Laura Jane Grace Burns Birth Certificate Protesting Shitty Anti-Trans Laws

It’s sometimes the simplest gestures that have the biggest impact.

By now you’re all probably well aware of the US state of North Carolina and their extremely iffy new laws that prevent transgender people from using certain public bathrooms.
The HB2 act has been widely panned by critics, who have slammed the legislation as some of the most profoundly anti-LGBTQI laws ever implemented in the United States.
In response, scores of artists and musicians have cancelled planned performances in the state as a form of protest against the bill. Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Cirque du Soleil, Ringo Starr, Boston, and others all canned planned shows in the state, directly citing the laws as the reason why.
But others have moved ahead with shows regardless, choosing to show their opposition in different ways. Most notably on this list is almighty punk band Against Me!.

Frontwoman Laura Jane Grace, one of the most recognisable and notable trans people in the music business, brought her band out to the North Carolinian city of Durham for a show that went down earlier today Australian time.
Grace has strongly asserted her resolve to play shows in the state in the past as a way of showing lawmakers that trans people will not be intimidated by legislative discrimination and bullying.

“I’m going to create an event around the show as a form of protest to say that despite whatever stupid laws they enact, trans people are not going to be scared.”

The HB2 laws assert that individuals may only use the public restrooms that correspond with the gender that appears on their birth certificate.

So on-stage, in Durham, Laura Jane Grace burned her fucking birth certificate.

Goddamn that is BAD-FUCKING-ASS.

Against Me! is among the swathe of groups to honour previously scheduled shows in the state and donate the proceeds from them to pro-LGBTQI charities.
But it’s little gestures like this that speak way louder than money or a cancelled show ever could.
Hell yes, Laura Jane Grace. Hell. Goddamned. Yes.
Photo: Chris McKay/Getty.

More Stuff From PEDESTRIAN.TV