Mississippi Gov tries to deflect attention from anti-LGBT law with ‘1980s rockers’

Bryan Adams playing the guitar on stage

The Governor of Mississippi Phil Bryant has weakly attempted to deflect attention from his state’s recently signed anti-LGBT law.

The Governor of Mississippi Phil Bryant signed a new law earlier this month that enables discrimination against LGBT people – ignoring pleas from business leaders in the state.

Bryan Adams earlier this month decided to cancel his concert in Mississippi over the bill.

Bryant said people should be looking at other issues, mocking the fact that “a 1980s rocker”, Bryan Adams, has cancelled a gig there.

“Amazing things are happening, but we all seem to be fascinated with a 1980s rocker that canceled a concert,” Bryant told Mississippi’s WAPT.

He went on to say that “simply… the government cannot discriminate” because of the bill, based on religious beliefs.

However it has been argued regularly that the bill will allow religious objectors to discriminate against LGBT people.

The bill was passed shortly after North Carolina’s HB2, which has seen artists like Ringo Starr and Bruce Springsteen cancel concerts. Both states have been warned that they may lose federal aid over the bills.

Last week Governor Bryant claimed that without his anti-LGBT law in place, churches would be forced to close.

The UK government this week updated its travel advice for the United States – to warn gay people about new anti-LGBT laws.

As well as Adams, Sharon Stone has also ditched plans to make a movie in Mississippi over the law.

Last week Governor Bryant signed a law that grants churches the right to form their own heavily-armed militia for security purposes.