The San Francisco Symphony has canceled
two tour concerts in North Carolina in response to passage of a state
law that targets the LGBT community.
The controversial law, known as House
Bill 2, blocks cities and municipalities from enacting LGBT
protections. It is also the only state law in the nation that
prohibits transgender people using the bathroom of their choice.
The two concerts were scheduled to take
place April 5-6 in Chapel Hill.
Executive Director Brent Assink told
the San Francisco Chronicle that he initiated the conversation
and made the decision to pull the plug “but it was done with the
full backing of [Music Director] Michael [Tilson Thomas] and the
board.”
“We also looked carefully at what the
state and city were doing. Mayor [Ed] Lee's decision really got our
attention,” he
added, a reference to Lee's decision to bar publicly funded
travel to the state by city employees.
Passage of the law during a one-day
special session in March has led to canceled conventions and concerts
and even job losses for the state. Despite the backlash, Republican
leaders adjourned without repealing the law. Despite Republican
Governor Pat McCrory's loss on election day, Democrat Roy Cooper, who
has vowed to repeal HB 2, is taking office with veto-proof Republican
majorities in the House and Senate.
(Related: In
first speech as governor-elect, Roy Cooper calls for repeal of
anti-LGBT law HB2.)