In 2016, a transgender “bathroom ban” in North Carolina sparked a national outcry. A-list celebrities including Nick Jonas, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, and many more canceled performances in the area. Proposals to expand in Cary and Charlotte were put on hold by multinational firms Deutsche Bank and PayPal. The NCAA rescheduled its championship games to a different location.
Eight years later, after Utah approved a bill similar to this one on Monday, the response outside of the state seems to be more of a shrug.
The two biggest companies in Utah did not issue statements in reaction to the bill. Every year, the Sundance Film Festival in Park City brings in tens of thousands of tourists and boosts the local economy. These visitors were just leaving for home. The LGBTQ icon and worldwide phenomenon Bad Bunny will be the main attraction during a concert in Salt Lake City in the coming weeks. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament’s first and second rounds will be held in Salt Lake City next month.
