Pearl Jam Cancels North Carolina Show To Protest Anti-LGBT Law

Add another band to the list of refusing to perform in North Carolina. Pearl Jam recently announced that they are canceling a concert in Raleigh, N.C., which would have been held on April 20.

“The HB2 law that was recently passed is a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens,” the band said in a written statement. “We want America to be a place where no one can be turned away from a business because of who they love or fired from their job for who they are.”

The state’s governor, Pat McCrory, passed a law that nullified a Charlotte ordinance that allowed transgender people to choose what bathroom they use, based on the sex they identify themselves as. McCrory defended the law on April 17, when he appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press. “The city of Charlotte passed a bathroom ordinance mandate on every private-sector employer in Charlotte,” he said. This is not quite true, however. It only applies to businesses that are open to the public, according to Politifact.

Many people are outraged by the law and several big names in the public eye took their stand. Ringo Starr, Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy Buffet also have canceled recent shows in North Carolina.

Filmmaker Michael Moore asked the distributors of his latest movie, Where to Invade Next, in a tweet to stop screenings of it in the state and they agreed.

Cirque du Soleil also canceled several shows in the state.