“North Carolina’s highest point is an outhouse; a fitting symbol for a state that has sullied itself with shitty, repressive legislation” – Neal Gottlieb.
Today a Californian adventurer and entrepreneur, who is on the current season of the CBS TV show Survivor, delivered a symbolic message and a letter to North Carolina’s Governor McCrory, protesting that State’s recent shameful soiling through the enactment and signing of egregious anti-LGBT legislation.
Neal Gottlieb Atop Mount Mitchell posing with the OUTHOUSE, Protest Delivery to Gov Pat McCrory of North Carolina
Neal Gottlieb, of Marin County, California, traveled across the country, specifically to deliver a rainbow painted outhouse, in effect a toilet, to the top of Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain in North Carolina. Gottlieb pinned a letter to the rainbow outhouse, addressed to Governor Pat McCrory, expressing his disdain for North Carolina’s anti-LGBT law, the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, (HB2), recently signed into law by the Governor.
In his fervent protest against the law, Gottlieb, owner of Three Twins Ice Cream, attached a trans flag to the outhouse indicating his support for the trans community of North Carolina.
HB 2 is an egregious and regressive new anti-LGBT law causing specific hardship to trans people, requiring all to use public restrooms according to biological gender on birth certificates. Approved by the state’s General Assembly in a special session, the law prevents cities from passing anti-discrimination ordinances protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people. The law was a direct response to an anti-discrimination ordinance recently passed in Charlotte, N.C,. which allowed transgender people to use the bathroom designated for the gender with which they identify.
A large number of high profile corporations have taken a strong stand against North Carolina because of this odious new law, including entertainers and conference organizers who have pulled events from the State, in protest.
Despite some back peddling through a recent executive order by Governor McCrory, seeking supposedly to “clarify the bill,” activists and pro equality organizations will settle for nothing less than a full repeal of the law.
Gottlieb, who sent me photos of his exploit the moment he cleared state lines, explains his protest and expresses his feelings about HB 2 in the letter pinned to the outhouse as follows:
Neal Gottlieb’s photo of outhouse atop Mt. Mitchell
Governor McCrory,
As of this morning, an outhouse proudly displaying a trans pride flag is sitting atop Mount Mitchell, North Carolina’s tallest mountain. It was placed there in protest of HB2, your state’s institutionalization of discrimination (also known as hate) against members of the trans community (also known as humans). Yes, at least for a little while, North Carolina’s highest point is an outhouse; a fitting symbol for a state that has sullied itself with shitty, repressive legislation.
You still support HB2, claiming it is for the people’s safety, but we all know this is just a load of crap. Government-back discrimination has no place in just societies.
Soon enough HB2 will be reversed and your legacy will be a shit stain in North Carolina’s history. Of course you can admit that you shit the bed, reverse HB2 and wipe away the mess this harmful legislation leaves behind. We all make mistakes. Please stop dumping on freedom and admit your wrongs.
We’ll all feel much better when this passes. Trans is beautiful. Equality is beautiful.
Love wins.
Neal H. Gottlieb
Gottlieb on top of Mt. Stanley in Uganda planting rainbow flag, 2014
Gottlieb, who is a staunch LGBT ally, is no stranger to using mountains in symbolic protest. Back in 2014, after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2014 into law, Gottlieb ventured to Africa where he climbed Mount Stanley, Uganda’s tallest mountain, and planted a rainbow flag at the peak with a letter expressing his opinions about the anti-gay law to President Museveni.
Soon after that Gottlieb marched with me, in support of LGBTI asylum seekers and refugees, exiled by the Anti-Homosexuality legislation, joining my Community Grand Marshal contingent for San Francisco Pride 2014, under the theme “Color Our World With Pride.” (Pics below)
@PatMcCroryNC – Californians request you take a PEAK!
#REPEALHB2NOW #HB2#DumpHB2 http://wp.me/pqRPa-6EM
NEAL GOTLLIEB DELIVER OUTHOUSE ATOP NC’s TALLEST MOUNTAIN – A Protest against the anti TRANS legislation signed by Gov Pat McCrory.
Neal Gottlieb outside the rainbow OUTHOUSE with Trans Flag attached
Melanie Nathan’s Community Grand Marshal Contingent 2014 | Neal Gottlieb , Chalwe Raney and AHRC supporters with Mel’s friends.
Melanie Nathan’s Community Grand Marshal Contingent 2014 |Kristina Lapinski and Neal Gottlieb
Melanie Nathan’s Community Grand Marshal Contingent 2014 | Bryan and Patrick Fasano from Focus Opticians, Neal Gottlieb, Three Twins Ice Cream.
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Thank you ….. “Neal Gottlieb, of Marin County, California” …. your support is invaluable!!
Just finding but starting to share and will keep it up till HB2 repealed…
Reblogged this on Fairy JerBear's Queer/Trans Musings From The City Different – Santa Fe, NM and commented:
This is fabulous!