Credit: Rob ShanahanFollowing Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band‘s recent cancellation of a concert in Greensboro, North Carolina, in protest over the recently passed “bathroom bill” legislation in that state, Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band have pulled out of a show scheduled for June 16 in Cary, North Carolina.
According to a press release, Starr decided to cancel his concert because he feels that the law “opens the door to discrimination everywhere by limiting anti-discrimination laws against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint my fans in the area, but we need to take a stand against this hatred,” the former Beatles drummer says in a statement. “Spread peace and love.”
Ringo adds, “How sad that they feel that this group of people cannot be defended.”
Starr also is calling on people to show support for organizations that are committed to overturning the legislation anyway they can.
The release closes by quoting lyrics from Canned Heat and The Beatles, respectively — “Let’s work together” and “All you need is love.”
Ringo’s latest tour with his All Starr Band kicks off June 3 in Syracuse, New York.
North Carolina’s “bathroom bill,” also known as House Bill 2 and the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, was signed into law last month by Governor Pat McCrory. It mandates that people must use bathrooms that match the sex that’s indicated on their birth certificates, which opponents of the law argue is discriminatory toward the transgender community.
On Tuesday, Governor McCrory signed an executive order that he said “clarifies” the law and also “provides new protections for North Carolina residents.” The order states, among other things, that the private sector can “establish its own restroom and locker room policies” and “non-discrimination employment policies for its own employees.”
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