An Open Letter to the Governors of North Carolina and Mississippi

To Governors Pat McCrory and Phil Bryant,

My name is Kristy Young, and I am a Black, Autistic lesbian from Maryland.  I am writing this letter because I want to tell you how I feel about the "religious freedom" laws you have passed in your states.

First of all, Gov. Phil Bryant, denying an LGBTQ person service based on your religious beliefs is wrong because not everyone has the same beliefs and views, so if you refuse service to a person because of this, you are basically saying that your views are right and the other person's views are wrong and therefore that person should not be given the same liberties and rights as you should, which is unfair.

Also, Gov. Bryant, this country was founded on the basis of religious freedom, but you are taking it too far.  Religious freedom means being able to worship, or to not worship, in any way you want to.  It does not mean that you get to deny service to a person because of your beliefs.

People have used the "religious freedom" excuse to deny rights to women, Black people, disabled people and other marginalized groups, but they are wrong because the Bible says to treat others the way you would want to be treated, to help the poor and the widowed and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Gov. Pat McCrory, transgender people already face enough difficulties from society.  Please do not add any more.  By signing HB2 into law, you have only made life more difficult for them by restricting their right to use the bathroom they feel most comfortable using.  What is a person supposed to do if they need to use the restroom?  Hold it until they get home?  That would be unhealthy and would strip the person of their dignity.  Transgender women are real women, and transgender men are real men, and there are people who identify as neither gender or both genders as well, so this law would really affect these people too.

Also, Gov. McCrory, banning protections for LGBTQ people is not right because as a whole, LGBTQ people already face a lot of prejudice and bigotry from other people, so we need protections to ensure that we are given the same freedoms and rights as straight, cisgender people.

Furthermore, being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning is not a disorder, a choice or a sin.  It is simply how some people are.  Nobody knows why some people are LGBTQ, but nevertheless, it is wrong to discriminate against somebody because they are different from you.


I hope you take all this into consideration and repeal these laws.

Sincerely,

Kristy Young