LGBT community members 'Rally Against Hate' in Raleigh

Some members of the LGBT community, including Equality NC and TurnOUT NC, organized the event, saying they were inspired by the recent violence in Orlando, Fla.

Advocates said after the massacre of 49 people in an Orlando gay nightclub, they are determined now more than ever to come together to defeat hate and bigotry. Rep. Chris Sgro, D-Guliford, currently the only openly gay member of the General Assembly, said the rally was partly to commemorate the loss in Orlando but should also serve as a reminder.

"To remember that terrible legislation like HB2 and the terrible rhetoric that led up to HB2 puts gay and transgender North Carolinians and Americans in direct risk for harm and violence," he said.

House Bill 2 requires people to use public bathrooms that match their birth gender and excludes gay and transgender people from discrimination protections. Event organizers said the law puts a target on the backs of those in the LGBT community. They are asking lawmakers to undo the legislation by the end of the current session.

“You must repeal House Bill 2 and you must do it before our short session ends. We cannot afford in North Carolina to allow hate, discrimination and laws to stay on the books long enough to see Orlando happen in our communities,” said Candis Cox, a transgender woman who previously met with Gov. Pat McCrory to discus House Bill 2.