Duran Duran on Saturday criticized a
North Carolina law that targets the LGBT community.
Standing in front of a giant electronic
American flag that alternated between rainbow colors and transgender
colors, lead singer Simon Le Bon condemned the law as “plain, old
fashioned prejudice, fear and oppression” and pledged support to
the LGBT community.
“Duran Duran is opposed to bigotry
and discrimination in all of its ugly forms,” Le
Bon said, “and so it follows that we are opposed to the basic
premise of HB2.”
Band members also signed a petition
calling for the repeal of House Bill 2 and encouraged fans to do the
same.
House Bill 2 prohibits cities from
approving LGBT protections and bars students attending public
institutions from using the bathroom that does not conform to their
gender at birth.
Le Bon said that the group considered
canceling its show at the PNC Music Pavilion but “decided to go
ahead both for the sake of our fans and to support those in North
Carolina who feel as strongly as we do about this issue.”
Other acts, including Bruce
Springsteen, Ani
DiFranco, Ringo
Starr and Cirque
du Soleil, canceled shows in North Carolina to protest the law.