idea of normal. They can punish you for any of these. The wording is just those three things--gay, transgender, and extramarital sex.

I can't even...

And I'm scared of republicans winning the presidency, overturning Roe vs. Wade and the marriage law. I'm worried of being locked up for being bisexual. I'm worried that there will be another holocaust, especially if Trump wins. Some of the things he says... shudders

I really want Bernie to win, and not just because I know him or that he represents my state. I don't agree with him on everything, but on most things, yes.

Different topic for different day.

The continuous headdesks I do when reading about the North Carolina and Mississippi hate laws... ugh. Why is the First Amendment CONTINUOUSLY able to be trampled on? Why do radical Christians, with their warped view on the Bible, have such power in this country? It's not right at all.

Also, there's a part in the NC law that prevents any city or town from setting their own minimum wage. The wage is forced to stay at the state's number: $7.25.

The good news is a bunch of people and companies are against these horrible laws. So, hopefully, both states will repeal them.

Well... there's was an executive order just passed for the NC law. It's very apparent Governor McCrory only cares about his reputation, since the order really didn't change anything.

I loathe all this bs from these laws.

I LOATHE how 'sincerely held beliefs' or 'religious beliefs' have become terms to discriminate. It is disgusting >.<

I am afraid if things get worse what could happen to me. I'm bisexual and genderfluid and worry about what could happen especially since I live with a Conservative Catholic (aka my dad). I'm in the closet with him but always worried about him finding out.

I'm personally a Christian and seeing the way people twist the Bible is horrible. I think if your gay that's great. Bi? Awesome. You can't change who you are; if you were born gay you are gay and that applies to transgender individuals and all others(Bi, Lesbian, ect.) Honestly I don't know how God views it because I'm not God but I do think if you were born gay or otherwise it must be acceptable to him. You aren't supposed to discriminate if you are trying to follow the Bible(or have any morals in general) and if you are a Christian why would you turn them down and avoid them? Jesus wouldn't do that. That's Judgement and it says in the Bible itself not to judge because that is for God. People hate so much and it's insane. These laws are ridiculous. I wish I were older to vote for Burnie but alas I was born a year too soon. Trump is racist, bigoted trash. Feel the Burn 2k16 haha.

If it makes you feel better, these laws won't last forever. If we can get a liberal Supreme Court and sue these states, the unconstitutional laws will dissolve.

This is why it's important to vote in EVERY SINGLE ELECTION, not just Presidential. We need to flood every government position we can vote for with progressives (so they, in turn, can elect progressives for the positions we can't vote for) or shit like this will just keep happening cause they're in cahoots.

Actions speak louder than words. Annoying phrase, isn't it? It's true, though. You can petition at these crackheads and hope that it works, or you can do everything in your power to keep the wrong people from having the office in the first place.

I'm sorry for the rant, it's just that this, this bigoted nonsense right here, this is the product of having almost 70% of the nation simply not voting.

I'm definitely voting starting next year. I should have been born a year earlier. Bernie would have one more vote. I hate everything that's going on right now. The bathroom laws are stupid, too. If a pedo wants in he'll get in whether there's a law preventing him from going in a girls room or not. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. End of story. The religious laws just legalize discrimination. I hate the bad name bigoted Christians give the rest of Christianity. They don't represent a good Christian and do not follow what they preach. I wish people could just be more understanding of each other.

I never understood that logic. Pedophiles already know they're not supposed to be in there, and they already know that molesting/kidnapping children while in there is completely illegal. Why would they bother dressing up first? It's not like dragging off some screaming kid is any less obvious if he's got on a wig and makeup.

Exactly ! But any conservative I try to talk to about it just gets mad and says if they're a boy they go in the boys room and a girl they go in the girls. Trans men and women are the gender they choose so it would be males in the males and females in the females. Where I'm from is a largely religious and conservative area so getting people around here to put themselves in a LGBT individual's shoe's and see another view is practically impossible and the Bible is their go to source. I'm not saying that it's bad to go to it but they need to at least research and find things out for themselves. They just go off the preachers twisted lectures on homosexuality and think, "well this guy thinks it's bad and he's a preacher so he must be right." Well yeah he's a preacher but did they ever think that maybe he misinterpreted the text or twisted it to suit his ideas?

In that case, wait to see if they even notice. Most bigots have no idea what trans people even look like, so chances are, they won't recognize one.

Forgive me, Subetans, but where did you do your bodily functions before these strange new laws were passed? If you have a penis, go to the Mens Room, if you have a vagina, go to the Ladies'. Why is that so difficult? As for businesses refusing to bake wedding cakes for gay weddings (or whatever)Think about this - would you try to force a Muslim bakery to bake that cake?No, beause it is against their religious beliefs. Ditto for Christian bakeries - if it goes against their beliefs why should they be forced to accomodate you? (and btw, I am a gay male).

Because what I have between my legs does not define who nor what gender I am.

They probably won't . if it's a christian based bakery then I see why but just random bakeries then no and even if it is Christian it isn't very Christianly of them to kick someone out because they think they were sinners, all of us are sinners after all (based on the Christian belief.) The laws they propose about "religious freedom" will just lead to discriminatory actions in pert of the companies that choose to take advantage of it. Like said previously they could just say "Oh, I think you're gay so I'm not going to provide service to you. Even if you're not gay they can do that and if you were then how would they know? (obviously if one was to walk in with their SO all lovey dovey or if a previous/current lover was mentioned they'd know but that won't be the only time they use the law) And about the trans bathroom law I don't think it would be such a big issue if people weren't so judgmental of LGBT individuals. A trans man said that he didn't so much worry about men like himself in the ladies room but for trans women there might be a danger.

This is him

I understand your point of view, alright-- my mother is catholic and my dad was born in the 50's so they were essentially brainwashed -- but just because you don't understand something doesn't change its form. Do you understand what an amyloid precursor protein is? Tau protein? Acetylcholinesterase? Fetal development? No?

In utero the fetus builds itself up and sometimes things don't go exactly as planned. Genetic mutations allow for many diseases and disabilities. It's essentially the same thing for trans people-- your body says one thing but your brain, not your conscious thought, tells you differently. Young children realize this and there are reported cases of them trying to mutilate themselves to correctly reflect their identity, and identity is more than physical.

And while I agree that you should have the right to practice your religion peacefully, if you open a business to the public to serve the public, you serve the public. You don't get to pick and choose, because that would be discrimination. If it's a charity run by an organization affiliated with religion, then I understand and agree that they can turn away people (though I still don't like it.) Where in the bible does it say it is a sin to have a business transaction with a homosexual?

You know with this law they can also kick some people out of their homes (depending on certain factors, like renting an apartment), including single mothers, because that 'conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions'? What happened to separation of church and state? This gives people the right to deny service, including psychiatric help, to anyone that someone only thinks is gay or trans or having unmarried sex. They can punish you as they see fit and fire you. You lose your job, your home, you're shunned and can't get the help you need -- do you see how awful this law is now?