There's a clear trajectory from HB2 to Kansas. The HB2 fight is also illuminating about which tactics can work (attack the money, be relentless and uncompromising) and that's a major reason I wrote the above piece.
February 26, 2026 at 12:09 PM
There's a clear trajectory from HB2 to Kansas. The HB2 fight is also illuminating about which tactics can work (attack the money, be relentless and uncompromising) and that's a major reason I wrote the above piece.
Becerra also kept North Carolina on California’s state-funded travel restriction list after the partial repeal of HB2, because the replacement legislation continued limiting local protections affecting LGBT people, including transgender people and restroom access.
10.
10.
September 28, 2026 at 1:31 PM
Becerra also kept North Carolina on California’s state-funded travel restriction list after the partial repeal of HB2, because the replacement legislation continued limiting local protections affecting LGBT people, including transgender people and restroom access.
10.
10.
A lot of people have asked me, for example, how trans rights went from the blowback over HB2 in North Carolina to literally 2,000 anti-transgender bills being introduced since 2020. I think the HB2 "blowback" was largely top-down--lawsuits, corporate boycotts, celebrity condemnations, etc.
August 15, 2025 at 2:02 PM
A lot of people have asked me, for example, how trans rights went from the blowback over HB2 in North Carolina to literally 2,000 anti-transgender bills being introduced since 2020. I think the HB2 "blowback" was largely top-down--lawsuits, corporate boycotts, celebrity condemnations, etc.
Agreed! Plus I didn’t hate that Abe had a bigger storyline in HB2 😉🧜♂️❤️
November 27, 2024 at 11:17 PM
Agreed! Plus I didn’t hate that Abe had a bigger storyline in HB2 😉🧜♂️❤️
HB2期最終話(神回)のまとめきれない感想絵
December 28, 2024 at 2:02 PM
HB2期最終話(神回)のまとめきれない感想絵
The way the people of my state fought HB2 tooth and nail the best they could- protesting, phone calls, public pressure- was constant and eventually HB2 was repealed
in 2020
and last year the NC House overrid a veto to make it almost impossible to change your birth certificate's gender marker.
in 2020
and last year the NC House overrid a veto to make it almost impossible to change your birth certificate's gender marker.
February 26, 2026 at 5:38 AM
The way the people of my state fought HB2 tooth and nail the best they could- protesting, phone calls, public pressure- was constant and eventually HB2 was repealed
in 2020
and last year the NC House overrid a veto to make it almost impossible to change your birth certificate's gender marker.
in 2020
and last year the NC House overrid a veto to make it almost impossible to change your birth certificate's gender marker.
Instead of "HB2 failed because things used to be so much better for trans people" the reality is "HB2 stayed largely intact, with Dem support, under a fake 'repeal' that got liberals to move on, showing the far-right they wouldn't defend trans rights" is a lot more instructive for how we got here!
Since HB2, NC's infamous bathroom bill, is coming up again, here's @davidforbes.bsky.social's in-depth look at its actual history.
NC lawmakers didn't back off HB2. They passed a fake "repeal," with Dem support, that kept it largely intact but got boycotts withdrawn. A warning of things to come.
NC lawmakers didn't back off HB2. They passed a fake "repeal," with Dem support, that kept it largely intact but got boycotts withdrawn. A warning of things to come.
Opinion | Old Betrayals and New as N.C. Dems Pass Anti-Trans Laws
North Carolina Democrats had solid election results last year, amid promises to hold the line against the far-right. But two horrific anti-trans bills just became law thanks to Democratic support, wit...
transnews.network
July 1, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Instead of "HB2 failed because things used to be so much better for trans people" the reality is "HB2 stayed largely intact, with Dem support, under a fake 'repeal' that got liberals to move on, showing the far-right they wouldn't defend trans rights" is a lot more instructive for how we got here!
Rhythm Heaven Groove — Brolly Good Show 2 [Perfect]
YouTube video by Pablo Acevedo (Hb2)
www.youtube.com
September 29, 2026 at 6:02 AM
If I find out Epstein did HB2 I'm gonna flip my shit
February 12, 2026 at 10:39 PM
If I find out Epstein did HB2 I'm gonna flip my shit
4️⃣ I wrote about this when HB2 happened here in NC—but TBH under Trump 2.0 I think things would be different. I wrote about how HB2 harmed health research, by impeding research collaborations
12/n
12/n
March 28, 2026 at 4:44 PM
4️⃣ I wrote about this when HB2 happened here in NC—but TBH under Trump 2.0 I think things would be different. I wrote about how HB2 harmed health research, by impeding research collaborations
12/n
12/n
The fight over North Carolina's anti-trans HB2 remains widely misunderstood. Instead of an example of how much better things used to be, it was a warning of threats to come.
David was in the trenches during the HB2 fight. Her piece is important reading on that and the wider struggles it was part of
David was in the trenches during the HB2 fight. Her piece is important reading on that and the wider struggles it was part of
Seeing folks (in good faith) misunderstand fight over NC's anti-trans HB2 back in 2016/17 as a contrast to anti-trans laws now. What actually happened is more revealing.
HB2 didn't fail. A fake "repeal" (with key Dem support) kept the law basically intact but shifted national attention elsewhere:
HB2 didn't fail. A fake "repeal" (with key Dem support) kept the law basically intact but shifted national attention elsewhere:
Opinion | Old Betrayals and New as N.C. Dems Pass Anti-Trans Laws
North Carolina Democrats had solid election results last year, amid promises to hold the line against the far-right. But two horrific anti-trans bills just became law thanks to Democratic support, wit...
transnews.network
February 26, 2026 at 6:24 PM
The fight over North Carolina's anti-trans HB2 remains widely misunderstood. Instead of an example of how much better things used to be, it was a warning of threats to come.
David was in the trenches during the HB2 fight. Her piece is important reading on that and the wider struggles it was part of
David was in the trenches during the HB2 fight. Her piece is important reading on that and the wider struggles it was part of
remember in mid-2016 when the nba literally *moved* the all star game out of charlotte because north carolina passed hb2 (trans bathroom bill)?
that feels forever ago.
that feels forever ago.
To go from where we were even just a few years ago when basically all of society routinely lambasted those bathroom bills to this where we’re a political question than actual people…
It’s just heartbreaking and I’m so tired
November 14, 2024 at 11:34 PM
remember in mid-2016 when the nba literally *moved* the all star game out of charlotte because north carolina passed hb2 (trans bathroom bill)?
that feels forever ago.
that feels forever ago.
It has also been documented that calls to crisis hotlines for trans people go up after bathroom bills are passed (e.g., calls to Trans Lifeline in NC surged after HB2 passed; while it is not known for certain whether HB2 caused the surge in calls, the timing is suggestive).
10/n
10/n
March 28, 2026 at 3:29 PM
It has also been documented that calls to crisis hotlines for trans people go up after bathroom bills are passed (e.g., calls to Trans Lifeline in NC surged after HB2 passed; while it is not known for certain whether HB2 caused the surge in calls, the timing is suggestive).
10/n
10/n
Hehehe!! Yes, HB2 changed that Barry Manilow song for me, too!
November 28, 2024 at 1:48 AM
Hehehe!! Yes, HB2 changed that Barry Manilow song for me, too!
Criminalizing peeing is extraordinarily damaging to public health—in 5️⃣ main ways
A 🧵, based on NC’s experience (its HB2 bill) & on published literature
1/n
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/u...
A 🧵, based on NC’s experience (its HB2 bill) & on published literature
1/n
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/u...
Idaho Criminalizes Transgender Use of Some Bathrooms in Private Businesses
www.nytimes.com
March 28, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Criminalizing peeing is extraordinarily damaging to public health—in 5️⃣ main ways
A 🧵, based on NC’s experience (its HB2 bill) & on published literature
1/n
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/u...
A 🧵, based on NC’s experience (its HB2 bill) & on published literature
1/n
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/u...
in 2016 every company was unified in destroying north carolina’s economy over hb2. 2016! nine years ago.
it is interesting how this was totally an elite fabrication. trans rights were on the path to general acceptance on the gay marriage coattails but nearly our entire elite culture including elite liberals decided to run a multi-year op against a tiny minority
yeah. They basically started the anti-trans movement
April 13, 2025 at 11:56 PM
in 2016 every company was unified in destroying north carolina’s economy over hb2. 2016! nine years ago.
Because this old bag signed HB2 into state law & everyone there, as employees of the University, is considered an employee of the state.
I hate this goddamn timeline.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Ive...
I hate this goddamn timeline.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Ive...
Kay Ivey - Wikipedia
Because of term limits, Ivey is ineligible for reelection to a third term.
en.wikipedia.org
September 25, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Because this old bag signed HB2 into state law & everyone there, as employees of the University, is considered an employee of the state.
I hate this goddamn timeline.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Ive...
I hate this goddamn timeline.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Ive...
Seeing folks (in good faith) misunderstand fight over NC's anti-trans HB2 back in 2016/17 as a contrast to anti-trans laws now. What actually happened is more revealing.
HB2 didn't fail. A fake "repeal" (with key Dem support) kept the law basically intact but shifted national attention elsewhere:
HB2 didn't fail. A fake "repeal" (with key Dem support) kept the law basically intact but shifted national attention elsewhere:
Opinion | Old Betrayals and New as N.C. Dems Pass Anti-Trans Laws
North Carolina Democrats had solid election results last year, amid promises to hold the line against the far-right. But two horrific anti-trans bills just became law thanks to Democratic support, wit...
transnews.network
February 26, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Seeing folks (in good faith) misunderstand fight over NC's anti-trans HB2 back in 2016/17 as a contrast to anti-trans laws now. What actually happened is more revealing.
HB2 didn't fail. A fake "repeal" (with key Dem support) kept the law basically intact but shifted national attention elsewhere:
HB2 didn't fail. A fake "repeal" (with key Dem support) kept the law basically intact but shifted national attention elsewhere:
Reading about HB2 in North Carolina today feels like it happened on another planet. Every major musical artist canceled their shows there! The NBA *pulled* the All-Star Game from Charlotte!
July 17, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Reading about HB2 in North Carolina today feels like it happened on another planet. Every major musical artist canceled their shows there! The NBA *pulled* the All-Star Game from Charlotte!
This part right here. Heed the people you claim to be worried about or allies of who actually LIVE in these places. If those people don't think it's helpful to try to emulate the lightning in a bottle that was the HB2 boycotts in NC, then maybe listen to THEM about what they ACTUALLY WANT AND NEED.
No local organizations are calling for a boycott of Tennessee. If you see people posting "Boycott Tennessee!", just know that they have no idea what the actual strategy is and you should listen to the people who do instead. It's really that simple.
May 11, 2026 at 2:11 AM
This part right here. Heed the people you claim to be worried about or allies of who actually LIVE in these places. If those people don't think it's helpful to try to emulate the lightning in a bottle that was the HB2 boycotts in NC, then maybe listen to THEM about what they ACTUALLY WANT AND NEED.
Cooper's #1 claim to fame IMO was fighting for trans rights, against NC's HB2 "Bathroom Bill"
February 12, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Cooper's #1 claim to fame IMO was fighting for trans rights, against NC's HB2 "Bathroom Bill"
The UK government issued a travel advisory to LGBT citizens on the risks of traveling to NC given the atmosphere of intolerance & bigotry created by HB2.
The EU issued a statement criticizing HB2, arguing that the law violated
international agreements on civil rights.
15/n
The EU issued a statement criticizing HB2, arguing that the law violated
international agreements on civil rights.
15/n
March 28, 2026 at 4:49 PM
The UK government issued a travel advisory to LGBT citizens on the risks of traveling to NC given the atmosphere of intolerance & bigotry created by HB2.
The EU issued a statement criticizing HB2, arguing that the law violated
international agreements on civil rights.
15/n
The EU issued a statement criticizing HB2, arguing that the law violated
international agreements on civil rights.
15/n
HB2 came out of nowhere, it went from first draft to being passed into law in less than 24 hours
HB2: How Did We Get Here?
A year ago, state legislators passed House Bill 2, a controversial law that almost immediately set off a national debate about public safety, common…
www.wunc.org
February 12, 2026 at 10:41 PM
HB2 came out of nowhere, it went from first draft to being passed into law in less than 24 hours