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Obama says overturn anti-LGBT laws in North Carolina and Mississippi
Source: The Guardian
Obama says overturn anti-LGBT laws in North Carolina and Mississippi
Matthew Teague
Friday 22 April 2016 20.35 BST
Barack Obama has called for North Carolina and Mississippi to overturn state laws that affect gay and transgender residents.
The anti-LGBT laws came up at the end of a press conference in London with the British prime minister, David Cameron. A reporter asked about a recent travel advisory that the UK Foreign Office issued to its citizens, warning LGBT tourists of the dangers of visiting North Carolina and Mississippi after both introduced laws described by campaigners as “anti-gay”.
“You should come and enjoy yourselves, and I think you’ll be treated with extraordinary hospitality,” Obama said.
“I also think that the laws that have been passed there are wrong and should be overturned, and they’re in response to politics in part, in part to some strong emotions that are generated by people. Some of whom are good people but I just disagree with them when it comes to respecting the equal rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation, whether they’re transgender or gay or lesbian.”
Beyond politics, though, the US president praised the residents of the southern states. “I want everybody here in the United Kingdom to know that the people of North Carolina and Mississippi are wonderful people,” he said. “If you guys come to North Carolina or Mississippi, everybody will be treated well.”
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Matthew Teague
Friday 22 April 2016 20.35 BST
Barack Obama has called for North Carolina and Mississippi to overturn state laws that affect gay and transgender residents.
The anti-LGBT laws came up at the end of a press conference in London with the British prime minister, David Cameron. A reporter asked about a recent travel advisory that the UK Foreign Office issued to its citizens, warning LGBT tourists of the dangers of visiting North Carolina and Mississippi after both introduced laws described by campaigners as “anti-gay”.
“You should come and enjoy yourselves, and I think you’ll be treated with extraordinary hospitality,” Obama said.
“I also think that the laws that have been passed there are wrong and should be overturned, and they’re in response to politics in part, in part to some strong emotions that are generated by people. Some of whom are good people but I just disagree with them when it comes to respecting the equal rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation, whether they’re transgender or gay or lesbian.”
Beyond politics, though, the US president praised the residents of the southern states. “I want everybody here in the United Kingdom to know that the people of North Carolina and Mississippi are wonderful people,” he said. “If you guys come to North Carolina or Mississippi, everybody will be treated well.”
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/22/obama-overturn-anti-lgbt-laws-north-carolina-mississippi
