Michele Nix On Donald Trump & That Bathroom Bill

Earlier this year, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed a discriminatory bill essentially disallowing transgender people from using the bathroom of their choice. The bill also prevented North Carolina cities from passing non-discrimination bills that would prevent the state bathroom bill. And in an effort to alleviate any backlash against the bill, lawmakers added a proposal to address and penalize perpetrators of hate crimes in public bathrooms. Bustle spoke with North Carolina's Republican Party Vice Chairwoman Michele Nix about the bathroom bill at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

Donald Trump's RNC kicked off on Monday as the committee is set to announce the businessman as their nominee. Trump had previously said in April, regarding North Carolina's bathroom bill, "There have been very few complaints the way it is. People go, they use the bathroom that they feel is appropriate. There has been so little trouble." And Nix has shown her support for Trump. Giving the invocation at a Trump rally at the Greensboro Coliseum last month, she said, "Help us, Lord, to help Donald Trump make America great again."

But when it comes to how she felt about Trump's stance on the bill, Nix says, "I don't think he fully understood the bill, and that's the problem going around. People haven't actually read the language, so they're having a hard time understanding it because, unfortunately, some of the media has been biased and they're pushing the narrative as opposed to really understanding what the bill was about."

The original bill stated that in the cases of public multiple occupancy bathrooms and changing or locker rooms, these facilities will be designated for use based on an individual's "biological sex." The bill defines "biological sex" as the "physical condition of being male or female, which is stated on a person's birth certificate."

When it came to her support for the bill, Nix tells Bustle that she is not in the state legislature and was unable to vote on the bill. However, she says, "I do support our governor and our state legislature on the action that they've taken because we do need to be sure that our men and women and young children are protected in our locker rooms and showers."

Nix talked to Bustle more about what she thinks on Trump. Follow Bustle at @bustledotcom on Snapchat to hear it and for live coverage of the rest of the RNC!

Image: Hayley Saltzman/Bustle (1)