Performance troupe Cirque du Soleil
said Friday that it was canceling shows in North Carolina over a law
that it called discriminatory.
“Cirque du Soleil strongly believes
in diversity and equality for every individual and is opposed to
discrimination in any form,” the group said in a Facebook post.
“The new HB2 legislation in North Carolina is an important
regression to ensuring human rights for all. We therefore choose to
cancel our scheduled performances” in North Carolina.
North Carolina's House Bill 2 was a
knee jerk reaction to passage of an LGBT protections bill in
Charlotte. Lawmakers approved and Governor Pat McCrory signed the
bill during a one-day special session. It repealed Charlotte's
ordinance and blocked other cities from enacting similar measures.
It also bars students attending public institutions from using the
bathroom that does not conform to their gender at birth.
Other artists who are protesting the
controversial law by canceling performances in the state include
Bruce
Springsteen, Ringo
Starr and Ani
DiFranco. Singer Cyndi Lauper said that she would donate profits
from a scheduled show in Raleigh to effort to repeal the law.
Cirque du Soleil said that it was
canceling shows in Greensboro (April 20-24), Charlotte (July 6-10)
and Raleigh (June 22-26).
(Related: Jane
Fonda, Lily Tomlin “furious” about North Carolina's anti-gay
law.)