• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
LeadershipTrans Rights

Why Companies Seem to Care Less About Trans Rights Than Gay Rights

By
Ben Geier
Ben Geier
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Ben Geier
Ben Geier
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 24, 2016, 2:04 PM ET
North Carolina's Capitol Building
North Carolina's Capitol BuildingMatej Krajcovic—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

On Wednesday, several big names in American business threatened to scale back business in the state of Georgia if it passed a law that discriminated against gay citizens. Salesforce, the National Football League, and even Disney told Georgia that there would be repercussions if it passed such laws.

But while these companies were threatening action against a law that hasn’t even been passed, a law legalizing discrimination was passed just a bit to the north of Georgia. North Carolina’s state legislature passed a law reversing a city ordinance in Charlotte that allowed transgender people to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. The legislation also prevents other cities from passing similar protective laws and mandates that students in the state’s public schools use the bathroom associated with their “biological sex”—that is, the sex assigned to them at birth based on anatomy.

Transgender rights groups have derided North Carolina’s move. Transgender youth are already a marginalized and vulnerable group. Forcing such people to use the bathroom for a gender with which they do not identify further stigmatizes and isolates them, these groups argue.

And yet the same companies that were so quick to jump into the fray on the proposed Georgia bill have not been so swift in North Carolina. Salesforce (CRM) offered the following statement to Fortune: “Equality is a core value at Salesforce and we are committed to protecting our employees and customers from discrimination. The law passed in North Carolina yesterday was an attack on equality and we strongly oppose it.” A representative didn’t comment on if a reduction of business in the state was a possibility.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff also said to the Huffington Post that he was unhappy with the North Carolina law and planned to lean on Bank of America, which has headquarters in North Carolina, to oppose it. To its credit, the company has spoken out for trans rights in the past. In January company executive Scott McCorkle advocated that a law in Indiana should include protections for transgender individuals.

Some other companies have spoken up. Dow and Biogen both took to Twitter to express their discontent.

Dow opposes #NCGA attempt to undermine equality in Charlotte. Let's focus on policies that make #NC stronger and more competitive. – KK

— Dow Public Policy (@DowPolicy) March 23, 2016

Biogen opposes #NCGA attempt to undermine equality in NC via #HB2. We support advancing the power of difference https://t.co/RlxgLt3JBC

— Biogen (@biogen) March 23, 2016

Nevertheless, in the “culture war,” the religious right has largely conceded on issues like gay marriage. Instead, such conservatives have taken to using transgender rights, especially on the matter of public restrooms, as a new wedge issue.

 

 

And it’s working. A similar bill was passed in Houston last year. Some local advocates have encouraged the NFL to cancel an upcoming Super Bowl to be held in the city, but nothing has been announced so far.

Mara Keisling, the executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, says that corporations will come around and announce their displeasure with the North Carolina law. She noted that the law was passed and signed within a single day, a move she thinks was designed to stop companies and other opponents from voicing their dismay before it was enacted. Benioff said to the Huffington Post that he was caught by surprise when the bill passed. And Keisling says that while the bill does especially affect trans people, it also dials back broader LGBT rights.

Requests for comment from Disney and the NFL were not immediately returned.

Companies like Disney (DIS) and the NFL may yet announce that they won’t stand by while trans citizens are discriminated against. But despite all the progress that has been made on trans issues, from the success of shows like Orange is the New Black and Transparent, to companies that help employees transition, the rights afforded to trans people have lagged behind.

About the Author
By Ben Geier
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

Matt Garman
Successthe future of work
Amazon exec says AI won’t wipe out white-collar jobs—and is hiring 11,000 grads and interns, and has more developers than 2 years ago to prove it
By Preston ForeJune 24, 2026
3 hours ago
t
CommentaryWhite House
Trump mistakes the bully pulpit for bullying leadership — history’s villains were never heroes
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianJune 24, 2026
6 hours ago
mg
CommentaryHealth
The ‘tech neck’ time bomb: why 43 million young Americans could cripple U.S. health care within a generation
By Michael GerlingJune 24, 2026
6 hours ago
Sarah Youngwood, EVP and CFO at Nasdaq.
C-SuiteFinance
Inside Nasdaq CFO Sarah Youngwood’s AI playbook
By Sheryl EstradaJune 24, 2026
7 hours ago
Business is moving past the tech bro era and learning to value ‘real people, real places’
NewslettersCEO Daily
Business is moving past the tech bro era and learning to value ‘real people, real places’
By Diane BradyJune 24, 2026
8 hours ago
Now she’s worth $200 million—and Sarah Jessica Parker thanks being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
SuccessCareer Advice
Now she’s worth $200 million—and Sarah Jessica Parker thanks being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
11 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
Banking
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
By Jim EdwardsJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
Real Estate
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
By Sydney LakeJune 22, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.