Culture

Mumford and Sons to donate profits from North Carolina gig to LGBT charity

Apr 14 2016
Written by Joseph McCormick

The Mumford and Sons band has said it will donate profits from a concert in North Carolina tonight to local LGBT charities.

Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr are among celebrities to ditch appearances in the state after Governor Pat McCrory signed HB2, a ‘religious freedom’ bill into law.

As well as allowing discrimination against LGBT people, the bill, passed in a specially called session, actually rolled back pre-existing local protections for LGBT rights.

Mumford and Sons is the latest to take a stand against the state of North Carolina’s widely condemned HB2, which restricts the rights of LGBT people.

Joining Cyndi Lauper, who yesterday said she would still perform there, the band said it would donate proceeds to an LGBT rights organisation.

Posting on its official Facebook page, the band said it would “take a stand” against “intolerance, fear and discrimination”.

They wrote: “Over the years we’ve looked for ways to contribute to the vitality of local communities and, in that spirit, we’re now creating a charitable fund to support those who have made it their mission to pursue love and justice. We will be donating all of our profits from this show to this new fund. And we will start by making a donation from it to a local LGBTQ organisation.”

“As always, we will open the doors to our show to anyone who wants to come, and are excited to get down with the people of Charlotte.”

Last month North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed law which voids all local ordinances protecting LGBT rights, as well as permitting businesses to discriminate against LGBT people on the grounds of religious belief.

The new law also bans transgender students in public schools from using their preferred bathroom.

McCrory’s decision has attracted a legal challenge as well as a growing boycott of the state, with over 100 companies slamming the decision.

After Springsteen’s announcement, the guitarist from the E Street Band Steven Van Zandt said North Carolina’s anti-LGBT law is like an “evil virus” in explaining why their concert was cancelled for this Sunday.

Springsteen was accused of using “bully tactics” for cancelling the concert by one of the state’s Representatives.

But dozens of celebrities and hundreds of fans came to the defence of Springsteen, commending him for taking a stand.

McCrory earlier this week issued an order attempting to water down the anti-LGBT law – but most of its provisions remain in place.

“After listening to people’s feedback for the past several weeks on this issue, I have come to the conclusion that there is a great deal of misinformation, misinterpretation, confusion, a lot of passion and frankly, selective outrage and hypocrisy, especially against the great state of North Carolina,” McCrory said in a statement.

“Based upon this feedback, I am taking action to affirm and improve the state’s commitment to privacy and equality.”

Meanwhile in Mississippi, which passed similar, if not worse legislation, Sharon Stone cancelled filming of a project in the state, and Bryan Adams also snubbed the state, cancelling a gig.