Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick criticized the NCAA on Tuesday for its decision to pull seven of its championship events from the state of North Carolina.
The action came after North Carolina passed a law regulating the use of restrooms by transgender people. The bill also excluded gender identity and sexual orientation from statewide antidiscrimination protections.
“The NCAA is attempting to be politically correct,” Patrick said in a statement in response to an inquiry. “This issue has nothing to do with discrimination. What about a woman’s right to privacy and security in a ladies’ bathroom, locker room or shower? What about male sexual predators — the ones who use the internet to go after children — who will use such policies as a means to enter a women’s dressing room, as we have seen.
“This is an issue of common sense, common decency and security for women of all ages. The overwhelming majority of Americans understand this issue even if the NCAA doesn’t.”
In the interviews with reporters in April and May, Patrick has called for the Texas Legislature to possibly consider a bill similar to the one enacted in North Carolina when it returns in January 2017.
During an appearance on KERA-FM (90.1) in May, Patrick said any sort of backlash was “fear-mongering,” citing Houston’s experience with the men’s Final Four and business after voting down an anti-discrimination measure.
But that was before the NCAA took a much harder line on such measures, especially regarding LGBT issues.
Texas is scheduled to host a number of high-profile NCAA events. The women’s Final Four is set for April 2017 at American Airlines Center. San Antonio is scheduled to host the men’s Final Four in 2018. The FCS national title game is locked into Frisco through 2020.
See here for the background. It’s fine that Patrick doesn’t like this action. He’s as entitled to criticize it as I am to cheer it. The reason he’s whining is because it clearly contradicts any claims he has made or will make that passing an anti-LGBT law in the 2017 legislative session will have no negative effect on Texas. The NCAA’s announcement about North Carolina, and especially its stated reasons for its announcement, puts the lie to that, in a way that even the likes of Dan Patrick can’t spin. I seriously doubt this will dissuade him or his compatriots, but it does make the politics harder for them. That’s what he really doesn’t like.
Why can’t patrick copy the same law republicans passed in Utah?
LGBT get protections in housing and employment, religious organizations can opt out and no public accommodation.
Sounds like a compromise.
Joseph,
Sorry, not going to happen. Not discriminatory enough for Patrick.
Going to be interesting to see how chambers of commerce statewide and the state’s GOP “leadership” discuss the potential discriminatory legislation and real fallout that will happen.
Patrick–it’s the “deplorables basket” for you!