North Carolina Legislature Enacts Controversial Bills Targeting Transgender Youth

The North Carolina legislature's Republican supermajority has overridden the vetoes of Democratic Governor Roy Cooper to enact three bills targeting transgender youth. The new laws ban gender-affirming care for minors, restrict discussions of gender identity in schools, and prohibit transgender athletes from competing on girls' sports teams. Governor Cooper criticized the legislature's priorities and accused them of "hurting vulnerable children" and engaging in "political culture wars." The veto overrides have become more common in North Carolina, with Republicans gaining a veto-proof supermajority earlier this year.