The American Civil Liberties Union on Monday filed a federal lawsuit challenging a controversial North Carolina law that blocks cities and counties from passing protections against LGBT discrimination.

The measure, signed into law last week by North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R), banned employers and businesses from discriminating against their employees or customers based on race, color, country of origin, religion, age or biological sex. But the law offers no protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and further prevents local governments from passing protections that goes beyond the statewide standard.

The lawsuit , filed by the ACLU North Carolina chapter, names several top North Carolina officials as defendants, including McCrory, state Attorney General Roy Cooper, and the University of North Carolina. It was filed on behalf of several transgender students and a lesbian university dean.