Cirque du Soleil has canceled its upcoming performances in North Carolina, joining the growing ranks of entertainers and businesses who have done the same in protest over HB 2, the state's controversial new anti-LGBT law.
The law prohibits cities in the state from passing measures to protect members of the LGBT community from discrimination, and imposes rules that transgender people must use the bathroom of the gender on their birth certificate
In a statement published Friday on Facebook, Cirque du Soleil announced three separate tours of two different shows would be canceled, and called HB 2 a "regression to ensuring human rights for all."
"Cirque du Soleil believes in equality for all," the statement added. "It is a principle that guides us with both our employees and our customers. We behave as change agents to reach our ultimate goal of making a better world with our actions and our productions."
The circus troupe, famous for its surreal performances in which actors display mind-boggling acts of strength, will offer refunds for all of the tickets.
Bruce Springsteen also recently canceled his North Carolina show in protest of the law, telling fans, "Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them.”
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