Cirque du Soleil scraps NC shows over bathroom law

Cirque du Soleil on Friday announced that it is cancelling its scheduled performances in North Carolina over the state’s law codifying which bathroom a transgender person must use.

“Cirque du Soleil strongly believes in diversity and equality for every individual and is opposed to discrimination in any form,” the performing troupe wrote on its Facebook page. “The new HB2 legislation passed in North Carolina is an important regression to ensuring human rights for all.

{mosads}“We therefore choose to cancel our scheduled performances of OVO in Greensboro (April 20-24) and our scheduled performances in Charlotte (July 6-10) and our scheduled performances of TORUK – Avatar in Raleigh (June 22-26).”

Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a law last month setting statewide discrimination protections on the basis of race, religion, color, national origins and sex.

The law excluded provisions for sexual orientation and gender identity, however, and it also superseded all such ordinances at the local level statewide.

Critics pounced on the law’s elimination of a city ordinance in Charlotte, which let transgender individuals use public restrooms based on their gender identity. It scrapped that measure, meaning transgender people must use facilities that correspond with their gender at birth as listed on their birth certificate.

Cirque du Soleil on Friday said that the law’s provisions are incompatible with the entertainment company’s vision.

“Cirque du Soleil believes in equality for all,” the performance art group said. “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 production.

“We sincerely hope that our customers that have purchased tickets for our performances in North Carolina will understand our motivation and we look forward to performing in North Carolina when this issue is addressed.”

McCrory on Tuesday signed an executive order expanding his state’s employment protections to sexual identity and gender identity. It also reaffirms the right of local governments and private businesses to implement their own nondiscrimination policies.

The controversial law, however, remains on the books. It has drawn boycotts from multiple businesses and entertainers who find it discriminatory.