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North Carolina may already have signed its controversial House Bill 2, but the debate over its constitutionality is far from over. The legislation, which is more commonly referred to as the state’s “bathroom law,” states that anyone who wants to use a public restroom in the Tar Heel State must do so based on the gender they were assigned at birth. The state hasn’t gotten as far as outlining its plan for the “bathroom monitors” who will presumably be on hand enforce the law by checking people’s birth certificates.


But good luck trying that shit with Laura Jane Grace—the Against Me! frontwoman, who is transgender, recently declined to join the entertainment industry’s boycott of the state, insisting that the band’s show would go on as scheduled on May 15. Grace said that while she respected the boycotting actions of activists and allies, she felt that her inability to opt out of bigotry as a trans woman meant she had to take a more proactive approach to dissenting.



So it was that Against Me! took the stage at Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Sunday night. According to Consequence Of Sound, Grace’s protest turned truly incendiary as she lit her birth certificate on fire, thereby saying “goodbye to gender.” Concertgoers made videos of the act, which has been shared on Twitter by Grace herself, though she has not issued any formal statements.


[via Pitchfork]