Bonnaroo issues statement on anti-LGBT legislation in Tennessee

Tennessee governor Bill Haslam signed the “Therapist Bill” — which allows counselors in the state to reject gay, lesbian, and transgender clients should it go against their “sincerely held principals” — into law on Wednesday afternoon and Bonnaroo Music & Arts festival is speaking out in opposition.

Friday morning, the annual event issued a four-part statement via Twitter. “We are deeply disheartened by the recent anti-LGBT legislation that passed in our home state of Tennessee. #NoHateInMyState,” the note began.

It was followed by a assurances that the festival would go on, continuing with its “Radiate Positivity” mantra. “Despite this setback for equality,” they wrote, “Bonnaroo will continue to be a force for promoting and embracing openness and acceptance. We have forged a strong bond with the TN community and intend to use our voice to champion equal rights for everyone everywhere. We hope that our fans will join us in radiating positivity in the face of this unfortunate ruling.”

Bonnaroo is the latest music-industry force to publicly oppose the anti-LGBT rulings in the South. Bruce Springsteen recently cancelled a North Carolina concert in protest of HB2, legislation which blocks anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and bars transgender people from using bathrooms that do not match the gender they were assigned at birth. Ringo Starr and Cirque du Soleil followed suit, also renegging on their scheduled stops.

Cyndi Lauper announced that she would donate all profits from her Raleigh concert to fight the bill, as did comedian Joel McHale.

Their tweets are embedded below.