North Carolina's anti-trans bathroom law is ridiculous, and this interview proves it.

    
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Journalists really should take note.

North Carolina's anti-trans bathroom law is ridiculous, and this interview proves it.

In March, North Carolina passed a no good, very bad, anti-transgender law — but you might know that already.

Essentially, it requires trans people to use whichever bathroom corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificate, which creates all sorts of problems.

Here's North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. Photo by Davis Turner/Getty Images.

It came in direct response to a Charlotte ordinance about to be enacted that would have actually protected trans people.

But sadly, most of the news coverage about the Charlotte ordinance consisted of news anchors simply repeating the anti-trans talking points.

GIF from Media Matters for America/YouTube.

And while the state of North Carolina received some major backlash after passing the anti-trans law, most journalists continued to present it in a "Who's to say, really?" kind of way.

Well, that stopped last night, when Megyn Kelly of Fox News interviewed North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory.

Finally! Someone was ready to directly address these issues. Kelly came away looking like a pro, while Gov. McCrory left flustered, clinging to his talking points about tradition and expectations of privacy.

Here are a couple of the highlights:

On the idea that allowing trans people to use the correct bathroom will somehow be a violation of privacy:

GIFs from Mediaite/YouTube.

McCrory deflected.

On debunking the idea that transgender people are somehow more likely to be sexual criminals:

McCrory's response here? To deny the existence of trans people, saying that he doesn't "use that term." As we all know, if you don't say something aloud, it doesn't exist, right?!

Throughout this and other interviews, McCrory has said that his concern isn't about transgender people, but about "men" sneaking into women's restrooms and claiming they're transgender as an excuse (which, for the record, has never happened in any of the 17 states and more than 200 cities across the country that have trans-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances).

Good for Kelly for not letting him skate by on the usual talking points.

There was one thing Gov. McCrory was right about: This isn't an issue he started.

Anti-trans individuals have been murmuring about this for years. States and cities have tried and, at times, succeeded in passing laws designed to deny transgender people their basic human rights (everybody poops, right?). It's only in the spotlight of increased visibility — which, as this situation highlights, is a double-edged sword — that states have made this a national issue, painting trans people as sexual deviants and a danger to children.

We know what it looks like when trans people aren't allowed to use the correct bathroom, and it'd seem to be the opposite of what McCrory and other anti-trans individuals say they want.

Watching Kelly run circles around McCrory seems to indicate that just maybe this whole thing wasn't thought through.

Well done, Megyn Kelly. Well done.

GIF from "Citizen Kane."

Watch Megyn Kelly's epic interview with North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory below.

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This family’s journey to adoption demonstrates the transformative power of love

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We're redefining what normal means in these uncertain times, and although this is different for all of us, love continues to transform us for the better.

Love is what united Marie-Claire and David Archbold, who met while taking a photography class. "We went into the darkroom to see what developed," they joke—and after a decade of marriage, they know firsthand the deep commitment and connection romantic love requires.

All photos courtesy of Marie-Claire and David Archbold

However, their relationship became even sweeter when they adopted James: a little boy with a huge heart.

In the United States alone, there are roughly 122,000 children awaiting adoption according to the latest report from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. While the goal is always for a child to be parented by and stay with their biological family, that is not always a possibility. This is where adoption offers hope—not only does it create new families, it gives birth parents an avenue through which to see their child flourish when they are not able to parent. For the right families, it's a beautiful thing.

The Archbolds knew early on that adoption was an option for them. David has three daughters from a previous marriage, but knowing their family was not yet complete, the couple embarked on a two-year journey to find their match. When the adoption agency called and told them about James, they were elated. From the moment they met him, the Archbolds knew he was meant to be part of their family. David locked eyes with the brown-eyed baby and they stared at each other in quiet wonder for such a long time that the whole room fell silent. "He still looks at me like that," said David.

The connection was mutual and instantaneous—love at first sight. The Archbolds knew that James was meant to be a part of their family. However, they faced significant challenges requiring an even deeper level of commitment due to James' medical condition.

James was born with congenital hyperinsulinism, a rare condition that causes his body to overproduce insulin, and within 2 months of his birth, he had to have surgery to remove 90% of his pancreas. There was a steep learning curve for the Archbolds, but they were already in love, and knew they were committed to the ongoing care that'd be required of bringing James into their lives. After lots of research and encouragement from James' medical team, they finally brought their son home.

Today, three-year-old James is thriving, filled with infectious joy that bubbles over and touches every person who comes in contact with him. "Part of love is when people recognize that they need to be with each other," said his adoptive grandfather. And because the Archbolds opted for an open adoption, there are even more people to love and support James as he grows.

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Couple's video of their cats having a 'spaw day' has taken the internet by storm

@dontstopmeowing/TikTok

Cats are notoriously weird. Everyone who's had cats knows that they each have their own unique quirks, idiosyncrasies, preferences, habits, and flat-out WTFness.

But even those of us who have experience with bizarre cat behavior are blown away by the antics this "cat dad" is able to get away with.

Kareem and Fifi are the cat parents of Chase, Skye, and Millie—literally the most chill kitties ever. They share their family life on TikTok as @dontstopmeowing, and their videos have been viewed millions of times. When you see them, you'll understand why.

Take Chase's spa days, for example. It may seem unreal at first, but watch what happens when Fifi tries to take away his cucumber slices.

@dontstopmeowing Chase was vibing ##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##catsoftiktok ##VideoSnapChallenge ##Seitan ##trending ##duet
♬ original sound - Kareem & Fifi

When she puts them back on his eyes? WHAT?! What cat would let you put them on once, much less get mad when you take them off?

This cat. Chase is living his best life.

@dontstopmeowing Spaw day🐾 ##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##catsoftikok ##somethingyoulearned ##upcycling ##trending
♬ original sound - Kareem & Fifi

But apparently, it's not just Chase. Skye and Millie have also joined in "spaw day." How on earth does one couple end up with three hilariously malleable cats?

@dontstopmeowing When will it end? ##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##catsoftiktok ##Science101 ##ThriftFlip ##trending ##duet
♬ original sound - Kareem & Fifi

Oh, and if you think they must have been sedated or something, look at how wide awake they are during bath time. That's right, bath time. Most cats hate water, but apparently, these three couldn't care less. How?

@dontstopmeowing What I come home to ##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##catsoftiktok ##FanTheory ##TikTokFitness ##trending ##duet
♬ original sound - Kareem & Fifi

They'll literally do anything. The Don't Stop Meowing channel is filled with videos like this. Cats wearing glasses. Cats wearing hats. Cats driving cars. It's unbelievable yet highly watchable entertainment.

@dontstopmeowing Where are they going? ##catsoftiktok ##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##duet ##trending ##bakedoats ##homecook
♬ Surfin' USA - The California Surfers

If you're worried that Kareem gets all the love and Fifi constantly gets the shaft, that seems to be a bit for show. Look at Chase and Fifi's conversation about her leaving town for a business trip:

@dontstopmeowing Chase hates when I leave town ##fyp ##foryou ##foryoupage ##catsoftiktok ##clingypets ##winterbeautytips ##trending
♬ original sound - Kareem & Fifi

The whole channel is worth checking out. Ever seen a cat being carried in a baby carrier at the grocery store? A cat buckled into a car seat? Three cats sitting through storytime? It's all there. (Just a heads up: A few of the videos have explicit language, so parents might want to do a preview before watching with little ones.) You can follow the couple and their cats on all their social media channels, including Instagram and YouTube if TikTok isn't your thing, here.

If you weren't a cat person before, these videos might change your mind. Fair warning, however: Getting a cat because you want them to do things like this would be a mistake. Cats do what they want to do, and no one can predict what weird traits they will have. Even if you raise them from kittenhood, they're still unpredictable and weird.

And honestly, we wouldn't have them any other way.

From Your Site Articles

This family’s journey to adoption demonstrates the transformative power of love

True

We're redefining what normal means in these uncertain times, and although this is different for all of us, love continues to transform us for the better.

All photos courtesy of Marie-Claire and David Archbold

However, their relationship became even sweeter when they adopted James: a little boy with a huge heart.

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A college student who was fed up with his classmate has gone viral for calling out his own ignorance

You know that feeling you get when you walk into a classroom and see someone else's stuff on your desk?

OK, sure, there are no assigned seats, but you've been sitting at the same desk since the first day and everyone knows it.

So why does the guy who sits next to you put his phone, his book, his charger, his lunch, and his laptop in the space that's rightfully yours? It's annoying!

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This Nicholas Brothers' legendary tap routine was unrehearsed and filmed in a single take

laughland/YouTube

There have been many iconic dance routines throughout film history, but how many have the honor being called "the greatest" by Fred Astaire himself?

Fayard and Harold Nicholas, known collectively as the Nicholas Brothers, were arguably the best at what they did during their heyday. Their coordinated tap routines are legendary, not only because they were great dancers, but because of their incredible ability to jump into the air and land in the splits. Repeatedly. From impressive heights.

Their most famous routine comes from the movie "Stormy Weather." As Cab Calloway sings "Jumpin' Jive," the Nicholas Brothers make the entire set their dance floor, hopping and tapping from podium to podium amongst the musicians, dancing up and down stairs and across the top of a piano.

But what makes this scene extra impressive is that they performed it without rehearsing it first and it was filmed in one take—no fancy editing room tricks to bring it all together. This fact was confirmed in a conversation with the brothers in a Chicago Tribune article in 1997, when they were both in their 70s:

"Would you believe that was one of the easiest things we ever did?" Harold told the paper.

"Did you know that we never even rehearsed that number?" added Fayard.

"When it came time to do that part, (choreographer) Nick Castle said: 'Just do it. Don`t rehearse it, just do it.' And so we did it—in one little take. And then he said: 'That's it—we can't do it any better than that.'"

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