Bob McNair, the owner of the Houston Texans, opposes a proposed Texas bill that would regulate which bathrooms transgender people can use.
I don't think it'll pass," McNair said last week at the NFL owners meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. "I don't think we need it. There's opposition in the House. I think there are other things more important going on in the world."
SB6, which has passed the state Senate, would force transgender people to use the bathroom of the sex listed on their birth certificate, not the one of the gender they identify with. It is similar to HB2 in North Carolina, whose passage caused major sporting events to be moved from the state. HB2 was repealed last week, though its replacement still discriminates against LGBT people.
McNair is a major donor to Republicans, so his opposition to SB6 is noteworthy. If the bill passes the House — its future there is uncertain — and is signed by the governor, then Texas will risk losing major sporting events. McNair’s Texans hosted this year’s Super Bowl and Dallas wants to be a future Super Bowl host.
The NCAA women’s basketball tournament was held this year in Dallas and next year’s men’s event is set for San Antonio. That could be at risk if SB6 passes. In addition to sports, businesses can also leave the state as happened in North Carolina. I am not sure why Texas politicians would be so dumb to pass SB6 after all the turmoil HB2 caused in North Carolina.
