Blue Man Group Latest Act To Boycott North Carolina Over Controversial Bathroom Bill
The Blue Man Group is the latest in a long line of entertainers and businesses to boycott North Carolina over the state’s passing of controversial anti-LGBTQ legislation, WGHP (Greensboro) is reporting.
The group had been scheduled to perform in Charlotte from June 17 through the 19.
In a statement released on the group’s social media platforms, the Blue Man Group noted that the anti-LGBTQ mood in North Carolina is not consistent with what a BMG show is about.
“At the heart of every Blue Man Group performance is a joyful celebration of all human kind including our commonalities and our differences. We value every individual’s right to live a dignified, vibrant life in full color. As such, we are joining the growing list of entertainment professionals in protest of North Carolina’s HB2 law by canceling our upcoming tour performances in Charlotte. We regret any disappointment this may cause our fans, but look forward to performing for you in the future.”
The Blue Man Group, for those not familiar, is a performance art company that dates back to 1991, according to Wikipedia. Three men, dressed all in black, their faces covered in blue paint, put on a show that combines elements of rock and roll music, lighting and special effects, art, and technology.
The group has permanent theaters in in Las Vegas, Orlando, Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Berlin, and touring companies across North and South America. It was one of those touring companies that cancelled the planned North Carolina shows.
The Blue Man Group is the latest in a growing list of entertainers and businesses that have left The Tar Heel State in response to the state’s controversial House Bill 2, a bill widely seen as being anti-LGBTQ.
Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Ani DiFranco, Pearl Jam, and Boston, among others, are all among the musicians who have cancelled upcoming performances in North Carolina over the controversial legislation.
Why did Bruce Springsteen cancel a concert in North Carolina? https://t.co/Tx3OnYSJTe pic.twitter.com/bGvF6STpFj
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) April 18, 2016
Similarly, House Bill 2 appears to be costing North Carolina business; as previously reported by the Inquisitr, online payment company PayPal scrapped plans to expand into North Carolina, costing the state an estimated 400 jobs.
“The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture. As a result, PayPal will not move forward with our planned expansion into Charlotte. This decision reflects PayPal’s deepest values and our strong belief that every person has the right to be treated equally, and with dignity and respect.”
At issue for the Blue Man Group, and other entertainers and businesses, is North Carolina’s recently-passed House Bill 2.
As ABC News explains, the bill — officially called the “Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act” – drastically scales back protections for LGBTQ people in North Carolina, by allowing such individuals to be fired from their jobs or even evicted from their homes simply for being LGBTQ. The bill also prevents individual cities in North Carolina from enacting their own anti-discrimination ordinances.
But the most contentious part of the legislation is its requirement that individuals in public places use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender assigned at birth, rather than the one that corresponds to their gender identity.
Depending on whom you ask, this requirement is necessary to keep sexual predators out of publicly-accessible restrooms. LGBTQ advocates, however, claim that forcing transgender individuals into bathrooms that correspond to their sex at birth is both unnecessary and subjects such individuals to harassment.
Do you believe the Blue Man Group should cancel shows in North Carolina over the state’s anti-LGBTQ legislation?
[Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]
