Pearl Jam Cancel North Carolina Concert to Protest Anti-LGBTQ Bill

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Apr 19, 2016

Pearl Jam are the latest high-profile act to cancel an upcoming appearance in North Carolina in protest of the recently passed House Bill 2 — legislation that restricts transgender people to using washrooms that adhere to the biological sex on their birth certificates and allows businesses to scrap policies previously in place to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
 
Pearl Jam announced that they would not be performing at their scheduled show on April 20 in Raleigh, NC, as an act of condemnation against the new law.
 
In a letter to fans, the band describe the bill as a "despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens." They go on to call the impact of the new laws "expansive" and note that "its negative impact upon basic human rights is profound."
 
"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 statement continues.
 
You can read the full handwritten letter below.
 

Earlier this month, performers like Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr cancelled shows in North Carolina to show their support for the LGBTQ community.
 
Against Me!'s trans frontwoman Laura Jane Grace took a different approach, electing to keep the band's scheduled date and play — as both a form of protest against House Bill 2 and as a means of lending visibility to transgender rights.
 

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