The chorus against North Carolina’s so-called “bathroom law“—which does away with important civil rights protections for LGBT people and forbids transgender persons from using bathrooms that do not match the gender identity stated on their birth certificates—is growing stronger.
As the state and federal governments are currently in a legal battle, corporations like PayPal and Deutsche Bank have scrapped business plans in the state, while NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has threatened to cancel next year’s All-Star game in Charlotte if the discriminatory nature of law does not change.
On Tuesday, world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman joined a number of musicians who have cancelled live shows in the area, including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, and Nick Jonas. Perlman wrote the following statement on Facebook:
As my fans know, I have spent a lifetime advocating against discrimination towards those with physical disabilities and have been a vocal advocate for treating all people equally. As such, after great consideration, I have decided to cancel my May 18th concert in North Carolina with the North Carolina Symphony as a stand against House Bill 2. As Attorney General Loretta Lynch recently stated, HB2 “is about a great deal more than just bathrooms. [It] is about the dignity and respect we accord our fellow citizens.” I couldn’t agree more and will look forward to returning to North Carolina when this discriminatory law is repealed.
Jonathan Zalman is a writer and teacher based in Brooklyn.
