By Alex Lloyd Gross
The City of Philadelphia has become the latest municipality to ban travel to North Carolina and Mississippi , over their support of the Religious Freedom bill. Commonly referred to “The bathroom bill”. The law does not allow transgender persons to use the restrooms of the opposite sex. This come on the heels of Bruce Springsteen cancelling concerts in North Carolina over the same law.
Obviously this applies to city employees job related travel only. Citizens and city employees are free to travel anywhere per personal reasons. Under the travel ban, any employee must get approval form the Managing Director’s office before initiating travel. Mandatory or necessary training, prisoner transports would be allowed. Philadelphia has joined New York and other states that have put a ban on travel.
People on social media have come back pro and con regarding this legislation. Some have claimed the Mayor wants grown men to be able to go into a ladies restroom. Others said it is about time. The full statement from Mayor Kenney reads as follows:Effective immediately, I am directing all City Departments to prohibit all travel to the States of North Carolina & Mississippi by City employees for purposes of official business. The ban will include any publicly-funded travel by City employees to North Carolina & Mississippi {unless such travel is pre-approved by the Managing Director as essential to public health and safety}. I am announcing this ban in response to the States of North Carolina & Mississippi’s enactment of legislation that infringes the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. I will reconsider this ban if and when North Carolina & Mississippi choose to repeal their discriminatory legislation.
This directive follows recent significant actions taken by the City in support of equality for LGBT individuals, families and businesses. The city recently supported Governor Tom Wolf’s passage of two anti-discrimination executive orders and continues to advocate for the passage of non-discrimination legislation by the PA General Assembly.