Maroon 5 is the latest group to cancel its performances in North Carolina due to the controversial law that people say discriminates against transgender people.
Earlier this year, the state passed House Bill 2, or HB2, which requires transgender individuals to use public restrooms and locker rooms not based on their gender identity, but rather their sex at birth. North Carolina is the first to require such action from the transgender community in the U.S. and has been met with backlash from the business and artistic communities over the last few months.
In a statement posted online, Maroon 5 indicated their reason for not performing. “We have announced that we will be canceling our upcoming shows in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina because of the recent passage of the HB2 legislation,” the statement read. “This was a difficult decision for us to make as a band.”
We are announcing our cancellation of our Charlotte and Raleigh, NC shows. Read our statement on our website here- https://t.co/3FIFqmaOfj
— Maroon 5 (@maroon5) May 20, 2016
In April, Bruce Springsteen canceled his concert in the region because of the “bathroom law,” and Cyndi Lauper and Ringo Starr have also come out against the controversial bill.
“We don’t want to penalize our fans in North Carolina by not performing for them, but in the end it comes down to what we feel is morally right,” the band’s statement continued.
